Connor peeked into the classroom, the fruit of their labour. He especially loved the mural on the walls.
This was them leaving a mark on a small village in rural Uganda, and Connor couldn't be any more proud of it.
"We built this," Connor announced to his mother.
"Looks amazing, hon. Did you boys paint that by yourselves?"
"He did most of the painting."
Kevin was sat at the centre of the classroom with the children, crayons and paper scattered all around them. Arnold and Nabulungi were nowhere to be seen.
"Why you have to go?" Gamisha whined, trying to colour on Kevin's shirt.
"Oh shi- no no, Gamisha let's only colour on the paper, huh?" Kevin handed her a piece of paper, "You need to go home everyday, don't you? Well, it's the same for me. I need to go home too."
"Go to your far away home?"
Kevin nodded as he ruffled her curly hair, "My far away home."
Adroa asked, "How much far away is your home?"
"How far away," Kevin corrected, "Ask me again."
"How...faaaaar away is your home?"
Kevin started drawing something on the paper, "This is my home. This is the market. And this is the school."
"Too faaaaaar!" Adroa pressed himself up against Kevin's side, "Whyyyy?"
"Kaywin," Gamisha showed Kevin her drawing, "This you."
Kevin frowned at the paper, "Oh. Why do I have a train track on my face?"
"This your owie," pointed to Kevin's brow.
"Okay…And who is this?"
"Me."
"Why are you taller than me?"
"Because."
"Because what?" Kevin challenged.
The little girl just shrugged, "Just because."
Kevin chuckled, "Who taught you that?!"
Connor bet it was Elder Church.
Another child latched onto Kevin's neck from behind.
Kevin grimaced in pain, "Uh Akello, why don't we sit down and finish your drawing?"
"No!" he held on tighter.
Kevin hissed, his eyes clenched tight, "Please?"
Connor was all ready to step in to help pry the kid off Kevin. Gently, of course. He wouldn't want to break someone's kid.
Gamisha poked Akello in his side, "Ake go'way! You are making Kaywin go oww!"
The boy finally let go of Kevin and promptly burst into tears.
"Oh, hey hey, what's the matter?"
Akello mumbled incoherently through his loud bawling.
"It's okay, Ake. I'm okay. Do you want to come and sit with me?"
He sniffed and shrugged.
"Come here," Kevin gestured to his lap.
The boy sat on Kevin's knee.
Adroa pulled on Kevin's shirt, "You have to go home…is it...is it because your mama miss you?"
Kevin cleared his throat, "Uh huh."
He looked away from the children and met Connor's eyes.
'Hey' Kevin mouthed, the corner of his mouth quirked into a smile.
Connor gave a little wave.
"Kaywin, my mama always gives me kisses when I go home," Gamisha said, "You get kisses when you go home too?"
"Oh uh…" Kevin glanced at Connor with a smirk, "Yeah, I do get kisses too."
Connor rolled his eyes fondly. What an idiot.
"But you are too old!"
"I'm not!" Kevin gasped with mock outrage.
"Are!" Gamisha insisted, and proceeded to fight with Akello for space on Kevin's lap.
"Oh gosh, ugh! No, Gamisha," Kevin sighed with exasperation.
Connor's mother suddenly spoke up beside him, "You're really smitten with this boy, aren't you?"
"Huh? Um...I think so, yeah."
"You think so?" She laughed, "If only you could see your face when you look at him."
Connor rolled his eyes, "Mom."
He wondered what he actually looked like when he looks at Kevin, probably like some lovesick idiot. Because that was how he felt inside when he watched him interact with the children.
"I'm happy for you, Con," She took his hand, "And I'm sorry that we have made you feel like you couldn't be who you are all these years."
"Thanks, mom. That means a lot," Connor squeezed her hand, "I love you."
—
"Where's Arnold?" Connor asked as he helped Kevin to tidy up the classroom.
After all the fuss about wanting Kevin all by himself, Connor thought that Arnold would be stuck to Kevin like glue.
"He said that he needed to grab some supplies from the market," Kevin shrugged.
Connor had a feeling that Arnold was up to something.
"You were very good with the little ones," Connor's mother commented.
"I had a lot of practice growing up, Younger siblings," Kevin explained, "I had to- Wait! Connor! What are you doing?"
Connor froze, "Throwing out the trash?"
"Trash?! I want to keep those!"
Connor stared down at the pieces of paper which had been roughly-scribbled on, "These are just scribbles."
"They're five, Connor. What did you expect? Give it," Kevin held out his hand.
Connor's mother studied the mural of the village in the room, "Have you thought about being a teacher, Kevin?"
"Not really. I've always wanted to be a doctor."
"That's a respectable profession too. I'm sure you'll be a great paediatrician."
"Kev bud! I'm back!"
The three of them turned to Arnold, who just barged into the classroom.
"Oh. Elder McKinley. You're here too. Hello Mrs McKinley."
"This is Arnold, Kevin's companion," Connor introduced,
"Where have you been?" Connor hadn't meant for it to come out that irate. But Arnold did leave an injured Kevin to deal with a bunch of hyperactive five year olds by himself.
"We went to the market."
"So you didn't get anything after all?" Kevin looked pointedly at Arnold's empty hands, "And where's Nabulungi?"
"Yeah, it happens," Arnold shrugged, "She uh...she had some stuff to do."
For someone who lies a lot, he sure was bad at it when it really mattered.
"What stuff?" Kevin pressed.
Arnold threw his hands up in the air, "I can't keep it in anymore! We are throwing you a surprise farewell party! It was sort of a last minute decision. I just couldn't let you go without a proper going away party."
Kevin looked amused, "Oh. Okay. Thanks?"
"Do I get a party too?" Connor teased.
Arnold sighed theatrically, "I guess you could come too, if you have too."
Connor punched Arnold on the arm playfully, "I'm wounded."
"You're invited too, McKinley's mom," Arnold grinned.
"It's alright, Arnold, you boys go enjoy yourselves."
Arnold sighed, "Nabulungi's going to kill me for giving the surprise away."
"Don't worry, I can act like I'm surprised," Kevin offered, patting Arnold on his shoulder.
"Cool. I'm uh...supposed to stall you until sunset," Arnold said sheepishly.
—
"Are we there yet?"
"Where are we going?"
"We've been walking for a long time."
"Guys, it's only been ten minutes. Even I'm not tired yet."
"Are we lost?"
"Arnold! Just tell us where we're going."
Connor tried to discern the route Arnold was taking them on. The road would lead them towards the hills with the flower fields and caves, if they hadn't just went past the turn they should be taking to get to the hills.
"It's getting dark, Arnold," Kevin grumbled.
Arnold replied rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "Relax. We're almost there. Nabulungi wanted to make it extra special. Now, remember to act surprised."
Kevin looked at Connor, who gave a shrug in return.
When they finally reached their destination, Connor didn't even need to act. He gasp in reflex. He was truly surprised by the scene before him.
"Surprise," Arnold grinned.
Nabulungi waved at them, on a mat in the middle of the field. Around her were thousands of glowing fireflies, making light trails all over the darkened field.
"Oh wow," Kevin muttered beside Connor.
—
Connor and Nabulungi strolled away from Arnold and Kevin. Connor was still trying to uphold his promise of giving Arnold his alone time with Kevin.
"Why haven't you brought us here before?" Connor asked, staring at a bug which landed briefly on Nabulungi's hair.
Nabulungi took a swig of her beer, "The mating season has only just started."
"Are you even of legal drinking age?" Connor raised an eyebrow at the drink.
"I am," Nabulungi shrugged, "But nobody is going to give a shit about what I can or cannot do anymore, right Elder?"
"Nabulungi."
"I dream about him. Every night. And when I wake up, I will still be thinking that he is in the kitchen, making us breakfast, before I would remember."
Connor put his arm around Nabulungi and pulled her closer.
"I miss him, Elder McKinley."
Connor couldn't even begin to understand her grief. He could only provide her with a shoulder to cry on. They stood like that for a long time. A lot more fireflies started landing on them since they stopped moving.
"Baba used to say that when someone dies, they will revisit their families as a bug. To watch over them."
"That's nice," Connor replied lamely.
"Not really, it makes you second guess if you should slap the mosquito dead, and by the time you make a decision, it has already given you malaria."
Connor stared at Nabulungi in confusion. She burst out laughing, which made Connor chuckle.
"Well, I'm sorry about Mafala."
"Why do you boys like to apologise when someone dies? It is not like you killed him," Nabulungi said bluntly.
"It's not an apology," Connor mused, "More of a condolence."
Nabulungi looked up at Connor from his shoulder, "Do I have to say thank you then?"
"You don't have to say anything, Nabulungi."
Connor glanced over at Arnold and Kevin, who were sitting on the picnic mat, chatting and finishing up the food. He narrowed his eyes as Kevin grabbed Arnold's beer and took a long chug.
"C'mon Kev," Connor sighed.
Kevin should have known better not to mix alcohol, painkillers, and a head injury.
"What?" Nabulungi asked, looking up at him.
"Kevin's doing something stupid."
Nabulungi nodded, "Go on then."
Connor strode over to the misbehaving pair.
"What do you think you're doing?" Connor towered over the two of them, hands on his hips.
Arnold looked up at Connor with a tipsy grin on his face, "Hey. Mickey. McKinley."
Kevin just stared blankly at him.
Connor's temper flared when he noticed the four empty bottles laying on the grass beside the mat.
"What the heck, guys?!"
Arnold frowned, "What the heck what?"
Connor ignored Arnold, "How many did you have?"
Kevin shrugged, "Does it matter?"
"Does it matter?!" Connor repeated loudly, "What are you trying to do, kill yourself?"
Kevin looked shocked at Connor's outburst, "Don't be dramatic."
"Don't be dramatic?!"
"What are you, a parrot?"
Arnold sobered up when he sense the tension in the air, "Whoa whoa guys."
Connor was mad at Arnold too. Why couldn't he just be responsible for once? He could have stopped Kevin from drinking. He should have stopped Kevin from drinking.
Connor took a deep breath to calm himself down. Kevin was drunk, and maybe high. It was no use trying to argue with Kevin right now. He just needed to get Kevin to bed before he consumes any more alcohol or his pills, and make sure that he doesn't stop breathing or fall into a coma while he slept.
Connor tried to get Kevin up on his feet, "I think it's time we head back. We have a flight to catch tomorrow."
"I don't want to," Kevin protested, trying to wriggle away from Connor's grasp.
"You're gonna have to," Connor pulled him up, and glared at Arnold, "A little help here?"
"Sorry," Arnold got up at once to assist him in getting Kevin upright.
Kevin was still fidgeting his way out of Connor's grasp, but if he were to let him go, Kevin was going to end up falling over.
"What are you trying to do, Kev? Gosh. Will you please stop?" Connor sighed.
"Let go!" Kevin whined, sounding like one of the kids he was herding in the afternoon.
"You do not want me to let go of you right now, Kevin Price. Now stop it."
Kevin stilled, "Why are you mad at me?"
"Why do you think? Because you did something stupid," Connor put his arm around Kevin's waist for support, "Are you feeling okay? Can you walk?"
"I'm not stupid. I'm really smart."
Connor rolled his eyes, "I didn't say you are stupid. You just make stupid decisions sometimes."
Hopefully this was nothing more than just that, a stupid, impulsive decision on Kevin's part, and not something that Connor should be majorly worried about.
"I'm not stupid."
"Yes, yes. You're really smart. I know."
—
"Thanks Nabulungi, for tonight. For everything, really," Connor hugged Nabulungi, "And you too, Arnold. Thank you."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that Kev...I should've-"
"It's fine. He's fine," Connor yawned, "I'll see you guys in the morning?"
Connor bade them goodnight, and closed the door. He made his way across the hallway and into the room to check on Kevin.
Kevin was out like a light as soon as his head had touched the pillow. A quick google search on his computer had informed Connor of what he should be looking out for.
Kevin seemed alright for now.
He was probably fine. He'll be fine.
Connor laid himself down on Arnold's bed with a groan.
The next time he laid down on a bed, it was going to be on a proper, fluffy mattress.
It'd feel heavenly.
Proper mattress, proper shower, proper house.
Proper fast food. Gosh, did he miss fast food.