The Things That I Know || George Michael

sixteen - what happened yesterday

"Oh my god," George gasps, shock having taken his voice away. "I can't believe it's the same person. How did that not click in my mind? I knew there was something dodgy about that fucker."

"Can I come in?" Stephanie asks. "I just want to see Levi; see how he's doing."

"Of course." George moves to the side, creating a wider gap in the doorway to allow Stephanie to enter. He turns his head in the direction of the living room. "Levi? There's somebody here who wants to see you." He closes the front door, before following behind his ex-partner as she arrives at the crowded room of guests.

"Levi?" she greets softly, the newspaper still in her hand. "Are you alright? After yesterday?"

"After yesterday?" Kieran pipes up, unsure of what Stephanie means by this. "What happened yesterday, Daddy?"

"Um." George hesitates in thinking of an answer which is child-friendly, but knows he has to conjure up some kind of idea. "Sh-She just means because we went on the London Eye yesterday, and Daddy is a bit scared of heights. Isn't that right, Daddy?" He glances to his husband, hoping Levi will go along with this explanation.

"Yes," Levi agrees. "But I still had a lot of fun with you guys. So yes, I'm fine, thank you Stephanie."

Stephanie smiles softly at the two children. "Is it alright if I borrow Daddy for one minute, kids? I just need to talk to him about grown-up things."

"Okay," Gemma responds, searching for a justification for what's going on in George's eyes. "What are they going to talk about, Daddy?"

"I'm ... not sure, darling." He watches as Stephanie leads Levi out of the room, before turning his attention back to his offspring. "Have you said a proper hello to Uncle Andy and Auntie Nancy yet? I'm sure they really want a cuddle from each of you."

"Of course we do!" Nancy beams, opening her arms to invite Kieran and Gemma in for a hug; they accept this invitation, jumping into her embrace. "So how have you guys been?"

"We've been good," Gemma replies. "Thank you."

"Good girl for using your manners, Gem," George praises.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Levi interrogates, as he and Stephanie make their way into the kitchen for some privacy. "Has something happened? How did you know about yesterday?"

"That's what I needed to tell you." She raises the newspaper up, to reveal the front cover. "I know the man who tried to kill you. That man is my ex-boyfriend — the guy I was dating before I got with George in the early eighties."

"Bloody hell," Levi murmurs. "It's a small world, isn't it? Is that the guy who abused you?"

"I don't like to talk about it much, but yes." She shrugs, as if trying to dismiss the years of trauma Mack inflicted upon her. "I knew he was a bad person, but I can't say I ever expected him to be a murderer."

"We'd been bumping into him a lot during our trip here," Levi explains. "George knew something was off, but I stupidly thought nothing of it. Did you know he was married with kids, then realised he was actually gay?"

"Jesus fucking Christ. How much more am I going to learn about this guy today?" Stephanie places her face into one hand, rubbing at her skin in contemplation. "That must have been someone he was seeing after he and I broke up. That poor, poor woman. And poor guy to anybody who he falls for."

Levi's eyes move to Stephanie's; his expression is very minimal, yet somehow gives away exactly what's on his mind. "Yeah. Poor guy."

Stephanie very-quickly reads the body language Levi is displaying, before widening her eyes. "Shit! You mean he fancied you?"