Chapter 24

"I want Daddy!" Oscar wailed.

We were at the airport, waiting in the line at the check-in desk for the flight to Miami. Monica and the boys stood a little way ahead of Petter and me, and Oscar had apparently had enough of his mother's company. Monica and Per tried to hush him but he refused to calm down. Monica pulled them out of the line and walked back to join us.

"I'm sorry, Alex," she said. "Petter, let them sit with you, okay?"

"Sure."

Oscar stuck his arms up in the air, asking to be picked up. Petter groaned. "I can't right now, buddy, my arm's sore. Here." He grasped the little boy's hand instead. "You can sit with me and we'll watch a movie, all right? Quiet, now."

Oscar immediately stopped crying and sucked his thumb. "I'm sorry," Monica said to me again.

"Don't be. They come first with Petter. I know that and I'm cool with it. Do you want to sit with me?"

"Okay. I promise not to give you the third degree." She smiled at me as Petter and the boys moved up to the check-in desk and were allocated a row of three seats. There were no pairs within a couple of rows of them, so Monica and I took a window and an aisle pair a few rows ahead. We didn't talk much until the plane was in the air. Then I asked her how she met Petter and we talked for most of the flight.

"I was friends with the younger sister of one of the other Mobsters. She didn't have anything to do with the gang and nor did Petter then. He'd just moved to Stockholm and was looking for work. He was hanging around outside one of the biker bars they all went to and met Jan. Jan was my friend's brother. He worked in a bike shop and got Petter a job. A while later he introduced him as a prospect."

"What was he like then?"

"Shy and cute." Monica laughed. "I guessed right away that he was gay. He got some shit over it where he came from and he was worried about what the Mobsters would say if they knew. I wanted a male friend to hang out with who wouldn't keep trying to get into my pants." She frowned. "Did he tell you what happened to me?"

"No. He said you had a bad experience, that's all."

"My uncle molested me when I was a young teenager. He didn't rape me, but he would have if I hadn't left home when I did. My dad died when I was a kid and my uncle moved in to help my mum. He seemed to think I was the entertainment. I tried telling my mum, but she didn't believe me. I went to live with a friend when I was sixteen."

"Shit." I shook my head. "That's awful."

"Yeah, well, it was a long time ago. It could have been worse. So, the last thing I wanted then was a boyfriend. I wanted to go to school and then nursing college. Petter and I were perfect for each other. No guy dared come sniffing around me once he joined the Mobsters, and it never occurred to anyone that he was gay because I was always on his arm. How did you meet him? Well, I mean, how did you end up getting together? I thought you hated each other. You did some pretty lousy things to him."

I groaned. "I'm sorry. I know I did, and I'll never forgive myself for it."

"We've been over that. That wasn't what I meant. I mean, how did you get from enemies to this?"

"He didn't tell you anything?"

"No, only that he was seeing someone. I had no clue it was you until you and Christian turned up with him a couple of days ago. He told me nothing, other than that he found someone he wanted to be with. I could tell it was serious from how he was acting. I'd never seen him like that. He seemed really happy."

I smiled. "That's good to know. I'm not going to go into how it started. Only that I talked to him because one of his guys hurt a girl who worked in our restaurant."

"I remember." Monica nodded. "It was Erik. He got what he deserved. Is the girl okay?"

"Yes. Anyway, I tried to talk myself out of starting anything, but I guess sometimes you just can't help yourself. There was something about him."

Monica snorted. "So, basically you couldn't keep your hands off."

"Oh God."

"Don't be so uptight."

"I just feel weird talking to my lover's wife about him."

"Then think of him as my friend. I'm only his wife on paper."

I nodded. "What will you do in Miami?"

"As soon as we find somewhere to live and a school for the kids, I'll get work. I'm sure one of the hospitals will take me. If not, mobile nursing maybe. It shouldn't be that difficult."

We talked about plans for the immediate future until the plane began its descent to Miami and the seatbelt signs went on. As soon as we disembarked, we joined Petter and the kids, collected our bags, and found a taxi to take us to a hotel. I booked rooms for a couple of days to give us the opportunity to look for accommodation and decide what we would do.

Petter was exhausted from the journey and crashed out in the hotel room he was to share with me. I took Monica and the kids out to get some food and brought back snacks for Petter when he woke up. While we were out, we looked at real estate and found several suitable properties available to buy which were already vacant, and several to rent. There were plenty of options.

"That one is perfect." Monica pointed at a three-bedroom bungalow with a swimming pool pictured in the window of a real estate office. It was priced at $150,000. "Per and Oscar would love the pool. We have about enough to buy it and still set up a bike shop or something."

I glanced around and spotted Per and Oscar staring through the window of the next store a few metres away. It sold toys and games, and they weren't paying any attention to us. "Monica, I want you to promise me something. If you ever want for anything and you're short, please ask."

"What are you saying?"

"Just that. You wouldn't have had to leave everything behind if it wasn't for me. Don't do without because of that. I'm not being smug, but from what you've said, I have a lot more offshore than you do."

"Thank you." She nodded. "Petter would never ask. He's too proud."

"I know. That's why I'm telling you." I pointed at the property with the pool again. "So, you like that one? They're open. You could go in and make an appointment to see it?"

She grinned. "I guess I could. Will you watch the boys?"

"No problem." I walked along to the toy shop window, where Per and Oscar were gazing longingly and a pair of radio-controlled racing cars. "Your mum's busy for a few minutes. Shall we go in and look properly?"

"Yeah!" Per headed for the door, with Oscar hurrying behind. I followed.

Inside the store was a demonstration model of one of the cars, and the boys were able to take turns driving it around a small area surrounded by a little rubber wall.

"Do you think Dad will get me one for my birthday?" Oscar asked Per.

"Maybe."

"When's your birthday?" I asked the little boy.

"It's, um, next week?"

"It's the week after next," Per said. "He's five."

"And when's your birthday?"

"I was nine two days ago, but Dad was sick, and Mum must have forgotten. I didn't want to make them feel bad, so I didn't say anything. I know there was a present back home in Dad's wardrobe, all wrapped up. I guess they couldn't bring it." He sighed. "It doesn't matter. They have both been having a hard time lately. Maybe we can go to Disney World and make up for it."

"That's pretty mature of you," I said. "Why don't you pick two of these cars off the shelf, and I'll get them for you? A birthday present each. How about that?"

"Wow! Thanks, Alex!" Per turned around and much to my surprise, threw himself at me and gave me a hug. He pulled away just as quickly and grabbed Oscar. "Did you hear that? Alex is going to get you a car for your birthday, and one for mine. What colour do you like?"

Oscar selected a yellow Camaro with black racing stripes and announced it looked just like Bumblebee. I assumed that must be a car character in a kids' TV show. Per chose a blue car, and I paid for them on one of my new, as yet unused credit cards. When we emerged from the store, Monica was standing outside with her hands on her hips.

"Now, boys," she began, shaking her head.

"Birthday presents," I explained. "I insisted. They didn't ask."

"That's very nice of you, Alex. I feel awful that we forgot Per's birthday. You know why. Just don't let them take you for a ride. They can be very manipulative when they want something."

I winked. "So can I. Did you make an appointment to see the house?"

"Yes, tomorrow. Let's get back to the hotel. Petter will be wondering where we've got to."

"I can't wait to show Dad my car!" Oscar exclaimed, clutching the precious bag in both arms.

"Did you ever want kids?" Monica asked me as we walked to the hotel.

"I can't say I really thought about it. I didn't think it would ever be a possibility. I never saw myself settling down with anyone."

"Well, if you're planning on spending your life with Petter, you'll be stuck with these two."

"I don't mind that at all."