Rentboy

selling his arse to other men.
    The street outside St. Pancras was extremely busy when Eddie pulled up. “There’s NO
    STOPPING signs all over the place here. The traffic wardens will be on top of me in a second.”
    “No worry, mate. Pop the boot.” Relieved to avoid a protracted good-bye, Fox jumped out to
    grab their bags before ushering the twins out onto the street. The noise and people closed in on them
    quickly, and they gripped each other’s hands, their bodies pressed close together. That the twins liked
    trains was a complete lie. They were terrified, and getting them home from there would be hell, but
    the sooner he got rid of Eddie, the better off Eddie would be, especially now Fox knew that Nik was
    his sister.
    “Right, then,” he said when he had his backpack on and the twins’ overnight bag in his hand.
    Eddie got out of the car, gaze darting left and right for traffic wardens and police. “Thank you for
    coming, dear. It was a lovely weekend. It’s over too fast.”
    “There you go calling me dear again,” Fox said, trying to make light of the moment. But he felt
    like hell. This had to end before Eddie found out how profoundly he had been duped.
    Tenderly Eddie put his hands on Fox’s cheeks. “Fox.” He seemed to be fishing for words and
    having difficulty. After a couple of false starts he said, “I’ve never had a valentine from anyone, and I
    hope next Valentine’s Day you and I will be able to exchange cards.”
    “Is that your weird way of saying you want this to last?”
    Cheeks growing pink, Eddie said, “I’m hopeless at expressing myself.”
    “You’re just a bit shy, that’s all.” Oh shit, Eddie, there’s nothing I want more.
    “It’s not shyness. I’ve always had a hard time identifying my feelings. But I know what I’m
    feeling for you.”
    “Lust,” Fox said. He had to lighten the moment and get out of there.
    “That’s part of it. Fox, I…”
    “You’d better go.” He pointed at a traffic warden in a fluorescent yellow tabard who was
    bearing down on them with the look of a predatory animal.
    “Oh God!” After plopping a quick kiss on Fox’s lips, Eddie hugged him hard before diving into
    the car. “Fox, I love you,” he screamed through the window as he drove off.
    Why did he have to say that? They hardly knew each other. Yet Fox had said the same thing to
    Eddie’s mum. And that was another thing that rammed home to him how dysfunctional his own family
    was. Annika might have been uptight and preoccupied with what everyone in the village thought, but
    at least she was sober, and she was kind to the twins. She loved her kids. Eddie’s dad had turned out
    to be a good laugh. Imagine having a dad who didn’t wear army fatigues and demand you call him sir.
    Imagine having a dad you weren’t terrified of and who didn’t beat the crap out of you just for being in
    the same room with him. They were all uncomfortable with the gay thing, except Nik, but deep down,
    they were decent people.
    The sight of the small car driving away made tears of frustration and loss burn his eyes.
    The traffic warden glared at Fox, looking as if someone had ripped a prize bit of prey from him.
    “You are blocking the pedestrian footpath!”
    “Fuck off, dude,” Fox said into the officious little man’s face. “Come on, aliens.” He took the
    twins by their hands and ushered them into the tube station. “You can pick some sweets to eat on the
    train. That’ll keep you occupied. You were really good this weekend. I was so proud of you.”
    Why couldn’t their fucking life just be normal?

    * * * *
    Hands on hips, a look of pure rage on his face, William Baillie stood on the doorstep watching

    them as Fox walked up the wide driveway. The twins were exhausted from the stress of the train
    journey and an overnight stay with strangers. The fact that they had not had a meltdown at any point
    over the weekend was miraculous. But if they didn’t get into a dark, quiet room soon, they’d start
    screaming. He’d seen it many times before when they got overstimulated.
    All three of them approached Baillie as if they were walking the plank toward shark-infested
    waters. The closer they got, the more the twins lagged until they stood not beside Fox but behind him,
    pressing close to his back.
    Spittle sprayed Fox’s face when his father screamed, “Where the fuck have you been?”
    The twins began to whimper.
    Avoiding eye contact the way one would with a