Post Funeral Discussions
For those that had attended the funeral and were remaining at Dalton, a small reception had been laid on in the refectory, and most people made their way there, as there was much to discuss. Thad turned to David as the two of them walked down the familiar corridor, and said, "No prizes for guessing what the hot topic of conversation will be now; the ghastly apparition at the back of the room when we were just getting started! I still cannot get over the sheer audacity of the two of them, the total lack of respect; to come to their son's funeral and create a scene! I mean, honestly, that is intolerable!"
"I agree; they had some nerve to do what they did, given how they treated him in life. Still, Skylar made sure that they knew who was boss; made them look like a pair of idiots…"
"I would love to be a fly on the wall when Mrs Carmichael has her say to them as well, as she has been planning. I suspect that our former Principal's wife will also be ensuring that the whole of polite society in Ohio will know all about their illegitimate son, and how they disrespected his funeral. That will of course include Seth's two siblings, and you have to wonder what a revelation like that will do to their relationship with mummy and daddy!"
At that point Thad and David heard a throat being cleared behind them, and they turned round to see Trent. "There is something else that you need to know about in the area of Seth's family. I only found this out a few days ago, and it wasn't really my place to say anything, but now that it is all about to explode out into the public domain…" He paused, leaving Thad and David curious. Then in a lower voice, Trent continued. "Beats has a new colleague, a young man by the name of Matthew Johnson. To cut a long story short, his father, who died in the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attack, was the brother of that horrible female that we just had the misfortune to encounter. Beats is working with Seth's cousin, and there is even a slight family resemblance. At the time I found this information out, it was nothing, but now…"
"…it is definitely something," concluded Thad. "We need to find Beats now, and we need to tell him everything that you have just told us, so that he can be prepared for the fallout if it comes…"
It was not a simple task however to get Beats on his own that day. Flint had felt the loss of Seth hard, and a lot of that was down to the fact that he had been celebrating on the same day he passed away. His head was full of conflicting emotions, and so he was staying close to his best friend, as if Beats was his lifebelt in an ocean of uncertainty and pain. David had ended up taking up the task, and with a nod to the other two, he had headed straight for the pair. "So, Warbler Wilson, I think that it is about time that you shared your countless photos of the young Amelia with the rest of us. I know that you have not done so, so far, as you have been worried about appearing insensitive at this time, but trust me, I think that we are all desperate to see her!" said David loudly, and before Flint could protest, others that had overheard were instantly agreeing with the statement.
"It is only right Flint, and she is adorable," said Beats with a smile. "She had me wrapped around her little finger the first time that I saw her. Admittedly, that has so far been the only time that I have seen her, as your mother now seems to have taken up a monopoly on visiting rights to her…"
Flint rolled his eyes, and then nodded. "What you are saying is true, I guess; she had always wanted a little girl to spoil and now she has one… I mean, if you all would really like to see some pictures, and you don't think it is wrong and untimely, then I guess I could show you some…"
"Seth would have been right at the front of the queue to see the pictures, and we all know that," replied David. Flint smiled again, then pulled out his phone, and opened the image gallery, which might now contain several dozen images of his new daughter. As everyone else crowded round, Thad discretely tapped Beats on the shoulder, and having attracted the beatboxer's attention, he motioned for him to follow him. Flint was so busy looking at the pictures again, and showing them proudly to all of his friends that he did not notice that his best friend had been taken out of the refectory by Thad, and was now on his way with the Head Warbler and Trent to the Senior Commons…
Once there, Thad shut and then locked the door, which gave Beats a start. "Okay, so all of this seems very Hunter like, Thad. Are you about to administer some kind of punishment to me for something that I didn't even know that I had done. Wait, this isn't about my impression of a safety catch, is it?"
"Not at all; we all benefited from that. We have brought you here to advise you of a situation that has come to our knowledge, and which primarily concerns you, and you alone. It is not the business of anyone else, at least, not yet, and so we don't need them all overhearing," said Thad, and then he handed the floor to Trent.
"It's about your new colleague, Matthew. That night that you and Flint had me join in on your one to one chat, you mentioned him, and how he looked a little bit like Seth. That somehow rang a chord with me, and so I did a little checking up. Between us, Seth had asked me to check out the male family line in his family to see if he had inherited a history of MND. It turned out that it wasn't, but it did lead me to the identity of his parents, who sounded every bit as ghastly online as they turned out to be, and to his mother's family. She was the only daughter in a group of four children. Two of those brothers are dead, however; one died in the army, whilst the other happened to be in the Twin Towers on that fateful day. What you need to recall is that Seth was given the surname Kennedy as it was his grandmother's maiden name; her married name was Johnson…"
Beats had been listening intently, wondering where all of this was going, but hearing that surname gave him a start. A light bulb came on in his head, and he stared at Trent in surprise. "Wait, what? Are you saying…"
"Your Matthew Johnson was named after his father, and the only reason he doesn't have the suffix Junior is because his father died on 9/11. His father was Seth's uncle, and so your Matthew is…"
"…his cousin," said Beats, his eyebrows raised and brow furrowed. "Well, I guess that explains the slight similarities in appearance. So, I'm still not sure exactly why you are telling me this…"
"Because of the likelihood that the intervention by those two people at Seth's funeral will become public knowledge," said Thad. "There were enough press people around for it to reach the national media, and if it does, someone will feed it back to a widowed sister-in-law and her son…"
"And the Warbler connection will give it away," said Beats, things becoming clearer now. "He knows that I was attending a funeral today, and where. This could easily end up being really awkward!"
"What I suggest is that you say nothing until he asks, and if he does, tell him all about Seth. I will send you a good set of pictures, including some that Mrs Carmichael had of him as a little boy, to bolster those you already have," said Thad. "There is a chance that they have lost contact altogether, and he will not ask…"
"I have a strange feeling that he will find out and ask," said Beats sagely. "He was quite scathing about the way that his dad's family treated his mother when he died, so when she hears about this, he will be told…."
When they rejoined the group in the refectory, it was to find Flint still showing off his photos, albeit to a much smaller crowd. Beats made his way back towards Flint, but was stopped en route by his husband, who had his arms folded and a curious look on his face. "I saw what just happened, although they were quite good at extracting you without anyone else noticing. Secret Warbler stuff, I suppose? David was really good at the set up, and Trent and Thad removed you soundlessly afterwards. They should all be in the Secret Service!"
"Yes, there was something secret, and I really can't say anymore right now. However, let us just say that I might find myself dealing with the fallout from the little invasion earlier on when we get back to New York…"
Elliott was about to ask more questions, but the conversation was interrupted by Isabelle, who turned to face them all, holding her phone and with a look of total innocence on her face. "I really don't know how this has happened, but Seth's parents have made the local newswire in Columbus. 'Multi-millionaire society couple in illegitimate child shocker. Attempt made to stop child's funeral and dismiss mourners. Child raised by mother of the mother, Evadne Johnson.' Reading between the lines, this will be a shocking scandal as they have publicly condemned those that have sex before marriage and have promoted themselves as an example of abstinence and a virtuous Christian lifestyle."
Thad glanced over at Beats, and the latter nodded, knowing now that the news would be out in New York by the close of business tonight. Someone there was bound to have known the family history, and would, out of caring, pass the news on to Matthew's mother, and hence, her son…
With the little discussion over, and everyone speculating about what would happen now that the secret of Seth's existence was out, all that they could do was wait for the return of the little group that had been in attendance at the crematorium. It seemed as if they were absent forever, but no-one wished to leave before they returned; even the food that was on offer did not seem to help pass the time. True, it was still being consumed with the usual degree of gusto, but the noise in the room was lower than normal, the conversation muted. Many of them took the opportunity for a stroll around the grounds, and their footsteps inevitably found their way to the memorial gardens in which Seth's ashes would ultimately be interred.
Sebastian in the company of his three fellow musketeers ended up leading a sizeable group to the quiet spot, almost completely hidden away from the rest of the world by its high hedges. The garden was particularly wonderful at that moment, fragrant from the multiple rose bushes that were in full bloom beneath the broad leaved trees. It resonated too with the buzzing of bees, busy harvesting the pollen from the flowers, and the song of multiple birds. Amongst them, they recognised the tune of more than one type of Warbler…
"I think that I spent a lot of the first half of my senior year in here," remarked Trent. "It was never found by Hunter, thanks to the winding, twisted paths. He was always in too much of a rush to deviate from the main pathways, and even if he had come along this way, he would never have noticed the gap in the hedge."
"It did become a sanctuary for most of us in that respect," responded Sebastian, "but in my case it was after he was gone. I knew that everyone came here, but as he was virtually my shadow, I could not join you; I didn't want to be the one to lead Hunter to this place. Afterwards, when the whole thing was more like a horrendous memory than a living nightmare, I used to come and sit here, and just think about everything that happened, and how much worse it could have been had it gone on longer…"
"Seth was here a lot," said Jeff quietly, and Trent nodded, having seen him there multiple times too. "He never opened up to anyone, as far as I know, about those dark times, and in many ways I don't blame him for that. Coming here let him breathe; it was that way for us all…"
"The fact that he is coming here now is fitting when you think about it. There is some talk of getting a memorial bench placed in here for him, something tangible but not ostentatious. I think that he would approve of that," said Trent.
"Anything here will be our private, Dalton memorial to a remarkable young man," Nick answered. "The hospice will be a very public one, but a bench here, that will be the memorial that belongs exclusively to those that knew him…"
By the time the six people that had been at the crematorium returned, everyone was back in the refectory. They were silent, not talking about the event, but they all could see that tears had been shed. Edward, however, did now look more at peace, and Thad remarked on that to Colin when he had the opportunity to draw the young man to one side.
"He cried first, when they brought his coffin into the little chapel, and then said a few words, but then, once it was happening, once his coffin was on its way to the start of the process, he let out a sigh, and his tears just stopped. I think that he now has the closure that he required. That was when he discovered that Mrs Carmichael had contacted the press about the invasion of the funeral by those people, and well, he started to laugh; not that appropriate given the venue, but oh, how I have missed that sound! My husband is back, and hopefully for good. Still, I expect that this time next year things might be difficult, when it all comes to the anniversary…"
Thad nodded, and watched as Edward chatted away to Jeff, certainly seeming much happier than he had that morning. However, in the other direction he could see Skylar, and he was much harder to read. He seemed to be in much the same state that he had been that morning, his eyes still cast down as he mourned for the loss of his best friend. Thad made his excuses to Colin, and headed over to the other young man, who was at that moment sitting alone. He sat at his side, but said nothing, waiting instead for Skylar to speak…
"I still can't believe that they had the audacity to turn up like that and make the demands that they did!" Skylar hissed in a low voice. "They need to be made to pay for it, and that can start with the destruction of their reputation in their social circle. Nobody gets away with doing what they did, not on our watch!"
"Vengeance is never admirable, however justified it may seem," cautioned Thad in a whisper. "I want to see them punished as much as you do, as we all do, but we need to remember that there will be collateral damage; their other two children had no idea that they had an older brother, and are innocent parties in all of this. They do not deserve to be harmed in any way by our actions. They will be hurt enough, I expect, by the lies and deceit of their parents."
"As long as they do not take their parents side in all of this, they will be left alone. You are right about how they are as much victims here as Seth. However, if they side with them, then they will face my wrath, and rightly so," Skylar responded.
Across the room, Edith Carmichael was talking quietly with Carole. The older woman had welcomed her approach, as in her there was another woman that knew what it was to have lost a child far too young. Their conversation too had inevitably drifted on to the subject of Seth's parents. "I have no guilt or regret about letting my contacts in the media know what took place here today. What they did was totally unforgivable. After all of those years of neglect and disdain, to try and hijack his life at the end..!"
She paused, then added, "I do feel a little guilty about the other two children and what this will do to them; they are Seth's younger siblings after all. Fortunately they are both older, college graduates, and have enjoyed a life of relative wealth and privilege, which is something that Seth never had. That has always sat badly with me, and between us, I have made some enquiries there too, and now that the funeral is past, I am going to sort things out in that sphere too. His grandmother had a reputation, deservedly, as an old harridan, but she loved Seth, that much I am certain of. That fact is what makes it odd that she completely ignored him in her will. I have suspicions that, much as with what happened with the Anderson boys, her wished were ignored, and there was something done to alter or destroy her will. I am determined that we will get to the bottom of that, and I will not be the only one."
Carole had no doubt that much was true, particularly with Mrs Carmichael at the helm. When it came to fighting injustice, there were few that were more dogged in fighting to overturn it than her…
Eventually it was time for the post funeral gathering to end, and that was largely down to the fact that so many people had to head to the airport to board the Mackenzie jet that would return them all to New York. They were flying to Newark, which meant it was also convenient for Trent to join them, as he could catch the Amtrak from there right back home to Washington DC. Skylar accepted hugs from all of his fellow Warblers, and promised to come to the city himself as soon as he could so that they could enjoy a weekend together and have a proper group catch up. Mason promised him that there would be a ticket for him to see Mary Poppins whenever he was ready too, and offered him and Julia the use of his spare bedroom when he came. As he pointed out, Skylar would be a father himself soon, and it would make sense for them to stay somewhere that had everything new parents would need already on hand. A similar invitation came from Colin and Edward, for whom fatherhood was also soon to be on the agenda, and he tentatively agreed to both…
And then, before he knew it, Skylar found himself alone at Dalton with his wife, Thad and the Carmichaels. He knew that the older couple would ask that he and Julia stay for the afternoon, but he was ready to decline when the invitation came. Instead, he asked them if they would mind taking Julia home, as he had something that he wanted to do, and could join them for tea later. Sensing that her husband needed some private time alone, Julia said nothing, and allowed him to head off on his own after he kissed her goodbye…
Skylar climbed into his car and drove off, his route taking him back to a place he had been on his last outing with Seth just a few weeks before, the Mohican Memorial State Forest. He parked his car in the same spot in an almost deserted lot, then headed for the same path as they had travelled that day. He soon found the same spot that they had stopped in that bright day, and he took a seat there once more. It was exactly as he recalled it; tranquil, unspoilt and private. Alone and comfortable, he allowed himself to think of all that had happened that day, contemplating what it all meant. He allowed a few tears to flow, but found that he was feeling increasingly angry at the couple that had tainted what should have been a solemn and respectful day…
"I am actually quite grateful that they wanted nothing to do with me now," came a voice, which instantly made Skylar smile. "Honestly, they have to be the worst parents in the history of the world. I have the most massive amount of sympathy for my siblings, given that they had to grow up dealing with people like that! With the amount of botox and other fillers in her face, I am a little surprised that mommy dearest can even open her mouth to eat, let alone speak properly. As for him, I would be afraid that all of that hair dye would start to come off on my hands! I also get the distinct impression that their skin would be rather leathery to the touch, given the amount of time they must spend on tanning beds, to get that wonderful shade of mahogany. All things considered, being abandoned at birth was a blessing!"
Skylar smiled, and said, "I agree; I dread to think what they might have turned you into, given a chance! I also find myself imagining all kinds of horrors when I consider the prospect of your siblings!"
"Well, that is the surprising thing," Seth said, arousing his friend's curiosity. "One of the benefits of being an angel is being able to go wherever you like, so I might have paid my siblings a surreptitious visit. It turns out that they are surprisingly normal, pale skinned and well mannered. Now that the secret of my existence is out, I actually feel a lot of pity for them. To find out that you had an older brother that you knew nothing about would be shocking enough; to find out that your parents gate-crashed his funeral and attempted to ruin it as well? It doesn't bear thinking about to be honest! It is going to be interesting times for them in a very short while, once they are back in the States! Anyway, how are you really doing? I know that you are telling everyone that you are fine, and coping, but I know you better…"
Skylar sighed, and smiled weakly at the angel beside him. "I have a Seth shaped hole in my life right now, and honestly, that fact will not alter anytime in the immediate future. However, I have to carry on, and try to concentrate on what is going to happen in the coming months and years I guess. After all, I am going to be a daddy very soon, and then there is a big project for me to sink my teeth into as well; it is going to keep me really busy…"
"I do love the whole concept of the hospice," admitted Seth. "It seems the most appropriate and fitting of memorials, and the amount of money that has been raised already is staggering. With you designing the place, it will be impressive and magnificent when it is completed too…"
"I will be wanting your input on every aspect of the building you know; we will need to have regular consultations…"
"Oh, you will get them, Mr Architect. You are never getting rid of me entirely, Mr Willetts," said Seth in a comic menacing voice.
"I would not want it any other way," came his response. With a grin, Seth wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders, and holding him close, the two of them just sat there in silence, enjoying the view…
The next morning saw almost everyone trying to get back to their normal routines. Life moved on, and they all had work to get on with. Nick found himself called upon to help deal with a minor rights crisis the second that he walked into the office that morning. Trent was back to his schedule for speech writing as the campaign for the re-election of the President gathered pace and momentum. Jeff was escorting Wes to the museum, still so proud of how mature his son had been the day before. Sebastian was back to his usual combo of morning with the family, and afternoon at the theatre, preparing for the show later that day. For them, and the bulk of the rest, it was back to the grindstone…
Isabelle Wright had also returned to her office, and was surprised at just how much media attention there already was to the events of the previous day, even in the New York press. She guessed that the presence of the First Lady and Burt had made it all the more significant. Her daily blog entry on the Vogue website mentioned it, of course. Her loyal readers had known she was attending, and so she was able to give her own spin, including comments about the outfits and physical appearance of the couple. Having looked over the carefully cultivated media profile of the couple up until this point, she was certain that her criticism in the style bible of the world, under the headings The Perils of Botox and What not to wear at your son's funeral, would be hurtful to the woman that had somehow managed to produce a kind, charming son...
For Beats, however, that day was rather a different story. He walked into the office that morning half expecting to find Matthew sitting waiting for him at his desk. He wasn't, but as the morning wore on, he found that every time he heard the sound of feet approaching his office, he braced himself for the moment he was dreading.
In the end, it was a little after 11am when there was a tap on his office door, and Beats looked up as the door opened, and in stepped Matthew. The other man was unable to meet Beats' eye, and kept his head lowered as he came in and shut the door firmly behind him….
"So…. My mom had a few calls last night from old friends in Ohio, gossips that couldn't wait to tell her all about what my aunt and uncle did yesterday…"
"I suspected that she might have done," said Beats quietly, setting down his pen. "I had no idea about any of this until yesterday, after the funeral, when another of my friends told me what he had discovered, and not revealed, as it was not what Seth wished for…"
"It was quite a shock to me and my mom too," said Matthew, finally looking up. "My mom I will confess is not all that upset about the fact that their halos have slipped so badly, but the fact that I had a cousin, here in the city, and I didn't even know… What was he like, my cousin Seth? I know what he died from, and that doesn't concern me in the least, although when I told mom, she wanted me to go and get a test. I don't know if that is even a thing? All I want to know about here and now is the man that I never met but had blood ties to; the man that you knew. Trust me, if I had known that he was here, then I would have done all that I could to have helped him out…"