“What?” she said, letting them go and sitting upright. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“You’re the only family I have, Nanny,” Prin replied.
She pursed her lips. “That isn’t true and you know it, young man.”
Prin had figured that she would raise the subject of his uncle. He hadn’t expected it before they’d even ordered a drink.
“Nanny…”
“He is only ten years behind me and look how old I am,” she said. “The future isn’t guaranteed, Prin. Honestly, when I saw him, I was shocked.”
Prin had a pang of worry for his uncle. He had said some terrible things to Prin when he’d found out about the affair. However, the fact also remained that he kept Prin out of an orphanage when his parents died.
“Prin,” Scott said, quietly. “I really think you should visit with him. Even if it’s just for an hour. It’s not like you pass through here very often, is it?”
He was being ganged up on. His initial reaction was to fight against it. But when he saw the concerned looks on both their faces, he knew he had to do the right thing.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll go but on one condition.”
“What’s that?” Scott asked.
“You come with me.”
Prin looked around the room. Had it really been a year since he and his uncle had parted so terribly?
As a child he had never been allowed in his uncle’s private sitting room. They would always eat their evening meal together then go their separate ways. His uncle to continue working and Prin to the safety of Nanny and her seemingly endless supply of games.
Once he’d grown into adulthood, his uncle had received him here once a week to ask him about his work and his life. They were more like interviews than chats. Prin had concocted a whole life that would please his uncle. A life he’d never had any intention of making into a reality.
He glanced across at Scott. Never in his wildest dreams would Prin have predicted that he would be bringing a male partner inside the Lum family home. When he had contacted his uncle to tell him he would visit only if Scott accompanied him, Prin had been amazed that Uncle Decha had agreed.
Scott came over and squeezed his arm. “It’ll be okay, you know. He’s only a human, like the rest of us.”
“That may be true but please don’t go spreading that information around.”
Prin and Scott spun around to see Uncle Decha in the doorway. He’d always moved silently through the apartments, often catching Prin up to no good.
Nanny had been correct. His uncle seemed tired and somehow smaller than he had since they’d been parted.
Prin and Scott bowed.
“Hello, Uncle,” Prin said, his voice cracking.
“Please. Sit.”
They obeyed. He might appear different but he still commanded the room. Uncle Decha chose to sit in his favourite chair opposite them. He rested his hands on his lap and stared at them.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Prin swallowed hard. “Uncle Decha, this is Scott.”
“Hello, Scott.”
“Hello, sir.”
Prin glanced at Scott. Once more his heart was full of love for him. He knew how much this mattered to Prin, even if Prin hadn’t quite admitted that to himself.
Now they were here, he was at a loss on how to proceed. Was he supposed to forget the accusations of being unnatural and bringing shame upon the family?
