The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality by Gahan Hanmer Read Free Book Online Page A

open; and it made me just as nervous to feel all that undiluted and undisguised warmth pouring out of him as it had in the past. It was too much. It was too naked. But mostly it made me uncomfortable because I never felt able to return it in kind. It made me feel guarded and held back, which I am to some extent, but who isn't? Until you run into an oddball like Albert who doesn't seem to be that way, it seems perfectly normal and necessary.
    When I first knew him I used to tell myself that it was because his family was so rich; that he had never been exposed to any trouble. Over time, I realized that the idea was a lot of crap; that Albert's defenselessness was his gift; very courageous really, very commendable, and very annoying at times.
    "Nice to see you again, Albert. You're looking very well."
    He beamed and even blushed a little at the compliment. He was full of light, and it would light him up over anything at all. "Come and have some breakfast, Jack. You still love sausages, don't you? Hélène is making sausages now which would win prizes all over the world."
    "Thanks, Albert, don't mind if I do."
    We sat down and began to help ourselves. The sausages were very delicious. Everything about the breakfast was fit for a king. I ate a few mouthfuls and then I said, "What's going on, Albert?"
    "Why, Jack," he said with a broad smile, "you, of all people, don't have to ask
me
what's going on."
    "Is that so?" I thought about it for a few moments, but I didn't get the joke. "You've been keeping tabs on me. Why?"
    "Oh here now, I haven't been keeping
tabs
on you. Why do you say it that way? You make it sound so vulgar."
    That was something else which apparently hadn't changed about Albert. Vulgarity, whatever that was or whatever he thought that was, was still something he couldn't tolerate.
    "Well, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I think sending some private eye to take photos of me is a little vulgar, wouldn't you say?"
    In truth, I had never been sure what the word vulgar was supposed to mean in Albert's lexicon. I was just pushing his buttons. I hadn't talked with Albert in ever so long, and I wanted to know what he was like.
    "Perhaps so, but I didn't
send
anyone to do any such thing."
    "If you didn't
send
anyone, then how did it occur that someone was there?" It was difficult to talk to Albert without picking up his emphatic manner of speech. Conversation, communication, the life of the mind, these were all terribly important to him, and he chose his words the way a chemist would choose the ingredients in an experiment. "And how do you happen to know every little thing about me, right down to my shoe size, if you haven't sent some vulgar private eye to find it all out for you, hmm?" I thought I had him there.
    "Because, my dear Jack, I never
sent
anyone to find out those things. And you needn't give me that fishy look, because it's true. I just happened to mention one evening at a party many years ago that I was curious what had become of a certain old friend. A few days later I was surprised to receive a complete report on you along with a bill, naturally, and since I paid the bill, I've continued to receive regular reports ever since."
    "And continued to pay the bills."
    "Yes. After that first report I was quite concerned about you, and though I knew better than to interfere, I preferred to stay informed."
    We ate in silence for a while. The idea that Albert had been checking up on me all those years was infuriating. That he had been doing it out of concern was even more infuriating. Who the hell did he think he was?
    On the other hand, I couldn't help but wonder if I was just being touchy about wasting so many years, or if I was feeling guilty about Jenna and just wanted to pick a fight to cover it up.
    "These sausages are really something, Albert," I said, trying to find some neutral ground for my thoughts.
    "Hélène will be very pleased to hear that you said so."
    "Where is your lady friend this