Jeff Surprises Sebastian
There would of course be some key names missing from the petition. As all of the Warblers in the city made an effort to sign it, along with the former New Directions, and a page or two even made its way into the offices of Vogue, there were three people that wished to sign that were sitting in London, and therefore could not put pen to paper. Nick had of course got his sister involved; Jeff had mentioned the situation in a passionate piece on his art blog, and as a result many people in the artistic community in the city would join the line at the Spotlight Diner just to place their names on the petition. Sebastian had mentioned it on his Twitter account as well, and soon it was being retweeted by others. The Book of Mormon account was the first to do so, and a copy of the petition page went to the theatre to be signed by every one of the current cast and crew. It was also mentioned by Laurie Metcalfe, and of course by Sebastian's 'aunt' Bette, their support garnering even more signatures, and prompting a mention of it on The View and a long discussion of the issues in the pages of The Gothamist.
Apart from that, life in London carried on as normal, and on the Tuesday morning Nick was up at his usual hour, preparing breakfast for his household before he caught the tube to work. Sebastian was of course included in that, having settled into the rhythm of life in England well. He had been away when the news had broken, having left early on Sunday morning on the Eurostar to Paris, where he had spent the night with François and his partner. His first port of call on this his first trip back to his former home in years was, of course, Notre Dame. Although Sebastian would never have described himself as religious, that day in 2019 when the news broke that the great cathedral was on fire had seen him devastated. François, like the majority of Parisians, had been distraught. Sebastian had made an immediate donation to the rebuilding fund with Dave's full approval. It did him good therefore to see that the work was well under way, and that at least some of the roof had been restored; the new spire had not yet appeared of course, so controversial was the new design even now. The rest of his time in the city had been about catching up with his old friend, before he had to take the train back on Monday so he was available for his evening show.
Now he was up again fairly early, this time because he had been asked to accompany Jeff to an artist's gathering. That was all that he had been told about the event by his friend, other than that he needed to dress smart; he was a little resentful of the insinuation that he might not otherwise have done so. When Nick headed off to work, a wink to his husband accompanying his usual goodbye and enjoy your day, Jeff followed not long after, taking Wes to kindergarten. Sebastian had been sorely tempted to head upstairs and put on his most grungy T-shirt and ripped jeans, but in the end he did put on his best suit, a smart white shirt and of course his Dalton tie, hoping that he would pass muster. Jeff came home, nodded approvingly, and headed off to change himself; Sebastian had to admit that his friend really scrubbed up well when he came back…
Then it was off out and into a pre-booked taxi, whose driver therefore did not need to be informed of their destination, much to Sebastian's annoyance. They sat in silence as the cab drove firstly up to the main road, then headed into the centre of the city, keeping Hyde Park to the left as they went along through the usual chaotic London traffic. As they passed Hyde Park Corner and headed past the junctions towards Park Lane and Piccadilly before turning off, Jeff broke his silence. "It was really good of you to agree to come with me today, Seb. I am not all that keen on these things at the best of times, as you know, and trust me when I say they are ten times worse for me when I am alone."
"It wasn't a problem; it is actually nice to have something to keep you busy when your family is so far away. So, is there any chance that you could actually give me some sort of heads up as to what we are about to see, so I don't make a complete fool of myself, and even better, where we are going?"
"Well, we will be there in just a moment, so I guess I really should… We are going to a lunch for young artists, which is being held in that building just coming up on the right," said Jeff coyly.
Sebastian looked in the direction that Jeff was now indicating, but all he could see was… "I'm sorry, but… Are we going to a gathering at Buckingham Palace!?"
"That's the one; it is a gathering of the most talented young artists from around the world - and me." Sebastian promptly shook his head, wondering when his friend would ever stop being so self-deprecating. "There will be a display of all of our best works, and then luncheon with our host…" continued Jeff.
Sebastian nodded, and then it hit him. "Luncheon with our host?"
"Yes, we will be having lunch with the Queen…"
"With the…" began Sebastian, and then stopped as the full enormity of it all hit him. "We are having lunch with The Queen! Why on earth didn't you warn me!"
"Because having already met her, and had the exact same panic attack you are in the middle of right now for days in advance, I thought that it was best to say nothing. After all, she is just a woman really."
"Just a…" began an exasperated Sebastian. "Jeff, I am having lunch with one of the most iconic people of our times! She is not just a woman!"
"Just remember not to speak until she speaks to you, use Your Majesty first, then use ma'am, pronounced just like that, as in ham or jam. She does have a fondness for the theatre, and as she knows you are coming, she will ask you about the show and possibly your Broadway career to date. Just be as dapper and polite as Dalton trained us, and you will be fine. And look at it this way; unlike Betty White, it is highly unlikely that Her Majesty will goose you…"
Jeff delivered those last words with such an innocent look on his face that Sebastian couldn't help but laugh. "True, I very much doubt that the world's longest reigning monarch will goose me, blondie, but still… She is The Queen. It is quite the honour to even get the opportunity to meet her."
"I know… In any case, she will be joined by a few members of her extended family as well. From what I last heard that will include Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Cambridges, the Sussexes, the Wessexes, and as her mother's companion, the Princess Royal…"
Sebastian said nothing to that, having lapsed back into shock; after all, that was nearly the entire inner circle of the Royal Family, with the exception of the young children. He pondered if going sick right now was still an actual option, but a stern voice in his head told him that to do so would be to let himself down, Jeff down, and Dalton down. After all, if he could get up and perform for hundreds of people on a stage, then he could surely do this… "So I guess that it is Sir for all of the men after Your Highness, and a gentle bow as we are introduced," he said, noting that the taxi was now being allowed into the palace grounds by a policeman.
"Yes, just a little bow; nothing too ostentatious. I have met most of them, and really, they are just people. Her Majesty once famously said that being the Queen was just a job, one with no time off and no hope, at least in her case, of retirement. I mean, how many other 96 year old people do you know of that work? She has to go through her box of government papers 364 days a year, even when she is supposedly on her holidays - and apparently she still does read every single word of it. If you do get a little overwhelmed, then try and corner Meghan. You could talk to her about your acting career, and of course, that other thing that you have in common; the stress caused by the earthquake in L.A. Her mom escaped, but as you did with Peter, she had hours of fearing the worst…" With that Jeff got out of the cab, and went to pay the driver; Sebastian followed him, still in a bit of a daze.
On getting into the palace, having passed through all of the necessary security and been given their passes, Jeff was almost immediately approached by a footman, who whispered something in his ear. He nodded, then grabbed Sebastian by the arm, startling his friend who had been staring at the hallway before him. "We have been granted a special privilege," Jeff whispered to him. "Nicky is going to be more than a little jealous about this; rather than following the other guests down the hall, we are to go with the footman…" Sebastian nodded, and followed Jeff as he in turn followed the footman, who was heading for a door; the liveried man unlocked it, and stepped through, followed by the two guests. They waited as he locked it again behind them, and then walked them along to a corner, around which someone was waiting for them…
Jeff smiled, and after thanking the footman, greeted Kate, who returned his greeting just as warmly, then started to giggle. Jeff turned to find Sebastian standing behind him, staring straight ahead with his mouth open in shock, and burst out laughing himself. "As you are aware, my husband had a prior commitment and was unable to join me today; I have been accompanied therefore by our mutual friend Mr Sebastian Smythe, who usually isn't as lost for words…"
"Good morning, Mr Smythe," Kate said with a smile. "Don't worry, I have seen this reaction more than once."
"I am sure that you have, your highness," said Sebastian, remembering to bow as his brain function began to return to normal. "This is what happens, I am afraid, when your friend did not warn you in advance that you would be having these kind of meetings today."
"Well, I am glad that you have recovered yourself now, as I want to ask you so much about your career, as will Her Majesty. She is a great lover of the theatre, although she does prefer the classics; Shakespeare naturally, and the older musicals like Oklahoma. She did go and see Book of Mormon with Harry, but she decided that it was a little too 'modern' for her tastes…."
"I see that someone has done their research, ma'am," said Sebastian with a grin.
"We always do. Now, the reason I am here is that I am going to give you a whistlestop tour of the State Rooms before the reception starts properly. Oh, and Jeff, your 'surprise' has arrived safe and sound, and is on display in one of the side rooms for later…"
Sebastian did not have time to wonder what she meant by that as she walked them from one impressive room to the next. Jeff too was enthralled, studying each of the paintings they passed, naming the artists with such a degree of accuracy that he eventually elicited a 'Wow!' from the Duchess. "He really does know his stuff," was all Sebastian could say in response. They passed through the massive dining room, where the tables were being laid, as this was indeed where they would eat in just a short time…
After that they had to walk into the reception proper; there Sebastian found himself in the capable hands of the Duchess, as she introduced him to one family member after another, starting naturally with her husband. From there he moved on to Charles and Camilla, followed by Harry and Meghan. He couldn't help but smile as on hearing his name she promptly said, "Ah, the show saving Sebastian Smythe! I saw you in Book of Mormon, and you did make quite the Elder Price."
"Thank you, ma'am! I was just fortunate that I was blessed with such talented friends, such as Jeff over there, who had the guts to get up on stage and support me that night. Jeff is still regarded by some as one of the best ever Moronis…"
Jeff had of course to go and mingle, and introduce himself to the other artists, some of whom he had heard of and admired. He kept half an eye on Sebastian, but his nerves seemed to have gone, and by the time he got a chance to go and rejoin him, it was as he finished talking to the Wessexes about all things theatre. In a quiet moment then, Sebastian turned to his friend and whispered, "You were right; they are just people. This hasn't been all that difficult to do at all…" His words stopped then as the main door to the room opened, and a footman walked in; a man who asked them all to be upstanding for Her Majesty, the Queen….
Sebastian and Jeff were almost standing at the door in question, and the former followed his friend's lead in bowing his head as the monarch entered. On looking up again, he was struck at first by how petite she was, and he instantly felt like a giant in comparison. She looked remarkably spry for her age, her eyes sparkling as she gazed round the room, a smile on her face. At her side was her daughter, who Sebastian had always known was like her mother in appearance, that becoming all the more noticeable as she aged. She was also like her mother in her work ethic, tirelessly taking on charity work, official duties, and representing her country in sporting matters too; an Olympic medallist in her own field. The Queen had by now spotted Jeff, and Sebastian knew the time for thought was more or less over as she walked towards them…
"Ah, Mr Sterling-Duval. I am so glad that you could make it here to join us today."
"Your majesty, the honour is all mine, although alas, my husband was unable to accompany me. He sends his apologies."
"That is quite alright; his work at the UN is vitally important and must take priority. May I introduce you to my daughter?"
"It is a privilege to meet you too, your highness," replied Jeff as he bowed towards the Princess Royal; this done, he continued, "May I also introduce you both to the gentleman that came with me today; an old school friend of mine, Mr Sebastian Smythe."
The Queen turned towards Sebastian, and he instinctively bowed again as she said, "Ah, yes, the young man that is currently appearing in the titular role in Hamlet at the National Theatre, after a successful run in the play on Broadway; the latest in a long line of successes for him."
"Yes, that is correct, your majesty," replied Sebastian. "I am deeply honoured to be here today and to have been given this opportunity to meet you."
"I have seen footage of your performance in Oklahoma, and it was by far the best that I have seen. It would be a great pleasure to see you perform in your current production, but I believe that the run is sold out…."
"So I have been informed, ma'am, but I think that if I had a word in the right person's ear then seats could become available at a performance, or indeed, an additional performance could be scheduled for such a very special guest," replied Sebastian, without a hint of his initial nerves.
"That would be most gratifying, Mr Smythe," the Queen replied, then, with a slight nod of the head, she moved on to greet someone else.
"You see, she is just a woman," whispered Jeff in Sebastian's ear, and he had to admit that his blond friend had a point.
"True… Now would it be bad form for me to make a phone call right now - no, of course it would be. So you need to cover for me whilst I text the director; I have just made a promise after all that I need to deliver on. I just hope that landing him with this doesn't make him hate me…"
Jeff smiled, and replied quietly, "If I am right, then this will not be an issue; she is the Queen, and for your average person here in the UK, nothing will be too much trouble for her…"
His quickly sent text got an almost instantaneous response, firstly asking how he was even at the palace, and then, once that had been explained to him, asking if he could obtain the contact number for the Queen's diary secretary. Jeff managed to obtain that discretely from Kate, who just smiled when she was told why he needed it. By the time that they moved through for lunch, Sebastian had received another text telling him that they had an extra matinee performance in two weeks time, the prospect of which made him groan. "That is the week that François is supposed to be coming over. I guess that I will just have to…"
"…get him a ticket. There is a whole theatre to fill, and not many people will be able to say that they have attended a Royal Command Performance," said Jeff. Sebastian had to admit that his friend was right again, and that being at such a show would appeal to François no end…
They found themselves seated at the table alongside the Cambridges, and Sebastian had to shake his head in disbelief at times over just how friendly the royal couple were with Jeff, asking after Nick and Wes, and talking candidly about their own children as if Jeff was a long term friend or relative. The food when it arrived was as exquisite as one would expect at a royal palace, served on priceless bone china with some of the finest wine Sebastian had ever tasted. The meal over, the Queen stood to speak, talking knowledgeably about art, expressing her passion for the arts in all of its forms, and how important it was to encourage the younger generation to get involved, a sentiment both Sebastian and Jeff could applaud.
Then it was the turn of the Duke of Cambridge to get to his feet, firstly to thank all of the guests for coming, and bringing along examples of their work. "Your majesty has of course now seen all of those pieces, apart from one. The artist in question made enquiries as to whether he could possibly bring a certain piece of his work over to this country especially for this event, and he was able to arrange it without any question once he informed the current holders of his work just who it was intended for. It is also by far the largest piece that we have her today; it is the piece that made this young man's name whilst he was still at art school in New York. I am talking of course about Jeff Sterling-Duval's drawing, The Judging Angel."
There was a murmur of excitement around the room all of a sudden, but the biggest smile of all was coming from their host. She looked straight at Jeff, and nodded in gratitude, and he smiled right back. Then, with a signal from the Duke, Jeff got to his feet and walked over to one of the doors that lead off the room. Her Majesty too rose to her feet and followed him. Once the door was open, Jeff's drawing could be seen in all of its glory; he walked over to stand by one side of it and there witnessed the look on the monarch's face as she walked in. He saw that her eyes were shining as she saw for the first time the original of the print that meant so much to her as an expression of her faith…
Jeff remained silent as the monarch made her way right up to his masterpiece, examining it closely. He knew that she had a keen eye for art; how could she not have when she had grown up surrounded by it, and had access to some of the finest artworks in the world. "The copy that was displayed in the National Gallery was a good one, but it fails to fully convey just how much time and effort you expended on this drawing. It must have been a labour of love for you."
"It was; I did it in a small room, little bigger than a cupboard really, at the art school I attended in New York. No-one saw it, not even my husband, before I submitted it to the authorities for examination and grading. I often completely lost track of time whilst I composed it. I am fortunate indeed that Nick is so understanding and supportive of me in my passion…"
"It is indeed vital to have a life partner that sustains you through all of your endeavours; I have been fortunate in that regard myself, although not all of my children have been so blessed," mused the Queen, then returned focus to the art in front of her. "The eyes in the drawing seem alive, as if they are observing you as you look at him. I am told that it is a likeness of a close friend?"
"His name was Wes Montgomery, ma'am. He was the one man that I have met so far in my life that could marry kindness and love successfully with authority and discipline. He was always there to support all of us… He gave a speech at my wedding to Nick, and less than 24 hours later, he was gone. A drunk driver… He did more to shape and form all of my closest circle of friends than can ever be told. This was my way of honouring him, by immortalising him with pencil strokes. I never dreamed it would be such a success though…"
"You also named your son after him."
"It seemed apt, and between us, the surrogate that we used was Wes' cousin, so he has a little bit of his DNA. If our son turns out to be half the man he was, we will be happy."
"We can never know of course how our children will turn out, but a lot does depend on the parents. From what I can see, he will grow up to be a fine young man." Her majesty then turned, and grasped Jeff's hand for a moment, then stepped back out of the room with Jeff following. He returned to the room a minute or so later as other people came forward to see his work, to marvel at the detail that he had brought out with strokes of colour pencil…
Sebastian was the only person that did not head into the room, taking the opportunity instead to approach the Queen, and once she had acknowledged him, he informed her of the special performance that had now been arranged for her. She thanked him, then cryptically added that she would try and help build up an audience for the show…
By the time that the luncheon finished it was getting late, and Jeff hurried Sebastian back to a waiting taxi, instructing the driver to head to the National Theatre first to drop off Sebastian for his evening show before they headed on to the kindergarten where he would pick up little Wes. He had already made a call to Miss Frobisher, apologising for the fact that he was going to be late, but she had responded that she had thought that he would be, given where he was going, and had already made arrangements to take care of his son until he was able to arrive and take him back home. The journey was silent at first, but as they drove past the Houses of Parliament, Sebastian spoke. "Although I still wish that you had told me where is was going today, blondie, today was one of the highlights of my life to date. I have met a few icons of Broadway, and a President or two, but today I met one of the best known and respected people on the planet. She is so wonderful; you just feel at ease in her presence at once. When you think of her age, and how much she still does, and all that she has witnessed first hand… I do hope that Trent does get to come over for the state visit with Kennedy, and I hope he is as lucky as me and gets to meet her."
"Well, of course, you will meet her again in a fortnight, won't you? She will probably come back stage to meet everyone after you perform," said Jeff with a twinkle in his eye.
Sebastian went quiet again, then replied, "I suppose that I will… Wait until I tell Jules about today, and my maman. I wonder if I would be able to get François backstage to meet her too…" Jeff tried his best not to grin too wildly as Sebastian began to ponder how things would go. He was still doing so as they pulled up at the stage door; he looked happy one minute, then was muttering away sadly the next. Jeff couldn't help but think he was acting a lot like the character he was currently playing…
Sebastian was met by the director the moment that he stepped inside. "I wish you had told me that you were going to the palace sooner! I could have got things organised more quickly!"
"I only found out where I was going en route," Sebastian snapped back, then in a calmer tone asked, "So do the rest of the cast hate me for getting them an extra show?"
"At first yes, until I told them who was coming; now they are thrilled, as are the bosses here. It also doesn't hurt that Her Majesty has issued a guest list, and it is unlikely that anyone she invites will decline."
"She is inviting guests? Do we know who?"
"Not exactly yet, but I have heard Sir Ian McKellan and Dame Maggie Smith mentioned…." Sebastian's jaw promptly dropped open. A monarch was one thing; an audience full of theatrical royalty was quite another. What had Jeff just got him into?
