On the way back, just as Brian had warned, it began to spit with rain and an unpleasant chilly breeze got up. Mal felt that it reflected his current state quite well - cold and shivery with nerves. He rode past the museum and into the main street then looked up as he caught the sound of a familiar engine. Up until that moment he wouldn't have believed that he'd be able to pick Rob's car out of a bunch of others but there she was, mud-splashed and unlovely, idling at the zebra crossing as Rob waited for a couple pushing a buggy to cross the road. Mal pedalled hard and pulled up beside him.
Rob ignored the first tap on the window then glanced up and scowled as Mal repeated it.
"I need to talk to you," Mal said and pointed to the kerb. "Rob? Can you pull over?"
Rob's scowl deepened and as soon as the young family had cleared the front of his car he pulled away. Mal tried to follow then realised there might be a better way. He turned across the road and dived down the alley way between the bakery and Lillian's hairdresser's salon. Once Rob was in the one-way system, with the streets busy with Saturday morning shoppers, Mal would be able to keep up with him.
In the maze of small streets and alleys, Mal could move faster. He only had one really bad moment, when he found that the gate at the back of the Castle Inn was closed and he had to make a quick detour. But he still managed to get back onto the main drag ahead of Rob, catching him at the pelican crossing downhill from the clock. Rob's fingers drummed on the steering wheel as two elderly ladies with little tartan wheeled trolleys ambled across the road. One waved her thanks to Rob but they continued to chat.
"Rob?" Mal tapped on the window again. "Open the window. I want to apologise."
Rob's face flushed and he shook his head. "No," he said, his voice barely audible over the street noise. "Piss off."
"No!" Mal shook his head. "Not going to happen."
The light turned amber and Rob's car leaped forward. But there was a red light at the crossing opposite the castle. Panting, Mal tucked his bike in close to Rob's car door and tapped on the window again. "Open up," he begged. "Christ, Rob. I just want to say how sorry I am. And that I'm sorry you've been ill. And that I should never have left it like that between us."
"You tell him, boy." A total stranger halfway across the road swung her shopping bag and gave them both a grin. "Shall I stand here until he opens the window?"
The car behind Rob's blasted its horn and Mal, the helpful lady and Rob all looked at the driver and made gestures varying from Mal's apologetic wave to the lady's firmly raised middle finger. Snarling, Rob rolled down the window, but spoke to the woman not to Mal.
"I'll talk to him, Aggie. I promise. But not in the middle of the chuffing road."
She gave them both the thumbs up and began to get out of Rob's way. "When?" Mal asked. "Where shall I meet you?"
"When I feel like it," Rob snapped and accelerated away.
"Bugger." Mal gave chase, standing up on the pedals and swooping around the corner. He pulled alongside Rob's car again briefly, just long enough to shout, "I'm not going to stop following you, you know, and if you're on your way home I hope you haven't forgotten your dad's beer."
"Fuck Dad's beer," Rob yelled and the car pulled away again and turned into Ross Road.
"Shit." Mal put his head down and followed. Past the new houses, including the one with the garish yellow flints in the driveway, past the turn off to High Rifles Lane, along to where the houses thinned out and the countryside began proper. Up here, Mal knew, was a lane that would take Rob across to the Escley Road and there had been a Tesco bag bulging with the shape of beer cans on the back seat. Where the road began to climb across the side of Carew Hill, Mal had no choice but to slow and watch Rob's car dwindle into the distance, but he knew where they were going and was damned if he'd give up now. Rain spat on his shoulders, pattering audibly on the hard carapace of his cycle helmet. His fingers, even inside his gloves, felt frozen but his body was warm and his legs still strong.
"Nope," Mal mattered as a bend hid Rob's car. "Not giving up now I've come this far."
A few minutes later, he too rounded a bend and there, pulled up at the side of the road, was Rob. Mal could see his silhouette. His hand was raised to his head so he was probably on the phone.
Mal didn't pause, didn't slow down, but cycled hard right up to the car then put his hand on the roof. He leaned, taking a deep breath, hoping to get enough air into his lungs to talk, but all he could do was cough.
Rob wound the window down. "Yes, he is," he said into the phone. "He's soaking wet, looks like shit and is coughing up a lung. Yeah, I know. Well, it's all right for you isn't it? No - okay, if I must. Take care now." He ended the call, put the phone on the dashboard and gave Mal a measuring look. "That was Betty, telling me that a friend of Lillian's had told Lil, who told Betty, that you were chasing all over town trying to find me. Not that it was news, because I've had texts from Sion and from Lisa in the Coach, and I missed a call from Mum. Jesus, you look sick."
"I have been," Mal gasped between coughs. "Got your flu. Sorry you've been ill."
"Yeah, well, it would have been easier if I hadn't thought I was going to be arrested," Rob muttered. "Look, this isn't a good place to talk. You're still ill. I've felt better to be honest, and it looks like it's going to piss down. How about we meet up later?"
"You're in the car in the dry," Mal pointed out. "Just give me two minutes, okay?"
Rob's rather grudging nod was all the permission he needed.
"I've been a total shit," Mal said. "I realised almost immediately but I couldn't get past my own arsey attitude and being so intent on my job that I forgot that my job is all about people. Specifically the people of Pemberland and Escley, Brynglas and King's Norton, and all the countryside in between. About you, Rob. Of course you'd want to keep what's yours here and, if I'd been a better friend to you all, you wouldn't have felt the need to do what you did in secret. Secrets are for people like Gaskell, out for the advantage, for the quick quid. Not for us. But most of all I'm sorry I didn't get in touch in person to tell you I wouldn't be going to the police. That was unforgivable. I'm so sorry, Rob. I really shouldn't have done that."
"No, you shouldn't." Rob sighed then he shot Mal a glance and one corner of his mouth turned up. "You look like a drowned cat," he said. "You'll be getting your flu back."
Mal nodded, wiping drips of rain off the end of his nose with the back of his hand. "Wouldn't be surprised if it turned to pneumonia."
Rob nodded too, an expression of satisfaction on his face. "That'd teach you, wouldn't it? Aw, fuck, Mal, I was so scared. I didn't want to go to jail."
"Well, you won't because - " Mal lost the rest of his sentence to a sneeze.
"Bless you," Rob said. "And kindly don't sneeze on me. I don't want your germs."
"I don't mind yours. Look, Rob, can we start again? I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too." Rob drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Especially at night. Should have rung to thank you for looking after Kev's girls too."
"That was - I won't say a pleasure, I was too worried, but yeah. They were talking about walking back to Brynglas."
"Oh jeez, then thanks even more. I owe you one."
"Well," Mal wiped rain off his nose and tried a hopeful smile. "Could you - I dunno - come round to mine this evening so we can both settle our debts? You can bring your toothbrush, or a hazmat suit, if you want, but please come."
Rob hesitated but Mal could see the tension at the corners of his eyes that meant he was trying not to smile. "Eight-ish?" Rob asked. "I can't drink - still on antibiotics - but I could pick up some chips on my way?"
"That would be sensible." Mal fished a damp tissue out of his pocket and wiped his nose. "Because I'm not sure I've got enough brain cells left to cook anything edible. And I'll make sure we're not disturbed. Harvey's down."
"Ah, he won't disturb us." Rob grinned. "He's off out with Sharon tonight. Proper date. Didn't you know?"
"No!" Mal stared at him. "I'm behind with the gossip, evidently."
"Well, don't you worry about that," Rob said and there was that wonderful grin that Mal had missed so much, "because tonight I'll be sure to fill you in."
"Promises." Mal took his hand off the roof ready to pedal away but found his wrist caught and held, and gave in to Rob's pull. Ducking down to lean in through the window, Mal tilted his head until his lips could meet Rob's. Oh yes, that was so good. He groaned at the pleasure of his taste and the warmth of his tongue. "Oh God, I've missed you," he murmured against Rob's cheek."
"I missed you too - a lot - but you're dripping rain water into my crotch." Rob pushed Mal away firmly. "I best go. Got stuff to do for Mum. See you later, Mal."
"See you later, Rob," Mal said, and as he watched Rob drive away he felt a great lightening in his chest that was nothing to do with his cough and everything to do with feeling at least part of the way to being forgiven.
Sunday morning brought a much happier awakening for Mal. He stretched under warm covers and turned over to see that Rob, for once, was still sound asleep, dark lashes twitching as he dreamed, but his breathing deep and steady. Mal grinned and flopped back on his own pillow with a sigh of complete satisfaction.
He was forgiven. Uncomfortable though it had been they had talked it over and decided that honesty was the best policy and that it was best not to jump to conclusions. They both agreed that blaming Harvey was probably a good thing to do, also easiest because Harvey wouldn't care. While they had talked they had split a pack of no-alcohol beer - sacrilege, of course, but Mal wouldn't drink while Rob couldn't - and had eaten some pretty fine fish and chips, then they had shared the shower and gone to bed to make things up to each other in the best possible way.
But now the fake beer was making its presence felt, so Mal eased out of bed and grabbed his bathrobe to keep the shivers at bay on the short trip to the bathroom. Tea next, and he bunged a couple of slices in the toaster as well. Breakfast in bed could lead to crumbs in funny places but he didn't care, he was just so relieved.
The flush of the loo alerted him that Rob was on the move, and he carried the tray into the bedroom just in time to see Rob pulling the duvet back up to his shoulders.
"Hey," Rob said. He lay back with his head on the pillow and gave Mal a sleepy grin.
"Hey yourself." Mal put the tray on the bed side table then burrowed back under the covers to settle at Rob's side. "I have tea, and toast and marmalade."
"You're a star." Rob turned towards him and edged a bit closer, nuzzling Mal's shoulder, then reached to grab the mug he usually used. Mal smiled. It was a small thing, Rob having his 'own' mug, but very comforting. Mal took a sip of his own tea and balanced the plate of toast on his lap where they would both be able to reach it. They sipped tea and munched toast in mutual satisfaction for a few minutes, then Rob said, "I'm going to Glyn for Sunday lunch actually. Want to come with me? You've had a standing invitation ever since we, as Helen put it, started 'walking out' together."
"Which means staying in and shagging in modern idiom," Mal leaned to shoulder bump Rob. "I'd love to as long as you're sure. Had we better let them know?"
"I'll text," Rob promised. "I'd best check on Mum - and Dad - first. And bloody Kevin. Did I tell you he's moved back in with them? Julie moved out after that thing with the kids and he didn't want to stay in their flat on his own. Pick you up twelve thirty-ish? Lunch is one sharp."
"Great, that'll give me time to nip to Tesco and get a bottle. White or red?"
"Damned if I know. Third Sunday of the month so it'll be pork. What goes with that?"
"I'll find something," Mal promised and took another bite of toast. A small interested sound from Rob drew his attention. Rob was staring at his chest where, as predicted, Mal was developing a bit of a crumb problem. There was also a glistening drip of marmalade.
Rob reached over him to put his empty mug down. "Let me get that for you," he purred and lowered his head to lick.
Mal groaned as the lick turned into a gentle bite. "I don't think I had marmalade on my nipple, Rob."
"Mmm?" Rob sucked then pulled off the little morsel of flesh with a smack of the lips. "You had. In fact it's pretty much everywhere, you messy herbert. And the crumbs!"
He ducked down again, applying a series of little bites down Mal's chest and belly, throwing back the covers and almost causing Mal to drop his toast as he took him into his mouth. Mal put the toast on the plate and drove both hands into Rob's thick hair, not holding but definitely encouraging.
"Oh God, that's ... oh yes ... you're too good to me."
"Impossible," Rob said. At least that's what Mal thought he said. His voice was rather muffled.
It was brilliant. It was also brilliant in the shower when Mal returned the favour while Rob was washing the marmalade out of his hair. And the soap flavoured kisses as they slid and heaved against each other were pretty good too.
Dressed, Mal watched Rob pick through the clean laundry that had been in Mal's dresser drawer for the past week.
"You're the most fastidious person I know," Mal said, admiring the view as Rob stooped to pull on some boxers. "I really don't understand that stupid nickname?"
"Dirty Rob?" Rob grunted and perched on the end of the bed to put on clean socks. "It doesn't take long to pick up something like that," he said. "Mam was in hospital, Dad couldn't be arsed, I wore the same shirt to school for a week and someone noticed. That's all."
Mal leaned across the bed to press a kiss to the back of Rob's neck. "Well, as a professional person in reasonably good standing, and from up close and personal experience, I can affirm that you are spotless in every respect. Squeaky clean, in fact."
Rob snorted and grabbed Mal's collar to pull him into another proper kiss then reached for his jeans. "Where's my shoes? Ah, there's one."
Mal found the other for him, then followed him to the door.
"Twelve thirty," Rob said. "Not too smart but not scruffy."
"Rob, have you ever seen me look scruffy?"
"Glyn has. That night he came round with Harvey and Terry he said you looked rough as a badger's chuff. Also," Rob's smile turned sly, "I've seen you look wrecked a time or two."
"All your doing," Mal said, "and for a very good reason."
They kissed on the threshold, and Rob hurried down the stairs and away, leaving Mal with a wrecked bedroom and marmalade on the sheets. He couldn't stop smiling as he stripped the bed. Seeing Rob leave was quite a good thing because then he could look forward to all the fun of welcoming him back again.