They walked quickly to Kevin’s home, Kevin feeling a little nervous, his trepidation growing with every footstep.
‘Are you alright Kevin?’ Lisa asked.
‘Yeah’ Kevin grinned, ‘I’m fine.’
‘What did the text say?’
‘Well my mum and dad said before that they wanted to move house’ he explained. ‘I mean…it’s more than that’ he continued, dipping his head. ‘They want to leave this county, and travel the world, because of their business as tour guides.’ Kevin faced ahead then. ‘I guess they’re leaving far sooner than I thought. They want to see me now.’
But when they reached the house, Kevin was shocked by what he saw.
His parents both greeted before the house him with hugs. As they broke away from him, Kevin looked about at the front garden. There were sealed boxed being moved from the house and to a truck waiting on the road before the home.
‘What’s going on here?’ Kevin asked his parents, his voice wavering as he spoke.
‘We are leaving’ his mother said to him. ‘This all happened very suddenly, and our dear neighbour is sorting out the house.’
‘Sorting out the house?’ Kevin repeated.
‘We’re selling the house’ his mother said to him, as his father stood by her side smiling quietly. ‘We’re going to be leaving on the plane in a few hours.’
Kevin blinked in shock at this, tears brimming in his eyes.
‘Don’t be sad dear’ his mother said then, cupping his face and pressing her forehead against his. ‘You can still call us anytime.’
‘I can’t believe you’re really leaving’ Kevin whimpered, as Lisa watched quietly a short distance away.
‘I’m sorry about this’ his father voiced suddenly. ‘This just happened suddenly, we didn’t expect to leave so soon.’
‘We are staying with a friend far away’ his mother said. ‘Everything we have is being sold.’
Kevin looked down now as his mother pressed something into his hand.
‘There’s enough here for you to look after yourself for a while.’
Kevin stared down at the envelope in shock.
‘I love you very much Kevin.’
‘Mum…’ Kevin uttered.
She hugged him again, cutting off his next words.
‘We’ll be in touch’ his mother whispered to him, holding him tightly.
His mother raised her head as she held him, smiling warmly to Lisa, who smiled back.
Kevin broke away from his mother then, turning to his father who embraced him tightly.
‘I’m sorry’ his father said to him, ‘I know this is sudden.’
Kevin stepped back, smiling up at his father with tears in his eyes.
‘Thank you’ Kevin breathed, speaking in a whisper, not trusting his voice to speak. ‘Thank you for everything you’ve done for me… almost my whole life…. I know that… you are not my real parents but…. so often I forget.’
‘Oh honey’ his mother sobbed, grasping him again tightly.
His father stepped forwards again, hugging them both.
‘Thank you’ Kevin said to them again, beginning to cry into his mother’s shoulder. ‘Thank you…’
*
Kevin and Lisa stood at the end of the driveway minutes later, watching the vehicles drive away.
Kevin raised his hand, waving slowly at his parents briefly, before they too drove away, the van carrying everything they owned following after them.
Kevin looked back towards the house, which was now completely empty, all the furniture had been removed. The home seemed so desolate now.
‘Kevin?’ Lisa spoke tentatively, turning towards him. ‘Are you ok?’
Kevin turned to Lisa then, enveloping her in a firm embrace.
She held him back, together they stood at the end of the driveway, in each other’s arms.
‘I’m glad we could have met like this’ Kevin whispered into Lisa’s ear. ‘I’m glad you’re here with me now.’
*
It was just a few hours later, Kevin walked with Lisa back towards the train station.
‘I don’t know when I will be able to see you again’ Lisa said to him, stopping on the platform and turning to him. ‘I just want you to know that I really had fun with you’ she beamed. ‘I would love to do it again someday.’
‘Yeah’ Kevin said to her, ‘I had fun too.’
Lisa stared at him for a moment, reaching out to Kevin and taking both his hands in hers.
She reached up to him, standing on her tip toes to kiss him on the lips.
Kevin closed his eyes, feeling within his body, sudden calm and serenity.
Lisa leant back on her heels again, taking a step away.
‘This was one of the best days I’ve had’ she said to him.
Kevin smiled to her warmly, the edges of his eyes crinkling, though he said nothing.
‘Goodbye’ Lisa breathed, ‘and thank you.’
Kevin stood waiting on the platform, watching as Lisa boarded the train with her luggage. She took a window seat, turning to face him as the train began to depart.
She waved to him as the train moved away, and Kevin raised his hand, waving to her in return.
Minutes later, the train was completely out of sight.
When the train was gone, Kevin collapsed on a bench behind him, sobbing quietly into his hands.
*
It was the next day, when Kevin decided to risk returning to the apartment.
Kevin approached the building, glancing up at its shiny front before entering the foyer. He waited for the lift to arrive, then stepped in and pressed the button, waiting again as he stood in the centre of the lift, feeling a little nervous as the lift ascended.
He reached the top floor and entered the apartment, finding Justin in the kitchen.
‘Hey’ Kevin began tentatively.
‘Oh, it’s you’ Justin glowered.
‘Where is Alicia?’ Kevin asked, glancing about.
‘She’s gone’ Justin told him shortly. ‘She left shortly after you did.’
Kevin turned his eyes towards what Justin was doing.
‘What are you cooking?’ Kevin asked.
‘Ready meal’ Justin replied.
Kevin stepped a little closer, staring down at the contents within the plastic container.
‘…. Hu….’ he said.
Alicia, Kevin later found out, had moved onto a new town
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