New Arrivals in the West Village Part II.
On the morning after Owain's audition at the Spotlight, just before 10am, Tim knocked on the door of the house that was next door to the one he now called home; it was opened a few moments later by Owain, who invited him into the kitchen. He fetched them both a soda and then he spoke. "None of this can be easy for you, adapting to a new way of living. You grew up in a home like mine, where money was tight and now you are living in one where it is much less so. If I am guessing right, you feel guilty about heading off to Europe to enjoy yourself so soon after your parents passed away…"
"I do feel that I should be sadder about it, even for I do believe that they're both up in heaven. The truth is that I would really like to see London and Paris for that matter - it will be so special to see them both for the first time alongside Wes - but I do wish that they had asked me first if I wanted to go, rather than just getting me a new passport and springing it on me. I would quite have understood if he had gone without me too; I could have stayed with one of the other families on the street, or I could have stayed with you…" Tim replied.
"Well, they didn't know that I was going to be here for one thing, but had they done then I would have volunteered to take care of you whilst they were away. If you really do not want to go, then I would be more than happy to go on your behalf and explain that to them, because I am sure that they would understand…"
"Nick and Jeff certainly would, but I have a suspicion that if I said I didn't want to go, Wes would be so hurt by my choice. He has talked about nothing else since we found out about the trip last night. He is the last person that I would want to upset by snubbing the trip, because he is probably the person that I feel closest to know that mom and dad have gone. I wouldn't want to upset him for anything, because I…" Tim stopped abruptly, blushing as he realised what he had nearly said…
Owain smiled, and gently placed his hand on top of Tim's. "I know that you do, and I am absolutely certain that he feels exactly the same."
Tim nodded, then replied in a whisper, "It just isn't as simple as it was before; if he and I end up falling out over this, then where would I go?"
Soon after that, Tim headed back home for some lunch, and after a quick sandwich himself, Owain headed down to the store that had been recommended to him as the one to go to to purchase the basic equipment he would need in his first year as a medical student. He did not intend to buy anything, but that was before he saw a stethoscope that had been manufactured by one of the most prestigious firms in the field sitting on the shelves, marked at a ridiculously low price.
The sales assistant noticed his gaze and said, "It isn't a second or defective in any way; the previous owner has decided that after a year, practical medicine just isn't for them. I believe that they are moving instead into forensics, a field where they do not have to deal with the living…"
Owain chuckled at that statement, then said, "In that case, I will take it. I start my medical training at NYU in the fall, and it will be an incredibly good start on purchasing all that I need to have on my limited budget."
The sales assistant nodded, then said in a low voice, "Truth is that they brought everything they had purchased back; said that I should get as much as I can for it, but as quickly as possible. I didn't like their attitude one bit, so I'm not exactly trying too hard to make them a lot of money. I think it should all go to someone that is genuine about a medical career and wants to go into it to help people. You seem like that kind of person, so would you like to see the rest of it?"
Thus it was that Owain would head home that day carrying a box that was filled with almost all that he would need during his first year, all of it top of the range and in most cases, still sealed in the original packaging. He had got it all for just over 10% of his original budget, which made him incredibly happy. That happiness and the size of the box he was carrying was one of the reasons that led to him almost colliding into Evie as he neared his new front door…
Evie had met Tim briefly when he had spent a few days in the city over his Thanksgiving break the previous year, but as yet she had not met Owain; she had heard a lot about him though, as both Wes and Tim had talked about him with such happiness. Now she was seeing him for the first time, and her first thought was that he was not unattractive; he had an air around him that suggested that he could be trusted and more importantly, that he cared. She knew from her dad and Ethan that he intended to be a doctor and the contents of the box that he was carrying confirmed that. He apologised to her profusely for almost walking into her, and she couldn't help but smile…
"It's okay, you were obviously distracted by something that has made you happy, and nobody can complain about stuff like that. You are Owain, aren't you? I am Evie, Drew's daughter."
"Of course! Wes has told me a little about you, but to be honest his focus was on his schoolwork most of the time."
"He told me quite a bit about you too, but if I am honest, he talked a lot more about a certain other young man that he had met at Dalton, one that is now going to be living here all the time… I do wonder when they are both going to admit that they are totally head over heels in love with each other, which is something that the rest of us have seen for quite a while…"
Owain was momentarily taken aback by her bluntness, but then he smiled at her. "I was expecting something to happen of that nature after the summer vacation; they were due to be apart for the whole of it, but now… It isn't all that easy for people to come out even now. Wes will know that he will have the full support of his dads obviously, but maybe Tim was not as certain of his parents' support, even if everyone I know has told me that they were two of the most tolerant and kind people in the world. Things will be quite difficult for them both right now because of the accident and the fact they are now living together. Wes will be trying to be the supportive best friend first and the potential boyfriend material second; his feelings will need to be placed on hold for a while, at least until Tim is okay. I can tell you know with certainty that he isn't fine right now…"
"I don't even know how I would begin without my dad, although I do know that he asked Uncle Ethan to be my guardian, just as the Harts asked Nick and Jeff to be there for Tim… Anyway, I had better let you get that box home – is it all medical stuff?"
"Yeah," replied Owain. "Everything that I could possibly need for my first year at medical school and more, courtesy of a rich kid that dropped out of the program because he couldn't stand interacting with living patients. Given that is almost the entire role of a doctor, it does make me wonder…"
"…why would he apply for that career in any case?" Evie said, completing his thoughts perfectly. He nodded to her, then headed off towards home. As Evie did the same, she was thinking the same as him; that they hoped to meet each other again soon, so that they could talk some more.
Owain headed inside, then took time to sort out everything that he had just purchased; he knew what most of it was and what it was for from studying medical textbooks, but there were a few items, still packed away in unopened boxes, that he had no idea about. He placed them all to one side, noting down their names so that he could ask someone later, then quickly tested out his stethoscope, that tool that doctors on every TV show ever always carried on their person; it had also been used in films as a way to identify someone was a doctor. Now as he finished his task and put the stethoscope away, he wondered if he should perhaps take a moment and speak to Nick; let him know that Tim had come to see him and hint at what the boy had admitted to him, albeit in a roundabout way. However, he decided against it; he knew that he could not betray Tim by repeating what he had been told in confidence to his guardian, and even talking around it and painting the picture with broad brushstrokes was not on. He suspected that Nick and Jeff knew in any case that their son was like them, and they would be interpreting the interactions between their son and his best friend in the same manner everyone else did.
That unspoken love did add a further layer of complication to the already awkward situation that Nick and Jeff found themselves in. if the world was an ideal one, then Tim would have no problem in being able to speak to his guardians about his feelings, and his fears for the future too. That might not be possible, but Owain did know one thing; Tim was not the kind of young man that would wish to cause trouble. He would rather suffer in silence than admit he was stressed about things that were only happening as a result of his sexuality…
Owain at first resolved not to mention even the fact that Tim had come to see him to Nick and Jeff, and that any future conversation would have to take place between him and the boy would either take place away from the street, or Tim would need to come via the back door to ensure discretion. However, as time wore on, his resolve failed him, and he decided that maybe he should give Nick a hint after all. Glancing at his watch, Owain realised that Nick would be on his way home, and if he happened to meet him as he ran an errand to say, the drugstore, then he could confide in him without anyone witnessing their meeting.
In the end however, Owain ended up happening to be walking back from his errand rather than to the drugstore, Nick running slightly late that evening; indeed, he bumped into him as he walked out of the entrance to 14th St subway station. They were swift to exchange pleasantries with each other, Owain telling Nick about his good fortune in the medical supplies shop first, before adding as an aside, "I had a visit from Tim this morning; he needed to talk about something with me that he didn't feel able to discuss with you or Jeff with any ease…"
Nick slowed down his steps then and listened with great care as a young man standing beside him told him all of Tim's concerns about their forthcoming trip to Europe; he did not mention the fact that the boy had dropped the biggest hint so far that he was in love with his best friend as he did not wish to betray his trust.
When Owain had finished talking, Nick sighed and said, "I should have anticipated this; it was wrong of me to have kept him in the dark about obtaining his passport, not to mention not telling him or Wes about our forthcoming holiday. I will try to get Tim on his own later, ask him how he is feeling and see what he says If I say that I've been thinking about putting him and Wes in their own rooms in the hotel in Paris."
Then, to Owain's horror, Nick continued by saying, "I have also been thinking about a way then we could ensure that Tim felt that he was welcome here. I think that it might be a good idea for Jeff and me to adopt Tim formally. If we do that, he will know that his presence here is a permanent one…"
Nick was able to find a couple of minutes to talk to Tim later that day and he casually asked him if everything was okay. Of course, he said that it was, exactly as Nick had expected him to do. "I just wanted to apologise to you about the way we went to work getting you your passport; in hindsight, we should really have let you know what was going on before we went out and did it. I thought that it would be a nice surprise, but obviously not; maybe it was just a little too much in the circumstances."
"It was a shock, but I'm not unhappy. I never want you to think that I wasn't grateful for all that you have done for me. I would have been happy to stay here though and not give you all that extra expense," replied Tim.
"That is the last thing you would be doing; in fact, we have actually saved money in a way… We had to talk to your dad before everything happened, and he let us know that your mom had a conference for teachers to attend in Denver for a week. She was going to surprise you with a trip there, and we were going to fly Wes out there to join you and your mom for a week. The flight in question would have been very much a last minute one, and as the teaching conference in question was a nationwide one, such a flight would not have been cheap; in fact, the cost of your return travel to London and Paris came in as exactly the same price. As for the passport, you would have needed someday anyway, but if you want to pay for it, or you want your own room in Paris, then I am quite happy to allow you to do so."
Tim nodded, not for a moment thinking as some might have that Nick was telling him a white lie. He had talked to his mother very briefly on the day that Thad had died, and she had mentioned that she had a conference to go to, just not where. He would never need to know that the conference in question had actually been in South Dakota…
"If you are certain that it's okay, and I am looking forward to the trip. Going to see Europe was always on my list of things I longed to do, but I thought that I would have to wait until after college, because the flights aren't cheap and even hostels are expensive."
Nick smiled and responded, "I am glad that we got all that sorted out. I need you to know that you are not a burden to us and that we see you as one of the family, which is why you will be getting a list of chores just like Wes does…"
Tim chuckled and said, "That is perfectly alright. I had chores to do it home, so be absolutely no issue to help out here."
Nick nodded and with a smile said, "Well, maybe you can get Wes to see things in the same way, because as he's got older, he has become less happy to help out at home…."
Once the two boys were in bed that night, Nick ask Jeff to sit down with him so we could have a serious chat. The blond agreed, although every time his husband used those words, he felt nervous… "I had a chat with Owain on my way home tonight; he met me 'by accident', although I doubt that it was an accident that he was at the exit from the subway station at the moment I happened to be leaving it… Tim is worried that at some point we will throw him out, particularly if he does something to upset Wes; that we will choose him first as our son if there is any kind of issue or dispute between them. That is of course an obvious assumption to make, as it would be a very strange parent indeed that did not prioritise their own flesh and blood."
"Having been in that position myself, I would agree that it would be a very strange parent indeed…" remarked Jeff.
"It brought back to the fore something that I did consider before, however; maybe you and I should go one step further than guardian, just like Ethan did, and fully adopt Tim. Now I am aware of the problem that this might create, but it is not as if I would expect him to take our name or anything like that; it would just be assigned to him then we're committed to him being part of our family for the long term…"
Jeff felt slightly aghast at Nick's suggestion, but he did his best not to show it. "It's a lovely idea, Nick, but we would need to tread extremely carefully there. We would technically be making him our son, and whilst that might make him feel more secure, it would totally alter his friendship with Wes. If we adopt him, then like it or not, we would be making them brothers in a legal sense, and those that did not know the situation well enough would be unaware that they were not related by blood. That could cause all sorts of issues if they became very much closer…"
"It's an issue, I grant you that, but the flip side is that it would make Tim feel less insecure; it will be a sign of our commitment to him in the long term," replied Nick, seeming to completely ignore all that Jeff had just said. His husband nodded, as he did acknowledge that there was a truth in what Nick was saying, but he was not entirely sure how positively Tim, and indeed Wes, would react to Nick's suggestion…
Owain make his debut at the Spotlight as a permanent member of staff on Monday lunchtime. He put on his uniform shirt and apron with great pride, his name soon onto the shirt for all to see. Dani was in charge, and she quickly decided that he was definitely a natural for the job. His manner with the customers varied depending on who they were; he could talk with the right amount of authority and knowledge about all of the specials, and better yet, he knew how the coffee machine worked, and how to handle all of the foibles of that essential piece of equipment. If he had not been destined to become a doctor after he finished college, she would have suggested to Michelle that he should be fast tracked onto a duty manager role; unfortunately, she knew that once his college course really began, his availability would severely decline…
As Owain was making his way onto the stage to sing his first song at the diner that lunchtime, Jeff was taking a phone call from Sebastian, who was telling him that he would be in the city over the forthcoming weekend. "Julian has asked me and Dave to a party at his place on Sunday, and I suspect by how desperate he was that I be there, that Peter might be intending to ask Constance to marry him during that event. The engagement of course will be a long one, as she wants to finish her medical studies and establish herself as a doctor before she even thinks about starting a family. Of course, I could be wrong… In any case, I will be taking the opportunity whilst I am in the area to head into Manhattan on Saturday, and I thought that it would be a good chance for me to have a quick check in with Tim. That is certainly something that a good Head Warbler should do…"
Jeff knew that a visit from Sebastian would be a welcome distraction for them all and so he readily agreed to it. It came as no surprise to him to discover but Ethan, Drew, Beats and Flint had also been invited to come over to the West Village house on Saturday afternoon, but when Trent subsequently called and asked if he could stay over on the Saturday night, it came as more of a shock.
"I know what you are thinking, but Sebastian also being in town is a complete coincidence. I have been asked to write a speech for the Democrat that is standing for Governor of New York State, and he has just rescheduled our meeting to a breakfast one on Sunday, instead of the agreed time of Monday lunchtime. If I am being honest, the new timing suit me better, as it saves me having to get up early on Monday and catch the train up to Albany, which was the original location of our meeting. Now I will be meeting him at a business centre in Chelsea."
"You are welcome anytime, although the atmosphere here just now is tense to say the least. All of the emotions and feelings are to the four at the moment and I can sense a tension between Wes and Tim that just was not there the last time that Tim stayed with us…"
"That is understandable in the circumstances…"
"I was actually thinking about calling you to ask some advice in any case, so it will be good that we can have a face-to-face chat now instead," Nick continued.
Trent agreed, but Nick give him new details as to what he wanted to talk to him about, leaving him to wonder where that conversation would go…
Nick let Jeff know that Trent was coming; his husband just chuckled, then said, "Should we go all out and just invite Owain, Mitch, Dex and Lawrence to join us as well, just so they don't feel excluded?"
Nick laughed, then in a more serious voice replied, "That would probably be for the best actually, because you know how some people can be… in the meantime, I am going to go and bake a fruitcake, because Sebastian does like my cherry and sultana cake, and if I do that now that is one less thing to make on Friday night."
"The boys and I can help out and make some cookies on Friday afternoon," Jeff replied, before continuing, "I think that when the others are all here, we should ask them all for their thoughts on the idea of us adopting Tim. It can be extremely useful to have an outsider's view at times, plus Beats has actually adopted someone twice, so he will have useful knowledge of the process and of the pitfalls."
Nick was noncommittal about that idea, but Jeff was sure he could talk him round. What neither of them realised was that nick had not closed the door properly and someone had just overheard their plans. To say that they were stunned by them was an understatement…
Friday eventually came, and that was when Jeff finally noticed that there was a tension in the air that he could not have foreseen. Tim was only too happy to offer to assist with the making of the cookies, of who he admitted to having had very little practice. "I used to make them at home with mom when I was younger, but we stopped doing that a few years ago, when the boys at school started to make fun of me for spending so much time with her in the kitchen. Even then I wasn't all that good at it to be honest," he said to Jeff with a sad smile.
"Maybe it would be better if you just left me and my Papa to it then," snapped Wes, in a tone that shocked Jeff.
"I'm sorry, but you'll apologise right now, Wesley! We work together in this family on all things, as you well know!" responded Jeff, looking sympathetically at a shell-shocked Tim.
"All the more reason that he should sit out then, as he isn't family, just a friend."
Before Jeff could respond to that statement, Tim said quietly, "It's true, so maybe I'll just go up to my room and read…"
"No, you will not. Wes and I will make the dough and once that is done, you can cut them out and place them on the trays in the way that I show you," said Jeff firmly. "Now go and wash your hands before we start."
Tim nodded and made a beeline for the cloakroom. As soon as he was out of earshot Jeff turned to Wes and said, "I don't know exactly what has got into you Wesley, but you need to get it gone. I can't believe that you would talk to your best friend like that, and I am telling you, it stops now."
"Maybe he isn't my friend. Maybe he is someone that would be a better son than me…"
Jeff shook his head, and said, "Never. You are our son, and I wouldn't change that for anything. Now go and wash your hands and trying to be civil at least towards Tim when you come back." As Wes stomped off, Jeff shook his head but decided that it was best not to tell Nick about what he had just witnessed, unless of course it became a regular thing.
The remainder of the process of making the cookies passed off without further incident, and the system that Jeff had instituted did seem to work, but he could sense that the warmth that had always been in the air between the two boys was gone; it seemed strange to imagine that they had been the best of friends just a week ago. For the life of him, Jeff could not figure out why the change had occurred; Tim had not changed all that much, even if he had just lost the two most important people in his life. No, it was Wes that was different now, sharp tongued and so bitter, and that was a side of his son that Jeff had never seen exhibited in his entire life.
He was aware, of course, that there were many changes happening within his son's life; not just the fact that Tim was now living with them, but also all of those that came when a boy grew into a man. Then there was the fact that he had just lost Thad as well, a man he looked up to and had seen as a source of advice at Dalton. It was just possible that all of those combined had done something to his head and turned him into a truculent teenager…
Jeff wondered if the best thing might be for his son to sit down and have a gentle conversation with one of the others that he trusted; Trent seemed the obvious choice and even Sebastian. It might do him good to sit down with them and feel able to sound off in privacy, as no doubt both of them would insist that he and Nick stayed well away from the door…
Jeff suddenly froze up as he realised what had to have happened. The dramatic change in his son had come about the day after he had suggested to his husband that they should discuss the idea of adopting Tim with some of the others; he recalled now that the door to the kitchen had not been completely closed, and that he had been so occupied with his doubts about the idea of formally adopting Tim that he had not listened out for footsteps on the stairs down to the room in question. If Wes had overheard that conversation, then that might well be the reason for the complete 180 in his attitude towards his best friend, especially if, like he suspected, Wes was in love with Tim…
That realisation changed Jeff's previous thoughts, and he now felt that he had to talk to Nick that evening. He briefly considered whether he should take the bull by the horns and just sit down with Wes right now and ask him if he had been listening at the door that night, but he dismissed the idea as he didn't want to make matters worse on his own. Fate was not on his side, however; a last-minute crisis call from a small nation in Sub-Saharan Africa meant that Nick had to stay late at the office, as he tried to prevent a minor dispute escalating into a full blown catastrophe, and Jeff was left to keep the peace alone. To his relief, his son's attitude towards Tim seemed to soften as the day went on, and he decided to return to his original idea of not involving Nick yet. He would instead chat quietly with Trent the next day and see what his wisdom said about matters; if anyone could help him in the minefield of emotions Jeff now found himself in it was the man that had dealt with politicians… When Nick eventually arrived home both boys were upstairs in bed, and all he wanted was food and snuggles, but the latter had to be postponed as he still had cakes to bake…
The next morning would prove to be a hectic one in the Sterling-Duval house; the usual chores had to be done, so whilst Nick headed off to Brooklyn for the usual supermarket run with the two boys, Jeff stayed home to tidy up the house and make the last preparations for the Warbler flock that was going to descend on them, beginning by making a batch of sausage rolls that could be eaten cold later. He found himself an unlikely helper in that task in the shape of Owain; he had merely popped in to say hello, but made the error of asking if there was anything he could do to help. He thus found himself pressed into service as a sous chef…
As they worked, they found themselves making conversation about how Owain was settling in in the West Village, and about his new job at the Spotlight, which the younger man said he was enjoying immensely. "I wasn't sure at first just how well I would get on, but having done some waiting work before it is great that I can also indulge my passion for singing as well…"
"I used to love that aspect of the job too when I was doing it whilst I was in college; Nick had a job at the Law Library, which had better hours, but in terms of enjoyment, I think working at the diner edged it."
Owain chuckled at that, then in a quiet voice said, "I had a visit from Tim the other day. He needed to talk about how things are with an independent person. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that the suspicions that we all have entertained about him might be correct. He is just afraid to admit it now… In confidence, I think that he is scared that if he does admit it and it creates issues, then he will be forced to leave…"
Jeff nodded, then replied, "Also in confidence, Wes is struggling with all of the things that have been happening as well. He has been acting up, but well, that might be down to something that he might have overheard Nick and I discussing. I told my husband that Wes might not like his idea one bit when he first came out with it, but sometimes Nick can be so stubborn if he thinks he is right. It is all turning into such a mess, and I have a horrible feeling that people are going to end up being hurt."
Both Tim and Wes were happy to see Owain when they arrived home, and after they had assisted with the unpacking and storage of the groceries, they took him upstairs to their adjoining bedrooms, eager to show him their new living arrangements. Jeff tried to speak to Nick then, to get him to face the fact that his thoughts would unleash nothing but chaos and pain, but his husband was obsessed with making up sandwiches that would be part of the buffet later, and also wanted to bake some bread rolls, so when Jeff tried to start a conversation, he just kissed him and said, "I will talk to you later, my love; there is just so much I need to do right now."
Jeff sighed but knew that there was no point in trying to talk to his husband when he was so focused on another task, and stamping his feet and getting stroppy would not work either. Instead, he carried on with his own tasks as he waited for the moment when the first of their expected guests would arrive…