Chapter 2

“We’re almost at the border with Lincolnshire,” Colin said a few minutes later. “Want me to stop the car so you can kiss the hallowed turf of Yorkshire one last time?”

“You can kiss my arse.”

Colin flipped on the indicator.

“What are you doing?”

“Pulling over so I can kiss your arse.”

“Idiot.”

Colin turned off the indicator and continued driving.

The music coming out of the in-car stereo pulled Colin out of his silent farewell to his adopted county. He reached over and pressed the track advance button on the CD player. “Enough!”

Martin chuckled. “Thought you liked Wham!”

“They’re all right, but Last Christmas five times in the past hour is enough to…” Colin struggled for the right term. “Turn me into a Jehovah’s Witness.”

Martin’s chuckle grew into a full laugh. “Well, I like Wham! I bet George Michael looks just like you.”

Colin shook his head. They’d had this discussion many times before. Martin pretended to get a crush on a celebrity, insisting whoever it was looked just like Colin.

Martin reached out and fiddled with the CD player’s buttons.

Colin groaned when the familiar thumping intro came out of the speakers.

* * * *

Martin had worried he might not be accepted by the Australian immigration authorities because of his blindness. That had turned out not to be an issue. When Colin revealed a teenage conviction for assault, this had also caused Martin a few sleepless nights. He needn’t have worried however, because Trent, the agent they’d hired to help them get through the convoluted process, had reassured them that as Colin’s conviction had occurred while he was still a minor, it wouldn’t be taken into account.

“Besides,” Trent had said, chuckling, “I reckon being able to hold your own in a fight will be an advantage down under.”

Colin had laughed; Martin had been less certain.

But Trent had been right; Colin’s brush with the law hadn’t posed a problem. Because Colin had a job already lined up, and there was a good prospect of employment for Martin as a medical secretary, the Federal government of Australia plus the officials in New South Wales had passed their application fairly quickly. Though not quickly enough for Colin, who, as always once he’d got an idea in his head, wanted it to happen overnight.

They’d put their house on the market, and despite the depressed state of the economy, within a couple of months someone had put in an offer. It was a couple of thousand pounds lower than the asking price, but Martin—urged on by Colin—accepted the offer.

The final barrier to their plans removed, they arranged for a moving company to take away their belongings, put them into a container, and send it by sea to Australia.

For the past week they’d been reduced to sleeping on air mattresses and sitting on folding camping chairs. Martin thought it uncomfortable, but Colin, big kid that he was, had looked upon it as an exciting adventure.

They’d called the airlines to get prices of flights to Sydney. It was cheaper to leave from Heathrow, so, after speaking with Colin’s parents, they decided to spend their final Christmas in the northern hemisphere with Colin’s family in London. At least, Martin privately conceded, Harry and Avril had proper furniture.

Martin heard Colin turn on the indicator and felt the car slow. He checked his watch. They’d been on the road for less than two hours.

“Anything wrong?” Martin asked.

“Need the loo.”

Martin smiled. “Shouldn’t that be ‘dunny?’”

Colin didn’t say anything. Something was wrong, but on being asked about it, Colin assured Martin he was fine. Martin knew different, but decided to wait his husband out.

Once inside the service station building, Colin guided Martin past the restaurant.

“Disabled loo just up ahead. You still got your key?”

Martin didn’t really need to go, but guessed it might be a while before they’d stop again. He nodded and felt in his pocket for the key that all disabled people were entitled to have. Turned out it wasn’t necessary, as the door wasn’t locked.

“You go first.” Colin’s voice sounded flat.

“Okay.”

Martin did his thing and Colin guided him to the sink to wash his hands. After using the dryer, Colin took Martin’s hands in his and just held on.

“Col?”

“You know I’d never hurt you, right?”

“Huh?” Martin should have expected the question but was momentarily wrong-footed. “I know. What brought that on?” As if he didn’t know.

“I was young, foolish, and easily led. No excuse, but…”

Martin grasped Colin’s biceps. They’d had this conversation. Several times. “You’ve always made me feel safe.”

“It’s just, after Christmas we’ll be heading off to a new country, and—”

“And I know that, at least at the beginning, I’ll be pretty dependent on you. Question is, are you willing to sign on for someone being reliant on you for almost everything?”

“Hell, yes!”

Colin took Martin’s mouth in a savage kiss that robbed Martin of breath.