Chapter Twelve

Around lunchtime he headed back to the house. He tried to avoid the house when Sam would be in, but it was getting wetter and colder. He could hear the buzz of the hoover from upstairs and the slow chug of the washing machine from the kitchen. He heard the radio blaring from the kitchen. When he heard Sam's deep baritone joining in with a song, he changed his mind about getting a drink. Walking into the living room, he saw Kat and Ella surrounded by books.

"Hey Linc" said Kat barely looking up.

Ella looked up and smiled from ear to ear. "Oh hi Lincoln, how are you?" She started to blush a bit.

"What are you up to?"

"Homework - you should try it sometime" said Kat.

"You look like you have robbed a library," quipped Lincoln.

Ella laughed far too loudly at his lame joke.

Kat sniffed the air. "Eww, you stink"

"Thanks"

"No, I think you smell great. Very sexy" said Ella.

Sexy? Lincoln raised an eyebrow at Ella.

"If you are going to smoke, I would think you'd be more discreet about it" said Kat, "Dad isn't stupid."

Lincoln shrugged. "So what subject are you doing?"

"History. It is GCSE coursework" replied Kat, "Very important."

"Sounds really interesting" he said sarcastically.

Ella laughed hard again. Lincoln couldn't resist commenting.

"Are you on something Ella? Cos I know I am really not that funny"

Ella went deep red and looked at her watch.

"I better go" she said getting up and grabbing her bag. "I have, a, lunch."

"Ok, see ya"

Kat followed her out and Lincoln collapsed onto the sofa and closed his eyes as the fire warmed him.

A few seconds later a pillow smacked him in the face.

Kat was in front of him with her arms crossed and a fierce look on her face.

"God Lincoln, you are so out of order."

"What did I do?" asked Lincoln, confused.

"What you said to Ella was horrible"

"I was only mucking around" defended Lincoln, "She was being weird."

"Oh my God are you blind?" said Kat, "She is totally into you!"

"What? Ella? No way?" said Lincoln, shocked.

"I can't believe you haven't noticed. She has been hooked on you since day one. Why do you think she laughs at your lame jokes?" Kat smiled mischievously. "Would you ever go out with her?"

Lincoln frowned. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about her in that way before. Besides I think you are having me on."

Connor walked in at that moment and Kat pounced on him.

"Connor, doesn't Ella fancy Lincoln?"

"Yeah, sure. It is common knowledge"

"There you go - proof" said Kat, satisfied.

Lincoln ran his hands through his hair. He didn't need this right now.

"Look Lincoln, don't hurt her ok?"

"Hurt her? I have only just found this out. I am not going to do anything."

"But Kat is right" chimed in Connor, "She has been a friend of the family for years and is a sensitive girl. Don't leave her hanging."

"What is this, gang up on Lincoln day?" said Lincoln, "I'll deal with it in time ok?"

They nodded.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it" said Lincoln, glad to get away from them.

Going into the hallway, he opened the latch on the heavy oak door.

A man turned around to face him as the door opened. Lincoln saw the smile across his face before he saw the dog collar around his neck. His blond hair shook as he leant forward with his hand outstretched.

"You must be Lincoln"

Lincoln instinctively shook his hand.

"I'm Minister Farthing, from your family's church. Call me Pete."

"Minister Pete!" Sam came bounding behind. "Come on in."

Sam pulled him to the hallway and they shook hands heartily. It was easy to tell that the two men had a mutual respect for each other.

"Come on through" Sam walked towards the lounge.

Lincoln picked his coat off the hook.

"Linc, come and say hi to Minister Pete for a bit" said Sam.

Minister Pete beamed back at him and he found it hard to say no when the guy was right there.

"Um sure"

As he followed them in, he watched as Minister Pete embraced both Kat and Connor in turn.

"Have a seat Pete" Sam offered him the overstuffed armchair.

Sam turned to Kat and Connor. "Can you get some tea for us?"

Lincoln went to go with them.

"They've got it covered Lincoln. Not much work for two people to make tea let alone three" said Sam, something about his smile was forced, but Lincoln didn't realise at the time.

"So Lincoln, you are new to our area. How are you finding Hartley?"

Sam sat on the sofa and Lincoln, being the only one now standing, felt obliged to join them.

"Um, it is ok I guess."

"Making friends at school?"

"One or two."

"That's great. Not as much hustle and bustle around here as in London, in my experience."

"You've lived in London?"

"Yes, not your neck of the woods, from what I gather, but down in Clapham."

"I had a mate who moved to Brixton. We went to Clapham Common once when I went to visit him - it is nice round there."

Minister Pete nodded in agreement. "Yes, there are some nice parts."

"You miss being in London, with your friends?"

God this guy was direct with the personal questions, thought Lincoln.

He shrugged. "Of course, I miss them, the life, lots of stuff." His mothers face flashed into his memory and he blinked it away.

"So your Dad has told me a little bit about your situation. It must be a shock having to come and live here? A big adjustment."

Lincoln began to squirm a bit.

"Yeah" He grunted. "What is your point?"

"Lincoln" eased Sam.

Minister Pete put his hand up. "It's okay Sam. I'm giving you 20 questions here, aren't I?" He cracked a smile and Lincoln couldn't help but smile back.

"You know when I was younger, I was very different to how I am now." He gestured to his collar. "I abused drugs, stole, got into fights. I was in and out of trouble with the law. It sounds like I was a lot like you, from what your Dad has told me about your past."

Lincoln glared at Sam. "He has? He is not really an authority on my past, or did he leave that bit out?"

Sam noted his glare but flicked his eyes back to Minister Pete.

"No, he has told me about his role."

"That must have been a short conversation."

Minister Pete ignored his comment and continued.

"To become who I am now and to find peace, I had to make a lot of changes in my life."

Lincoln sat back with a grin.

"Let me guess, Jesus stopped you being a junkie."

"Well, finding the Lord was definitely one factor..."

"Is that what this is then?" Lincoln looked from one man to the other. "Trying to convert me? Let's get a tub and baptise me here in the living room and all my sins will be forgiven."

"Don't be so rude" snapped Sam.

"Like I told you, Sam. I'm not interested. I am an atheist."

"No, no that isn't why I am here at all" implored Minister Pete. "I'm not trying to convince you to join the church, though we'd love to have you."

Lincoln was confused.

"Why are we even having this conversation then?"

"Your Dad is worried about you."

"Why?" Lincoln looked at Sam, who was looking at him. He had no idea why he was letting Minister Pete do his talking for him.

"As I was saying before, it took me time and a lot of support to get to where I am today, to stop alleviating my pain with drugs."

"I don't do drugs anymore, if that is what you are worried about" He shot a look at Sam.

"I guess the worry is that when we are low, there is a temptation to go back to those old habits. Like when things happen in our life that are out of our control: that are devastating. Like losing someone close to us..."

Minister Pete paused, his eyes fixed on Lincoln's. Lincoln knew what he was getting at.

"I'm not talking about that" he said firmly.

"It seems like that should be the most important thing we talk about"

"We won't be talking about anything. This is a fucking ambush."

"You need to talk about her Lincoln" Sam interjected.

"You don't know what I need."

"Lincoln, you haven't spoken about her since you got here. You don't need to carry this burden alone. Sophia wouldn't have wanted you to."

Hearing Sam say his mother's name sparked off the anger that had built inside of him.

"Don't. You don't get to talk about her. Don't even speak her name. You have no right." Lincoln sprang to his feet. "And for your information, I have spoken about her. I just don't choose to talk to you about it."

"Lincoln" Sam called after him as he watched him storm out.

Both men winced as the door slammed, reverberating the walls inside.

_____________________________

He stormed to the end of the street, fuming inside. What right did Sam have? Why on earth would he want to talk about his feelings to him? He ground his teeth and pulled out his phone. He needed a distraction so he texted James to see if he wanted to go to the cinema. His phone buzzed a reply and he headed to James' house. Now he had Luca's money he could afford to go. Sam had told him to ask if he needed any money but so far, besides lunch money, he hadn't taken anything off him. He didn't want anything from him. Dale was at football on Saturday afternoons so he'd catch up with him later.

He knocked on the door and James' 5 year old sister Hayley opened the door. He bent down.

"Hey Hayley, can you get James for me?"

She nodded and ran off calling his name.

James came jogging down the stairs with Hayley following behind him. He nodded in acknowledgement of Lincoln whilst he pulled on his trainers.

"Dad" he called, "I'm going out now."

Mr Armstrong came out of the kitchen. He was a broad man, no doubt from his years of physical training and his face was full of stubble. His dark brown eyes fixed on Lincoln disapprovingly.

"Be back by five" he said to James.

"Why so early? It's not a school night." protested James.

Mr Armstrong stiffened and raised his voice. "I said five and I mean it James." There was a warning in his eyes.

James gave up. "See you later then" he said, closing the door behind them.

They walked in silence towards the bus stop. After a few moments, James spoke.

"Sorry you had to see that back there."

"What, that thing with your Dad?"

James nodded.

"Parents are always trying to control you." said Lincoln, "I should know. I've had four of them!"

"Four of them?" queried James.

"Well yeah: Sam and Debs and then my Mum and Ray."

"Who is Ray?"

"He is my ex-stepfather." Lincoln gazed away as memories hit him.

"Why did your Mum divorce him?"

"Let's just say he wasn't a very nice man." replied Lincoln. He didn't want to get into thinking about Ray. He had had enough things to think about today.

James took in this vague information with a nod.

They walked for a few more minutes.

"You know, if you ever want to talk about anything..." James let the sentence hang.

Lincoln smiled.

"Cheers mate. You too, of course."