OD
"Have you worked out the details of your stay in New York yet, Oscar?" Leo asked him over dinner. Leo knew that Oscar's trip to the convention at the DNC was a last hour plan. It was originally supposed to be Ellen attending. However, with the date of the summit in Japan changing to accommodate the outcome of Australian election. Whomever would be the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia, as the PM vacating the job, had their work cut out for them.
They were in the Residence. Ellen was on a state visit to Japan for a summit and June was in Vermont with Nora, visiting Nora's parents. Oscar had taken a late flight from Austin, Texas with a layover in DC, when a bad squall had grounded his connecting flight to New York.
His Secret Service agent assigned to him, as Ellen's ex-husband, had suggested that he see if there was a spare hotel room anywhere. But with the severe squall and all flights in and out of DC, Maryland and Virginia grounded, there were none to be found. That was when Leo had reached out. He had known that Oscar was travelling through on the way to the DNC conference. He had invited him to stay in the Residence. His usual room he had when he visited for Christmas and Thanksgiving had already been prepared for him. He and Leo were friends now, if you could go that far. Over the years and the number of times they'd spent together had increased, somewhere along the line, they had become friends. Much to Ellen's dismay. Hell, Oscar respected Leo. Liked him even. He had thought that the eccentric millionaire was a good fit for his ex-wife, not that he'd ever tell her that. Sure, they didn't get along at first, he didn't want this unknown man swooping in and playing dad to his kids. But Leo had never overstepped the line and although at first, June and Alex had been hesitant, they had eventually warmed up to the new man in their mom's life. Which had thawed Oscar's feelings on Leo.
Leo was generous with his time and money towards Ellen and Oscar's children, not having any children of his own, and being an only child didn't bless him with any nieces or nephews to spoil. He had paid for June to go to journalism school and Alex's law school off his own back, despite the fact that Oscar and Ellen had more than enough money for their schooling and had argued with them about it. Leo had insisted and told them both, that it was his honour to help them get the best education for them. To help his stepchildren achieve their own goals. He had come into their lives, almost immediately after the divorce had been finalized and Leo had watched on, as both kids navigated their way through their adolescence and into adulthood. Now, he had his own relationship with the young adults. He wasn't just 'the guy their mom married' anymore. He was 'Stepdad, Leo' or in Alex's case 'Leo, the guy who keeps mom from losing her shit at the Republicans.'
Now, over the years, Leo and Oscar had become family, as well as friends. That was how they found themselves, alone, in the Residence on a random Tuesday night. Eating dinner and sharing a casual conversation about nothing of consequence. Just enjoying one another's company as the squall outside battered the tri-state area.
"Alex and Henry have insisted I stay with them." Oscar grinned at Leo. As if both men didn't know that Alex was relentless and would stop at nothing, for a chance to get to host his dad. "From a security standpoint it makes sense. They've already got their place fully decked out. Plus, Eric, my Secret Service agent, wants to stay with his own kid while we're in town. So, we agreed that he would stay with his kid, and I'll stay with the boys. Amy and Cash, plus Michael and Simon - the royal PPOs, keep the Brownstone locked up like Fort Knox."
"You'll love staying with them. Ellen and I have stayed with them a couple of times. Even when we were in town, last month." Leo agreed, wholeheartedly. "It's definitely going to change how you see the boys. They're very different in their own home, to how they are when they stay with us here or at your lake house. Different in a good way."
"Henry's good for Alex." Oscar smiled, as he thought about the last time, he had the boys at the lake house.
"Have you been back to the Brownstone since they first moved in?" Leo asked, trying to recall if Alex had ever mentioned Oscar visiting since that very first day when everyone was there together and they got pizza delivered and they all ate dinner, on the floor of the empty house.
"Haven't been back there, since the day they picked up the keys." Oscar said, regretfully. "Been tryin' to get out there for a while now. Just glad that this convention is in Brooklyn at the DNC Headquarters this year and I can spend some time with them."
"Just remember to make sure you knock before walking into any room." Leo joked. "Ellen thought it would be safe to venture down into the utility room one morning. She went to do down to do some laundry and caught them kissing in the utility room. They're still very much in the honeymoon phase of their relationship."
"I'll keep that in mind." Oscar smirked, as he silently held up the whiskey bottle to his friend, offering him an after-dinner drink.
June had called her father, hearing about the storm from the NBC news in Vermont. She had been worried about her father flying in such a strong squall.
"June, I am ok." Oscar tried to console his daughter and eldest child on the phone. "I'm spending the night at the Residence with Leo, and I'll travel onto New York tomorrow and I'll be with the boys then. Alex knows where I am. He isn't going to venture out in the storm to meet me when my flight is cancelled." He loved his daughter, but she was worrying for nothing.
"Oh God, are you staying with them the whole time? I can send you the key to our apartment in Manhattan." June laughed. She and Nora had spent the odd night at the Brownstone, and they had an insight into the relationship, she, as Alex's sister, hadn't needed. "Feel free to escape there. Those two can be too much."
"Alex insisted, Mija." Oscar explained, hoping that June wouldn't worry, knowing that he would have on-site security, by staying with them. "Plus, I want to get to know Henry a little better. He's just starting to come out of his shell around me."
"Dad, just don't go opening random drawers in any room of the house. Other than the kitchen, upstairs or kitchenette on the main floor." June sighed, dramatically. "Nora opened the drawer on the credenza in the front entryway and really wished she hadn't."
"Catalina June, I'm sure it's not that bad." He was sure she was exaggerating. She probably thought he'd imposed on Alex. If there was one thing, he did know about Catalina June Claremont-Diaz, there is nothing she wouldn't do to protect her brother.
"Not that bad!" She repeated her father, sardonically. "When we house sat for them while they were in London. We found eleven bottles of lube stashed around the Brownstone that wasn't in their bedroom and they lock their bedroom when they're away. We now have a no house-sitting for Alex and Henry rule."
Oscar smirked to himself. He was sure his daughter was exaggerating. "Well; one, you and Nora shouldn't have been snooping around their house while they were away. Two, Mija, I'm sure they will behave responsibly while I am there. Three, they're young and they're in love. I know you love and want to protect Alex, but Mija, he's a grown man. He's in a loving, committed relationship with a man. Boundaries are a thing too, and you should respect them. He respects yours and your relationship with Nora."
"Fine, but when you walk in on them going at it, in Alex's office and you are traumatised for life, don't say you weren't warned." June warned him.
"Sir?" Eric, his assigned Secret Service agent. Eric rarely interrupted him when he had his laptop open and was busy with work. "Amy and Cash have advised us that they will have a car waiting for you, just outside baggage claim. So, I will leave you in their hands there. Please call if you need me. Other than that, I will meet you, with a car on Monday morning, outside the Brownstone."
"Thank-you, Eric. But I will be ok." Oscar smiled at his Secret Service agent. He didn't really need security. But his ex-wife had insisted when she had one her the election that put her in highest office in the land. She had told him that she would never forgive herself if someone got to him, because he was the father of her children. So, she still cared.
Somewhere along the way, while they were both in politics, they had reached an unspoken agreement. In public, they would kind and civil, caring and friendly exes, showing no animosity between them and if there was an issue, it was to be dealt with in private. They would share all major holidays, not forcing the children to choose who would spend what holiday, where. She would have an agent assigned to him for protection and she would keep him briefed on any threats that were made regarding their children.
Of course, everything didn't always run smooth. Despite being on the same side in politics, there were too many times when Ellen and Oscar fought. Times when they screamed and shouted at one another. Times when one person could destroy the other with words. Times when their opinions clashed. Times when Oscar hated the way Ellen used the children to promote her agenda and times when Ellen hated how Oscar trotted her children out on display, just to get reelected.
Catalina June was usually the one that called either of her parents out when they began arguing. She was also the one whom, as a big sister, always tried to shield Alex from it the best that she could. Most of the time she could diffuse it. There was of course, on the rare occasion, times when Alex let his temper get the better of him and he would call them out, before storming out. Leo would always stay neutral. Silent. Sometimes he would escape. Sometimes, he sat there, unphased. Often, Oscar would look up from fighting with his ex-wife and notice that one of the kids had escaped. Sometimes both. When one of the kids would slip out, he was sure that when he'd look back up Leo would always be gone too. No doubt offering whichever child needed the comfort, that comfort they needed.
It hadn't been until that disastrous Christmas dinner when Alex had lost his cool with both of them the first time, that he realised that June had stayed to referee the match and not followed Alex out to protect him. Much, much, much later on, after Ellen had been re-elected did both Ellen and Oscar learn that Alex had actually reached out to Henry for support, not to Leo on that fateful night.
When Alex had come out to Oscar, when planning to spend some time at the Lake House, Oscar had been floored. He hadn't had a clue, the slightest inkling that his son had been bisexual. No one had told him, tried to prepare him or given him a heads up and he had felt like he had been caught off-guard. He had of course supported his son. He was an ally, and his best friend and fellow Senator Rafael Luna was gay. But when Alex had furthered his explanation and explained that for the last eight months, he had been seeing His Royal Highness Prince Henry, he could barely string a couple of words together. Once he had recovered from his shock, he had teased Alex, before assigning the boys the room with the bunk beds and warning his son that Santa Maria was watching.
Oscar's shock at his son's bisexuality had set June into a round of giggles before explaining all the ways it had been obvious to her, long before Alex and Henry had ever met. As soon as June and Oscar had finished their conversation and he was alone in his bedroom, he had phoned Ellen. She had been with Leo and the three of them had discussed it, alongside June's revelations. Ellen had not been surprised, having suspected their son was somewhere on the rainbow and had privately questioned Alex's friendship with Liam.
Leo hadn't actually been told by Alex, per se. He had overheard the news from a hushed conversation between Zahra and Ellen, after Zahra had forced Alex to come out to his mom. Zahra had been relaying how she had basically had a panic attack when she had gone to Alex's hotel room and found a naked Henry struggling to shimmy into his boxers, inside a closet. Ellen had been laughing and Leo hadn't been able to help himself and laughed too, before they had pulled him into the conversation, interrogating him. Demanding to know if Alex had already told him.
Leo had shaken his head no. He had chosen to keep to himself, how he had discovered it as not to upset anyone. Leo had the unfortunate pleasure of finding out another way. Unlike anyone else, besides Amy, he had kept Alex's secret. It hadn't been his secret to tell. He had kept to himself how he had seen Amy escort Henry into the red room, at that state dinner. Leo had been on the way to sneak off for a cigar and upon his return, he'd seen Amy open the door to the red room before exclaiming "Oh God!" and quickly backing out of it. He had heard the clanging of the brass bibs and bobs on display too. Leo had stepped back, into a small alcove in the passageway and watched as Henry and Alex appeared from the room, disheveled and straightening themselves up as they made their way back to the main room. From then on, Leo had been suspicious.
But it had sealed the deal in Leo's mind when, the following morning, he had joined Alex in the gym and Alex had his shirt off as he ran on the treadmill and earbuds in. Leo's eyes had bugged out when he had seen the trail of hickeys down his chest and his stepson's back and across his shoulders. He had pretended not to see anything and had continued his own routine. He was content to wait for Alex to come to him, despite having no doubt who had decorated Alex's skin with love bites. He just made sure to give Alex a warm, genuine smile of silent support, when he was done. Like always.
From that lengthy conversation, with his ex-wife and her husband, along with June's insights rolling around in his head, Oscar had concluded that he had been just as oblivious to his son had been. But from the first moment he had seen Henry and Alex together, and spent time with them, he could see how much brighter Alex shined when he was with Henry. It was as if someone had found the light switch inside Alex. But it had also pained Oscar to know that there would be hurdles between them and he hadn't known if they were up to the task of facing them together or if they would implode from all of the external pressure.
But he had been proud of the way that Alex and Henry had handled themselves. His son had fought for Henry and Henry had been strong enough to stand up to the Queen, in the end. Both men had changed and grown both individually and within their relationship. But it had been announced that Alex was going to apply to law school at NYU, it had been Oscar's turn to know and watch his ex-wife and her right-hand woman, Zahra fluster in surprise. Leo seemed to have already known and June, also. Leo had nodded to Alex and Oscar had wondered if he had confided his plans to Leo.
Oscar had learnt of his son's law school plans when he had been visiting him three weeks before the announcement. He was waiting for his son in his room, Alex had promised he was only a minute away and they had plans to watch Star Wars together. When his cell rang and it was his PA with some urgent information, he needed for something important, he had taken himself over to his son's desk for a pen and some paper. Not finding a notepad, he had opened the top drawer in search of one. There was the LSAT results, open and lying flat. He snatched up the pen and wrote down what he had to. When he disconnected the call with his PA, Alex returned and saw the drawer open. "Wanna talk about it?" He asked his father, knowing that his father had seen the letter of result from when he took his LSAT.
"That's an impressive score, Alejandro." Oscar beamed at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Alex shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know." He mumbled. "Didn't really tell anyone. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it just yet."
"179 is nothing to scoff about, it's almost perfect marks. It is beyond extraordinary, Mijo." Oscar said, still smiling at his discovery.
"Just don't tell anyone, until I do." Alex sighed, closing the drawer. "And for the love of God, act surprised."
That had been how Oscar had learnt about Alex, the LSATs and the possibility of attending law school in the fall.
If it was a coincidence when June announced shortly afterwards, that she had taken a position with New York Magazine and would be moving to New York as well, Oscar didn't buy it. His daughter Catalina June had always taken it upon herself to make sure Alex was well cared for. She was his big sister and his protector. Even if that meant from a bit further away than her usual, as Alex let Henry get closer, it forced June to take a step back. But Oscar was proud of both of his children for their accomplishments.
Touching down at JFK had been smooth, as usual, Oscar had booked himself into first class. Not so much for the leg room, because he was a little bit shorter than his son, but so he could work and not be worried that someone might see the classified documents he was working on. Plus, it helped, for security reasons. At least that was his reasoning for the extra cost to the taxpayers.
As Eric had told him, there was Cash waiting with a car, right outside baggage claim. With a nod to his counterpart, Eric, Cash now had control of his security as Oscar waved goodbye to Eric. "Welcome to New York, Senator." Cash grinned at him from the driver's seat.
"Cash? You know better. Call me, Oscar you Muppet." Oscar joked with him. They go through this same conversation, every time that he sees Cash. Cash has been with his family for a long time now and Oscar expects some familiarity between them.
"Ok, Oscar you Muppet." Cash replied with cheek, as their usual banter plays out. Before they settle into the nitty gritty of catching one another up in their lives or lack thereof. Both men are self-confessed workaholics, with no real time for romance or casual relationships.
As Cash pulled up out the front of the Brownstone, Amy came out to meet him and escort him up the stairs. "Welcome to New York, Senator Diaz." Amy smiled at him, as she helped him retrieve his bags from the trunk of the town car. "You're clear to step on up and ring the bell when you're ready, Sir."
Amy waited on the sidewalk, scanning the area, with Cash ready to whisk him away should a threat mysteriously materialize.
But the door to the brownstone was flung open and standing before him was his son. His son was full of smiles, glasses perched on his face. "Dad!" Alex exclaimed, excitedly. You could see the happiness on Alex's face. "Let me take your bags."
As Alex took his bag, he pulled his dad in for a hug. "Great to see you too, Mijo." Oscar grinned at him, finding he meant every word he was saying.
"Come on in!" Alex almost demanded, dragging his father in to their home by his arm. Alex was excited for his father to finally be visiting them. "Come in, you haven't been here since we moved in. Let me give you the tour, then we can catch up."
Alex led Oscar up the first flight of stairs to what Alex and Henry lovingly referred to as the mezzanine level. We call this the mezzanine, because it's like not quite one floor up. But we love it." He told his father, as he showed Oscar the now furnished rooms and he dropped Oscar's bags in the one they'd chosen for him. The mezzanine level housed their guest rooms, main lounge room, kitchen and living room, plus two bathrooms.
"You boys have done really good. Decorating this place." Oscar praised. He liked the happy balance between the earthy tones of his Texas lake house and what Oscar imagined were, the beige walls of Kensington Palace. "I owe your mom five bucks!"
Climbing the next flight of stairs, Alex grinned as he heard his father wince. "Don't worry, Dad. You get used to the stairs." Alex quipped with a grin before turning serious. "Seriously though, at least you won't have to venture this far up very often. Unlike Hen and I. Our bedroom is on this floor." Above the mezzanine level was two smaller rooms that currently sat empty, a main bathroom between the bedrooms. There was a fairly decent sitting room, a half bath off that.
"Smart ass, Mijo." Oscar sassed at his son as he took in what Alex was showing him. He noted to himself but did not comment on the fact that the two bedrooms closest to their own were purposely empty.
As well as what was on described on the floor plans as 'the master suite'. "Our bedroom is here." Alex opened the door, but that was as far as they went. Oscar didn't need to be in there, just as much as Alex didn't really want Oscar in his and Henry's private domain.
It was a perfectly sized master bedroom with enough room for a small relaxation space, oversized walk-in closet - big enough for two, and a spaciously spa bath and ensuite bathroom. The double French doors that were off the relaxation zone led to a smallish, but functional balcony facing the East River. At night, Henry and Alex loved to share a glass of wine and sit out there, gazing at the night's sky. Mostly, they found themselves looking out to see the Brooklyn bridge, all lit up at night, connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan, over the east River. Both Henry and Alex found it romantic and reminded them of their hotel room in Paris, the one that had overlooked the Eiffel Tower.
Returning back to the ground floor, David came running to be let outside and Alex gave his dad a tilt of his head. The classic indication to follow him. They made their way back to the main foyer of the home, before heading down a small hallway to a large formal sitting room which had a huge entertainment centre, TV, stereo and was kitted out in the latest tech. "This is our main living room. The one we spend the bulk of our working day in. Henry's office is through there and mine is through that door. This is our library and the mud room and the undercover outdoor area that led to a small rear yard." Alex opened the door to the yard and David took off like a pocket rocket. Out into the small garden to do his business, stretch his legs and have a play.
"You have a beautiful home." Oscar smiled at him, pulling his son into a half hug, squeezing him affectionately as he went.
"Coffee?" Alex asked the ridiculously obvious question, leaving the excited beagle to do his business and chase the butterflies in the garden for a moment. "Oh, and that door leads to the Security Quarters."
"Sure." Oscar nodded in reply. Alex let out a whistle and he was surprised to see David sprint back into the house. Alex closing and locking the door behind him. "Geez, Henry's done a good job training him. If all dogs were that well behaved, perhaps, you could have had your own dog when you were a kid."
"I'll settle for David listening to me when Henry is home." Alex laughed, leading his dad to the kitchenette off the living room downstairs. "So, tell me everything I have missed since I moved to Brooklyn." Alex begged, as he prepared the coffee for the two of them.
Oscar told Alex everything that had been happening with him. The renovations he was planning to make at the lake House, towards the end of fall and into winter. Oscar spoke about what he had been working on and how Raf had been instrumental in helping him get a bill onto the Senate floor. Then Oscar launched into an animated and passionate discussion about why they needed the bill to pass.
While they caught up, his father regaled him with everything he had been missing out on, and Alex realised something when he was refilling their coffee mugs. He didn't actually miss it, as much as he thought he would.