CHAPTER 6 – DINNER

Félix spent the afternoon in Adrien's room. Adrien tried to distract him, but unsurprisingly nothing seemed to work. Eventually he just sat next to Félix on his bed with his arms around his cousin, letting Félix cry on his shoulder.

After a while Félix cried himself to sleep. Adrien disentangled himself from his cousin and took a long, hot shower. Félix's sorrow had drained him emotionally, and he felt energy flowing back into him as the piping hot water lashed his back.

When he came out of the shower Félix was awake, sitting quietly, gazing out of the window.

"Thanks Adrien, I needed that." Félix managed a half-hearted smile at his cousin.

"No problem" he said sitting next to his cousin. "Fancy a shower? Made me feel much better."

"Thanks, that sounds good. Could you ask Nathalie where my suitcase is? My clothes are in there."

Adrien went to track down Felix's clothes while his cousin enjoyed his shower. Adrien lay the suitcase on his bed and waited for Félix to finish.

A few minutes later Félix came out of the shower with a white towel around his waist. Adrien gasped. Without his hair combed back, Félix was identical to his cousin. The same height, the same piercing green eyes, even their bodies looked identical. It was like he was looking in the mirror.

"I forgot just how alike we look" he said as Félix got dressed into his own clothes.

Félix looked at him strangely then shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so."

He sat down next to Adien on the bed.

"Want to talk about it?" asked Adrien. "After all, we still have an hour until dinner".

"I suppose so," said Felix. Adrien was a good listener, and Félix felt slightly better as he unburdened himself on his cousin.

-000-

For once Gabriel Agrese was at dinner. Adrien hadn't had dinner with him in more than a week, and would have relished the occasion had it not been under such dire circumstances.

After the main course Gabriel turned to speak to his nephew.

"Félix, you are not a little boy anymore who can play foolish pranks with impunity. You are a young man now and I expect you to act like one. As a member of my family your actions reflect on me and it is vital that you know what my expectations are."

Adrien felt his ears burning with embarrassment. He had been pleasantly surprised by how quickly his father acted to take in his distressed relatives. He was not used to his father exhibiting such compassion. But now Gabriel's words showed his true self. How could he talk to Félix like that? Félix needed space, not the constricting dictates the Gabriel set forth in the name of preserving the Agreste name.

"I want you to know that your mother is getting the very best medical attention," said Gabriel. "I have had one of the guest bedrooms fitted with the very latest equipment. A full-time nurse has been installed in the room next to her, who will attend to her every need."

"Thank you, Uncle Gabriel," said Félix.

"The room next to the nurse has been made up for you. Adrien will show it to you after dinner. If you need anything, let Nathalie know and she will attend to it."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"I know you probably want to spend most of your time with your mother. That is in neither your nor your mother's interest. She needs her rest and you need to keep yourself busy. Contact with your mother will be limited to 30 minutes each day. I have arranged for you to join Adrien at school and at his fencing and Chinese classes. You are obviously not in a position to model at this stage, however, depending on how long the present … situation … lasts that may change."

Adrien choked on the glass of water he had been drinking. Was his father mad? Most of his classmates could not stand Félix after the incident at his last visit. Sending a grieving Félix into a class filled with hostile teenagers could not result in anything good. And just how long did he anticipate this situation continuing? It would take Félix months to learn how to walk that catwalk. Adrien hoped that his aunt would be up and about within a few days.

"My assistant will deliver a schedule to you in the morning. Please be punctual," Gabriel continued, "from now on you are basically an Agreste.

Now, I do need to discuss your household content with you."

Adrien could not believe his ears. How could his father be so insensitive?

"The items you directed Nathalie to have loaded this morning will arrive in Paris during the course of tomorrow. Most of it will obviously have to go into storage, but there may be some items that you would like to store here for your personal use."

Gabriel paused. Now for the BAIT.

"Though the items will go to a secure storage facility, I obviously cannot guarantee the complete safety of them as they will note be under my direct control. There have been thefts from such facilities in the past. As such, if there are any items of monetary or sentimental value to you, please ensure that Nathalie knows about them so that they can be offloaded at the mansion. The items can be kept in your room under your direct care if you want, else you are welcome to store more valuable items in my safe."

Félix nodded soberly.

The rest of the dinner passed quickly. The rich desert sat like lumps of coal on Adrien's tongue. How could his father be so insensitive?

After dinner Adrien showed Félix to his room and bade him a good night.