CARTER'S DUTY: WILLIAM CARTER
III
Chapter 18 - By Christopher Patrick Lydon
Andrew rested his forehead on his hand, "I'm sorry Will,
nothing happened I swear to you." He gave Will a look filled with pain
and hope, "you have to believe that."
"I do." Will replied, "it just... at the time
I didn't know what to think."
"I'm sorry," Andrew pressed, "we were up all
night talking. She knew I was gay, I told her... in fact we were talking about
you most of the night. I just needed to talk to someone about what was going
on."
Will shrugged, "It's okay, she may have known you were
gay, but that wasn't going to stop her."
"What do you mean?" Andrew asked in confusion.
* * *
"You okay?" Jeff asked through the door of the bathroom.
Will contemplated the answer to that question, as he sat on
the toilet staring at the tiled wall. Was he okay? How could he be okay? Everything
he wanted was at an end. He wasn't okay, but he wasn't anything. Emotionless
was the best way to describe him at that moment.
He was an emotional void, empty. He couldn't describe it; he
should be angry, furious at the situation and the circumstances that had led
up to it. But how could he? He had seen it coming and had prepared himself
for it. So instead of pain, he felt...empty.
He couldn't explain that through a door, but his friend, the
man he was supposed to be best man to in a few hours waited for an answer.
Some kind of confirmation or guidance as to what to do. As if Will actually
knew. He didn't. So there really was no answer to it. He reached out and popped
the door open to let Jeff in.
His friend looked concerned, as he took a seat on the edge of
the bathtub and patted Will's knee. "Want me to kick his ass?" he
asked after a moment of silence.
Will looked up at Jeff and shook his head, "What good will
it do? It's not going to change anything is it?"
Jeff frowned, as he absorbed it, "You're just going to
let him get away with it?"
Will rubbed his temples, he was tired, grimy from the bar and
hospital and all he wanted was to crawl into bed and hide away from the world.
But he couldn't do that. Jeff needed him. And in his own way, Will needed
to see the day through.
"I'll be okay old man." He offered a weak smile, "lets
get you to the church on time eh?"
Jeff watched him a moment, "You sure you're up to this
dude?"
Will chuckled tiredly, "Isn't that my line?" He nodded
towards the window, "Brody has a plane standing by to take you to Tijuana...
he felt compelled."
Jeff chuckled half heartedly, "Somehow that wouldn't surprise
me." He stood up and patted Will's shoulder, "Jared should be back
in a few minutes, get a shower and see how you feel. I'll understand if you
can't go through with this..."
Will shook his head, "Jeff, bud, look I said I would stand
for you, and come hell or high water I'm gonna do it." He stood up, "guy's
come and go, but bro's they're for life."
Jeff winced, "Okay stop, you sound awful imitating Ghetto..."
"I'm da schiznit!" Will declared as he affixed a grin
on his face, "Don't be hating..."
Jeff rolled his eyes, "I should never have gone with you
to that movie," he groaned, "I'm going to be downstairs, if you
need anything just yell."
Will nodded offering an empty smile, "Go, get ready, you're
a man today." He paused, "No wait you're wearing a skirt on your
wedding day, guess that means Lisa's the man." His eyes still showed
the pain he felt, but he put on his game face.
Jeff punched Will's shoulder and left the bathroom, and left
Will to his thoughts.
He turned on the shower, warming the water and climbed in, letting
the rush of the warm water wash over him. Drenched he rested his forehead
against the tiles and tried his best not to think. The less he thought about
what had happened to him the better. He had to keep functioning, hold onto
that empty feeling and keep putting one foot in front of the other. This was
the most important day in Jeff's life, and beside that, Will's issues seemed
trivial.
Though part of him wanted to scream, rant and rail against the
injustice of it.
What was the point of decrying life? You could scream until
you went hoarse, cry yourself dry and still life would remain the same. History
wouldn't change for a sound or a droplet of salty water. He needed to be strong,
it wasn't about him and he had to keep reminding himself of that fact.
He grabbed the soap and began to wipe away the sweat and grime
of the day before, today Jeff was going to profess his undying love for the
woman of his dreams. And unlike Rafik and Farah, or even Jared and Kerry,
this was the woman he wanted. He was going to take the woman he loved down
the aisle and not settle for second best or be dragged against his will. There
was something comforting in that thought. What Jeff was doing wasn't for an
ulterior motive, it was because he loved Lisa, really loved her. And if Jeff
could find and capture the one he loved, then there was hope out there for
everyone else.
There had to be hope.
He rinsed his face and blinked up at the frosted window and
the sunlight outside, so Andrew wasn't the person he had hoped he was. That
simply meant there was someone else out there and he had to stop dwelling
on the past.
After he had towelled himself off, he emerged from the bathroom
to find Jared waiting for him in the master bedroom, holding up a tuxedo.
He had a smile on his face that said Jeff had told him what had happened.
But Will knew that Jared dealt with things in his own way. He too was a survivor
of heartache, and unlike Jeff who was marrying the woman he loved; he knew
all too well what Will felt.
Will slipped the tuxedo out of the wrapping and chuckled when
he noted the cummerbund and bow tie were the same tartan pattern as Jeff's
kilt. Jared had a good eye for details and no one could deny that he actually
cared about things around him, even if he did go through his life with the
stigma of being a salesman.
"Hey buddy." Jared said in a simple greeting, "I'm
gonna go catch the next shower. Kerry is on her way over and Jeff is downstairs."
Will nodded, "Cheers mate."
"If you want to talk..." Jared said as he hesitated
in the doorway.
"Go get ready bud." Will reassured, as he turned and
set about putting on his tuxedo.
It was a good fit, comfortable and the correct size; the rental
shop still had his measurements and was able to put something appropriate
together on little to no notice. Will was impressed by their service, and
vowed to use them in the future as he deftly tied his bow tie. He examined
himself in the mirror, and adjusted the tie so that it sat correctly. Not
quite James Bond, but he still cut a fine figure.
"You look smart." Andrew said standing in the doorway.
Will glanced back at him and shrugged out of the tuxedo jacket,
he put it aside not wanting to dirty it before the wedding ceremony. He blew
out a sigh and turned to face the man that had violated his trust.
"I don't have time to deal with this now." He repeated
softly, "Not now."
Andrew nodded silently, his eyes heavy as he stared at the carpet
in front of Will's feet. He opened his mouth, and tried to find something
to say. "I...I..."
Will stared at him from the middle of their bedroom, wearing
a tuxedo and set to help a friend through the most monumental day of his life.
And the man that had singularly destroyed their relationship stood in the
door way speechless.
"We have to talk." Will said as he did the only thing
he could do, take control of the situation, "But I can't now. After the
Wedding."
Andrew nodded, and Will could see how upset the man was, their
roles had changed so much over time. Will was the responsible one, the one
that had the answers, when had that changed? When had he grown up? Will felt
a part of the cold dispassion melt as he crossed to the man he loved and rested
his hands lightly on his shoulders
"I'll see you at the wedding, come, have a good time, and
we'll talk afterwards." He lifted Andrew's chin so that he could look
into the sad eyes, "Don't..." he swallowed as he felt the tears
well up inside himself.
Andrew's eyes glistened, his jaw worked, "I...I..."
Will drew him into an embrace, just to hold on for a few moments,
a few last moments. But it was already too late. He could feel what they had
slipping away from him.
He stepped back and offered a half smile. "Get ready to
go, as I said we'll sort this fucking mess out later."
Andrew nodded on automatic as he walked from their room. And
Will let his head sink, he was the strong one, out of all of his friends,
he was the survivor and he knew that. He had lost Andrew once before and survived,
but could he go through it again. He had been through that pain before, and
he knew that the only thing for him to do was be strong. Because if he wasn't
strong who else would be?
Will walked downstairs, his jacket carefully draped over his
arm as he entered the kitchen for yet another mug of Mrs. Sternosti's coffee.
Jeff and his father were at the table, Jeff receiving that age old final piece
of advice of a father to son. He spared a glance at Will as he returned his
full attention to his father.
Mrs. Sternosti fussed over Will's collar the moment she saw
him dressed. The problem with being the first ready was that he was the one
that would be fussed over the longest by a mother who was giving up the first
of her children. Will tolerated her fussing as he reached for his cell phone
and gave Brody a call.
The phone rang five times before a female voice answered it,
"Brody's phone."
"Porchea?" Will asked in shock.
Jeff spat coffee across the table, as he choked recognizing
the strippers name. His eyes bulged as he desperately tried to regain his
composure.
"Yes?" She responded, "Brody is in the shower
right now, he should be done in a few minutes I can have him call you when
he gets done."
Will nodded, "Uh...yeah, tell him we're waiting on him
and that he should come as soon as he can."
He clicked off the phone and stared over at Jeff, who returned
the stare. Both their minds tried to work out the chain of events that could
possibly have led to Porchea answering Brody's phone that morning.
"Who's Porchea?" Mrs. Sternosti asked as she mopped
up the mess Jeff had created.
"No one mom." Jeff replied automatically, he stared
at Will, "If he brings her, I'm gonna kill him."
Will extended his hands in a claming manner, "Relax, it
will be okay. Jared's out of the shower, you should go and get ready..."
"'sup guys?" Jared asked as he came down the stairs
and noted the tension.
"Porchea." Jeff exclaimed as he stalked up the stairs.
"Huh?" Jared inquired as he fumbled with the bow tie
and finally abandoned the attempt.
"Brody picked up Porchea." Will walked over and tied
the tie in a single fluid motion, stepping back to admire his handy work.
"The Stri..." Jared stopped when he noted Mrs. Sternosti's
proximity, "Oh."
Will nodded, "Yeah, that's what I said..."
His phone rang and he clicked it on, "Go."
"William Carter," Scott Weippert's voice was unexpected,
and Will's brow furrowed, "I'm staring at an empty office Mister Carter."
Will was confused, "Sir? I booked today off." He glanced
back at the clock on the microwave, it read Nine oh two, "I have a wedding
to go to."
"I wasn't informed," Scott's tone adopted a stern
edge, "I can't give you a day off on no notice."
Will blew out a sigh, "Scott, I am best man at this wedding
and it starts in under an hour. Ken can cover for me, but if you check my
appointment book you will see I am cleared for today."
"I don't care about that," Scott responded, "I
need you here today..."
Will rolled his eyes, "I booked this day off, you signed
off on it. I have two weeks vacation that I haven't touched yet. I will be
in tomorrow, it can wait until I arrive."
"This doesn't reflect well on your commitment to this company,"
Scott pressed.
Will lifted the phone away from his ear and stared at it in
disgust, putting it back to his hear, "Mister Weippert I will discuss
this with you tomorrow, as it stands this is my day off and I have other commitments,
Good day." He clicked off and pocketed the phone.
Jared looked at him in confusion, "What now?"
"Work." Will replied, "My boss wondering where
I was."
"Oh," Jared said after a moment, "You gonna get
fired?"
Will opened his mouth to answer and swore when his phone rang
again. He flicked it open, "Yes?"
"Hey Willy," Brody's cheerful voice, "Just got
out of the shower and I'm on my way over now. Tell Jared not to worry, he's
Jeep is fine, it's only a little dent in the side door..."
"Porchea?" Will asked ignoring Brody's attempt at
humour over the Jeep.
"What about her? Just about to drop her off at her apartment.
I promised her a ride home after work last night." He chuckled, "She
needed comforting after you broke her heart."
"Ah." Will said as Jeff came down the stairs wearing
the Kilted tuxedo, he suppressed a laugh, "Well get here as quick as
you can...you have got to see this..."
