The party went quite well, everyone managed to show up, making the extra effort to be available that particular evening, mostly to see Boone. They all lived in or around the greater Los Angeles area, except for him, so the rest of them saw each other fairly regularly, getting together one on one or in small groups. He felt a bit like a king holding court, as friend after friend, pulled him to one side him to find out how he was doing.
He'd spoken privately to Jack, before any one other than the Pace's had shown up, telling him to keep the thing about Andrews' teacher strictly to himself, at least her identity, including trying to mask it from Andrew. The dating thing was a pretty big step, so he knew Jack would probably end up revealing that information, Boone himself wanted too as well, he just didn't want the who part of it to come out.
He'd discussed the possibility of him dating with Andrew when they'd been sitting in the sun beside the house earlier but hadn't disclosed the fact that it was Miss Phillips he might actually ask out, and he didn't want to run the risk of the boy randomly picking it out of someone's head. Given the way the talent had evolved, even Boone, with his somewhat limited ability, could, to a certain degree, still read quite a few of their circle of survivor friends, but Andrew got their thoughts with barely a conscious effort, unlike the focus he had to give to reading outsiders. Though with Aaron there, Boone figured he'd be too busy playing with the other boy to actually read anyone else's thoughts.
Andrew had an easier time with the concept of Boone dating than he'd anticipated. He didn't really remember Shannon at all, other than the photographs, and what he got out of Boone's head, so Boone thought that maybe that was why he didn't think it would be strange. If he didn't have any memories of his own of his dad with his mom, or in fact of his dad with any woman, then it wasn't as if Boone was trying to get him to accept someone else as a replacement. And if there was a chance that it'd make his father happy, then he was all behind the idea. Boone had waited anxiously to see if the boy would ask who, but he'd seemed to consider it as a discussion about Boone's dating as a general possibility, not realizing that Boone already had someone in mind.
It was a good thing that he had spoken to Jack. Almost everyone went to him first, given that he'd already spent almost a full twenty-four hours with Boone, to find out just how Boone was doing, trying to get some inside information before approaching Boone himself. They'd corner Jack; then stealing a poorly concealed glance at Boone, ask with genuine concern, "How's he doing, Jack, really?"
Jack was more than happy to respond that Boone was doing well, in fact he was thinking of dating. When asked who, Jack, in keeping with Boone's request for confidentiality, would reply, "You'll have to ask him that."
Even Sawyer showed up, insisting that it was only because of the free eats and booze, but Boone had a completely different take on it. Sawyer showed up because these people were more his family than any he'd had since early childhood, and he loved, and was loved by each and every one of them, himself included, Boone grudgingly acknowledged privately. He was still annoying as hell of course, but everyone had a relative that they both loved and despised. Aaron and Andrew seemed to naturally gravitate to him. They'd pounced on Sawyer, snuck up on him, wrestled him to the ground, and just generally bugged the shit out of him, but the guy was still, with a roll of his eyes, and a put upon air, playing with them. Boone guessed that Sawyer was secretly enjoying it as much as they were. Maybe it was because Sawyers' own childhood had been so grim, and this gave him a chance to relive it more happily than the first go round.
As Boone stood at the barbecue, grilling some seafood, surrounded by the happy sounds of people having a good time together, he felt like he was part of something bigger than himself, something sustaining; something that he'd, forgivably, two years before, lost sight of living for, his own immediate concerns outweighing the bigger picture of the whole group. These people cared for him, and he'd let them all down, though they sure had come through for him.
"Dude," Hurley intruded on his thoughts.
"Hey," Boone responded.
"Ma sent those enchiladas especially for you." He'd brought his mothers' black bean and rice specialties that she knew Boone loved, and she'd put extra chiles in them, just the way he liked.
"Tell your mom they were muy bueno," he threw out one of the few Spanish terms he actually knew, Hurley had taught him a limited number during his physical therapy sessions with the guy on the island. He'd been proud of himself earlier, as well, when he'd trotted his infrequently used Korean out in a conversation with Jin, and had managed not to make a fool out of himself. He'd gotten quite proficient at the language before they'd been rescued, but the fact that he had rarely used it any more kind of made it difficult to keep fresh.
"She'll be happy to hear that, she sure does like you, dude. She was real sorry she couldn't come tonight, therapy session for my brother, though." The psyches in the Reyes household must have been pretty fragile, because his brother had never actually recovered from being left for another woman, Boone could kind of sympathise, though not with the other woman part, just with the need for therapy. "She'd like it a lot if you guys could come for a visit."
"But I just talked to her on Monday, she called about Andrew's first day of school." Boone answered.
"Yeah, but you know ma, that's not the same as seeing you. She needs to pinch your cheek and tell you you're too thin, and hug Andrew and point out that he's grown." Hugo shrugged and smiled.
"We'll try," was the best Boone could promise, he didn't like imposing on Tom and Heather too often by leaving for weekends.
The rest of the evening passed companionably, they all just got along so well, it was so instinctive, even disagreements were inconsequential, and they'd all had those. But the horrors of the island, the fear, the panic, the deprivation, had bonded them together even more strongly than family.
Jack wondered how long it would take before someone would decide to go skinny-dipping in the pool. The communal living that they had all been forced into had at first weakened, then completely destroyed the barriers of the usual standards of modesty, so casual nudity on the island had eventually become a non-issue. It hadn't been as if people had purposely walked around naked, it was just that eventually they'd bathed and changed clothes in front of each other without embarrassment. He wasn't surprised that the attempt at skinny-dipping was just as darkness fell, and that it was Sawyer.
He was pouring himself a drink when he looked over and saw that the guy was standing by the pool, shucking his clothes. He rushed over just as Sawyer was pulling off his boxers, stopping him. He had this one particularly nosy neighbour who absolutely delighted in calling the cops whenever she could. He could just imagine the scene as the chief of surgery of the foremost of the cities' major hospitals was arrested for breaking some indecency law, even though it was his own back yard, and it was LA, where pretty much anything went.
Sawyer was floating now on an inflatable air mattress, his underwear in place, a plastic glass full of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, the orange glow of the ember at its' end acting as a beacon indicating his position.
Boone hadn't been far behind him in getting into the pool, any water had always beckoned to him like a sirens' call; he'd always imagined that perhaps he'd been a dolphin in a former incarnation. After wrapping himself in the familiar warmth of the water, diving and ducking over and over, he'd finally stood and moved to a corner of the shallow end, crouching down and submerging himself up to his chin, just observing.
Claire saw him, and figuring that this was her best opportunity to get him alone, peeled down to bra and panties, picking up a couple of plastic tumblers of iced tea she walked down the pool stairs and over to him.
"Hey," she held out one of the glasses.
"Hey," Boone rose and took the proffered cup, "thanks."
The conversation that ensued was particularly personal, their relationship so close because of the similarities in their characters'; sweet, considerate, gentle; there was a lot they had in common, finally Claire brought up the topic they had all been gossiping about.
"So, you're thinking of dating?" she observed with a smile.
"Is everyone talking about my love life? Or lack thereof." Boone asked; she wasn't the first who'd spoken to him about this.
"No not everyone, I don't think Walt's said anything about it yet." Claire responded, jokingly.
"Funny." He responded, dryly.
She laughed, and put her cup on the pool ledge, turning around and moving to lean back against him as he looped his arms around her shoulders. He let them hang down in front of her, and clasped his hands together; she brought hers up and hooked them over his. The conversation continued as he rested his chin on the top of her head, feeling contented.
"You making a move on my wife, there, mate?" Charlie sat, a little unsteadily, on the edge of the pool beside them and unceremoniously plunged his jean clad legs into the water.
"Charlie, you're going to get the car all wet," Claire complained. "We're almost ready to leave and now your pants are soaked."
"Took me shoes and socks off though, luv," he pointed out a little proudly.
"Oh, Charlie," she shook her head, and nestled back into Boone a little more.
"So, the little blighter's started school then." He commented a bit drunkenly to Boone, who nodded. "Must be nice not having him screaming around the house, I know I appreciated it when Aaron went off to kindergarten last year, and it's even better now with him gone full days. I can't wait till the younger one's off too, they make so much bloody noise."
Claire pulled away from him, "Charlie Pace, you sound as if you hate your own children, and as far as noise goes, I think that when she's old enough Sarah's going to be saying to me, 'Mum, it's so nice when da's way on tour, we get a break from the noise of his strangling guitar, and high pitched whiny singing!"
"Strangling guitar!" he repeated, pretending to be outraged, not mentioning the whiny singing. "Is that what she thinks? That strangling guitar's put a roof over her head and food on the table."
Boone tuned out their mock argument, only aware of the sense of abandonment that had come over him when Claire had left his embrace. He walked behind them and left the pool, picking up his clothes and heading for the house.
Heading down the hall to his room, he stopped to look in on Andrew. He was sound asleep, Aaron as well, in his sleeping bag on the floor beside the bed. After checking with Jack, he'd asked Claire to leave him overnight, but they had a Scout meeting first thing in the morning so she was just going to carry him to the car when they left. The boys had finally given in to the lure of sleep around nine; it was just approaching midnight now.
Passing Jessica's room, he noticed that the light was on and the door ajar, he paused and slowly pushed it fully open. Kate was feeding her daughter, and looked up at the motion. "Boone," she smiled warmly, not the least bit embarrassed to be caught breast feeding, "Come in." she invited.
"Hey," he responded, entering at her request, crossing over to them and reaching out a hand to caress the baby's cheek with the back of his index finger. He watched them for a bit, "I used to get such a kick when Shan would do this."
"Yeah, it's pretty special." Kate agreed, glancing up she noticed how sad he looked. "What is it, Boone, what's wrong now?"
He folded his jeans and put them on the carpet, sitting on them, mindful of the wet state of his boxers, and wrapped his arms around his legs. He told her about how holding Claire had felt, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. He sighed heavily, "You know how they say 'all alone in a crowded room,' that's how I felt when she pulled away from me. I'm so lonely Kate, I just want someone who'll let me love them." He dropped his head on his knees.
"Aww, baby," Kate reached out a hand and ran it through his hair. "Give it time, it'll come. Take this young woman out, whoever she is, see where it goes. You deserve happiness, Boone."
Jack appeared at the door, Kate gave him a look that spoke volumes; he nodded in affirmation. "There you are Boone. People were wondering where you'd gotten to."
"I was going to bed." He raised his head, blinking back the tears.
"Not without saying goodnight you're not." Jack crossed the room and held out his hand; Boone grasped it and was pulled to his feet. "You're the guest of honour, they all want to say goodnight before they leave."
He allowed himself to be brought outside again, feeling a little like a show dog.