Page 56 of Trained Royal

“Now, tell me everything.” William grinned, rubbing his hands together.

Patrick spent a relaxing couple of hours explaining everything he knew and what he’d heard from Brett and Freddie. He’d even learnt some new information that William had heard from Uncle Andrew.

“Charles isn’t being let out on bail?” Patrick said, mouth gaping.

William smiled. “No. At least, not yet. Brady is keeping him in for as long as he can to make him sweat.” Brady was Commissioner Thomas. “He wants to try to get Charles to talk because, at the moment, he isn’t. He’s saying a lot, but not saying a lot if you get my meaning.”

Patrick nodded and dropped his head into his hand. His wrist ached, but he itched to play. It had been far too long since he’d felt the keys of his piano or the strings of his violin. His flute and clarinet would be gathering dust if he wasn’t careful. He wanted to let these emotions free in the only way he knew how, but he couldn’t.

“Why don’t you have a shower and get changed, then you can take the tank of food we’ve had made for you and Kieren back to him? I bet he’s anticipating your return,” his mother said, patting his arm.

“More than you realise,” Patrick said. He stood. “Thank you for meeting me here instead of at home.”

“Don’t be silly. If we could, we’d have been at the hospital already, but security is being overly cautious at the moment.” Victoria pouted.

“And they have reason,” his father said.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it. I want to be with my son.”

“Speaking of son, what are the plans for Henry’s birthday?” Patrick asked.

Victoria sighed. “He doesn’t want to do anything because of what happened, so we’re going to have a small family dinner instead. I’m not happy, but it’s his birthday to spend as he wishes.”

Patrick kissed her cheek. “It will be great, either way.”

By the time he headed back to the hospital, with enough food to last them several days, he was exhausted. Sleeping in the hospital chair hadn’t allowed him much sleep over the past two days, but he refused to cause Kieren any more upset than necessary. They’d figure things out once Kieren was back home.

****

Chapter 17

Kieren

It took everything in him not to climb out of the hospital bed and go after Patrick when he left. His eyes stayed on the door until Timothy spoke.

“It’s not easy to allow him out of your sight, is it?” Kieren didn’t answer, but Timothy continued, “I’ve been similar with Eddie and George occasionally. After everything that happened with me, it’s difficult to believe neither of them will come to harm without me being there to protect them. Even though I was no use in the past.”

Kieren glanced at him, mouth pinched. “How can I protect him while I’m in here?”

Timothy stared at him, and Kieren knew he was going to say something he didn’t like the sound of. “You can’t. But you have to trust that he can take care of himself and that the people surrounding him can do their job.”

“Everyone makes mistakes.” Kieren rested his head back, staring at the ceiling, and clenched his fist in the covers.

“Yes. And they can also do their job amazingly well.”

Kieren inhaled. “I feel like I have a weight on my chest whenever he’s not here. Like I can’t breathe without him.”

“That’s what love can feel like, even without everything else thrown in. You’ve found someone who means more to you than anything, and you don’t want anything to take that away from you.”

Kieren closed his eyes, and an image of a plane falling from the sky played behind his eyelids. “I wasn’t there to protect my family, either.” He blinked his eyes open, returning his gaze to the ceiling.

“Do you honestly believe you could’ve done anything to stop their plane going down?”

Kieren sighed. “I might’ve.”

“And you might’ve also been killed alongside them. But you’re alive. You’re keeping their memory alive. The man they brought up has made a difference in this world.”

“Have I?”