Page 74 of C is for Comfort

“And Lexi?” I’d love to see her excitement and wonderment.

“Yes, definitely. There are so many things I’d love for her to see. This has gone straight into the top ten.”

“You’ll have to tell me what else is on the list.”

Maybe I’ll get to come to the observatory with them both one day in the future or join them on one of the other trips on Corey’s list.

“I’d love to take her to London Zoo,” he says. “And Madame Tussauds. I think she’d love the waxworks. Going on the London Eye would be amazing. When she’s older, I’d like to take her to see a play at the Globe. I bet she’d love the aquarium too.”

“Those things are all on your doorstep,” I say. “Why haven’t you been yet?”

“Money.” Corey dips his chin. “Minimum wage doesn’t go far, especially when I was paying for my online university courses.”

“No, of course not. I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “It’s okay. I’ve got a proper salary now, so I should be able to start taking her to some of these places. We’ve been to the Natural History Museum and the art galleries, but they’re all free.”

“I love the Natural History Museum.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“No one I’ve met.”

We both laugh and hold hands as we walk away from the observatory.

“I was going to take you out for a meal next,” I say. “But I was wondering if you wanted to go back to my apartment instead.”

“For food or…?”

I stop and pull him to me, clasping my hands over the base of his spine. “I want to make love to you, sweet boy,” I whisper. “We can eat later.”

He leans in to kiss me. “I’d like that, Daddy.”

“Then let’s go.”

Corey rests against me for the majority of the trip home. Or at least he does whenever we’re on a train. I put my arm around his shoulder and stroke his upper arm, pointedly ignoring any disapproving looks that come our way. He’s ten years younger than me, so what?

“How was your day?” I ask once we’re on the last leg of our journey. “I should have asked earlier. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay, Daddy. You were excited about taking me to the observatory. I haven’t asked you how your day was either.”

“We can trade tales, although I suspect your day will have been more interesting than mine.”

Corey wrinkles his nose adorably. “I’m not sure ‘interesting’ is the right word.”

“What is?”

“Tiring.”

“Tough classes?”

“A few. The younger year groups tend to view art as a subject they can mess around in. There’s lots for them to get their hands on and throw around the classroom.” He sighs. “I love teaching, but some lessons, it feels like all I’m doing is managing behaviour.”

“Do you get support?”

“Yes, but there can’t be another teacher with me all the time. I’ll get better at behaviour management. I need to remember I’m new and I’ve got a limited toolbox of strategies. The more I teach and observe other teachers, the more things I’ll have to try.”

I hug him close. “That’s a good way of looking at it.”