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Colt knew there was something going on with his uncle and Healy. Even if he was just seven years old, he was aware of these sorts of things. There were boys in his class that talked about liking girls, and sometimes Colt agreed with them – he knew not to talk about any of the boys he liked because that made them make fun of him.
Holland acted like some of the boys who liked girls in Colt’s first grade class. He made fun of Healy, a lot. He poked and prodded at the man. Colt thought that if Healy had long hair that Holland would be tugging at his pigtails. Ryland thought that was very rude; Colt just rolled his eyes.
One day, Colt decided to go to Holly about it. His cousin was a bit older than him, and if there was anyone that knew Holland it was going to be her. Healy and Holland were off working some case that Colt didn’t really understand – what he did know was that his uncle was super cool and made sure bad guys were taken down. So, while they were away, and Ryland was doing an extra math packet their teacher gave him, Colt snuck down the hall to Holly’s room like he was some kind of spy.
“You’re not very slick, Colt.” Holly sat on her bed, a magazine in her hands, probably one of those fashion ones that Colt didn’t care about.
He frowned as he entered the room. “I’m being a spy.”
“You’d make a terrible spy.” Holly was now fourteen, a high schooler, and Colt thought everything he ever heard about teenagers was true because Holly checked the boxes.
He crossed his arms as he stood in front of Holly’s bed. “I’d be a super spy.” He shook his head. None of that was the point; he was supposed to be interrogating like Holland and Healy did. Or at least that was what Colt thought they did. He wasn’t very sure. “I have questions.” He tried to pull the crayon and flipbook out of his pocket, struggling to do so.
Holly held a hand over her mouth as she tried not to laugh at her younger cousin’s despair. “Come on, just ask me.”
Colt was finally able to pull the pencil and paper from his pocket. Then, with as serious expression as a six-year-old could manage, he pursed his lips and readied himself to write. “Does Uncle Holland like Mr. Healy?”
Holly raised a brow. “That’s the question you’re asking me?”
Colt nodded solemnly, once again not hitting the mark totally right. “He does all the things the boys at school do.”
Holly put down her magazine, now intrigued with the conversation. “Dad does a lot of stupid stuff, him acting like a child doesn’t mean he likes Mr. Healy.”
“But he does it so much!” Colt abandoned writing notes. They weren’t going to be very useful if Holly couldn’t understand the gravity of the situation. “Your eyes must be broken,” he huffed. Couldn’t Holly see it? Hadn’t she seen it ever since the other man moved in?
From the moment Colt and Ryland had come to California, Healy had been a continuous piece of their lives. He was more put together than their uncle was, which probably wasn’t the best thing. Healy picked the twins up from school sometimes. He kept the fridge stocked with Yoo-hoo, one of Colt’s favorite drinks. He even took Ryland to the library almost every week – a place that Colt thought was boring but it made Ryland happy.
Healy sure did a lot for someone that was supposedly just a family friend. Plus, Holland would be stupid if he didn’t like Healy. The man was amazing!
Holly leaned a bit closer. “My eyes aren’t broken.” Her tone was a little annoyed, but apparently that was just what teenagers were like. “I think I’d know if my dad had a crush on someone, especially if that someone was Mr. Healy.”
Colt rolled his eyes. “You’re being stupid.”
“No, you are.” Holly picked her magazine back up and threw her legs over the bed. She stormed out of the room, possibly forgetting that it was her own room she was doing so from.
Colt stood in Holly’s bedroom for a moment, shoulders slumped. So much for being a spy. Though, did spies really do the whole interrogation thing?
There was a creak from the hallway, footsteps slowly getting closer and closer. “What did you do?” Ryland stood in front of the door, his pencil still in his hand and his glasses slipping down his face.
“I didn’t do anything.” Colt shoved his paper and pencil back into his pocket – though it was a struggle to do so. A hard frown was painted across his face as he all but stomped forward.
“Colt.” Ryland reached out and pulled his brother back. “Really, what’s going on?” He seemed to pout a little and that immediately got Colt to turn around.
Ryland was always going to be his weak spot. Colt slumped against the wall. “Holly doesn’t believe me.” “Believe you about what?” Ryland finally pushed his glasses back up. Soon enough they’d fall again.
“About Uncle Holland.” He couldn’t believe Ryland hadn’t caught on yet. They were in the same class after all – Ryland must have heard the boys talking.
Ryland looked rather confused as he looked over Colt. “Just tell me what you mean, Colt.” Now Ryland looked a bit annoyed at him.
Colt stopped himself from sighing. “Uncle Holland likes Mr. Healy.”
“Yeah, of course they like each other.”
Yeah, Ryland wasn’t getting it. “No, Ry, he like likes Mr. Healy. Like boyfriend like.”
This time Ryland seemed to understand. He held his pencil a little tighter as his brain fully processed what Colt just told him. “Really?”
“Really.” Colt made his voice stern. “But Holly doesn’t believe me so I need more evidence.”
Ryland paused. “Are you sure?”
“What?” Colt’s jaw dropped. “Of course I’m sure.” He had never been more sure about anything in all his years of living. Which wasn’t really a lot, but to him it was a lifetime. “I’m going to prove it to you too.” Now he was really on a mission, a mission to prove to everyone that Holland really did like Healy. There was no way he was wrong about that.
***
Colt started with hanging around his uncle a lot more than he normally did. He was waiting for the man to slip up and saw something about Healy that would give his crush on Healy away. Colt had also taken to carrying around a tape recorder that he may or may not have snagged from Holland’s desk. That was just for him to know about.
He started asking Holland more about Healy too, about how they met, if they liked working together, normal sorts of things like that. Usually, Holland answered without asking too many questions in return. He was rather chill about those sorts of things.
What Colt did learn is that his uncle really liked to talk about Healy. He talked about the diner that Healy was famous at. He talked about how Healy was such a good influence on Holly – sort of at least. He talked about how strong and smart and how great of an investigator the man was.
Colt actually got tired of hearing about it all the time. He kept his tape recorder going though. It was more important that he collect evidence than it was that he was comfortable. Though, he had to admit, it also got a bit boring at times, hearing the same things over and over again.
Colt, now ready to at least convince Ryland, brought the tape recorder to school. He had to remind himself that the recorder was there when he went off to recess since it wasn’t like he could share it with his brother in the car ride over or during class.
Instead of going off to play basketball like he usually did, Colt told his friends that he’d talk to them in a moment and went off to the picnic tables where Ryland was reading.
“Ry!” Colt waved the tape recorder in the air as he ran over to his brother.
Ryland looked up from his book, appearing a little annoyed to be interrupted during his reading time. “What is that?”
Always with the questions. “It’s evidence that Uncle Holland likes Mr. Healy.” He set, or almost slammed, the tape recorder in front of Ryland. “He talks nonstop.”
Ryland glanced up at him. “He also talks about bees a lot, and I don’t think he likes bees.”
Colt, not taking anything anymore, began to play the recording. He watched Ryland’s expression change little by little as the recording continued. A smirk grew on Colt’s face as he watched Ryland realize that their uncle really did have a crush on Healy. There was no denying it anymore.
The recording came to an end, and Colt snatched the tape recorder away. “Now what do you think?”
Ryland put his bookmark in his book and closed his book. That was when Colt knew things were getting serious. His twin huffed. “He needs to tell Mr. Healy.”
***
The twins stood in front of their uncle with matching serious expressions on their faces. Colt held onto the tape recorder in case he needed to use it for evidence down the line as Ryland held onto Colt’s notepad – there weren’t many things actually written in it.
Holland looked between them, an unlit cigarette hanging between his lips. He didn’t smoke in the house anymore, but that didn’t mean he didn’t prepare himself before he stepped outside. “What are you two getting up to?”
Colt took a step forward, looking as imposing as he could at less than four feet tall. “You need to tell Mr. Healy you like him.”
“Colt.” Ryland elbowed his brother in the side.
Colt flinched but that didn’t dissuade him. “There’s something going on with you guys.” He knew it from the first week he’d seen the two interact, he swore it!
Holland was quiet as he took his cigarette from his lips and stuck it into the front pocket of his Hawaiian shirt. “Now why would you think that?”
“I have evidence.” Colt held up the tape recorder as he reached out for the notepad. It was a bit of struggle, but eventually he got it in his hands. He held out both to his uncle, a satisfied expression on his face. “You like Mr. Healy, and Ry and I both know it.”
Holland looked between the tape recorder and the notepad. Then, he sighed. “God, kid, you’re really going to kill me one of these days.” He shook his head with a smile.
Colt really didn’t understand that part.
“Look boys,” Holland crouched down, his knees cracking as he did so.
Ryland cringed at the sound.
Holland put a hand on Colt’s shoulder. “Healy and I…”
This was it, this was the moment Colt had been waiting for.
“...We’re trying our best.”
That’s not what he was supposed to hear. “What are you talking about?” Ryland nudged him again, a little lighter than the previous time.
“It means Healy’s a better man than me.” Holland patted Colt’s shoulder once more before crossing his arms. “You’re right, I like him.”
Colt almost erupted into a cheer he was so excited to be right.
“But,” Holland put up a finger, “We’re just being us right now.”
Colt didn’t understand what that meant in the slightest. People were either together or they weren’t, that was how things usually went. “So… are you boyfriends?”
Ryland shook his head. “They’re not, Colt.”
“Well, we aren’t not boyfriends.” Holland shrugged, his expression a little pained. “Honestly, we were trying to figure things out before telling any of you.”
Oh. That explained why Holly hadn’t agreed with him; she really didn’t know. Wow, for once Colt felt like the genius of the family. “Are you going to be boyfriends then?” A little clarification wouldn’t hurt.
Holland ducked his head, looking a little bashful. “I hope so; I really do.”
“Okay.” That was a good enough answer for Colt. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around his uncle. “I can help you!”
Holland erupted into a fit of laughter. “I’m sure you will, kid.”