Page 153 of The Other Side

Drum chuckled as they headed back indoors.

“I have something else for you too,” Osian said.

“Does it involve taking off the rest of our clothes?” Drum closed and locked the doors.

“Not yet. Sit at the table and close your eyes.”

Once he was sure Drum was doing as he was told, Osian retrieved the cake he’d made. Since Drum hadn’t wanted anyone to know it was his birthday, Osian hadn’t been able to ask Kit to make it. Instead, he’d made an excuse to get Drum out of the house in order to produce a slightly lopsided, untidily iced approximation of a sheep, with brown M&M’s for the eyes and half of one for the nose.

He set it in front of Drum, then said, “Now you can look.”

Drum burst out laughing. “What is it?”

Osian growled. “You don’t want any then?”

“Yes, please. It’s a beautiful sheep.”

“I know how much you love them.”

Osian cut two pieces and put a slice in front of Drum.

“No one has ever made me a birthday cake before,” Drum said quietly.

“What? Not when you were in care?”

“They bought one. Always the same one. A caterpillar. Regardless of how old you were. Bloody Colin the Caterpillar.” Drum took a bite. “It’s really good, Osian.”

Osian took a bite too. Ugh. It was too dry. “Now I know you love me.”

“Let’s go to bed and I’ll show you how much.”

“Are you just trying to get out of eating anymore?”

“Yes.”

Osian grinned. “That’s fine by me.”

Hand in hand, they went up to bed.

Epilogue

Fifteen months later

Drum groaned when he and Osian stepped out of Faeryland to find themselves in swirling snow. They were both wearing nothing more than jeans and T-shirts.

“Now you see the value of leaving a bag here.” Osian kicked snow away from the spot where they’d hidden it and hauled out the waterproof holdall.

He tossed Drum a jacket, then pulled on his own. There were boots, thick socks, gloves and woolly hats. By the time Drum had wrestled himself into everything, the violent shivering had eased, but he was still cold.

“You okay?” Osian handed the empty bag to Drum while he picked up the one they’d brought back from Faeryland.

“Warmer now. Wow, it’s really coming down. I don’t think we should call Zeon out. This needs a 4X4, not their vehicle. It wouldn’t be safe. Let’s make our way to the road.”

“I’ll see if Will or Kit can collect us.” Osian dug out his phone, turning his back to the wind. “Hi you two… Yes. Thanks. Are you okay? … Good…Yes, we are… Please. That would be brilliant. Thanks.” He stuffed the phone back into his pocket. “They’re on their way.”

The snow muffled everything except the crunch beneath their boots as they made their way down.

“Keep moving,” Osian said. “I’m not carrying you.”