An Interlude in Williamsburg.
On Friday morning, Beats headed into the office earlier than usual, so that he could depart a little earlier too. That would let him get home to pick up the weekend bag that he had packed the night before, and be ready and waiting at the gates of Ty's school when it let out, so they could head immediately over to Williamsburg, their home for the next two nights. It had proved too impractical for them to stay over on Sunday as well, however hard he had tried to arrange it; Dante could not be expected to look after Ty so that he could stay over on his own, and even if he had been able to, then he would have needed to leave at a stupidly early time in the morning to get home, change, and then make it into the office on time…
Beats found himself the only one in the office at the early hour, which suited him. He fired up the coffee machine, and then started his computer, logging on the latest project he was working on for the city. With a cup of coffee at his side, he was able to work without distraction, other than a text from Dante to say that he had ensured that Ty was up, out of the house, and on his way to school. The current focus of his work was the finalising of the designs for the downtown section of the Second Avenue subway project, and it was no easy task. The area was congested as it was, and the work was made less easy when the route had to come close to the homes and businesses of people that he knew…
Many thought it was much simpler to build a tunnel through a city now, thanks to the tunnel boring machines that could eat their way through the rock and soil without much hassle, but it was not quite so easy. There still had to be access shafts every so often, and then there was the issue of where the stations would be sited; they had to exist, and that meant that something on the surface had to give. That was a complicated balancing act; they had to avoid the trap of locating the stations in areas of existing green space, which was at a premium already, and they had to avoid historic buildings too, those places that were local landmarks and had stood foursquare for over a century in most cases…
He had come up with a plan for one station though that he thought was ingenious, and those above him seemed to concur. They would use a semi-derelict former bank building as the entrance on street level for one of those stations. The fine art-deco exterior would be shored up, allowing their retention, but the inside that had once existed had been modernised away in the careless seventies, so the rest of the premises would be gutted, and a deep hole built instead. That would allow access below, where a concrete raft would be constructed to shore up the adjacent premises whilst the station concourse and platforms were excavated below them. He was glad that he lived in a time where the idea was to retain and restore, not just clear and rebuild without a thought for what was being lost. Now the infrastructure that would benefit the community would be provided without the destruction of the same community by the construction works…
He had a brief meeting to attend just after lunch, in which they would all be updated on the next major project for the city's transport network. This was the long overdue proposal to build an actual subway line right into the heart of JFK airport, similar to the project that was taking place at La Guardia already. With the aviation industry now making excellent progress on a new generation of much greener aircraft, it was now deemed unacceptable that the majority of the passengers wishing to board said planes would have to arrive by car, causing congestion in the immediate area, even if modern cars emitted less fumes. That congestion had made the suggestion of express electric buses a non-starter, ruled out a streetcar that would have taken away roadspace, and well, the current arrangement was not ideal, as it was that exchange of transport modes that kept people driving to the airport.
So now the proposal was in place; a new subway line that would run deep under Manhattan once it had crossed through Queens, mostly under existing subway or LIRR routes to avoid too much disruption to traffic. Beats had started to pay much more attention when the route of the line under Manhattan began to be discussed, as there was a new element to what was now being discussed; someone had decided to join up the new route from La Guardia to it, and then extend it through to Newark as well…
Until then, it had been the case that the route would have entered the island at 42nd Street, connecting to the Second Avenue line, and offering good access to the UN Building, before heading on to Grand Central, on the same level as the East Side Access. Then it would be routed diagonally across town to Penn Station with no stop. Now the line would be projected beyond that point to Newark, and with the tunnels from the station under the Hudson already congested, following or using them was not an option…
Beats saw the merits of the scheme, emulating in a way the Elizabeth line in London, linking the two major stations to each other and the three airports on a fast line with few stops. Now he studied the proposed route to Newark, which would head via the World Trade Center, a fast version of the PATH train in many ways. He saw that there was a proposal for two or three stops between Penn and the latter, one of which was in the West Village. He immediately thought of Nick, and knew he would support such a scheme, as it would make his trip to and from work easier and quicker. However, it was how close the stop would be to their little West Village street that was important. Beats was relieved when he was asked to join the team studying the proposed routes, and even more relieved to find in a quick glance at a map that the geology below his own street made it unsuitable for a station, or even the tunnel…
As soon as the meeting drew to a close, Beats was able to head for home with his boss's blessing, and if his walking pace home that day was a little faster than normal, then it was only to be expected. Back in the house, there was time to change into more comfortable clothes, and put his laundry into the machine, knowing he could ask Dante to run it when he arrived home. He grabbed juice boxes and snacks from the cupboard, grabbed the bag in which he had packed his own needs, and the rucksack that Ty had packed, and headed for the school. He arrived just as the end of the school day came. His youngest son was shocked to see him there at first, but once he saw his rucksack, he was happy. They headed off to the subway at a good pace, both smiling…
The 'L' train seemed to take forever though as it rattled under the streets of Manhattan, and then under the East River, but then they were arriving at Bedford Avenue, and emerging into the streets of Williamsburg, only a few blocks from the apartment that Josh and Scott owned. Elliott would not be expecting them for at least another hour, and Beats had decided that he should not text him to say they were going to be early. It was only as they pressed the buzzer for the apartment that Beats realised that his husband might not be in, as he had indicated that he took the twins to the nearest park every afternoon…
However, the door suddenly opened, the video camera showing the man upstairs who was on the street below. It was into the elevator then, which seemed so slow as they watched the numbers rise to the floor that Elliott would be waiting on. Sure enough, as the elevator door opened, they saw him standing there, grinning from ear to ear. He hugged Ty first, then the boy headed in to greet the twins, knowing enough to make himself scarce. That allowed his two dads to embrace warmly on the threshold, both whispering how much they had missed the other being around every day…
There would be time for a proper catch up later of course; for now, there were the needs of children to attend to. As soon as he was inside the front door, Beats found himself mobbed by the twins, both of them anxious to tell him all that had happened since he saw them last. He had wondered if his decision to be fairly harsh with them on his last visit might have made them scared of him, leaving them wary and distant towards him, but that did not seem to be the case. It was as if it had never happened, or he had been forgiven, as his actions meant that both of their fathers could come back home in due course…
He allowed himself to be dragged into the lounge and into playing a game with them, which let Elliott show Ty the bedroom that he would be using. The young man decided that he would be best making a start on his homework there and then, thus also avoiding having to play games. Elliott chuckled at that, then took his husband's bag from the hallway into the master bedroom. He unpacked the few items that he had brought with him, then went back to see how the game was progressing….
Beats had learned many years ago that it was best to let young children win in these sort of situations, his first hand experience from his sister's children. He also knew that it was advisable not to make it too obvious that was what you were doing, as that was a road filled with trauma and heartache for all involved. He was entirely engrossed in the game, and so Elliott just smiled and headed to the kitchen to start the meal for the evening, or rather, the two meals he would be preparing that evening, both very different.
He, Beats and Ty would be eating a rich chicken stew, served with fresh vegetables, whilst it would be a very different sort of chicken dish for the twins. He had made his own battered pieces of chicken breast this time, shaped like their preferred nuggets, a small rebellion he hoped would succeed. With the stew simmering away, and the homemade nuggets in the oven, he headed back to the lounge, which was filled with laughter; laughter which he joined in with as he saw from his facial expression that his husband had lost…
The twins would be in bed not long after 8pm, fooled by their fresh nuggets, and Ty made excuses then too, citing the need to finish his homework. He knew that the two adults needed alone time to catch up with each other. As soon as he was gone, Beats and Elliott snuggled up closer together on the sofa, pretending to watch a show on the television, but not fooling anyone that really observed…
"I've missed this. You take so much for granted when you live together, and it is the little stuff like this that you miss the most. It has not been the same sitting here on my own on the sofa, even if I have managed to finish that book that you gave me for Christmas back in 2024. Every night diligently reading does get it done, along with some time in the afternoon when they were having their nap. The truth is that other than cleaning and laundry, I really do not have much else to do here other than look after the twins. Josh and Scott have all of their food shopping delivered, although I will need to check that they have cancelled the order for the time after Scott's folks arrive back. They also need to amend the one for next week, as they have left on some things that were obviously their personal favourites! They have so much Ben and Jerry's here that the freezer is half filled with cartons of it!"
"I don't see that is totally a bad thing," mused Beats.
"They had 6 cartons of it delivered on Tuesday, and there were already 3 unopened cartons in the freezer…"
"Okay, I give, that is a lot of ice cream! Being the good people that we are, we need to help them deal with that overstock, just in case the freezer goes on the fritz…"
Elliott laughed, but took the hint, and headed to the freezer, returning with two cartons, one of his own preference and one he knew was a great favourite of his husband's…
"I will try my best to finish this by Sunday night, so as to create essential space in the freezer," said Beats, before he took the spoon his husband proffered, and began to make headway on the dessert.
Elliott smiled, and said, "Okay, whilst you are quiet, I will just run through all of the things that need to be done tomorrow. I will b on shift from 7am to 7pm, so you will be in total charge of the two tiny terrors for about 14 hours…"
The list delivered, Elliott started on his own ice cream, but eventually they had both consumed enough, and in any case, time was moving along. "I was thinking, given how long you will be away from me for the next two days, that we should make the most of the snuggling time that we have available. I mean, it is funny how empty a king sized bed feels when you are so used to sharing one…" hinted Beats.
"Yes, I noticed that do, and it is funny how the same kind of bed never felt so big when we were single; then they seemed just right. Okay, so if you put the ice cream away, I will just check up on Ty, and tell him we are having an early night, as he will still be awake." replied Elliott. He went to do so, and Beats switched off the television, put the ice cream back in the freezer, and then went about rinsing the mugs that had once held tea that were still on the table. He left them to dry on the rack, and made his way to the bedroom.
He was joined there less than a minute later by his husband. "Ty was still awake, so I explained to him where he could find the mugs, and about the boiling water tap, and where he would find the sachets of instant hot chocolate. Then, as I was leaving, he said he would be putting his headphones on, and to enjoy ourselves…"
Beats felt his face going bright red, matching the shade that Elliott's already was. "He is probably on the phone, either calling or texting Dante right now, to tell him what he thinks we are doing…" he said deadpan, and then he sniggered, which started Elliott laughing too.
"At least he isn't embarrassed about us doing it. We raised those boys right, to know that you are never too…"
"Don't say it!" hissed Beats. "Now, Mr Harper-Gilbert, get ready and get into the bed. I need my Starchild snuggles…"
Elliott grinned, and leant over to kiss his husband. It would be so good to be back sharing a bed with his husband…
Had it not been for two very wakeful children, Elliott could well have found the following day getting off to a really bad start. In his haste to get to bed the previous night, he had forgotten to set an alarm for the morning, and Beats had not done so either. They were both woken when four small hands started to prod at them, and gently slap them, but their initial annoyance turned to something closer to relief when they saw the time. The twins had come to wake them up as they were hungry, and thankfully had done so before Elliott would need to leave for work.
As Beats prepared their breakfast, his husband worked his way speedily through his usual morning ablutions, before rushing into the kitchen, ready for work, grateful that there was a cup of coffee waiting for him, along with some toast already spread with peanut butter; far less than he would normally have for breakfast, but enough to tide him over until he could have something a little more substantial at the Spotlight. It would be just after 6am when he said his farewells to the twins, now satisfied having eaten, asking them to be good for their uncle, and then he kissed his husband goodbye before running off to the subway.
As Elliott disappeared back to the adult world he was used to, Beats found himself immersed deeper in one that he was not used to. He had not spent much time at all with his sister's children when they were the age the twins were now, as he had been at college when they turned two. He had not even found himself called upon to babysit little Wes at that age, so providing entertainment to someone that was still a toddler was all new to him. He was relieved that the twins seemed content to grab a toy each and entertain themselves whilst he tidied away the breakfast dishes, then got washed and dressed himself. A glance out of the window told him that weatherwise, it was not a great day. The drizzle and the keen wind that was blowing were likely to continue all day, according to the weather reporter on NY1, and that made a trip to the park an undesirable option…
Ty would appear at a little after 7am, and he did so to find the twins were now also washed and dressed, and the news channel had been replaced by something that was showing a more child friendly schedule. Beats headed back to the kitchen to prepare his foster son his breakfast, and then he brought it through to him in the lounge, carrying a cup of coffee for himself. They sat at the table, half watching the children's cartoon that the twins were glued to…
"We didn't have anything like this when I was young," said Beats all of a sudden, and Ty chuckled at what was a very 'old person' line. "We had a few cartoons on the local channel at the weekend, but that was enough to keep us satisfied back then, as we had much else to entertain us. We did not have Peppa Pig jumping into muddy puddles, as she inhabits a slightly surreal 2D world. I mean, look at that - there is no car in the real world that could drive up a hill that steep!"
Ty smiled, and replied, "That's true, but there also isn't a young man who, following a radioactive spider bite, can shoot webs from his wrist and swing high above the streets from them; nor is there a man that can run as fast as that man in Central City. It is all make believe. However, I am very much with you on the surreal part. I mean, they go to barbecues, and you have to ask, what do they cook there? It won't be steaks, chicken or sausages…"
"It definitely would not be the latter," answered Beats, who then sighed, shaking his head. "Look at the weather… I know that I should be doing something more constructive with the children than sitting here watching television, something more active, but that drizzle does not make their usual stroll to the playground a good idea at all…"
"Well, there is an alternative," said Ty. "I took the liberty of doing some research before we came, as I wanted to be able to help look after the twins, given that they are kinda my cousins, and it seems there is an indoor play space not far from here. It's called Twinkle Playspace, and it is specifically aimed at kids aged under 6. We would need to reserve a slot, but it would get the twins out and doing something more physical that watching a cartoon pig…"
Beats checked the venue out himself on the internet, and on inspection, it did seem like the ideal place to take the twins. He made a note of the time that the phone lines opened so he could book a spot, but first he decided to call his husband up and see if he approved of the idea. His husband was as enthusiastic as Ty had been.
"It sounds ideal for weather like this, a bit like a version of that place in London Nick and Jeff used to take Wes, if a little less advanced. I think you should go for it, and if they enjoy it, it gives me an alternative place to take them during the rest of the week. Last week, when it was raining, we went for a walk in the park, and they are literally obsessed with jumping in puddles…"
"Peppa has a lot to answer for!" quipped Beats, and Elliott laughed out loud.
At the appointed time, Beats made the call, and was relieved to hear that he could bring the twins to the center anytime that day, in an hour's time if it suited him. He turned to look across the room, to where the cartoons were no longer as attractive, and Ty was looking a little frazzled at being the centre of attention, and told the lady he would see her in an hour. In no time, the twins were in their coats, and off out en route to the playspace, Beats having remembered to pack the extra socks that the center insisted upon, something they had to wear for safety and hygiene as they played…
They arrived early, but there was no need to wait, and soon the twins were off on their own, engaging in all of the activities and meeting other children their age. All of that happened in full view of the little café area that was filled with other parents, and was supervised at a distance by well trained staff. Beats relaxed with a coffee, and Ty with a soda, both taking turns at chatting to the twins and dealing with the issues when they appeared at their table. They spent the whole morning there, and the twins were left tired out, to the extent that they barely managed to eat lunch before they were willingly heading to bed for an afternoon nap…
Elliott would arrive back at his brother's place in Williamsburg that evening feeling much more exhausted than he usually did after a shift at the Spotlight. Even though it had been a week since his last shift at the diner, and looking after the twins was much less physical, he had not quite anticipated just how tired a 12 hours shift in charge of the hectic diner would leave him feeling. There had been the usual round of issues, the usual complaints, the brunch, lunch and early dinner rushes, but all of it had seemed more draining.
He had been glad of his well trained staff, and had been especially impressed with the newest one of all, Lachlan. He had been confronted by a particularly tricky customer, and had handled the situation like a seasoned pro, responding with just the right amount of sympathy and degree of courtesy to soothe the troubled waters, whilst not ever actually either accepting that there was a fault on the diner's part, or putting the blame on the lady in question, who was actually the one in the wrong…
He had been glad to see his relief when they arrived, and had been even more thrilled to see a quiet 'L' train pulling up at the platform as soon as he stepped onto it; the ride into Manhattan had been the exact opposite, and he had been squashed and jostled all the way in. he sank gratefully down onto a seat, and found his eyes closing, which was almost a disaster, as he barely made it off the train when he suddenly woke and saw the signs for Bedford Avenue on the wall. The streets of the suburb were busy as he walked back to the apartment, filled with people going out to enjoy an evening at one of the many bars and restaurants in what was still a very hip neighbourhood. The very idea of joining them after a day at work left him feeling even more tired, and he sighed, knowing that to be a sign that he was definitely in middle age…
He entered the apartment and immediately noted two things. The first one was the smell of the dinner that was being made for him, which he knew would be a perfectly cooked escalope, with a selection of vegetables, as it was one of the dishes that his husband found easy to prepare. He would be the to admit that he was lacking in great culinary skills, and refused point blank to even entertain attempting any sort of pastry dish. He had made one attempt at a full sized cake, and had produced one that was sunken in the middle, and entirely inedible there, although the ring round the outside had tasted beautiful…
The second thing that Elliott noticed was the uncanny silence, and it disturbed him a little. There was no sound of children playing, nor of cartoons on the television. He hung up his coat, and hastened into the lounge to find Beats sitting there, reading a book. He smiled, and putting a marker in his place, stood up to greet his husband with a kiss.
"Ty is in the kitchen, keeping an eye on dinner, at his own suggestion. He says that he wants to be able to cook well, and he said that it would be best to start by keeping an eye on me. I don't see that as entirely complimentary, as we both know I am a disaster in the kitchen, but he is a good kid nonetheless. As for the twins, the visit to the playspace tired them out so much that they are both bathed, a story read, and fast asleep in bed."
Elliott stared at Beats, then said, "That playspace is now on the top of my list of places to take them next week. They ran me ragged until 9pm nearly every night last week!"
"Go and freshen up, then we will eat," replied Beats with a grin, and another kiss for his husband's cheek. Elliott was only too pleased to comply with the instruction. That done, he returned to find the meal served and waiting on the dining table, which sat in front of the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the East River and Manhattan beyond. The lights of the skyscrapers, many of them global landmarks, filled the view, and it was beautiful to observe, but silently the three people at the table all agreed on one thing; the West Village was much more homely…
Ty would head to his room again to watch a film on his tablet once the table was cleared, knowing that this weekend was about quality time for his two foster dads, and they would not have any of that tomorrow. By the time that Elliott got back from his shift at the diner, there would be time for a quick meal before he and Beats had to head back to the West Village for the purpose of work and school on Monday morning. The two husbands found a film that they wanted to watch, and curled up on the sofa together to watch it. Beats had already set an alarm for the following morning, as he did not think it wise to rely on small children as an alarm clock for the second day.
He found himself smiling twenty minutes later, as he realised that Elliott had dozed off, but he did nothing, knowing that he would wake up in a very short time, startled by it, and be full of apologies. Sure enough, moments later he did just that, and blushed. "I am so sorry, my love, I just feel really tired tonight. I think that it is partly down to having to take the subway to and from work, and the rest down to being out of my usual routine, and my brain having to cope after a break. It was a really busy day too, with quite a few absolutely shocking customers as well. It transpires on that note that as well as being a wonderful singer, Lachlan is a master at customer service. He just dealt with a really obnoxious woman without batting an eyelid…"
Elliott stopped as he heard Beats chuckle to himself. He looked at him, and his husband said, "Flint once told me that he was an expert at dealing with awkward people and situations because all Jewish boys have to learn to cope with awful aunts, overbearing mothers, and disappointed grandparents from the day they are born. I didn't believe him at the time, but well, it seems that Lachlan is just as well trained…"
"Thinking about it, your best friend is extremely able to deal with difficult folks, so I am convinced it is true," laughed Elliott in reply. Then they settled back to watch the film, but in the end, decided that they would be better off just having another early night, so they could enjoy sleeping in each other's arms again…