The Medium Kid

Chapter 32

Alfie returned home when the sun was starting to set. He left the orange horizon behind him by shutting the door. "I'm home!" he yelled, hopping on one foot as he yanked off his shoe.

"Hey!" Alfie heard his dad yell from the other end of the hallway. He could smell spices and wondered if his dad was experimenting for dinner. Usually, Tom's experiments turned out to taste delicious.

"Hey," Alfie said, entering the kitchen. His mother was sitting next to the radio with a glass of wine.

"How was college?" Molly smiled, giving her son a tight hug.

"Um, well..." Alfie laughed nervously, quickly separating himself from her, so he was in a safe distance. "I skipped."

"Alfie!" Molly's back straightened immediately.

Tom turned away from the oven to hear what excuse his son would make up.

"Well, technically I did turn up, but Miss Pecan is a freak." Alfie climbed on a stool and rested his chin on his palms. His parents were waiting for him to explain, so he did. He told them about the flower situation and how Miss Pecan was plotting with Connor behind their backs.

"Connor lied to you?" Molly asked. Alfie could hear the shock in her voice.

Alfie then told them about how Connor was the last sidekick of death and Koda replaced him. Tom slowly returned to the oven as Alfie explained. He didn't understand the world of the paranormal most of the time. The story about the Grim Reaper was too much for him.

"I can't believe it!" Molly said, raising her hands in anger and almost spilling her wine. "The nerve of Connor. I'm going to phone him up and give him a piece of my mind!"

"He already apologised to Koda. But yes, give him hell," Alfie grinned. The thought of Connor facing his mother's wrath was rather entertaining.

"Phone him after Dinner. It's almost ready," Tom said while putting plates on the table. "Anyway, I want to hear about you and Koda."

"Hmm, I don't think you do," Alfie mumbled, turning around on his stool, thinking about running to his office.

"Oh yes! Are you official yet?" Molly asked, tapping the seat next to her at the table.

"Mum," Alfie groaned, trailing his feet along the ground as he neared.

"Well, are you?"

"No."

"Why?"

Alfie shrugged while his father dished out his experimental curry. "Because we haven't really had time to talk about it."

"But do you want Koda to be your boyfriend?" Tom asked, sitting opposite Molly and his son.

"I've wanted that since primary school," Alfie mumbled. "I think he wants the same, but I don't know. This Grim Reaper stuff is really freaking him out."

They dug into their food, but Molly wasn't done with the subject. "I don't blame him. His mother died only three weeks ago, and now he has to deal with this madness. He was a sceptic of ghosts. I don't know how the poor lad is still standing."

"I'll phone him later," Alfie said, frowning at the burning in his mouth.

"So, you've kissed now then?" Molly asked, nudging her son until Alfie glared at her.

"Yes," he said through gritted teeth. Alfie wanted to tell his parents about Koda for years, but he never anticipated the awkwardness that would come after it.

"Who kissed who?"

"Mum, I'm not twelve."

"Yes but it matters. Tell me."