15 The Moon Man - Part III

10th March

Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand

After talking to AJ last night, I'm still not sure what to think or what to do. She said that I should go see my father, hear him out, but she doesn't know the whole story. If she did, would she say the same thing? I don't know. I don't know what to do. What do you want from me, father?

"Oi, get up already."

Last night, even after I'd had my shower and dropped into bed exhausted, I hadn't been able to sleep. My head had been full of thoughts about my father, Kyle, and everything that it meant. And what it could possibly be that my father wants. Due to that, it take even longer than usual for my eyes to focus, and for me to see that the person who has woken me up is my girlfriend, Tayla. My eyesight is blurry, but I know it's her.

"What? I didn't sleep through my alarm, did I?"

I try sitting up, but my head just gets dizzy. I really didn't get enough sleep. The angle that the sun is coming into the room at... I don't think it's ten yet. Ten might seem late to set an alarm, but work doesn't start till twelve, and I'm still tired from yesterday. Tayla often comes around early when I'm still asleep, but she doesn't usually wake me up until I have to be.

"No, I woke you up early."

"I'm glad you're here, but why?"

"Because there's a man here who says he knows your father."

Oh, that's right. The reason I couldn't get to sleep last night. I guess I shouldn't be surprised if he's still around. Of course, he wouldn't have given up that easily. From what I remember of Kyle when I lived in Singapore, he is a very hard worker, but most of all he was very loyal to my father.

I sigh, "I get it. I'll get up now."

After I get dressed, I stumble out of my room, and cross the hallway into the lounge. In there, Kyle is once again sitting on the couch. Tayla's in the kitchen cooking breakfast. She does this every Saturday, using ingredients from her place. Her parents are too nice to me.

"Morning," Kyle says to me.

"Morning," I say back to him.

I yawn as I head over to the CD player, but then pause. I usually listen to music in the morning, but that might be kind of weird with Kyle here. Maybe I should play my music anyway, I'm in the mood for some Fall82. But I leave it, and walk over to the kitchen to see what Tayla is cooking. Bacon and eggs. Fried eggs. I hear my stomach rumble in anticipation.

"Can I talk to you, Alexander?" I hear Kyle say from behind me.

I sigh. I don't think I really want to listen. I tried to think it through last night, but I still couldn't bring myself to understand what Kyle was saying. Or perhaps I didn't want to. I don't want to believe that my father is anything other than the monster I believe him to be. But there has to be a reason that Kyle is so loyal to my father. There has to be some quality he has, a good quality, that makes him likable and respectable enough for Kyle to follow him so doggedly. So, I guess I'll listen to what Kyle has to say.

"I'm listening."

"I thought about what you said. That you didn't believe he only wanted to make sure you were safe. And I think you're right. I was being naïve. Frank is not an ideal parent. He's not a perfect, or even honest person. He's a schemer, he's deceitful, and everything he does has an ulterior motive. But, I still think you should go see him. You want to know what he wants you for, don't you?"

That surprised me. I hadn't been expecting Kyle to be so candid with me. Nor did I expect him to change so much just from what I said to him yesterday. Well, I suppose he hasn't really changed his mind, he just came to a realisation. That my father isn't a very praiseworthy person.

"But you still like my father despite that?"

Kyle mulled that over, "I think I like him because of that, more than anything. He's always been incredibly intelligent and innovative, but also twisted and a liar. I don't think any of those things are necessarily bad. And I still believe that there's a method to it all. I don't know exactly what it is, he never tells anyone, but there is a goal that he is working towards. The dream he shared with your mother. And that goal, I'm sure, is beautiful."

The dream he shared with my mother? What was their dream? For some reason, when he said that I felt a familiarity or a comforting feeling, but I don't know why. Maybe when I was a child, they told me of their dream, or I overheard them talking about it, but I don't remember what it was.

As I think that over, I hear Tayla moving behind me. She holds two plates, toast with beans, bacon, and an egg, piled on top. Tayla holds one out to me. I take it, and gollow her over to the coffee table. I don't have a proper dining table, so I eat most of my meals at the coffee table sitting on the ground, or outside on my doorstep. Tayla and I sit down next to each other at the coffee table, across from the couch where Kyle remains unmoving.

"Did you not make any breakfast for Kyle?"

"He said he didn't want any," Tayla replied, a little defensively. Understandably, she seems a little nervous. This is a strange scenario after all, of course she's nervous.

"Yeah, I ate before I came here," I hear Kyle say.

"I see."

We eat in silence for a little while. Kyle, still sitting across from us, seems a little uncomfortable, not knowing what to do with himself. I suppose the age gap between us might make it a bit weird for him to be here. Also, I've noticed he doesn't seem to have any difficulty walking, or anything like that. I guess he hadn't been on the moon for all that long before my father sent him to come see me. I wonder what he thinks of me. Am I just a job he has to do because my father sent for me? Or does he care, at least a little, because he used to know me? As I'm still half-asleep, Tayla finishes eating well before me. Actually, she often does even when I'm wide awake.

"Do you mind stepping out for a moment, Kyle? I want to talk with Alex alone."

"Sure."

Kyle makes his way out into the hall. Now would probably be a good time to tell Tayla that these walls are actually pretty thin, and that he'll be able to hear everything she says, but I don't think that will help, only distract. I angle myself slightly towards Tayla, so I can see her, and listen to her properly, while I'm still eating.

"What do you think about all this?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure what to think. I don't think I want to go, but I can't get it out of my head. All I can think about is, what could my father possibly want with me after all this time?"

"Is there any chance that he really just wants you to be safe? I don't quite understand, but your father's planning something big, right? Maybe he does just want you to be safe."

"No. You heard what Kyle said just before: 'he's a schemer, he's deceitful, and he always has an ulterior motive'. Someone like that doesn't want me, just so that I'm safe. There's something else."

Tayla looks down, and sits still for a while. Then she reaches out and holds my hand.

"I've never met your father," she begins, "I only know what you've told me about him, but who I do know is you. And if your who I think you are, then you'll go. Because you want to know why, don't you? Surely you could at least hear him out."

It's probably just a coincidence, but the fact that she said the same thing as AJ gives me pause. I guess if two of the people I care, know, and trust the most, say the same thing, then I have to accept it.

I sigh, "I get it. I'll go talk to my father."