CARTER'S VANGUARD: WILLIAM CARTER
II
Chapter 07 - By Christopher Patrick Lydon
Will was startled when he walked in the door. His long-suffering
Uncle Arthur's truck had been in the driveway which wasn't unusual in of itself--Arthur
routinely checked up on Will's progress and made sure his wardrobe was sufficiently
filled. Arthur took particular pride in the way Will dressed, it was his personal
way to get back at the Major, or so he told Will. Will just figured Arthur
was a closet metro-sexual.
Will was getting in after a long day; he had history homework
to mark as well as a couple of math exercises for his own work to get done.
He rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand as he walked into the kitchen
to find Arthur sitting at the table with Brody.
Arthur looked unwell, and for a moment Will's mind raced, was
something wrong?
Arthur caught the look and smiled grimly, "Don't worry
boy, I'm just here to fetch you for supper. Your Aunt Majella is throwing
a family dinner tonight and you're expected to be there."
Will frowned. "It's rather short notice," he admitted.
"I'd have to get ready and call Andrew..."
Arthur tightened his lips and his deep-set eyes suddenly flicked
away from Will.
Suddenly Will knew exactly why Majella had decided to inform
him last minute. You had to respect the woman for how she played family politics;
she knew the game all too well, she knew the pieces and could manipulate a
situation where she got exactly what she wanted all the while maintaining
an air of innocence about her.
Will was annoyed by that; he reached out and picked up the phone
calling Andrew, hope was after all supposed to be eternal.
Andrew picked up after the second ring, "Yeah, Will?"
Will started, then remembered Andrew had caller id, a system
Will would never get used to. "I'm sorry to call you with such short
notice," he glanced at Arthur, "but I just found out my Aunt has
this big family thing planned for tonight..."
Andrew hesitated on the line, "Oh, what do I wear?"
His voice sounded compassionate, understanding all too well how Will's family
normally operated.
Will smiled, visibly relaxing, and for his own part his Uncle
Arthur relaxed as well. Obviously Majella's plan hadn't been his choice. That
warmed Will, knowing he had at least one ally in the family who was squarely
on his side.
"What do we wear?" Will asked his Uncle, covering
the mouthpiece.
"Majella has me in a suit," Arthur grumbled, obviously
unimpressed with the idea.
"Suits," Will said into the receiver. "See you
soon."
"Sure," Andrew said, already sounding distracted on
the line, no doubt fumbling in his closet for his suit.
"Bye." Will hung up the phone and glanced at Brody
who just shrugged his shoulders.
Arthur flashed him an apologetic look. "I was supposed
to bring you back with me," he said with a look out of the window, "but
this gives me a chance to get ready myself if you're coming with Andrew."
Will sighed; his long day was just going to get longer.
* * *
It hadn't taken him long to get ready--a quick shower to wash
the grime of the day off and changing into the suit his uncle had bought him
for exactly those types of events. He shrugged on the jacket and deftly tied
the tie, blushing as he remembered the last time he had seen Andrew in a suit.
Their first date, that walk along the canal, that kiss and realization that
it was more than either of them had been expecting.
He dipped into the hair wax, using it to straighten his hair
so it fell perfectly like curtains across his forehead. He liked his off-center
parting ever so slightly to the left, just like his personality. He grinned
and walked out of the bathroom, thundering down the stairs to find his shoes.
Brody, as usual, laughed at Will whenever he wore a suit. Will
shot him a dirty look as he checked himself one last time in the hall mirror.
The suit was sharp, it fit him well, even though it made him look so much
older. He knew he belonged in a suit, it was comfortable and somehow looked
right, though the jacket was a little constrictive on his shoulders.
He swept the jacket off, relaxing in just the black waistcoat,
and nodded to himself. It was too hot for the jacket anyway and he looked
just as smart in his shirtsleeves and the crisp vest. He adjusted his hair
one more time as the doorbell rang, turning as Andrew walked in looking as
ever like a model for a fashion magazine.
"You should really tell your aunt to give me more notice,"
Andrew said, selfconsciously brushing down his blazer and trying futilely
to straighten his tie. "Mom wasn't home so she couldn't help me,"
he admitted with a blush.
Will beckoned him over, reaching up to undo the tie and retie
it, just enjoying being this close to Andrew. There was something reassuring
about his presence, something that made Will's heart beat just a little faster
when he could smell that distinctive cologne and faint musky smell that was
distinctively Andrew. Even if it was intermixed with...
"Rosehip?" Will said, screwing up his nose.
"Shut up!" Andrew said in surprise that Will had noticed,
and he turned a full shade of red. Mister Cool-as-a-cucumber, Mister I-don't-get-embarrassed-over-anything,
was as red as a tomato.
"Rosehip?" Brody cackled from the living room, "Well,
we know who the woman is!"
"I ran out of shampoo and Mum was buying some more tonight;
she hadn't gotten back when Carter called. I needed a shower so borrowed hers.
Happy now?" he called through to the living room.
"Yes," Brody simply cackled, enjoying himself far
too much. "That was all that was there; I believe you..."
Andrew dug his hands into his pockets. "How about we get
going?" he said, recovering his composure as he suddenly noticed how
Will looked. He stopped and stood still for a moment, his eyes traveling up
and down Will, his breath catching for a second in his throat. "Wow,"
he managed.
Will smiled. "Thanks," he said, stepping forward to
kiss Andrew lightly on the cheek. "I mean that, thanks for dropping everything
to come with me."
Andrew chuckled, "Beats sitting at home with Mum, watching
Wheel of Fortune." He turned and held the door open for Will and walked
with him out into the warm night, "Plus this is the first time I get
to go to one of your family things." He considered that as he sat in
the driver's seat and looked over at Will with those inquisitive eyes of his,
"What are the rules?"
Will hadn't thought about that, he rarely went to Majella's
dinners; they were usually uncomfortable affairs where Majella scraped together
elements of the extended family from all over and insisted they participate
congregated in her house. Uncomfortable, because so few of them were English,
most speaking only French. Will really had no idea what the rules were in
this sort of situation; since Andrew had been away for most of the year he
hadn't had to think about it. Now, however, he was struggling.
"I don't know," Will replied honestly, "though
it might be funny to see how they react to you kissing me."
Andrew chuckled, "I'm not that much of an exhibitionist."
"You bloody are," Will accused, watching the houses
whisk by the Mustang as Andrew navigated towards Majella Aube's residence.
Andrew reached out a hand to close over Will's, lifting it back
to the stick shift as he guided Will's hand through the gear changes. It was
a subconscious habit; Will loved it when Andrew did that--it was so intimate
and yet so innocent, Andrew just desiring such a simple physical contact as
he drove, a connection to his boyfriend.
"We're going to be fine," Andrew said reassuringly,
as the car pulled into the driveway and tucked itself behind Arthur's white
Mazda truck. The two young lovers stared out of the windscreen and up at the
broad split-leveled house that, despite its quaint canary yellow siding, looked
suddenly so ominous.
"You sure about that?" Will asked, turning to look
at Andrew for strength. "So far you've been spared my family's insanity."
Andrew squeezed Will's hand, "Hey, nothing's going to happen
to you, I'm here."
Will gave him a tight smile, getting out of the car and tugging
down on the end of his waistcoat to straighten it. He wasn't a little boy
anymore; he was a young man, his own man. He could put up with his Aunt Majella
and his cousins for a couple of hours. Besides it was an opportunity to spend
some time with his grandmother.
They both climbed the steps up to the raised veranda; to Will,
the house was all upside down: the upstairs was the main floor with the bedrooms
below. A large broad-decked veranda went around the outside of the house on
massive stilts; it was like coming aboard a ship, the deck planks resounding
under the sound of his footsteps. Andrew was a step or two behind as they
went through the large patio doors into the sun lounge.
The dinner party was just getting started, Majella fussing about
her kitchen as she finished setting out the large buffet that took up most
of her counter space. The dark-haired French woman turned as Will poked his
head around the doorway into the kitchen.
"Come in," she ushered with her ladle. "Make
yourself at home."
Will nodded and stepped inside the kitchen and Majella wiped
off her hands upon her apron as she came in to hug Will hello. She paused
when Andrew stepped around Will to stand slightly behind him. Her eyes hardened
for a second as she looked over at Arthur who was already pouring himself
a stiff drink.
It was old Mrs. Carter, entering from the living room with a
gaggle of the little cousins chasing after their great aunt, who finally broke
the moment of discomfort. Will's grandmother was one of those old women that
kids flocked to. She was warm with the cuddles, loving children and pouring
attention upon them in a torrent. Put her in a red dress and give her a reindeer
and she would be the perfect Mrs. Claus.
She gave Will a warm maternal smile and beamed up at Andrew,
"I'm glad you both came." At least she sounded genuine. Majella
still looked distressed at having a gay couple at her dinner party.
"I wouldn't have missed it, Mrs. Carter," Andrew said
in a firm tone, and Will had to hide a smile knowing full well Andrew had
directed that towards his aunt. Even though Andrew's mother swore he took
after his father, Will often saw edges of his mother in his boyfriend. The
dislike for Majella was one trait both mother and son shared in abundance.
Mrs. Carter turned to Arthur, "Well, don't just stand there,
Arthur dear, offer the boys a drink."
Andrew politely refused; a responsible driver, he decided to
stick to coffee. Will, however, knew from experience these types of social
events passed easier when he was sufficiently inebriated, and gladly accepted
the drink his Uncle mixed for him. It was powerful enough to strip paint,
and Will knew it was Arthur's commiserations for the night to come.
Will smiled in thanks, making his way with Andrew through to
the living room, still feeling out of place. There were maybe a dozen or so
of his cousins running around, and it was still early. Will found his way
to a chair in the corner and sat down, Andrew moving to rest a hand on the
back of it looking around him, nodding to a few people he recognized. A few
of the adults murmured to their spouses catching sight of the pair and Will
knew they were both being discussed.
"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Will murmured
just low enough for Andrew to hear him.
Andrew glanced down. "We could just go," he said sympathetically.
Will took a long breath and squared his shoulders, "Nope,
I can deal with my aunt..."
"Willy!" The tiny voice caught him by surprise as
two little arms were around his neck and a three-foot ball of excitement suddenly
attached itself to him like a limpet. A head of brown curls and a pair of
big hazel eyes stared up at him shyly, before Lucy buried her head into his
chest again.
Will guffawed, separating himself from the over-eager sprog,
Andrew laughing at his sudden situation. He managed to disengage her stranglehold
from around his neck as he held her at arms length and grinned at her.
"Hello," he said, making a face at her.
She balled her face up in a miniature version of the displeased
look Will normally affixed. "Don't put me down," she demanded.
Will continued to hold her at arm's length. "All right,
so you expect me to carry you all night..." he stopped, staring at his
little sister who he hadn't seen in nearly a year. "Where's your daddy?"
he asked, realizing at the same time that he felt Andrew's hand protectively
on his shoulder.
Will didn't need to look up, he knew exactly who had just walked
into the living room. He calmly set Lucy back onto her feet and downed the
rest of the glass Arthur had armed him with, standing up and meeting the Major's
eyes.
The tension in the living room had escalated instantly, and
part of Will wanted so desperately to get out of there, run as far and as
fast as he could. But he wasn't afraid of this man any more. He held no power
over his life, his power was solely a dominion over the past, and the past
would never come again.
Will calmly walked through into the kitchen, the Major stepping
aside to allow him past, no doubt expecting Will to run. Instead Will extended
his glass to Arthur.
"I think I'm going to need another," he said firmly.
