The Sins of a Father Part III.
The second day of the Sterling-Duval's trip to London saw them catching the train out to Windsor, Tim observing everything out of the window, and surprising the others with his level of excitement when they arrived at Slough to change trains. "Back home I used to go to a poetry club after school run by Mr Darrow the principal of the High School; one of the poems we read was by Sir John Betjeman…" he began in explanation…
"Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough, it isn't fit for humans now…" Nick intoned much to his husband's surprise, and Tim nodded in delight.
"I don't think you should say things like that when we are actually in the town in question, Nicky," said Jeff in a sharp and scolding tone, which made Tim and Wes laugh…
The train journey from there to Windsor was a short one, and it was no distance from the station to the Castle itself; the moment that he saw it, Tim was in awe. He was so engrossed by it that he did not notice that at the ticket desk Jeff did not pay for tickets to enter; instead, he showed a letter, and was soon given four passes and a letter containing a set of instructions as to how and when they would be met and escorted to the Princess…
They had over an hour to kill before they were due to meet and be taken into the private part of the Castle, so they decided to take a stroll down and head inside St George's Chapel. As it was early in the day, there were not many other visitors around; having all seen footage of the final acts of the late Queen's funeral, the interior was almost familiar to all four of them. Jeff had his sketchbook with him and wanted to draw, which was no issue for anyone; Nick carefully set the alarm on his husband's phone and arranged to meet him outside in good time for their escort inside.
Tim watched all of this take place with mild amusement, as Wes explained, "When papa is drawing, he can become entirely tuned out of the world around him. Dad always makes sure that he has an alarm set if there is something important to do or if he doesn't want to spend the whole day in one place."
Nick then guided the two boys to the place where the earthly remains of the late Queen had been interred alongside those of her husband, parents and sister. Just being there and seeing the name of a woman that they had met made the moment all the more solemn for Nick and Wes. They were silent for a moment, then Nick quietly said, "It was such an honour to meet her and to know her; she had such knowledge on everything and was the last of a generation that had lived through so much change and turmoil." Tim nodded, recalling his own parents saying as much at the time, then repeating it once more when they had all sat in the early hours of the morning watching the live broadcast of the funeral…
Unusually, Jeff was waiting for them outside, having completed the sketching that he wished to do before the alarm on his phone sounded. He was not alone when the rest of his little party emerged, however; he was deep in conversation with a young man in a hooded top, whose back was turned towards the door. As Nick and the boys approached, Jeff waved to them and the young man turned to face them. One glance at his face made Tim gasp in shock, but at his side Wes just smiled; after all, he had known Prince George for many years, and that familiarity remained even if the prince was now almost twenty…
"Mum sent me out to see if I could find you," he said in way of greeting. "She finished what she was doing sooner than she expected, I find that the hoodie works well in stopping people spotting me when I am walking about in public, but just in case, I always have my security shadow close by. Right, let's get you all inside and you can say a quick hello to my grandparents too…"
"I didn't realise that they were going to be here today as well!" exclaimed Nick, as they began to make their way towards the castle itself, Wes guiding Tim who seemed to have lost some of his ability to move freely.
"It was all very last minute; their morning engagement was cancelled at short notice, so they decided to pop in and spend some time with family. As it happens, that was no bad thing; Louis is at an age where he needs a reminder every so often as to how he is supposed to behave in public, and he listens to Grandad more than mum and dad. When he heard that you were paying a visit, he was determined to stop and say hello; he still says that the sketches that you drew at the Coronation were the best of all the art that was commissioned to mark the event," George said, his eyes directed at Jeff for the last part.
By now they had reached a door that led into the private part of the castle, and as they arrived it was opened quickly from inside, and they all passed through as swiftly as possible, Nick now assisting Wes with a clearly shell-shocked Tim. When the door closed behind them, Wes took his boyfriend's hand then whispered in his ear, "Just remember to bow when you meet the King, and that he is Your Majesty if he speaks to you…" Tim nodded, but he could not believe that he was actually here inside a royal palace and on his way to meet the King; he was convinced he would wake up in his bed shortly…
As Wes had expected, his boyfriend's nerves only lasted for a few seconds, as the sovereign could see that he was nervous and instantly put him at his ease, then asked him how he was coping with his loss. Tim did not falter or fail to respect protocol, as he had a voice in his ear calming him and making him feel all was okay; Sugar did not leave his side the entire time that the King was with him. Once he and the Queen Consort had left, it was time for Tim to meet his heir and daughter-in-law, both of whom were so informal around the Sterling-Duvals that Tim quickly forgot that he was in the presence of royalty at all. He and Wes ended up deep in conversation with Louis, who was almost the same age as them, and they talked to him as if he was a classmate at Dalton, rather than fourth in line to the British throne…
It was only later, once they had left the town of Windsor and were once again on the train heading back to London that Tim really felt able to believe all that had happened to him that morning, and that he had just been in the presence of a globally known monarch. He had the evidence on his phone of his meeting with the Prince and Princess of Wales, and another image of himself with Prince George, Wes by his side in both pictures. He could not start to comprehend how much his life had changed in the last three months. It had begun with a period of great loss, both of Mr Harwood and his parents; that latter tragedy had altered the course of his life entirely and it would always be an influence on events for as long as he lived. He still woke up feeling as if there was a part of his heart that had died with them all, as in Thad he had had a great mentor and trusted friend.
However, now he had in Wes the pure love of a soulmate, openly declared to the world, and he had the warmth and affection of his boyfriend's two dads as well. They had brought him to London, where he was seeing sights in person that he had never imagined he would until he was much older, and well, he had pictures on his phone of himself with two men that would one day be the King of an island nation…
"Are you okay Tim? You are being very quiet…," asked Wes, interrupting is musing.
"I am; I was just thinking about everything that has happened to me today. I am so glad that you didn't tell me who we were going to be meeting today at Windsor Castle, or I think that my nerves would have had me lock myself in the bedroom and refuse to come out. It turns out that they are actually just kind and ordinary people…"
Wes chuckled and replied, "I have known them all so long now that I have to remind myself that they are royalty and not just friends of my dads. Anyway, I hope that you have left some space in your stomach, because when we get back to London, we are going to be heading for afternoon tea with my old kindergarten teacher, Miss Frobisher. She is like family to me in so many ways, because she was such a reassuring presence when I was getting used to living in a very different city to the one that I was used to. I am sure too that she will love you every bit as much as I do, because you have such good manners; she is a stickler for such things and expects everyone to have them at all times…."
Tim nodded, having heard a lot about the lady in question. He leant against his boyfriend, and he leant into him, and they relaxed as the train made its way back towards the centre of London…
After a surprise meeting with the King, being introduced to Miss Frobisher was easy for Tim. He was polite from the moment that they arrived outside her little house, which looked to him so quintessentially English; inside it was even more so, full of the sort of period features he would have expected to see in an old show like Downton Abbey or in a film adaption of a novel by Agatha Christie. From all of those shows he knew what to expect in terms of the afternoon tea rituals and ensured he observed them. He answered all of the questions put to him by Miss Frobisher politely and never with his mouth full; he then praised his hostess on the quality of the food, which made her smile even more broadly…
After they had all eaten, the conversation moved on to events in all their lives; Nick and Jeff were left surprised when Miss Frobisher admitted that she had decided that the time had come for her to retire. "I am in my mid seventies now, and much as I still love my job, I find that I am much more tired after a day in the classroom that I used to be even five years ago. I will still be the owner of the school, but my deputy head will take over as the person in charge on a day-to-day basis."
Nick and Jeff looked at each other, knowing that the lady in question was in her sixties, but said nothing; it was Wes that spoke up, saying sadly, "It won't be nearly as much fun for the children without you there…"
Miss Frobisher smiled, and said, "Well, I did think that I might pop in a couple of days a week and read a story to them all, so it won't be the case that I am completely absent from their lives. I will also be keeping myself busy in any case, dedicating time to other deserving causes. I have been asked now for several years if I would consider joining one committee or another on education or child development, but I have never had the time. Once the rumour is confirmed about my retirement, I suspect those offers to come in thick and fast, and foremost on that list I suspect will be an offer from the group that is chaired by the Princess of Wales. I really don't think that I could turn an offer from her down…"
"She and William send their regards," said Nick, and Miss Frobisher nodded with a smile.
"My parents would have been so proud of the fact that I was awarded my honour, but to then be asked to join a committee that is chaired by a future Queen Consort is another level yet again. They are a loving couple who are deeply concerned with the needs and the welfare of all of the people in this country, and that is so refreshing. There was a time when royalty was expected to be both aloof and distant, but when the Queen Mother passed away, I think that the whole ethos just shifted in favour of a more modern European style monarchy. We have a Head of State that is no longer merely involved in the ceremonial that this nation does so well, but also someone that is using their power and influence for the good of everyone. Now, you must tell me exactly how you and Tim came together, Wes; you seem like the perfect couple in my eyes…"
Wes blushed a little, but replied, "We were just like my dad and papa, we were best friends the moment that we met each other at Dalton, and it really started from that. We both realised quickly that what we felt for each other was much deeper than friendship, but we were equally scared of admitting that, as we didn't want to lose the close relationship that we had already formed…"
"That is an all too familiar family failing," joked Jeff, which made Miss Frobisher laugh, as she knew the whole story of how Nick and Jeff had come together as well.
"Then my life was turned upside down and suddenly Wes was in my life every minute of every day; that created quite a lot of tension for us both. All of that led to us coming out to each other and well, then Wes was brave enough to wear his heart on his sleeve and tell me that he loved me…" continued Tim.
"And Tim was just as brave and now we are boyfriends, but ones that are taking things very slowly for now at least," finished Wes.
"That seems to be a very mature and sensible approach; such things should not be rushed. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you. As I said, in my opinion you seem very well suited to each other; the way that you look at each other tells me all that I need to know there. I do hope that when the time comes, I will be fortunate enough to receive an invitation to your wedding," Miss Frobisher said in response.
Nick laughed as he saw the two boys go red again, which left it up to Jeff to reply to her. "We would certainly expect you to be present with us in New York or indeed Dalton when that happens, but I would not go out and buy a hat anytime soon. Nicky and I might have got married when we were both twenty, but there is absolutely nothing wrong in waiting…"
Back in their rented apartment that night, Nick made a quick call to Sebastian whilst Jeff was in the shower, the two boys already in their beds. He had promised to keep in touch with the Head Warbler whilst they were in Europe and if he was honest, he also wanted to talk to someone about everything that was going on. He ended up relating almost the entire conversation with Miss Frobisher to his friend and Sebastian burst out laughing when he finished.
"I certainly do expect the two of them to get married at some point in the future, but I agree that there is no urgency, and they don't seem to show any signs of having that anyway. They both have their heads screwed on properly and they will know exactly when the time is right for them to tie the knot…"
"After college would be a fine time, I think. Jeff and I only married when we did because we had been living with the threat of danger for so long and we wanted something solid and good in our lives. I sincerely hope that Wes and Tim never have to endure anything like that. Once they have a good college degree behind them, they can marry without too much stress. Tim is already thinking about school and wants to go into the world of I.T. As for Wes, I would like him to do a business degree…"
"What does Wes want to do?" asked Sebastian, a little alarm bell ringing at how forceful Nick sounded in that idea.
"He keeps talking about a career in the food industry right now, but it is an industry in which employment can be so fickle…"
"That is very true, but if that is what he wants to do and has a passion for, then surely you should support him in his desires," replied Sebastian. He knew for himself only too well how much resentment and anger could be felt by a child when their parents forced them into a career they did not want; he had never fully forgiven his father for trying to push him into a career in accountancy as soon as he left Dalton…
"I will, but at the same time it is my duty as a responsible parent to make him fully aware of the realities of the situation. It is all academic anyway; I think in time he will grow out of such ridiculous notions and began to see that baking is a hobby, not a vocation. He certainly will not be going to any kind of catering college, because that would just be a waste of his intelligence and his time."
Sebastian did not respond to Nick's statement but reflected on the fact that the words that his friend had just used had remarkable echoes of the words that his own father had said to him when he had tried to tell him that he did not wish to be an accountant. Thinking on it, they would probably have been the words that Mr Duval would have said to Nick as well, had he decided that he was not willing to pursue a career in law…
As this was happening in London, back in Manhattan Owain was reflecting on what had happened to him so far that day. He had spent most of the morning with his grandmother, who seemed so anxious to see exactly how he was feeling. He had been completely honest with her and told her that he was still reeling from the news that she had given to him the day before, but that he understood now exactly why she had told him.
"What happened to you that day in the O.R. was not right and the fact that man has never faced any consequences for his actions just makes it all the worse in my opinion. I am glad that you waited until I was here in New York to tell me though. Had we still been in Ohio, then I would have been compelled to seek him out and punch him hard in the face, for you and for Mr Harwood as well…"
His grandmother looked momentarily startled at the anger she saw on the face of the normally placid Owain, then she said, "I will tell you now what your Mr Harwood would probably have told you at this juncture too; it is in the past and there is nothing that can now be done. It gave me your mother and then you, so I think on the balance of everything I was the one that actually won that day. My only regret in telling you is that I might have jeopardised your relationship with Dr Harwood, and if that is the case, then I am most truly sorry, because he is a good man…"
Owain nodded, but he did not reply verbally. His grandmother would be heading back home to Ohio that afternoon and as far as Owain was concerned, there was no more to be said on the subject. Although he had initially planned to take her to the Spotlight for lunch, they ended up having lunch at his home, and then he took her to the bus stop from which she would be taken to the airport. Having waved her off he made his way to the diner to start his afternoon shift. He was worried about what the atmosphere might be like, given that he fully expected that Dr Harwood might have told his wife what he had been told.
In fact, Michelle said nothing, which made him wonder if, in fact, Ollie might not have told her. His shift was as usual, and he soon forgot all of his worries as he sang for the appreciative customers. Then, just as his shift was about to end, the door to the diner opened and Ollie himself walked in…
There was nowhere for Owain to hide as Ollie stepped in as he was up on stage singing; a lesser man might well have lost his place and faltered, but he just looked in the opposite direction instead and concentrated on the task in hand. He finished and took his bow, but as he looked around the diner, he could no longer see any sign of Dr Harwood. He assumed that he had gone into the office to talk to his wife and that meant that an awkward moment could be avoided for now. Checking his watch, he saw that it was his clocking off time and that was no problem as his replacement was already there. The other young man took the order terminal from him as soon as he was by Owain's side and he passed on the necessary information about the customers that he had been serving before he sang, including those that might wish a dessert after their main. He then looked over to Dani and she nodded to him, which was her approval for him to take his leave…
He made his way to the locker room and grabbed his jacket, hoping to make a swift and unobtrusive exit, but just as he was about to head back out into the restaurant area and leave, he heard his name called. He sighed, but he had always known that the moment would come, so he turned around and headed towards the office; he closed the door behind him, seeing that the two people in the room were looking at him with concern, and stood with his head down, awaiting whatever came now…
"I decided that it was best that Michelle knew the truth," said Ollie quietly, which was enough to make Owain's head snap up and look straight at him. It was bad enough that the revelations that his grandmother had brought with her could affect his future at the hospital, but now that Michelle knew, there could also be an effect here; in the worst-case scenario, he was potentially about to lose his job…
"Don't look so worried; your job here is perfectly safe," Michelle said perceptively. "We have no restrictions here on the employment of family members of the management team. Lachlan worked here whilst he was dating Elliott's son for a start. The fact that my half-nephew by marriage is working here is nothing. Your work is exemplary, the customers adore you and well, I would be mad to fire you. In fact, I was more concerned that you might choose to leave us…"
"I also want to reassure you that there is no issue with you continuing to work alongside me at the hospital either. My immediate boss and the folks at NYU are all aware, even if it is only in a hypothetical way so far, and there is no restriction that will prevent me from mentoring you. However, if you decide that is no longer what you want and that you would rather be mentored by someone else, even at a different hospital, then I will accept that, but reluctantly. My hope is that we will not let the situation change what was happening, because I think that we were making a pretty effective team."
Ollie stopped then, knowing that Owain was the one that had to make all of the decisions here. He waited as the younger man stood silent, before eventually he said in a barely audible voice, "I don't want to change anything; I was enjoying working with you and everyone else, but once it gets out, and it will, the situation could quickly become an awkward one for us both."
"Then we will handle it together. I'm going to be completely honest with you; what my dad did all those years ago did not come as much of a shock to me knowing his character. The truth is that he hasn't been a factor in my life for a number of years now and I don't intend to allow him to destroy things now. I am delighted to have a new nephew and I also want to meet my new half-sister, when and if she is ready for that. I must also confess that I have told my big brother Benji what I now know, and he feels the same way about this as I do. Mom and Dad are history for us all, but you, Owain, you are family. Thad taught me what the true meaning of that word is and I am certain he is watching over us right now, wishing he could be here to welcome you as warmly as I want to. As to who else we tell now, that is up to you, but I am pretty certain that your two new aunts would be happy to meet you as well…"
It was the use of the word 'family' that made Owain's eyes moist. When he had been growing up, his mom and grandmother had been the only family he had. At Dalton, being a member of the 'bird brotherhood' had given him another kind of family. Now, all of a sudden, he had a whole new family, one that he was related to by blood. He realised that he had aunts and uncles, not to mention cousins, most of whom he had only met in passing at Thad's funeral. He now saw the deeper meaning in that too, that it had not just been the funeral of a beloved teacher for him, but a memorial for an uncle. That went some way to explaining why he had felt quite so bereft at the time, because Mr Harwood had never treated him as just another student; he had been treated as if he was a nephew… He had been there to support him and console him; he had helped to make him into a stronger man. He had instilled in him a sense of confidence and pride in himself and that was why he was where he was now, at medical school in New York…
Ollie saw the tears forming and almost instinctively he went over to wrap an arm around the younger man's shoulders. That gesture was all that it took to start Owain crying and seeing that Michelle reached out to take his hands in her own. "I can understand just how confusing all of this must be for you," she said. "Suddenly everything in your life has been turned upside down and you don't know what to do for the best…"
"It isn't that; it is that fact that I never got to call Mr Harwood Uncle Thad, because that was who he was. I hope that if he is watching over us now, that he knows just how much I loved him and how thankful I am that he took me under his wing…"
"He did know," said Ollie with a smile, "and I am certain that he will be up there watching right now with a big smile on his face, sending us all of his love. So, just to put my cards on the table, outside of the hospital I am more than happy for you to call me Uncle Ollie from now on, if you would like to, of course. I have gained a lot of nephews and nieces recently, so I am getting used to being called that and well, I like it."
"And outside of the diner, I am happy to be called Aunt Michelle too…"
"I would like that, if it is okay…"
"You also need to come round for dinner one evening, so that we can introduce you properly to your cousin Thaddeus. He will be only too pleased to discover that he has a cousin in the city… He might even let you call him Thad…"
Owain laughed at that, his tears no longer falling as much. Then he asked quietly, "What about the other folk in the city, especially my neighbours in the West Village? I have already confided in Beats, but what about the others? I have no qualms about telling them the truth, but I feel that it should be with your blessing, as it is your father that come out of this worst…"
Ollie paused for a moment, unsure of what he should say, but then he heard an angelic voice whispering sound advice in his ear…
When he arrived back in the West Village that night, Owain made a beeline for the door of Ethan and Drew and knocked on it. It was Ethan that answered it, but he was surprised not just to see Owain, but for him to ask to speak to him and Drew in confidence about a personal matter. Evie was not at home, out seeing some of her friends from school, and so it was easy for them both to just join Drew in the kitchen. Ethan sat next to his best friend and they both just listened as Owain spoke, although he could see by the expressions on their faces that they were startled by the family connection that he revealed to them, one that they would never have considered possible…
When Owain finished, Drew and Ethan looked at each other, before the latter spoke. "I don't know all that much about Thad's father, but from what I have been told about his ruthless and domineering ways and how he always got what he wanted, what he did to your grandmother is not a huge surprise. Now that I am aware of the connection, I can actually see some of the traits that Thad had in you, especially in the way that you stepped up and put your own feelings aside to take care of the rest of your group of Warblers after he passed away. I can say this with my hand on my heart; he would be proud to call you his nephew…"
Owain blushed then, before Drew spoke. "I am going to assume that we will not be the only people that you will be revealing this truth to?"
"No, it is my intention to tell everyone important, but slowly. I am not going to announce it on a public forum as it isn't something the whole world needs to know."
Ethan nodded, thinking that was a very wise move on the younger man's part. The more people that knew, the more likely that it would get back to the ears of his unknowing grandfather; he was the last person that Owain needed in his life…
