Note: I wasn't too long on that one, so the cliffie wasn't that mean, after all ^^
I'm not particularly satisfied by this chapter, but no matter how much I try, I can't do better, sorry...
Maybe the oneshot I posted a little earlier, called "We Stand To Fall" will make up a bit for that bad chapter?
January 31th, 2007 part 2 (Mello is 17 and Matt almost)
Mail,
I don't know what you will have become, and if you'll like what I left for you, but this is all I have and cherished, except you. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to be the father you needed. I hope you can forgive the unforgivable someday. Don't be mad at your mother either, she once was a lovely woman, and if things had been different, she would have been able to love you. But sometimes, life turns people to monsters, and things end up like we wished they would never end up.
I've been weak, and I know I won't live old, I have chosen to destroy myself instead of facing my problems. So while I'm still fully conscious of what I'm doing, I want to leave you what I have, just in case I'm not able to give it to you personally when you're older.
I will go serene, knowing you have now someone to take good care of you.
I wish you the best in life. You look exactly like me when I was your age, so there is one thing I will ask you to do, always. Live the life I never had, do everything that makes you happy, never lose faith in the people you love, and never give up, never destroy what you have. Be as strong as I was weak, because once I'm gone, I'll have an eye on you from wherever I'll be going, and I'll be in every step you take.
I love you, my son.
Well, I guess that after these rants, you are probably eager to know what exactly is left for you, from me... You can use the key at New High Street 19th, in L.A. of course. I won't say more, it would ruin the surprise. But Happy Birthday, and don't forget to look everywhere once you've found your present.
Andy Jeevas.
Mail was glued to the pavement, the letter still in his hand, looking at his present in awe. He had imagined everything, anything... but that...
Even Mihael and Taka couldn't utter a word at the sight of what the garage contained.
"A 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28..." Mail whispered, as he finally recovered from the shock and approached the steel beauty, his hand caressing the dusty paint.
The car was covered in dust, but it was obviously in excellent condition, even after all these years. The engine had been untouched, and Mail could guess a perfect polish under the dirt deposited by time.
It was red all over, a bright, and probably shiny - if it hadn't been so dusty – red.
It was the model that didn't have the colored lines on the front hood, the most wanted model because the brand had built less of these models than the lined ones. Of course, many had painted over the lines to cover them, but this was an original model, Mail was fond enough of this car model to know it.
The hub caps were pointy and silver colored, giving the car a prestance that belonged to more classy than sporty models, usually, adding to the badass look of the whole.
He opened the driver's door, and it barely creaked as he pulled the knob.
Sitting on the seat, uncaring for his clothes quickly staining with a grey powder, he stayed there, not believing his eyes.
The interior was full leather. A soft, immaculate black leather, obviously lovingly greased by expert hands. Not a single tear of time in it.
The steering wheel was of the same shiny red than the exterior of the engine, and Mail couldn't resist the urge to grip it, his fingers immediately finding their position.
"Hey, I hope you will offer a ride!" Mihael shouted joyfully as he sat on the passenger's seat once he had blown most of the dust away, and gently pushed Mail's shoulder to wake him up from his daze.
As Mail looked at Mihael, he was suddenly struck by the sexiness of the sight. The leather-clad blond totally fitted with the black garment of the seat, and the thought of him in the 70's as a highschool footballplayer going to the drive in with the sexiest cheerleader of the class made him smile.
Taka approached and bent to look at both boys inside of the car.
"I guess I won't have to drive you home?" he smiled, amused by the redhead's stunned expression.
"We have to find the keys first, otherwise as beautiful as it is, that car won't go very far..." Mihael stated, beginning to rummage in the various spaces of the Camaro.
Instinctively, Mail unfolded the sun shield above him. If he had wanted to leave something, that's where he would have, he thought.
And he was right. Another envelop was waiting for him, slid under the leather. Opening it, a key fell of it. At least, that problem was solved. He pulled out the letter enclosed with the key as Mihael bent over his shoulder to read along.
Mail,
Now you obviously have everything you need to use your present. I'm almost sure the gaz will still be fine after all these years, you should have no problem leaving the garage. The insurance and everything else you need to drive and own this car completely are in the glove compartment. The bankbook I gave you belongs to the account that paid for the insurance and garage rental, it runs as long as there is money on the account, so, if I didn't make any mistake, you should have at least 8 years ahead of your 16th birthday without paying anything. I hope everything is still as I left it, and that you enjoy it. I had great times with this car, and you were conceived in the backseat, after all, so it's kind of where your life began. Your mother and me used to go eat at Bailey's and to the Rose Garden every saturday night, when we were dating. I hope you can drive your loved ones to the same places sometimes, in memory of us. I'm sure you'll like it, you mother did. I wonder if the rose bush she planted from a branch she had stolen in the Garden will still exist when you read this letter. I remember, they chased after us when they realised that, and we were never allowed in the park anymore. She had planted it in her father's garden, but since she left with Cole not long after, it's unlikely someone took care of that bush... I don't know why I'm writing all this. Well, I'd better stop now, or I'll sound like an old man.
Have fun with the car, and drive carefully (now, I'm really sounding like an old man...).
Andy.
Mihael slid his arm around Mail's shoulder, as he saw tears roll on the redhead's cheeks.
"You know... I wish I had known him more than the few seconds I saw him by the judge that day..." Mail whispered, still staring at the letter.
"He loved your mother, it's easy to see..." Mihael replied, as he kissed his boyfriend's temple, "No matter what happened, you should remember your parents loved each other..."
"Yeah... at least I wasn't just an accident... well, I hope..." Mail sighed.
The redhead got lost in his thoughts for a brief instant. It was weird to get that kind of informations about his parents. He had difficulties imagining his mother in another way than the abusive mother that beat him on a daily basis and sometimes let him sleep on the bench in front of the house when she was too drunk to let him in, when he was a very little kid.
Somehow, it comforted him to know his parents loved each other when he was conceived. He had been loved at least once by his parents, and it changed something in him at that realisation.
He probably had been born unwanted, but he was created by love. He didn't feel like he was some rubbish thrown in the living world like this, out of nothing.
Mihael couldn't help but look at the backseat, then back at Mail, who followed the blond's eyes.
"Mihael, what are you thinking about? No, don't tell anything, that wasn't even a question..." Mail suddenly laughed at Mihael's mischievous grin.
"Come on, don't tell me it didn't give you ideas?" the blond rolled his eyes.
"You're impossible, Mihael!"
Taka, who had left the two boys in their intimacy as they had begun to read the letter, approached again.
"I'm going to follow you, ok? I know you can drive, Mail, but it's an old car and moreover you have to get used to it since it has nothing to do with the Mercedes. Are you ready to go?"
He had let Mail and Mihael drive the Mercedes more than once, but it was one thing to drive a recent car, and it was another to drive that boat. That's why he preferred to have them in sight, at least in the beginning.
Inserting the key, Mail roared the motor to life. The rumble made the whole engine vibrate, and he smiled.
"Seatbelts." Taka simply said, before going back to the Mercedes and starting it. He freed the way so Mail could exit the garage.
Carefully, Mail played with the pedals, getting used to the soft purring of the motor telling him that he had the right balance between the clutch and the acceleration, and backed out of the cube.
Once in the street, ready to leave, Mihael exited the car for a few seconds, and slammed the garage door closed, taking the key back, before sitting back on the passenger's seat.
"Here we go!" Mail sang happily as the long sporty car began to slide along the road, making Mihael laugh out loud.
"Geek!" the blond chuckled, before waving at the japanese man following behind them to tell everything was ok.
Mail didn't drive very fast since he had to get used to his car, but the red engine roaring down the street as they came back to the villa caught the eye of the few neighbours present.
Marty exited his house as he saw the Camaro park in the nearby alley, not believing his eyes.
He crossed the street, closing the distance between him and the car, and simply looked from Mail to the car, as the redhead hopped out of it along with Mihael, unable to utter a word.
Taka explained the presence of the car to Marty, who began to turn around the beautiful machine and inspect it.
"You're lucky Mail, that's a really wonderful present." he simply said, whistling in admiration.
It wasn't long before Mail had a dusting cloth in hand and proceeded to clean the whole car, while Mihael toyed with everything he could: steering wheel, brake, clutch, compartments...
"What are you doing Mihael? Trying to find a treasure?" Greta laughed as she entered the garden and saw the exited blond, her hands full with a large basket, "Come on boys, it's lunch time, the car will still be here after you ate! Boys like you need to eat, hurry up!"
The old woman crossed the porch and deposited the dishes she had just prepared in the kitchen, before leaving back home. The two teenagers had already begun to rummage in the basket while Taka was fetching plates and forks.
From the distance, they could hear Greta: "And don't forget to wash your hands!", the last words ending in a laughter.
That night, exhausted by his discovery and cleaning, Mail fell asleep quickly, both boys barely exchanging a few words before Mail drifted off to dreamland. But once the blond was sure that his boyfriend was soundly sleeping, he slid out of bed, fetching everything he needed for his surprise, the next day.
