Page 31 of Thrill

“Hello, stranger,” Bruce said.

It had been a few weeks since Danny had last been to visit. When he’d had to stop working at New Lives, he had vowed not to leave it long between visits. Then life had taken over. A pang of guilt stabbed at him.

“How you doing?”

“Oh, you know. Hanging in there.”

Danny peered closely at him. Bruce had always been thin, yet it appeared he’d lost a significant amount of weight. He was pale too.

“You don’t look great. Are you getting enough sleep?”

“Don’t you start fussing,” Bruce said. “Denise is going on at me to go part-time. What would my customers do if this place wasn’t open?”

“They’d get used to it,” Danny replied. “What’re you working on?”

“This table is for a client. It was her grandmother’s. She wants it tarting up and painting pink.” Bruce shrugged. “She’s the boss. Seems a shame though.”

“Chuck us some sandpaper,” Danny said, rolling his sleeves up. “I’ll give you a hand.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” Bruce replied. “You don’t work here anymore.”

“I know. I don’t mind. I miss getting stuck in. Come on, hand some over.”

Bruce threw the sandpaper box to him.

“I’ve missed this,” Bruce said. “I’m sorry, lad.”

“Bruce, it was years ago now. I think we’ve moved on. Besides, I’ve had my eyes opened good and proper since I went to Pleasure Seekers. I never thought I’d spend my days worrying about how heavy rubber fists are.”

“If I had the energy, I’d get some freebies from you. Not the fist, mind. That seems a little too niche.”

The idea of Bruce and Denise getting stuck into the Pleasure Seekers stocklist made Danny shudder. He was close to Bruce. But not that close.

They set about sanding. Focusing on the to and fro of the paper was the kind of mindless yet meditative task Danny needed at that moment. He never seemed to get time to think these days.

“I’ve missed it too,” Danny said, eventually. “Maybe I’ll come again. If I’m not getting under your feet. I would love the peace. No charge.”

“You know you’re always welcome.” Bruce said. “Have a look around and see if there’s anything you fancy doing up. No charge for you neither.”

Bruce stopped and peered over his glasses at Danny. “There’s something different about you. What’s going on?”

Danny laughed. “Nothing’s going on. Can I not come and see my surrogate father from time to time?”

“And talk bollocks to him? Come on. Out with it.”

Danny leant his hand on the workbench.

“I don’t know. I guess I feel a bit lost. Our house is full to the rafters. I’m in my thirties and have nothing.”

Bruce nodded. “That’s not your fault, son. You’ve had some rough times.”

“Same as everyone else in the world. I’m being a baby.”

“I’m not going to lie, if you can afford to get your own place. Do it. You’re a handy lad, you could get a doer-upper. I bet you could make something really special.”

That wasn’t a bad idea.

“I’ve got quite a bit saved now. Perks of living at home.”