Moving On : Part III
Wednesday morning saw Elliott waking up with a huge smile on his face. It was not just because he had been given the day off by Michelle, although that did help his mood greatly. No, today was the day that his Nate would move in, and their lives together could truly begin. Elliott knew what a massive step it was for his boyfriend to move in with him, given that he would have denied even having feelings for men until this time last year. Now he was open about his pansexuality, and about his feelings for Elliott; he took pride in the fact that he had found the soul that balanced his and now felt complete for the first time in his life. Moving in together was a big step though, as it meant sharing the same space day in, day out, not just for a few nights each month. Today was the day that things took on a sense of permanence, and for the last few days they had both been feeling a growing sense of excitement.
Josh was also looking forward to having Beats around, which was a great help. He saw him as another brother, and although he had enjoyed the last two days of just being the Gilbert brothers, it would be great to have him on hand. Even better was the fact that the following week, his own boyfriend would be moving in. Scott's parents had listened to the arguments, and had been forced to agree with Elliott, that given how strong and stable the relationship was between the two young men, it did not make sense to insist that they should live apart during their college years, at least to begin with. They did support the idea that he had his own bedroom, although they were fully aware it was unlikely he would ever use it. They liked to imagine that he would though, and it would make an excellent private study space for him if nothing else.
In Princeton, three other young men were also up early in a house that had lost all traces of them in the last week. Everything had been neatly boxed up, well labelled, and was set ready to placed in the movers' van in such a way that there could be no mixing up of their property. Beats' boxes had been labelled with little green stickers and green writing; Flint's with blue and Ethan's with red. The organisation process had been clinical, and Flint was quite proud of himself in the way he had set it up. Breakfast that morning was pastries and coffee, purchased at the local coffee shop to ensure that there was no last minute packing or washing up to be done. Flint had spent the previous night going through the landlord's inventory, checking off every cup, spoon and cushion to ensure that they would not be sent a letter with charges. They had also cleaned the place to an industrial level for the same reason, so that there was nothing to be found out of place.
It was for that reason that Beats had suggested that they eat breakfast in the garden, just to ensure that a rogue crumb did not make it to the floor; he had initially meant it as a joke at the expense of the borderline neurotic Flint, but as he sat there in the sun, he could see why his best friend had gone with it. He had also heard the horror stories about the landlords that had landed students with a hefty bill for cleaning after they moved out. They had finished up and were carefully shaking their clothes free of crumbs when Izzy arrived in her friend's car, ready to drive them all to the West Village. She laughed as she realised why they were sitting outside, but secretly she was glad that she had fallen in love with a man that knew how to clean. She had barely had time to greet them all when the movers' truck arrived, and they had to begin the process of loading up.
Whilst they were doing that, two unexpected visitors arrived. Alan and Callum had come to say goodbye, and to thank Flint and Beats yet again for getting them the jobs at the bar. Callum blushed as he admitted that he had been wolf whistled by a random man as he walked down the street the day before; Flint could sympathise there, as it had happened to him and Beats once or twice too. Then it was time; the last box was loaded. Flint hurried from room to room, ensuring that nothing had been missed and that no marks had been left on the walls or floors. As had been decided before, Ethan jumped in with the movers to help direct them. As the truck drove off, Flint and Beats bade a fond farewell to the new generation of Preppy Boys, extending them an invitation to come and visit them in New York, which they both accepted. Then Izzy drove them off, and after a stop at the letting agency to hand in the keys, they left Princeton behind for their new life in New York.
They reached the city a few minutes after the van. Ethan had begun to help the movers unload the van, with assistance from a beaming Elliott. As he stepped out of the car, Beats found himself engulfed in a hug from his boyfriend; then with the whispered words "Much more of that later…" they had returned to the task in hand. It did not take long, thanks to it being so well organised, and soon the movers were on their way back to New Jersey with a handsome tip. Izzy then had a quiet word in the ears of Ethan and Elliott. She knew that the moment had now arrived, and they needed some space. She escorted Ethan into the apartment he would be sharing with Flint, on the pretext that she wanted to help unpack, while Elliott ran up the stairs, saying he would be making coffee. Thus Beats and Flint found themselves alone in the hallway.
"Well, my friend, this is the moment that we have been dreading; the moment that our ways part," began Beats. "After nearly eight years of sharing accommodation, we are going to be living apart."
"Not that far apart, but it will be odd, I grant you that. I am going to miss you being around, even if at times…" started Flint.
"Yeah," Beat chuckled, "we have had our moments, but I would say that mostly, it has been good. So, Fleats forever?"
"Forever," replied Flint with a sniff.
Then he felt Beats wrapping his arms around him, and they both stood there and let a few tears fall. That was more than okay. In the end though they pulled apart, and Beats said, with a smile, "Come up for lunch. I'm sure that Ell won't mind." Flint nodded and then headed into his new home as his best friend walked up the stairs to his.
When he arrived at the top of the stairs, Beats found Elliott waiting for him, and the first thing he did was pull him into a tight hug. Beats relaxed into it, glad of the warm arms around him. He didn't quite know how to describe what he was feeling at that moment. It felt a little bit like a bereavement; as if a little part of him had died a few moments ago. He was also pretty sure that at this moment downstairs, Flint would be in Izzy's arms, feeling exactly the same kind of bewilderment.
"It is going to be strange for both of you, at least for a little while," Elliott said, understanding in his voice. "You and Flint have been living with each other for so long - all of your adult life when you stop and think about it. Now you have parted, and although you are still in the same building, you're no longer in the same apartment, or in the other bed in the room. It is naturally going to feel so strange for both of you, at first… On the plus side, he is only downstairs, at least for now. I mean, one day, he will move uptown to Izzy's place… I just want you to know that I get it, and I will never try and come between the two halves of Fleats."
"I know that you wouldn't, Ell - and Izzy would say the same. It's just going to be different now. For a while, I need to concentrate on Belliott, for want of a better couple name for the two of us. I'm just so used to being part of Beats&Flint, and now it is going to be Beats and Flint, if you know what I mean…" Beats replied.
"I think that I get it; the two of you had a very bromantic friendship, with a couple name, but now you aren't quite so close; you've grown into adults and forged your own relationships. He will always be your best friend, your partner in crime, the person that features in so many of your memories, good and bad. I would never attempt to change that; I love you far too much to even try."
"Good, because I kind of invited him to come for lunch," said Beats sheepishly.
Elliott chuckled. "It's just as well, as I made enough for all of us! I had a funny feeling you would, and I already asked Izzy and Ethan to join us. It will be nice if we can all get to know each other a little better, given that we are going to see a lot more of each other as neighbours."
"Thanks, Ell. I don't know what I did to deserve you…"
"I could say exactly the same myself, Nate. Now, before they all arrive, why don't we go and make a start unpacking your things - and maybe test our new bed for size…" Beats blushed, but then followed Elliott upstairs. Yes, he was going to miss Flint desperately at times, but he had a funny feeling that having his Elliott around would help him cope a lot easier…
Downstairs, Flint was by now also in the process of unpacking, albeit with Izzy's help. She sorted out his clothes as he unpacked his books and the decorative items, such as the photographs that he kept by the bed. Izzy was glad to observe that there was a big one of her, but not surprised to see the other two were a group shot of the Warblers, and one of himself with Beats, arms round each other's shoulders, grinning from ear to ear. By the bowties they were wearing, she was guessing it had been taken at Nick and Jeff's wedding. They worked in silence; they did not chatter incessantly as some couples would have done. Like Elliott, she knew that her boyfriend was dealing with a fairly traumatic event in his life, and he would need some time to overcome it. She was fully aware that if Flint Wilson had been wired up slightly differently, then neither she or Elliott would ever have stood a chance; he and Beats would have been another pair of Warblers heading to the altar. She knew that through the course of her life with Flint, Beats would be a constant presence, and she didn't mind that at all. When you have had so much shared experience with someone after all, it never left you and it told in so much that you did.
She was pulled out of her thoughts by Flint speaking. "I'm sorry that I am so quiet today. It's just that it has been a bit of a day emotionally, and although I am ok, and will be ok, it's just so strange that he isn't here…"
"It's ok, my love, I understand. I have always known that in going out with you, I would gain a Beats, and I know better than to ever try and come between the two of you. What the two of you have is every bit as special as what we have, and it doesn't concern me in the least. Fortunately, Elliott also understands that, and for that reason he invited us to come up for lunch last week, as he had a funny feeling that Beats might ask you…"
She laughed as Flint nodded. "I am so glad that you do get it, as not everyone would. I will be fine once I get used to it. As you have said, it's not as if he is thousands of miles away. That helps a lot…" Flint came over to stand beside her, then in a low voice went on. "I have seen a lot of change in Ethan since Drew decided to stay in England. He tries to act strong, and from the outside, he is the same, but I can tell that he misses him so much. I know that I will never be a complete substitute for Drew, but I am hoping that we will be closer now that it is just the two of us. I would hate to think that he was lonely and in pain…"
Down the hall, Ethan had finished his unpacking. The last of his books had been placed on the shelves, and he had even had time to hang a few pictures on the wall. He too had photos by his bed - the same group photo of the Warblers, and one from Niff's wedding, albeit of himself and Drew in a similar pose to the one next door. He had sent a text to his best friend to confirm with him his new address, but he had received no reply. He was resigned to the fact that it might never come. Drew had Lucy and a whole life in England; he had new friends. Living in New York, he could not easily be a part of all that. He had a suspicion in any case that if he had taken a job with a bank in the City of London, then he would not have been warmly received by some people in any case. At least, thanks to Flint, he was not facing the world alone, at least not for a little while longer. Even when he did move on, he was sure that Jeff would let him stay here, close to the people that he knew and loved. He was grateful for that; he was not sure if he could have managed to be all on his own.
The bulk of their unpacking done, Flint, Izzy and Ethan were about to make their way upstairs when the former's phone started to ring. He pulled it out, but did not recognise the number that was calling. He decided to answer it anyway; if it was a salesperson, then he had a script that he knew off by heart that was guaranteed to make them hang up. He would pretend that he could not speak any English, scream at them in gibberish a few times, and then all but the most persistent would give up. He said a cautious "Hello?" as he waved to Izzy and Ethan to head on up without him.
"Hey, cousin, how are things in the big city?" came a familiar voice.
Flint smiled, then replied "Hey Leo! Things are great, and I'm doing fine; I've just moved in to my new place. How's things with you?"
"Pretty ace, thanks. I just found out this morning that I got the grades that I needed to get into college in the fall; it will be Kansas State, here in good old Manhattan, but even that is much better than it might have been. I mean, this time last year, who would have thought that I would ever achieve the grades that I needed to go to school and study for a civil engineering degree?"
"I hate to say this, but that last statement is very true. I am so glad that you turned it around though, and to be honest, I am proud of you!"
"Thanks Flint. To be honest, most of it was down to your dad and his advice. Anyway, so point of this call. I don't start school until the middle of August, and you and the lovely Izzy did say that if I did well in my finals, I could come and visit you in the big city…"
He paused, and Flint suddenly recalled what he had said to him at Thanksgiving, when he had expected him and Izzy to be living in that big house on the Upper East Side by now. The problem was that had all changed… "Yeah man, I remember. Look, can you give me a second whilst I just check something?"
"Sure…" Leo responded, and Flint could hear at once that the tone of his voice had changed, as if he was now expecting the next words he heard to be "I'm sorry…" He put his phone on hold for a second, then hurried to catch up with the other two.
"Ethan? I have a big favour to ask. On the other end of the phone is my cousin Leo. Back at Thanksgiving, Izzy and I kind of promised him that if he did well in his exams then he could come and spend a few weeks with us over the summer her in New York.."
"Oh, Lord, we did! I had forgotten all about him…" gasped Izzy, her face falling.
Ethan shook his head, then smiled. "Flint, we have a third bedroom; it isn't the biggest, but I'm sure he'd be comfortable enough in there. So, yes, he can come, no problem." He had not even needed time to consider his answer.
"Thank you so much Ethan. I promise that I will make it up to you."
"Too right. I mean, that is you on washing up duty for life…" Ethan joked.
Flint just shook his head, then took his phone off hold. "Hey, Leo, sorry to keep you waiting like that. It will be no problem to have you come and stay, but it won't be at Izzy's place on the East Side, as it is being refurbished just now. Instead I am living in the West Village, and I had to just check with my old friend and roommate Ethan if he was okay with you coming, which he is."
"That's so cool, thanks man. I admit, for a moment…"
"I know. I heard it in your voice. Anyway, just let me know when you will be coming!"
"How does next week sound? Your dad has already said that he will drive me up to Topeka so I can get the Greyhound right through; the only drawback with that is that it does get into New York about 4.20am…"
"Well, I will just need to get up early then! Let me know the day, and I will be there at the Port Authority, waiting for you." Then, after a quick bit of family chat, Flint hung up, and he headed upstairs. He was sure that between them all, they could manage to keep his cousin amused for a few weeks. The bonus was that he was of the same age group as the guys that were living next door, so he could encourage them all to mix…
Lunch was a cheerful affair, with both Beats and Flint both now over the immediate moment of grief at their separation. They deliberately chose to sit in sight of each other, but not next to each other, as they always had done before. The topic of Leo also allowed them all to avoid the subject of the move, with suggestions from all around the table of the sights and attractions that he should definitely be taken to see whilst he was in the city. They all agreed that he had to be taken up the Empire State Building, and that he needed a trip past the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island ferry at the very least too. Museums posed a trickier question, as Flint had no idea if his cousin had any interest in art, but he could leave guide books lying out, and just let him take his pick. Going to see a show was another tricky option, but they all agreed that it might be best to see if Sebastian could get them a good price on seats to see Book of Mormon.
"Now if he is from Kansas, and unlike you, he has never lived anywhere else, then a day at the beach might be a good idea; take him to Coney Island, or even for an overnight stay at Port Jefferson, if Niff agree, which I am certain they would," mused Elliott.
"That is not such a bad idea. I don't know if he has ever seen the sea; I have a feeling that he won't have, as they have never had a holiday as a family, as much as I know. It is an awful fact to say, but there are a lot of folk in Manhattan, Kansas, that have never seen the sea…"
"From what I recall, you once informed me that some folk in Manhattan think that the earth is flat," Beats teased, making them all laugh.
"That is sadly true - and they are the kind of people who will probably be decisive in deciding who our next President will be," sighed Flint, shaking his head.
"If that is the case," said Ethan, "then may the Lord help us all out of the resultant mess…"
After lunch, everyone began to go their separate ways. Ethan announced that he was going to head downtown to visit the offices of his new employer, firstly to confirm his new address with them, and secondly so that he could plan out the best route from the subway to the office. The company sat almost midway between the Wall Street station on the 2 & 3 trains, and Rector Street station on the 1 train. He had decided that he might head to work on the former, as it would be faster in theory, but come home again on the latter, as Rector Street was the second stop on the train's journey north, and at South Ferry only part of the train was in use due to short platforms. It would also give him a chance to clear his head, and deal with the fact that Drew had not been in touch to wish him all the best in his new place. He could not help but wonder sometimes if their relationship would have been stronger had he stayed in England for that final year, but he realised now that it probably would not have been. After all, he would still have been in Cambridge, and Drew would have been with Lucy in Oxford. If anything, such a decision could have left him worse off, as at least for the last year he had been living with the close company of old friends. He had also resolved that he had better call his parents and let them know where he would be living, just in case. He might even get to speak to one of them, but if he was lucky, he would find himself speaking to one of their assistants instead. Sometimes, those people felt more like a family to him than his blood relations.
Beats had plans too, as it happened. Josh had made arrangements to go and visit Mason and Roderick for a gaming session - after all, they had a whole townhouse in Murray Hill to themselves at the moment. He would be joined in his journey by Skylar; he was keen to get out of the house as Luke, Duncan and Seth were all working that afternoon, and he did not want to have to sit with earplugs in or with his headphones on for the entire afternoon, just in case Colin and Edward decided to make the most of the space. When he told Josh that, he had laughed, and admitted that was the reason why he was heading out too.
If Elliott and Beats had overheard Josh's statement then they showed no sign of it. It did not take a genius to tell what they had planned though, and Flint could certainly tell by the way that they kept glancing at each other. He knew that he would not be welcome to hang around after lunch. That would leave him at a loose end, as Izzy had to head back to Princeton with the car, and was working later too. He decided that he would take a stroll down to the Spotlight rather than hang around in an empty apartment. He knew that Jeff was on duty, and he would gladly accept Flint's offer to man the coffee machine for a few hours. Standing there making coffee after coffee made so many of the others bored, but for him it was a good form of stress relief. It would also be a good chance for a catch up with Jeff, as if it hadn't been for him, then he had no idea where he would be living, and he had the horrible thought that it might well have been back in New Jersey. He would also have had to turn down his cousin's request to come and stay…
He let Ethan and Izzy leave first, bidding each of them goodbye whilst nursing the last of his coffee. Josh was not far behind them. That left him in the room with Elliott and Beats. He decided to wind them up, just a little. He handed his coffee cup over to Beats, who took it into the kitchen where Elliott was now washing up. He then asked, in a loud voice "So, what are the three of us going to be doing this afternoon? Josh said that you had an afternoon of games planned. I'm at a loose end, and if there is room for a third player, I'd happily join in." He heard Beats having a coughing fit in the other room, and Elliott muttering about throttling his brother. Then, with a laugh, Flint got up and poked his head round the kitchen door. "Don't worry guys! I know it's a game for two players you're playing. I'll be heading out now. I will give your love to everyone at the diner…"
At the door, Beats caught up with him, shook his head, then hugged him. "Don't do that again, Flint," his friend whispered. "After all, one of these days we might just decide to let you play with us…" Beats laughed as Flint went scarlet, then pushed him out the open door, mouthing the words "Love you, Flint!" as he did so. Then he shut the door as his best friend hurried down the stairs.
Flint arrived at the diner to find Jeff and Michelle checking out a Facebook post from Santana. She had arrived in Paris on Monday morning, and after dealing with a day of jetlag from the six hour time difference, had woken up on Tuesday morning with an eager Brittany at her side. She went on
'My wife and I were escorted to the Louvre by François, and he knew the fast way to get us straight to the Mona Lisa. Her smile is described as enigmatic in all the guidebooks, but in my opinion it's just ok; my lovely wife's smile is far more radiant - and Jeff's drawing is far more lifelike. From there we went on a shopping trip to what François called the Grand Magasins and I have to admit that the French do know how to impress with their department stores. Macy's and its ilk look dull by comparison. We had lunch in one of the stores, in a restaurant that overlooked the Eiffel Tower. Of course, that was where we ended up next, as you can tell by the photos. Then it was off to the Moulin Rouge for dinner, and yes, we saw the show. I do warn you all now; Brittany will probably want to attempt the cancan on the stage at the Spotlight. Can you all get your heads together and find a very good reason why she shouldn't? It isn't because I don't want to see her do it, far from it; it's because she will need a whole line of dancers to do it. She is convinced that Mike should know how to do it, and that she could show Jeff. On that note, I sign off for now. P.S. François sends his love to everyone in New York.'
Flint couldn't help but laugh as he saw Jeff shaking his head repeatedly and muttering the words "Never going to happen. Not in a million years." Michelle tried her best to keep a straight face as Jeff dived onto the computer to send a reply to Santana's post, no doubt to inform her that he had no intention of ever high kicking his way across the stage at the Spotlight, not even for Brittany.
"So Flint, what can we do for you on this fine afternoon?" said Michelle, turning her attention back to the new arrival.
"You can let me make coffee," came his simple reply. "Today has been both a happy and a sad one for me; I need to do something simple to keep my mind occupied, so that I don't end up dwelling on things."
"Be my guest; we are a little short on staff at the moment, to be honest, especially as the afternoon rush is about to kick off. It is only going to get worse as well; Mike will be giving up his job shifts, so to speak, given that soon he will be required full time at the City Ballet, and there are a couple of the other staff that have graduated and will be moving on. It's a shame that you will be working full time soon, or I would have you here manning that coffee machine permanently. You are easily the best of the bunch on that machine, but I will never admit that I said that!" Michelle replied.
"Said what?" responded Flint with a laugh. "Well, if you are looking for staff, don't forget that we have three new Warblers in town. I would suggest that you don't even consider employing Colin and Edward at the same time though. Now Skylar is your best bet I guess; he was Head Warbler, so he can hold a tune, and from what I recall, he used to spend his summers helping his aunt out in her hotel up at Lake Ohio; he should therefore actually have the skills needed for a job in the hospitality industry."
"So you think that I should offer him a job then?" said Michelle. "Very well; speak to him, and if he is interested in working here, tell him to come in and speak to me. Mike will be off the rota as of next month, and it would be good if we had someone trained up and ready to replace him." With that, she handed Flint an apron, and he took it before heading into the back to hang up his jacket. He also pulled out his phone and quickly typed up a text to Skylar, telling him to head down to the Spotlight at some point, as he was there and would like to have a chat with him.
In the end Flint had been at his post, dispensing cup after cup of coffee for nearly three hours before the door opened to admit the young man in question. He had enjoyed every moment of his wait though; he had watched from his spot as Jeff and Luke had served and from time to time sung to the crowd. He had happily joined in with the words more than once, but he had stayed firmly behind the counter, also helping out with the register. He didn't know why, but he felt that if he jumped up on the stage today he might forget where he was, and go into one of his routines from Princeton in error. That would not do the diner's reputation any good at all. He was singing along as Skylar walked up on his own, having left Josh with Mason and Roderick; he had called Elliott, and when the call went unanswered he had left a message, telling his brother he was going to stay the night in Murray Hill, and that Beats could consider it his house warming gift. Flint laughed out loud as Skylar repeated those words, but all the same blushed, as he knew exactly what Josh had been implying by it.
"So what was it that you wanted to talk to me about? If it is how the two of us can avoid the attentions of loved up couples, then I am all ears; likewise, if it is to offer me sanctuary at your place if Edwin are being too loud, or just too sickeningly sweet to bear, then I accept…"
"Not quite, although you and Seth for that matter will always be welcome to come and hide with me and Ethan anytime you need to. No, it was to get you ahead of the queue and provide you with a paid hiding place like Seth has. In this case, yours would potentially be here…"
Skylar had known that he would have to find a job to pay for all the nice little extras once he had settled into life in the city, but this was only his first full day as a New York resident. Still, there would be far worse places that he could get a job in than the Spotlight. He was in the most fortunate position of the three new arrivals, in that he had the least time consuming college course. As a student studying architecture, the hours that he would have to spend at classes would be far fewer than those of Colin and Edward, studying for degrees in Dentistry and Pharmacy respectively. He did know that any job he took would have to be flexible, and to that end he had considered taking a job as a delivery boy for one of the many food services. He was a good cyclist, and he could picture himself weaving his way through the stalled city traffic. His mother, when he told her what he was thinking, had immediately pictured him in traction in a hospital bed.
A job here would be an option that would suit him and stop her worrying. Once Flint had finished his hard sell, Skylar made his way into the back at his prompting to see Michelle in the office, where she was checking the weekly orders and stock levels. She had met the young man a few times before, and so the interview process was more or less straight forward. She knew she wanted to hire him, but it was not just her decision. He would have to be interviewed by a couple of the partners, and they would have to be non-Warblers. After all, they did not want for there to be any accusations of favouritism afterwards.