Niff at the Palace
The following day saw Nick and Jeff make an earlier than usual foray to the supermarket for their usual weekend groceries, including a stop of at the local farmer's market to pick up the freshest produce. Then they headed into the centre of the city, alighting from the tube at Piccadilly Circus, and heading up to Saville Row, and the best tailors in the city. Nick had done his research the previous night, and had discovered that there was a tailor that rented out the best quality suits for a few days, and given that their current suits were okay for most things, it made more sense to rent a newer one than to buy. He had also been pleased to discover that they had suits for boys of all ages, and so there might be one that would fit Wes too.
At the tailors, Nick explained that they were being given an audience of sorts with royalty the following day, at a reasonably formal gathering, and that they wished to look the part, whilst not being overdressed. The selection of summer weight lounge suits that they were promptly shown were exquisitely made, and by luck they found a dove grey one that suited Jeff to a tee, and a slightly darker grey one that was the perfect fit for Nick. The tailor suggested though that little Wes would look better in a well tailored blazer and smart trousers. They agreed, and the tailor went off to check his stock. When he returned with a navy blue blazer with red piping, which just so happened to fit their son perfectly, the two husbands could only look at each other with a smile and agree that it was perfect, and would go well with a pair of grey trousers…
They went to the barber after that, with Nick getting his hair cut in a shorter version of his usual preppy style, whilst Jeff agreed to a tidy up and a very slight trim. Little Wes too was given a hair cut, in a similar style to his father, but just a little bit longer in length. They still had not told him where they would actually be going the next day, not wishing him to start blurting it out to all and sundry, and risk the information getting into the wrong hands. They had also not shared their news with either family or friends back home. Of course, there was a certain group of angels that knew all about their forthcoming visit; they were pleased for them, although Kurt did appear to be a little jealous that Jeff had made such an instant friendship with Kate. Wes did point out to him that he could go and visit her at anytime, but as Kurt said, it wasn't the same as actually being there and talking with her…
With all their tasks done, they headed home for an early dinner, followed by the usual evening routine for Wes. With their son in bed, his two fathers settled down to watch a little television; they eschewed the more high brow programming available for an episode of Casualty, a medical drama that they had watched in their first week in town, and now had them hooked; how quickly that had happened explained why it had been on British television for 36 years…
"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Nick asked his husband as the final credits began to roll on screen.
"Of course! Who wouldn't be if they are going to meet the Queen. I am worried that I will say or do the wrong thing and end up being locked up in the Tower of London…"
"I think that as long as we remember to bow, to only speak when we are spoken to, and to call her ma'am at all times, we will be okay. All that stuff that they taught us about manners and decorum at Dalton is going to come right to the fore…"
"I just hope that when she meets me, I am not a disappointment to her," said Jeff quietly.
"I very much doubt that you will be, my love; you charm everyone that meets you. Actually, that reminds me; I think that we should take your sketchbook and a new pack of pencils. After all, your talented fingers might well be called upon to produce something…"
Early on Sunday afternoon, the little family of three left their house in Thurloe Square to walk north towards Kensington Palace, dressed to the nines in their new clothes. Jeff was carrying his satchel, in which was packed his sketchbook and a selection of pencils, so that he would be able to carry on working if he broke one in his stressed state. He was still so nervous about what was happening that day, and petrified of doing or saying the wrong thing in the presence of the monarch. Nick had of course done his utmost to reason with him, even down to printing off a guide to royal etiquette, but it had been no help; in fact, it had had the opposite effect. In turn, that had started Nick worrying, and although he did his best not to show it, he was far more nervous himself now. He concentrated his attention onto his son as they walked, ensuring that he was alright; he had decided that the easiest way to keep him calm was not to tell him where they were going, or who they would see when they arrived.
On their arrival at the Palace, they did not take the usual public route into the gardens, but headed instead down a different path, which lead them to a security gate. Little Wes had all his curiosity aroused then, as he wondered why his dads were showing their documents to the man that stood there, clad in a very smart uniform. He noticed that his papa seemed worried, as if he was about to come across something really bad. Then they were walking through the gate, which closed quickly behind them. As soon as they were out of earshot, Wes turned to his father, and asked, "Why did that man need to know exactly who we were, daddy?"
Nick smiled, and replied, "Sometimes there are places that we are asked to go to that are strongly protected by the government because of who lives there. This is a place where a lot of very important people live. This is a palace after all, and you know what kind of people live in a palace."
"Kings, Queens and Princes… Are we going to visit one?" said Wes, the excitement growing in his voice.
"We are, but the most important thing that you need to remember is that they are really just people like the rest of us. That is actually something that your papa could do with remembering too…."
"That is easy for you to say, Nicky, but in practice it is so much harder to do," retorted Jeff in a tetchy tone.
"Well, I am about to find out the truth in that statement in just a moment, aren't I? In fact, if I am not mistaken, I think I see her coming to meet us now…"
Jeff would make the introductions, albeit with a slight tremor in his voice. Nick bowed, and then shook her hand, recalling perfectly the way that he was meant to behave. On being introduced to her, however, little Wes promptly made both of his dads blush by asking her at the top of his voice if she was a real princess. She for her part laughed, and replied that she had married a prince, and that most people called her a duchess rather than a princess. Wes nodded sagely at her response, then took his father's hand again, as he waited to see what would happen next.
"So if you would like to come through with me, I will introduce you to my husband and the children. William is looking forward to meeting you both; he is interested in human rights, and is just as fond of your artwork, Jeff, as his grandmother."
"That is very flattering to know, ma'am. For my part, I am looking forward to meeting them both too," replied Jeff, a response that made Nick shake his head just a little, as he noticed how much his husband's face had paled at her words. He reached out and took his husband's hand, and then both of them took a deep breath before following their hostess..
As it turned out, Prince William was a charming and compassionate man, who managed to put Nick at his ease the very moment that they met; was an almost instant friend to Wes, and managed to say something that had Jeff's usual smile back on his face within two minutes. He and Jeff then proceeded to talk about art, a subject in which Jeff had no problem at all in making conversation, talking through his thoughts and opinions on the great artists of the world. This eventually lead to the two of them heading off to see some of the art in the Palace collection, most of which was by artists that Jeff knew. He had known that the Royal Collection was one of the greatest in the world, but he had not anticipated that some of it would be here in Kensington. He had always imagined it being hung in Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, not here in the western suburbs of the city.
As they made their informal tour, little Wes had been introduced to the children, and was happily playing along with them in a game whilst his mother and Nick sat and talked about the latter's work, and eventually his past. He found himself at such ease that he told her all about what had happened at Dalton, and she had nodded sagely, smiling as she heard about the strong bonds that the boys still had. Then the topic moved on to food, and Nick was immediately talking about his baking…
Eventually though the moment that Jeff and if he was honest Nick had been dreading the most; the arrival of Her Majesty, and their introduction to her. They had been there for an hour before she came, and they had been forewarned. She was just as they had been told to expect; small, immaculately dressed, and even at the age of 96, as sharp minded and engaging as ever. She was introduced to Nick and a star struck little Wes first; as Nick glanced at his son's expression, he had to resist an urge to grin.
"So you are here working for the United Nations, Mr Sterling-Duval?"
"Yes, ma'am. I am on secondment from the Human Rights department in New York."
"It must be a deeply fascinating but at times distressing job. I have seen too often in my lifetime the cruelty that man can deal out to man." Nick nodded, and then stepped back to allow his husband to be introduced. As Jeff was formally introduced, her face lit up, making Jeff smile. "You are the genius behind The Judging Angel. I heard about it in the press, and saw photos, and it interested me. Seeing the full size copy in person had me fascinated, and then I was fortunate enough to obtain a print copy for myself. In my opinion, your talent young man is equal if not greater than some of the greatest artists of the past. It is an honour to meet you."
"The honour is all mine, ma'am."
"It is very kind of you to say so… Now I am going to take advantage of my position, and make a request. Could you possibly sketch something for me just now - ideally a portrait…"
Jeff just stood open mouthed for a moment. He had been asked to draw a portrait of the President of course, a request that he intended to fulfil as soon as he and Nick were back home; everyone agreed that Kennedy would get a second term as President with no issue, given that his approval rating were in the 80% range, and so there had been no need to rush to get the portrait completed. However, this was totally different and he was on the spot. He did not know if he would be able to carry out the task he had been asked to with his usual ability, given that he felt just a little stressed… As always, Nick could sense his stress, and moved to stand behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder as he did so, giving it the gentlest of squeezes. For Jeff this was a show of faith from his husband in his ability to rise to the challenge and deliver what was required.
"I would be delighted to try, your majesty, although I cannot promise you anything as spectacular as The Judging Angel."
"I am certain that you will be able to produce an image that will satisfy the expectations of the main viewer, namely me. Over the years I have had my portrait produced so many times, and on a number of occasions the results have been what could be politely called interesting… Your image will be far superior to some of them, of that I am certain."
Jeff nodded, then turned to Nick, who smiled and headed over to collect Jeff's satchel. He brought it over, then watched in pride as his husband turned his sketchbook to a blank page, and then carefully selected from his collection of pencils. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess had helped the monarch find a comfortable place to sit. That done, Nick walked over to his husband, and whispered in his ear, "You will be fine. She is just a woman after all, albeit one with a very important job. Just do what you do so well. I have every faith that this will be another masterpiece." Jeff smiled, and then headed over to start his task…
By the time that they took their leave of the Palace that afternoon, Jeff had produced not only a portrait of the Queen that had left the monarch smiling broadly, but also one of the Duchess with her two younger children; Prince George was at the age when he did not want to sit still, but just run around and burn off all that excess energy. The Duchess was every bit as pleased with the result as the monarch had been, and the smiles on both women's faces had made it all worthwhile to Jeff. As he drew, little Wes had been occupied in playing firstly with the two younger children, and then with Prince George as the siblings posed; Nick meanwhile had spent his time talking with the Duke about the issues that the world was facing in these chaotic modern times. Unlike many politicians, the Duke had a lot of time and respect for the UN and its various programmes. He had also done his research, and he asked Nick about the briefings that he had with President Kennedy. Nick was his usual modest self as he talked about them, and before he could stop himself, he was mentioning his connection to Trent. He blushed, but the Duke already knew all about him, and all about Dalton Academy.
Nick must have looked shocked, as the Duke suddenly laughed, and said, "First of all, we have to be very careful about who we allow in to visit us at home; and secondly, my dear grandmother also does close research. She knows who the angel in the portrait is, and that your son is named after him…"
"Yes, that is true," said Nick. "Wes was quite the positive influence in all our lives, and his early death was nothing short of a tragedy. What you may not know however is that my son is actually a distant relation of his; his mother was the late Wes' first cousin…" At that point, Her Majesty came over to join them, and the topic of conversation changed. Nick found himself fielding questions from a woman that was still just as interested as ever in the events of the world, and soon realised that she had the intelligence to give answers that made a lot of sense…"
As they walked home that evening, all three members of the little family were happy. Little Wes had enjoyed playing with two Princes and a Princess, and he had also met the Queen, which had of course been one of his wishes for things to happen when he was living in London. He chattered about it happily to his parents as they walked along, about how small she was, and how kind too. Nick had to concur, but he would also add that she was as sharp as a tack, and was a veritable fount of knowledge about world events in both the past and present. He felt so privileged that he had been able to meet her, particularly as he had done so on a one to one basis in an informal situation. He knew that the President was due to come over on a state visit in the very near future, and there was every chance that Trent would be in his entourage; he regretted that his old friend would be far less likely to meet her…
As for Jeff, the fact that Her Majesty had a print copy of his best known work had been eclipsed by the fact that he had just produced a portrait of her. It was still something that he could barely believe had actually happened; he still thought he would wake up and find it was Friday morning. It had all spurred from that decision to go and sketch in the Palace gardens… Both he and Nick had decided though that they would not tell any of their friends and family about it yet; they were still trying to get used to the idea themselves after all. Life in London had been good for them so far; all that they could hope was that their good fortune would continue, particularly as Sebastian would be coming to join them very soon….
Nick and Jeff would eventually share the news of their visit to Kensington Palace with their friends and family back home at the end of the week, doing so with their fellow former Warblers in their by now a ritual Friday night Skype session. It was timed for 5pm on the east coast of the USA, so that everyone could join in for at least a few minutes, and it was also not too late for those in London. Mike often joined the group now, with Caleb on his lap, and as a result, most of the others now referred to him as the Honorary Warbler in Chief. The idea that two of their number had enjoyed afternoon tea with royalty left them all just a little speechless if they were honest. They also had to take it on face value, as there were no pictures to prove it of course. Any doubts were removed when they saw the signed note from the Buckingham Palace - the warm thanks for the portrait, signed by Elizabeth R. That had also been welcomed by Nick's bosses back in the UN Building at the end of 42nd Street.
What Nick and Jeff failed to mention was the invitation for Jeff to attend a gathering at Buckingham Palace for artists, which would see him in the presence of the Queen again. He had accepted, and had also contacted the Met, as there was time before the event to have the original of The Judging Angel shipped over; they had been unhappy until Jeff told them exactly where the picture would be displayed, and then it was no issue at all. Nick had also been invited, but he knew that he would not be able to attend, as he would be at work. However, as it was scheduled for a Monday lunchtime when Sebastian was in town, Jeff intended to ask him to be his plus one instead; he doubted that his friend would say yes if he knew where they were going, even if they were to enjoy the theatre, so he wouldn't tell him where the lunch was... He was sure that some of the royal family would be attending Sebastian's show whilst he was in town, a show that was now being advertised in the press and on posters on billboards and the walls of the Tube….
There was one noticeable absentee from the group chat though that Friday, and that was Drew. He had sent a message to Thad, apologising in advance that he would not be able to join them that week as he had somewhere else that he needed to be at that time. There was a palpable disappointment at his absence, as they had all come to enjoy him being back in the fold, even if he was very quiet most of the time, just happy to sit and listen to the chatter of his friends once more. They all knew that he and Ethan chatted most days in any case, their bromance firmly back on. However, he had not known that Drew would be absent that day, and that was worrying. He would have assumed that as his closest friend he would have been kept in the loop. His concerns were quickly forgotten amongst all the talk of royalty, and then a discussion of the upcoming double wedding in Chicago. Caleb had also made his presence known that night, if mainly because he saw Jeff, who still looked emotional as he saw the little cat that he had saved so long ago now pining for him.
Trent was the first to sign off that night, as he often was, as he had a speech to finish writing for the President, then had to start on one for the Vice-President, as her usual speechwriter was away on leave. It was only his departure that caused the others to check the time, and as it was 6pm, an exodus began, as people prepared to go on stage, head home to partners and spouses, or in the case of Nick and Jeff, get ready for bed, as they had an early start the following day; they had a day trip planned to York with Wes. Soon it was just Ethan and Thad online, the latter having stayed on longer than normal as he knew that Ethan would want reassurance that Drew had sounded okay when they spoke.
"I don't think that you have any cause for concern; he sounded perfectly okay and if anything, more pleased with life than he has been since he came home. He did mention that he needed to discuss something with his folks the last time we met up; make the decisions he has to about his future. That is probably what he is doing right now."
"I am sure that you are right; it is just that I worry about him because he has been through so much, and it would kill me if he ended up getting hurt again."
"None of us want to see that, but we have to let him live his own life and make some mistakes. We can't wrap him up in cotton wool now, or he will come to resent us for it. One of the key parts to being a good friend is knowing when to help, and when to take as step back," continued Thad. He saw Ethan nod, but he couldn't shake the feeling that his advice was falling on deaf ears…
Ethan had been at work to Skype, and by the time that he signed off, he was the last person in the office other than the cleaners. They seemed quite surprised that he was still there, used to the office being empty by this time on a Friday; they all knew who he was though, and that he lead a relatively solitary life and would be returning to an empty apartment… Ethan decided that he would walk back to the West Village that night and enjoy the warmth of the evening sunshine as he headed north on Broadway. He would cross over to the west in the vicinity of NYU to get home. He was quite content as he strolled, enjoying the bustle around him, breathing in the delicious smells that emanated from the restaurants that he passed; listening to the snatches of music and conversation from different cultures that assailed his ears in a multitude of languages and accents. The city enthralled him still, still a melting pot after all this time…
Once he left Broadway, the noises lessened as he headed along the street, to return at the intersections with each of the avenues. He paused his progress to pop into the drug store to pick up milk and on a whim some chocolate. He would order take out for dinner when he reached home, knowing that the cupboards were almost bare, and that a trip to the supermarket would be on the agenda the following day. As he finally entered the street he called home, he noticed two figures sitting on the steps to his apartment; one tall, one short, surrounded by a stack of cases. He gasped, then broke into a run, cursing that he had taken so long to get home. His face blossomed into a grin as he ran, before coming to a halt in front of them. The taller one spoke as soon as he caught his breath. "Hey Ethan… so I decided that we should come home, if that is okay…"
"Okay!? It is more than okay!" exclaimed Ethan, not attempting to hide his delight at his friend's news. "This is why you weren't online tonight… and I walked home, and am much later than usual, and Beats is at the diner with Elliott and Dante tonight… How long have you two been sitting here on the steps?"
"We just got here, trust me," replied Drew with a smile that equalled Ethan's. "It was a long journey to get here though, what with waiting around for the flight and then the cab ride from La Guardia… That is why Evie is asleep right now, and doesn't even realise that her prince is here. The cabbie helped me get our bags out, and then I carried her out. I swear that was only about 5 minutes ago…"
At that moment Evie began to stir, and on seeing that Ethan was there, her face lit up. "Uncle Ethan! I am so pleased to see you. Daddy says we have come home to stay with you for a little while. I am so excited… Grandma and Grandpa were fun to stay with too, but their house is so far from everywhere, and there were no other boys and girls to play with."
"Well, there aren't any other children on this street either, although your Uncle Beats does act like a big kid sometimes… Once Nick and Jeff come home there will be their son Wes. Until then, we can always get you enrolled in a new kindergarten and get you some playmates there; I know the one that Niff send little Wes to, and I am sure we will have no problem in getting you enrolled there… That is for later, just now, let's get the two of you inside. Evie, you know where your room is, so we can get your essential stuff set up in there. Then we need to get some food; both of you must be hungry, and I haven't eaten either…"
"I am so hungry, Uncle Ethan…"
"Even though she had a sandwich, chips and two cakes at the airport back in Ohio, and a bar of chocolate when we arrived and were waiting for a cab," remarked Drew, which made Ethan chuckle.
"My intention was to order Chinese food tonight - is that okay, or would we be better getting pizza?"
"If you are worried about Evie, don't be," replied Drew. "She likes noodles, and as long as it isn't too spicy, she will try most things. Back in London, you see, it was a bit like coffee was; forbidden, and therefore all the better tasting…"
Less than an hour later the two new arrivals were sat at the table with Ethan, a mini banquet spread before them. They had ordered a wide range of dishes, many of which Ethan recalled as being go to options for Drew back in the day. Evie was keen to sample most of the dishes; some she did not like, but as was often the case, her tastes were similar to her father's in many ways. They had set up her room as best as they could at short notice, and the essentials had been unpacked. Ethan could not help notice that she had a lot more stuff now, and sensed a doting grandmother's hand in that. After her bath, she headed to bed without protest, and was asleep almost the moment her head touched the pillow.
Ethan was waiting for Drew in the lounge when he had put his daughter to bed, and he went to sit beside him, knowing that his friend needed an explanation for his arrival. "It was a good thing to go back to Ohio for a while; it gave me a chance to think and get my head sorted out. Mom and Dad were great and supportive, and Evie loved being around them; I think that if I had given her a chance, my mom would have had her completely spoilt though. However, the longer I stayed, the more I realised that it wasn't home for me anymore. I went to Dalton a few times, and it felt more like home, but I couldn't stay there obviously; I am not cut out to be a teacher, and admin or maintenance would just have been a waste of my talents. However, it was there that I was when Thad said what should have been obvious; he said that home is not a physical place, it is wherever your heart feels light and carefree. Right now, I get that feeling here in New York, with you close by. I am not saying that I am moving in with you forever, because I can't promise that. All I know is that just now, this is where my heart needs and wants to be. I mean, seeing the smile on your face when you saw me and how it grew when I told you I was home… that made my heart feel so light…"
"Well, you know how I feel; you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. You are my best friend, and that is something that will never change. I love having you around, and that is something that goes for all of your friends here, not just me. Beats will be so glad to see you too… Anyway, we can take each day one at a time; if you decide in the end that you need your own space, then that is fine with me too, just as long as you don't become a stranger to us all here in the West Village."
"That will never happen again, trust me. I have been hurt too badly to ever risk leaving you all again. My first priority now that I am back is to get myself a job, so that I can support myself and Evie. I will not live off you, or my parents. I need to stand on my own two feet."
"We can start that process tomorrow online. Tonight, though, let's just relax and enjoy the fact that you are back home…"
Ethan waited until they were both ready to head off to bed to ask the most pertinent of questions. "So, forgive me asking, but how have you been sleeping? Have the nightmares died out, or are they still waking you up in the middle of the night?"
"I am still having them," Drew said with a sigh. "My parents didn't like to mention it to me after the first night, so I just ended up having to cope with it. It will take time to get over it all, if I ever do…"
"Okay… Well, if you want, you can share my bed for a while. We both know what the issue is and what helps, and I have no problem with doing it if it will help you get a good night's sleep. It is more practical than me just listening out for signs, and my bed is bigger and more comfortable than the one in your old room. If I am being honest, I will struggle to sleep because I will be worrying about you, so this option gives us both a better chance of rest."
"If you really don't mind, then I guess we could do it tonight," said Drew with a look of relief on his face. "It is only short term though; as soon as I am better, we will stop. I am going to get myself a therapist now that I am here too; try and deal with my demons by talking things out with a stranger. I am just so desperate not to be a burden to anyone, especially you. You have done so much for me already."
"You will never be a burden to me; we are friends, and that means that I will always go the extra mile for you."
"Well, we just need to make sure that it isn't all one sided, okay? I can help look after this place, and I can cook, ironically the only good thing to come out of the situation I was in. That way we can have full cupboards, and you can eat more healthily, rather than existing on take out. Do we have a deal?"
"We have a deal," replied Ethan, just pleased that Drew was back, and this time, it was for good.