White Space Season 2

showering his girlfriend with chocolates out of the blue — weird and awkward.
    Milo felt guilty for feeling that way when his dad was finally trying to be a good father, but feeling guilty didn’t make him any more accepting of the sudden gesture.
    Milo looked at the TV, reporting 11:15 a.m. He still had a bit of time before he had to meet Don and Houser in Don’s usual spot in the woods. But he had to leave the house soon. Don had asked him to show up early, so they could talk about Roboleg before Houser showed. He also said something about the psychological impact of staking their turf, to put Houser at a disadvantage, as if they were entering into negotiations or something. Milo figured Don would get there an hour earlier than Milo, just to scout the place and make sure there was no one waiting in ambush. If something weird happened, anything at all, Don warned, “I’m gone like the wind, and you’ll never see me again.”
    Milo being late would definitely qualify as “weird” in Don’s book, so Milo had to scarff down his lunch.
    “OK,” Milo said. “We can eat, but I’ve gotta run. I’m meeting Katie.”
    “Katie? Isn’t she in school? Or is she being homeschooled, too?”
    “She gets out early for work-study, but her work didn’t need her today, so she asked if I’d help with an assignment.”
    “OK,” his dad said, heading into the kitchen where he started looking for something to make. “Speaking of assignments, did you do yours for the day?”
    “Yes,” Milo said, almost snapped. “I can print an e-mail from the online instructor if you don’t believe me.”
    His father looked at him oddly, Milo thought maybe he’d been too defensive and perhaps surrendered that he was up to something.
    Shit.
    His father smiled and said, “Relax, son. I didn’t accuse you of anything. Just checking up. That’s all.”
    “Sorry,” Milo said, trying not to oversell his apology. In his nervousness, he scratched at his arm and accidentally lifted the sleeve.
    His father’s eyes widened. He reached out and yanked Milo’s sleeve the rest of the way up. “Good God, Milo, what’s this?”
    Milo stared down, almost in shame. Red blotches pocked the length of his right arm. His father lifted the opposite sleeve, gasping louder.
    “I don’t know,” Milo said. “I think I have some sorta rash or something.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” he said, pulling Milo’s arms up for closer inspection. “Does it hurt?”
    “No, not really. It’s just super itchy. And I didn’t want to worry you. I figured you have enough going on with Bea and that this would go away. You know, like those rashes I used to get from the detergent before mom switched. I figured it was something like that.”
    “We’ve gotta get you to the doctor,” his dad said.
    No! I can’t go now.
    If Milo missed the meeting, and Don took off, he would never find out what was happening. Milo had to know, needed to know unlike anything else in his life, but couldn’t act like he couldn’t go to the doctors, or his dad would know he was up to something besides meeting Katie.
    “I’m gonna call Dr. Benson,” he said, reaching into his pocket.
    “No!” Milo shouted, not meaning to yell.
    His father put his phone on the kitchen island, “What’s going on, son?”
    Shit. Shit.
    Milo had to think of something quickly.
    “It’s about Katie,” Milo set his foot on the lie without knowing where the path headed. “I’m kind of in love with her.”
    “What?” Dad asked, surprised, but decidedly less freaked out than he would be if Milo suddenly started spouting off about Don, Houser, the flash drive, the conspiracy, and how the Paladin officers nearly busted him breaking into Alex Heller’s house.
    “Yeah, it just sorta happened after the funeral. We’d been talking online, and we’re sort of, I dunno, just helping each other through something rough,” Milo lied. “She called today saying she really wanted to talk, and well, I don’t know what she wants, but it felt important. So, maybe the doctor’s can wait? I mean, I’ve been itchy for a few weeks now, what’s another day?”
    “OK,” he said, taking another look at Milo’s arms and wincing. “I guess it can wait.” Dad then looked down at the loaf of bread, then back up from the counter to Milo. “You’re not really hungry, are you?”
    Milo smiled, “Um, not really. Kinda wanna get to Katie as soon as possible.”
    “OK,” he held out his hand to