Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

Freddie‟s eyes, which said
    eloquently, You’d better eat this one or deal with me . He looked at Angel standing
    beside him, waiting for his verdict on the creation. The cake was unmistakably
    homemade. It was a bit lopsided, and the white writing above the candles was done
    with one of those squeeze tubes. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY.
    Kael grinned at Angel and wrapped his arm around his boy‟s waist. “But in
    this case, I‟ll make an exception.” The relief on Angel‟s face and the visible release
    of tension from his slender body made Kael feel ashamed.
    Why can’t I be like normal people? Why do I have to kill to feel alive? Why am I
    terrified of mess and small children? Why am I even questioning myself? I’ve always
    known I was like this. What’s wrong with me?
    “Make a wish, Daddy.” The words, obviously repeated several times, finally
    had an impact. He covered his lapse by saying, “Give me a minute. I‟m just looking
    at how great it is.”
    “I only made it from a packet mix, but it‟s fab, isn‟t it?” Angel nodded as if
    urging Kael to agree.
    “Yes, it‟s fab.”
    Angel clapped his hands and wiggled his hips the way he did when he was
    happy or excited. Zoe and Amelia immediately copied him.
    Kael closed his eyes to pretend, but before he could open them, a wish exploded
    in his head. Make me worthy of this boy’s love. And don’t let anything bad happen to
    him ever again.
    Kael dished up the cake while Angel served coffee, and afterward they went
    into the living room. It was almost dark out. Kael lowered the blinds and fixed the
    lights at a subdued level in the hope that it would have some kind of soporific effect
    on the girls, but they had disappeared from the room again with Angel. Freddie and
    Adam sat side by side on the couch, looking so comfortable with each other. Kael
    sank into a leather armchair. “Thanks for helping him do this,” he said very quietly.
    Resting his hand on his protruding belly, Freddie looked utterly content. “I
    know it‟s stressful for you being around kids and even worse when they‟re in your
    home, but you have to admit, Kael, it was a lovely dinner.”
    “Yes, I admit it.”
    Angel returned minutes later with the girls. Between them they held an
    enormous sheet of paper with wax crayon scribble all over it. “It‟s your birthday
    card, Uncle Kael,” the girls said shyly in unison.
    It was hideous.
    Kael tried to make out the figures and saw himself with a bald head towering
    over everyone. He vaguely recognized a ball-like rendition of Freddie and one with
    dark hair that had to be Adam. Strangely the girls had drawn themselves bigger
    than their fathers. And at the top with wings, looking down on the whole scene, was
    a person drawn entirely in yellow. “That‟s Angel,” Zoe pointed out.

    Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

    73

    “Uncle Kael is speechless at your artistic prowess, girls.” Freddie looked at
    Kael, then mouthed, Admire it.
    “It‟s totally sick, isn‟t it, Daddy?” Angel encouraged.
    “Yes, it‟s sick,” Kael repeated. “Thank you, girls.” Content, they went to sit on
    their fathers‟ laps, and Angel laid the picture out on the coffee table, then knelt
    beside his chair.
    “Here, Daddy.”
    Kael took the small gold-wrapped package. “This looks interesting.” He opened
    it, careful not to tear the paper. Inside was a box, and in that sat a pair of silver
    thumbcuffs, beautifully made. “It‟s a charm, Daddy, but feel free to use them on
    me.”
    Kael held them up to show Freddie and Adam, who laughed. Kael tucked them
    back into the box. “Come here.” He patted his lap, and Angel climbed in, draping his
    legs over the arm of the chair and resting his head contentedly on Kael‟s shoulder.
    “Thank you,” Kael whispered.
    Zoe had fallen asleep in Freddie‟s arms, her cheek against his chest. Adam
    rocked Amelia gently as her eyes closed. Kael cupped Angel‟s face and kissed him,
    overwhelmed with gratitude and protectiveness. What a wonderful afternoon. He
    was so lucky.
    “Will you adopt more kids?” he asked Freddie and Adam.
    “No,” Freddie said at once. “We‟ve got our hands full with these two.”
    “Don‟t you want a boy?” Kael asked.
    “God no,” Freddie said. “Look how I turned out. Look how you turned out.”
    They all laughed.

    74
    Fyn Alexander

    Chapter Nine

    “Bye, Daddy. I love you.”
    Kael waved from the car window at Angel as he walked through the