Bedroom doors
Jeff thought it was best to visit Alan and Gordon first to check they had actually gotten into their beds. When he reached the top of the stair case, he rounded the hall to the right and walked on till he met the last door. He knocked before entering and was greeted by a dim light and a messy room. Across Gordon's room, scattered clothes covered the floor, and which bits of rug that were visible, had a toy of some ocean related theme, sat in the spot. Jeff carefully made his way to Gordon's bed and sat on the end, waiting for Gordon to return from the bathroom. Jeff sat there with his hands stroking one of Gordon's stuffed sharks, of which he had countless of, yet all of them had a name. Just as Jeff put the toy down, Gordon entered the room, rubbing his eyes as he managed to walk almost blindly threw his tip of a bedroom. He hopped into bed and snuggled down under the duvet, off which Jeff helped to cover,
"Good night Gordon, I'll see you in the morning ok?"
"Mmm-k dad, I'mm gunna sleee.."
Gordon's words faded as tiredness over took; his eyelids dropped and didn't open again. Jeff stood and slowly walked over to the door, being sure to leave the night light on. Although Gordon was 12, he still had a phobia for the dark, so just before Jeff went to bed, he would sneak in and turn it off. Just as he left, he looked back to see Gordon had already kicked off the covers, and had somehow flipped onto his front. Jeff shook his head and chuckled to himself,
How he does that I will never know, maybe he gets it from me? No, must be from Lucille's side
Jeff shut the door quietly and turned round only to be greeted by a small mass, standing in front of him. Alan hadn't been there long but, did he look tired,
"Hey Allie, you scared the life out of me!"
"Mm sorry dad, I didn't know if your were coming or not"
"Of course I am, come on buddy, have you done your teeth?"
Alan nodded slowly and then started to trudge toward his bedroom. Typical, his had to be the furthest away. Alan quickly lost energy, and Jeff had no other option but to haul Alan into his arms and carry him the rest of the way. Alan sure had grown since the last time Jeff had down this, and boy had he grown quickly! Jeff gently kicked the door open and stride across the slightly tidier bedroom, and placed his youngest into bed. Usual, Alan would have a story before hand, but tonight, he had fallen asleep before his head even hit the pillow. Jeff tucked his son in and ran his hand through the golden locks of Alan's soft hair. Jeff loved watching his children sleep; the cutest had always been either Scott or Alan. But the chances of his adult son letting him watch him whilst he slept, were very slim. Jeff kissed his baby on the head and tiptoed out of the room, when he was outside, he felt a slight twinge in his lower back,
Man, I'm getting old, or Alan is just growing too fast. Just like John said earlier, they're not young for long! Where has the time gone?
Jeff mused to himself for a little while, before hearing a sound from outside. He looked out of the landing window to see Scott's Challenger drive off the driveway, and down the country lane.
Blast! That boy is going to be getting a right earful when he gets back!
Jeff kept his cool and proceeded to Virgil's room. He took a couple of deep breaths before entering the usual good son's bedroom. Jeff knocked lightly, and from inside he heard a muffled sound,
"Who is it?"
"Well, it's not Scott, Alan or Gordon, so take your pick"
"Go away"
Jeff didn't intend on leaving, he wanted to find out what was wrong with Virgil, and he wanted to know now,
"That's not going to happen Virg; can I come in, please?"
"No."
Jeff ignored him and entered the tidy room. In comparison to the younger boy's room, Virgil's was very tidy and pristine. Although he had paints and brushes everywhere, there was a sense of tranquillity and calm in the teenager's room. Virgil had certainly matured young, and this was obvious to anyone who knew him,
"Hey Virg, I'm just gunna say I'm sorry for upsetting you, I didn't mean to hurt you or anything. But I would quite like to know what I actually did"
Virgil was busy painting his most recent picture. It was of the lake that Jeff had been to with John earlier, but this was with all his brothers playing in the foreground. Virgil had taken the picture earlier that day, and had intended on painting a water colour of it,
"Look dad, I was being stupid, it's nothing really"
Virgil didn't look up once from his painting, and carried on with his master piece. Jeff wasn't leaving until he found out the real reason for Virgil's strange behaviour. So instead of looking like an idiot hanging onto the door handle, he closed the door and went and sat on the green sheeted bed. Jeff looked around at all the other paintings, pastel work and pencil creativity that could be seen everywhere in the room.
"Virgil, are you annoyed at me?"
It took Virgil some time to answer, but he slowly put his brush down and spun round to his dad, and folded his arms,
"Oh no, I'm just so annoyed that you think it's ok to spend your whole life working, and then when it suits you come home and spend 6 months trying to make up all the time you should have been with us, then only to go back to your normal "barley ever see you" lifestyle"
Jeff was rather taken back at this, it wasn't at all like Virgil to spit like this, but every word was true. Virgil had seen through his plan, sure it would work with the 2 youngest, but 2 oldest have their own lives to busy themselves with. But Virgil? He was stuck in between, not knowing whether to care or not,
"I know I haven't been with you boys enough, I know the mistakes I've made have effected you all, but trust me Virg, if I could, I would spend every minute with you all. I love you all so much, and you're right. 6 months is barely enough time, but I'm trying to make it work. I've even considered quitting"
Virgil's eyes grew hugely and his mouth dropped open,
"You can't quit! Who would take over? No, you would be an idiot to do that"
"Try me..."
"Dad, I didn't mean to snap at you, but you quitting isn't going to change anything. You will still be paranoid about the whole situation, and you would be tempted to go back!"
Jeff considered Virgil for a minute, he was right. It was in his blood to work, and having no job would starve him from his business ambition. He would technically still own the Corporation, but he would no longer be the boss, but the man who just calculated the figures and worked out the company's gross earnings,
"Virgil, do you want to know something, something not even your mother knows?"
Virgil suddenly became very interested,
"Yeah, I guess, must be one secret if mum hasn't even found out yet"
Jeff patted the bed, offering Virgil a seat. Jeff took a moment to think things through,
Right, I am about to tell Virgil my best kept secret. Not even Lucy knows it, which feels weird; she knows everything I've got! And now I'm planning a secret move? I'm starting to act like Gordon, with his scheming of things
"Virgil, do you remember when you were younger; we use to visit that island for holidays and spend a few weeks at a time there?"
Virgil thought hard, he knew exactly were Jeff was thinking of, but he was awfully young when they had last visited and was more interested in what his dad had to say. He couldn't care less about that island at the moment,
"Yeah, ermm, the one that you called Tracy island? It had a big villa and pool. And a huge jungle surrounding it"
Jeff nodded,
"The very same, what would you think as to living there?"
Virgil wasn't sure what to think,
Is he joking? Surely he's bluffing... Wait, no he's not. But he can't be serious surely?
"Ermm, what do I think?"
"Yeah, I mean it was just an idea"
Virgil grinned and chuckled slightly, only to increase Jeff's concern for him more,
"Well dad, it would defiantly be interesting! I mean, living on a tropical island. But what would happen with school? University? Work?"
"Ah, now you see I have thought this through. It all ties in with me taking time off work. With all of us on the island, I can't exactly jet off every day to go to work can I? So I'll have to stay home with you boys in the office or something"
Virgil started to see Jeff's plan. It sounded great; hell Jeff was almost tricking himself into starving himself of work, kind of,
"Yeah but dad, there is still the concern with school"
"Well, I figured we could move when Alan has finished, because then you will all be heading off to university, and only ever visiting during holidays anyway"
"Dad, no disrespect, but you've lost it"
"No I haven't, trust me Virg I have many plans for this family and they will work! It will bring us closer together and we will be a proper family again"
Virgil looked over to his painting when he heard the word "family" and realised just how much he had done in the past hour or so. He had become very tired and was finding it hard to stay awake. Jeff saw this and thought it were best to head off downstairs to track down Scott,
"Well Mozart, I'm going to leave you to sleep, busy day tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll keep that little plan to yourself right?"
"Yeah, of course dad, it does sound like one hell of a dream to me!"
Jeff frowned slightly, he intended on doing this, it wasn't just a fantasy he would forget about in a couple of days, he was going to make it reality. He even decided he would tell Lucille about it tonight before bed,
"Night Virg, sleep tight"
"Night dad, and tell mum I'm sorry"
"For what?"
"I think I scared her earlier, but please say I am"
Jeff smiled at Virg; he knew he never meant to hurt anyone and certainly knew he didn't mean it. But none the less, he would pass on the message,
"I will, goodnight son"
"Thanks dad, night"