1 Chapter 1
“Hey, Col, Martin, over here!”
Martin Kellam, holding his civil partner’s arm, smiled at hearing the familiar voice of Colin’s uncle Matt.
“G’day, mate,” Martin called out. He’d been practicing his Aussie accent but he knew it was pretty terrible, a fact confirmed when Matt laughed.
“Gawd,” Martin felt two strong arms engulf him. “It’s great to see you. Uh…sorry.”
Martin found and kissed Matt’s cheek. “Don’t start all that again. Blind people say that they’ll see each other all the time.”
“Thanks, mate.” Matt’s words were punctuated with slaps on Martin’s back.
Martin got a second squeeze before Matt moved on to his nephew.
Colin’s words were muffled; Martin guessed his partner’s face was pressed into Matt’s wide shoulder.
“You both have a good flight?” Matt asked.
“It was bloody long,” Colin said.
“And tiring,” Martin yawned.
“I remember.” Matt chuckled. “Sorry, I haven’t congratulated you both on getting married, uh, hitched.”
“Thanks.” Unconsciously Martin touched the smooth metal band on the ring finger of his left hand. “Somehow getting civil partnered doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
“Wish I coulda been there…but we were a couple of jackaroos down and I couldn’t—”
“It’s okay. Like we said at the time, we understand,” Colin told him. “Hope the pictures and the video helped.”
“They did, mate, thanks.”
Martin took Colin’s elbow and they started walking, Colin pulling his case with his free arm and Matt pulling Martin’s, even though the latter insisted he could manage it himself.
Martin had told Colin he wanted the civil partnership ceremony to be filmed, knowing at least he’d be able to hear the soundtrack and relive the second-most important day of his life. The most important had been Christmas seven years earlier when he and Colin had first become a couple.
The ceremony had been amazing. Even without the video Martin knew he’d never forget standing in front of their friends and family—mostly Colin’s—as the registrar had joined them in their civil partnership. Seth, Martin’s guide dog and successor to Toby, had been there. Colin had insisted on this, saying the German Shepherd was an important member of their family.
Colin, Martin, and Matt walked seemingly miles along hallways, around corners, and more corners until finally they emerged outside.
“Hell,” Colin said, echoing Martin’s unspoken sentiments. It was hot.
Matt laughed. “Welcome to Oz in summer.”
The temperature dropped a little when they entered another building, Martin guessed from the cavernous echoes of car engines they were in some kind of covered car park.
“I’m on the fifth level,” Matt announced. “You doing okay, mate?” Matt patted Martin’s arm.
“Yeah, great.” Martin yawned again. “What time is it?”
“Just after eleven.”
“Is that AM or PM?”
Matt laughed. “AM. But I know what you’re going through. You’ll be jetlagged for a couple of days yet.”
They entered a lift with a few other people, the doors closed, Martin got a sense of them moving upward, then they stopped and the doors opened. He was about to nudge Colin, when Matt told him they were only on the third floor.
* * * *
“This is us,” Matt told Colin as they drew close to a dusty, grey pick-up truck. “We can stick your stuff in the bed, should be all right.”
“Bed?” Martin asked through another yawn. “Sounds like a great idea.”
Matt chuckled. “Bed of the ute.” Matt lifted Martin’s case into the back of the truck before reaching for Colin’s. “Sorry, but it’ll be a bit of a squeeze up front. Nance needed the car.”
Colin remembered Nancy… Nance—everyone seemed to shorten their names down under—was his uncle’s housekeeper and Bruce’s mother.
Thinking of Bruce reminded Colin of a point he’d meant to raise with his uncle. “You’ve not mentioned Bruce much in your last few emails. You two all right?”
“Uh, yeah, fine.” Matt unlocked the driver’s door and then walked around to open the passenger door. “Thought we’d get booked in at the motel…then after you two have rested for a bit we could go check out Sydney’s nightlife.”
“Uh, okay.” It was Colin’s turn to yawn. He knew his uncle hadn’t really answered the question about Bruce, but Colin decided to wait.
Two years earlier Matt had flown to London to be with his brother over Christmas. Colin and Martin had hit a rough patch in their relationship when Colin had accidentally left the garden gate open and Toby had got out and was killed. Thanks to something Matt had said—Colin never did get the full details—Martin was able to forgive Colin for his fatal mistake.
During the visit Matt had mentioned Bruce, his foreman, and how they messed around but it was nothing serious. However, Matt admitted he had feelings for Bruce and promised Colin and Martin he’d say something to the man on his return. Colin strongly suspected that conversation had not taken place.
