Chapter 28: Silent Disco

Freddy had booked a silent disco for the garden.

Everyone was handed wireless headphones at the gate, in three glowing colors, and the neighbors on the hill heard nothing.

"Red is pop, blue is old rock, green is whatever the DJ is feeling," Freddy told Jude. "You're going to love it."

Jude loved it.

He put on the red pair and found out within a minute that his mother, in a plum velour tracksuit and green headphones, was a menace on a dance floor.

His father stood against a tree with the blue pair on, moving one shoulder.

Two hundred people were dancing to different songs in complete silence, and it was the funniest thing Jude had ever seen.

Jude laughed until his sides hurt.

He turned up the volume and shut his eyes for a whole chorus.

When he opened them, he looked for Ken.

Ken was by the long buffet table at the far end of the terrace, in the good suit.

He had a glass of juice in his hand and his headphones pushed down around his neck.

Freddy was standing next to him.

They were close together, and Freddy's hand was on Ken's shoulder.

Jude waved with both arms.

Ken did not see him.

He was looking at Freddy's face, and his own had gone very still.

Jude pulled his headphones off, and the garden's silence rushed in.

"Hey!" he called. "Having fun?"

Freddy straightened up and gave him a wide smile.

"The best night of my life, cousin."

He clapped Jude on the arm and walked into the crowd.

Jude crossed the terrace and took Ken's hands.

They were cold.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"You look like somebody stepped on your foot."

"I'm tired." Ken's voice was flat. "Big week."

"Do you want to go in? I'll tell my mother the neighbors are complaining."

"They can't hear anything."

"I'll make something up."

Ken managed a small smile.

"Stay and dance with your mother. I'll be up in a while."

Keep reading free with an account. Start He Took Jude's Money, Ken Won His Heart from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.