FanFiction Reconciliation - part 32
Reconciliation - part thirty two
Heph's not much of a talker, so a lot of this part is internal. Warning: there's some religion in this, it is not meant to offend anyone regardless of their beliefs.
Disclaimer & Cast List
http://wordsmithslash.livejournal.com/46253.html#cutid1
Previous Parts
http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=wordsmithslash&keyword=Reconciliation&filter=all
Reconciliation - part thirty two
---
The girls were coming after Christmas and would be there for New Years. The Twist/DelMar family had been invited to the Owens' home for New Year's Eve, no one was saying it was an engagement party but Laura was going all out and Melissa's parents and sister were expected.
Tragedy struck the Owens' family just before Christmas. It seemed Fenris had crawled up onto the foot of Laura's bed during the night, fallen asleep curled on her feet and never woken up. Briefly Heph and Merc discussed going to tell Menthu, but since he was coming home in only a few days Laura overruled them and he was told when he arrived home.
Bobby was lagging near the back. The family stood around the pyre. Hestia was sobbing inconsolably. Heph had her wrapped in his arms with a resigned look. He'd privately confided in Jake and Bobby that morning that she was feeling pretty guilty so could be expected to be over-emotional. It seems she'd been kicking Fenris out of her room owing to him developing chronic gas over the past several months. Merc however just shrugged and said that their family got unnaturally attached to pets. Given that Fenris had been a member of the family for nearly as long as Hestia, Bobby figured it was to be expected. Ritualistically burning his body however, was borderline creepy.
It had all seemed perfectly reasonable as it was happening. Being that due to an early cold front by the time the whole family had made it home for the holiday the ground, and Fenris, were frozen, Ares and Heph had come up with the idea of a funeral pyre. It seemed the dog had been named for a Norse god or monster, Bobby couldn't figure it out from the story since he was both a wolf and the son of Loki. Somehow that had made a Viking funeral be the preferred method of disposal of the remains. However the nearest body of water larger than Manor Creek, which was deemed too small to launch a flaming long boat on, was out by the quarry between Farmingdale and White Chapel, and was currently frozen as well. Ares had cobbled together an impressive Fenris-sized long boat before they had determined that there was nowhere to sail it, so they couldn't fire flaming arrows at it and have it sail off while burning on the water. The boat, along with Fenris and all his worldly possessions - his dishes, leash, collar, dog toys, a whole cooked duck in honor of the one he'd stolen off the dining room table as a puppy - were in the boat and the boat rested on a grid of metal bars over a pit of coals.
At first only the bottom had turned black and the smell had been horrendous. But periodically Tyr or Heph would shovel coal into the pit and as the flames started to rise, the thick black smoke had started to eventually just smell like coal. Although Laura sat on a chair, everyone else stood. Morrigan held Michael while Mary held Sarah, both of whom kept asking when Fenris would come back. Jake, Melissa, and Bobby had exchanged looks as if to say 'what are we getting into' but now just stood offering support to their grieving friends.
Menthu wasn't as openly distraught as Hestia but his face was ashen and drawn and he shed quiet tears and when Melissa put her arm around him he pulled her into a hug and didn't let go. Merc seemed to be fighting his emotions, trying not to cry and Bobby was torn between just telling him it was okay, to go ahead and in just pretending he wasn't paying attention so that Merc could cry if he wanted to without being seen.
It was while he was looking away and mulling over which option would wound Merc manliness the least, and not make Bobby himself look like a total girl, that he saw Walt coming down a path which meandered around from the front drive. Given that the family was busy he went over to meet him.
"Sheriff," he said with a nod by way of greeting, his hat still in his hand because, okay it was a dog but they obviously didn't think of him as just a dog and well, it seemed respectful.
"Son," Walt returned his greeting. "What…"
There really weren't words but Bobby understood and just answered, "Fenris died."
"Oh… that's a damn shame," Walt said. He was still looking at all that smoke and Bobby figured it wasn't a social call. The neighbors were spaced out a bit in this part of Farmingdale but the smell must have hit someone. He looked down and then at Bobby, "what're they doing?"
Bobby opened his mouth then shut it. He looked over at the family, gathered around the pyre. He really didn't have any words to explain how this all made sense and it did… kind of. He opened his mouth again and just before he closed it, inspiration struck, "it’s a Native American thing."
"Oh," Walt said. He looked startled and looked around then back at Bobby. "Really?"
"I think. I mean… it could be," Bobby ventured. He looked back at the family, and then looked at Walt. "Think they'd buy it?"
"Who?" Walt asked.
"Whoever called you," Bobby said.
Walt grinned and looked down. He walked over and offered his condolences to Laura and the family.
Later, they all gathered around the hearth indoors. Laura brought out what she called the good whisky and poured them all, except Hestia who pouted and Bobby who had declined, a glass. Stories were told about Fenris' most colorful antics, more than a few contributed by Walt who had been called out often during his puppy-hood seeing that Menthu's Welsh Elk Hound had scared the b'Jesus out of the neighbors when he'd first been adopted.
---
The next morning at breakfast, Ennis had that look. The one he used to get when Bobby first moved there. Like he thought or maybe hoped Bobby was pulling his leg. Jack looked at Ennis then back at Bobby. "They what?" he said.
---
It wasn't like he had a lot of ground to stand on. What could he say? I don't want to go 'cause you're mom's crazy… no definitely glass house time there. After having survived their dog's wake Jake could point out that proportionately there was a much higher percentage of insanity in Heph's family compared to his. Just his dad cleared an entire fourth of Jake's clan as sane. Heph would have to produce two for one just to stay even, and that was… unlikely.
It had been a late invitation and extended probably at behest of Mr. Twopony. Jake had been planning to go by himself and then Heph had been invited only that day. He really would have rather pleaded other plans but Jake had asked him and well, Jake rarely asked for anything. Mum would have a fit if she knew he'd accepted such grudgingly given hospitality. But Mum had a habit of holding the twenty century to standards that had gone out fashion around the time of The Mabinogion.
Still in honor of ancient hospitality ritual, an insult needed to be answered. Since he couldn't do it overtly he'd have to find some subtle way. Perhaps an embarrassment of riches would work. He went back into Ares' old workshop. His brother had left some of the older tools but cleared out a lot of stuff when he'd moved out and Heph had started using it for storage for stuff that was just too valuable to leave out back in the gardens. Opening the double doors on a large built in shelving unit he hesitated before uncovering and reaching for a silver statue. It was just over six pounds and showed two sea turtles. They were mostly hollow and positioned to look as if they were swimming. He'd modeled them on a painting Jake had.
That painting had been the only thing, besides his clothes Jake'd loaded into Heph's truck that day *she'd* thrown him out. It had hung over the headboard in his old bedroom. The look on Jake's face that day, just before he'd grabbed it and stuck it under his arm had haunted Heph many nights when sleep was elusive. It was such a lost, lonely look. Heph wondered if he'd ever be enough to make up for what Jake had lost by being with him.
The statue was monochrome just silver and shadow with only placement and texture to give the illusion of movement. The painting was all shades of blue and green and remained a little splash of home in Jake's new room. It sat on top of the bookshelves, next to his new lamp. Heph had originally thought he'd give this to Jake, but that painting was going wherever they went and they were going together. So would she get this? Or would it fly right passed her? With his luck she'd think it was a bride price or something. That painting meant something to Jake, something he thought he was losing that day, maybe if she didn't get it, at least Jake would.
He took a few minutes and polished it a bit since it had been sitting. Carrying the piece out of what had once been an old coal cellar, he emerged behind the bar in the basement. Hestia was cutting up magazines; she'd been doing that a lot lately as the new thing with her friends was to make collages out of all the words and phrases that described them. She had already been the recipient of five empty wine bottles plastered with paper and glue.
"Hey, wrap this for me?" He said.
Turning the sound down on M-TV with the remote she stood and said, "Whoa, that is so cool. Look they have beaks and flippers and… is this for Jake? He'll love it."
"It's for his parents," Heph said.
"We don't like her," Morrigan said coming down the stairs. She crossed to them, dropped the stack of magazines she'd brought on top of Hestia's pile and leaned in to examine the turtles. Standing straight and not quite reaching eye level she put her hand on her hip and said, "Why are you giving her something so nice? She called you a deviant-"
"Morrigan, shut up," Heph said. Holding the turtles out to Hestia he said, "Wrap?"
Hestia looked at Morrigan, did the freaky female thing where they said stuff with their eyes and then said, "Let me find something."
Heph sat the statue on the bar and turned to the fridge. He found a beer and poured it into a fluted glass and looked up in time to see Morrigan raise her eyebrow. "I'm legal, remember."
"It's only three o'clock," she said.
"And I'm having dinner at eight with clan Twopony," He growled.
"You weren't upset before," Morrigan said.
"Until nine this morning there was nothing to be upset about, now that woman is going to spend the evening giving me the evil eye for doing unspeakable things to her son," he said and took a long swallow.
"You don't *have* to go," Morrigan said as she sat on one of the bar stools and poured the rest of his beer into a glass for herself. "If Mum finds out she waited until this morning to invite you-"
"I *have* to go." Heph said. "He was here for the great dog burning, he puts up with Merc on a daily bases, Jesus, Mum showed him the book-"
"No," Morrigan gasped out, she covered her mouth but didn't stop and undignified snort from escaping, "When? How? Why don't you tell me this stuff?"
Coming down the stairs caring a wicker box, Hestia called out, "She did it to R.J. too, before they went on tour. If you came home more you'd find out these things."
The box was an old sewing box; Heph remembered seeing it stashed somewhere when he'd been scrounging for clothes that fit. It was a darkly stained wicker, lined with red crushed velvet. He wondered what Hestia had done with the antique buttons, needles and desinagrating spools of thread that had been in it.
The statue fit as if it the box had been made for it. "Good eye," Heph told her. "Is this enough? Do I need paper or a bow?" Bowing to his sisters' expertise he left it as it was and just hooked it shut.
"So what are you wearing?" Morrigan asked.
"No!" He said backing away. "I may be the queer one, but we are not bonding over clothes, you have a twin for that."
"Come on, Heph." She said advancing on him as Hestia tried to circle behind," I'm not going to make you shave your legs, I just want to see-"
He bolted up the stairs with both sisters hot on his heels.
---
Ennis came in the backdoor, he'd stomped the snow off his boots coming up the stairs and again before coming through the door but shucked them anyway to keep the peace with Marianne. Hanging up his coat he glanced over at the boys at the kitchen table. Being winter break they couldn't be working on homework but there were papers spread out. He was surprised when Ares walked into the kitchen from the living room.
"That's some wind chill," Ares said by way of greeting. His hair was pulled back and Ennis still had trouble not focusing on the thick silver rings in his ears when he talked.
"Yeah, reckon it's too cold to snow at least," Ennis said.
"An optimism," Ares said. "It never used to bother me but my blood's thinned or something."
"You oughta move home, we'd make a real man of you," Merc offered.
Ennis had walked over to look over Bobby's shoulder while they were talking and Bobby held up a drawing. He knew it was a floor plan of some sort but couldn't think of what for. "What's this?"
"Well…" Bobby started slow but then the words burst out as if, if he were to stop to breathe Ennis might change his mind about wanting to hear. "Heph said that the real problem with recording is blocking the exterior sound. Buddy Holly recorded a lot of his stuff right in his garage; and equipments advanced since then, but the problem is recording what you want and not recording what you don't want - so we're keeping our eyes out for recording equipment and stuff… but if we get it, well we were talking insulation and stuff like that -"
"You gonna build a recording studio?" Ennis asked.
"We don't have that kind of money," Merc offered. "We figured we'd use your barn."
---
The result of Hestia and Morrigan's united effort was a cohesive ensemble suitable for dinner with the parents of one's intended and the ominous prospect of attending midnight mass with the family. The black dress pants had belonged to his father and were paired with one of Tyr's white long sleeved shirts. Morrigan gave strict orders that he was not to flex nor lift his arms too high since Tyr's arms weren't quite as long. Menthu had contributed the tie, belt and watch and Heph's new boots been delivered from Hell's Kitchen by Melissa. Morrigan donated a silver hair clasp after getting both Tyr and Menthu to swear it wasn't too girly.
Heph sighed, and sent a pray of thanks that he really didn't have to go to prom and if by some freakish twist of fate he did at least they wouldn't all be home to harass his date. Because Jake coming to the door with them all hovering around, not even trying to look like they were there for any other reason than to see Jake see Heph was something he could have lived without. Jake was speechless and oblivious to their audience as he pulled him down into a kiss. At least he was until Morrigan, Melissa and Hestia chorused 'awww' and Menthu and Tyr started making catcalls and whistling. Heph was deeply grateful Merc and Ares weren't around.
Making sure he remembered his gift he got Jake out of there as quickly as possible, Hestia only got to snap three pictures. Getting into the car he had a real frying pan to fire feeling. Jake spent more than half his time watching him instead of the road and Heph felt it wasn't all due to his clothing. Feeling that this had to be at least as stressful for Jake he asked, "Is there… do we have a plan? Are there things I should avoid? Subjects? Words?"
"Just be yourself," Jake said with a smile and then added, "and no matter how provoked you are, don't hit anyone."
"Then if she starts calling you names, we both leave," Heph said.
---
Ennis settled next to Jack on the couch handing him a beer. After dinner, Bobby had left with Merc and Ares to run some errands for Laura. They were having a blessedly quiet Christmas that year but Lureen was coming up for the big New Year's party. The TV was off and the fire was crackling. With the boy out and about he really should take advantage of Jack's full attention but couldn't resist and said, "guess we're going to have to build a new barn - maybe back passed the stockyard, be more convenient anyway."
Jack's head whipped to look out the window, as if their barn might not be there and then back at Ennis. "What? Why? What's wrong with the barn?"
"Nothing," Ennis said with a grin, "it's just the future home of Brokeback Studio and destined to revolutionize the recording industry."
---
Jake shifted a shopping bag of presents and knocked on the door. Heph wondered about how odd that must be. How did it make Jake feel, knocking on a door that had been home up until a couple months ago? He couldn't imagine knocking on his Mum's door - ever. Regardless of how long any of his siblings had been out on their own they just burst in whenever they were around. Hell, Merc treated the Brokeback that way. Before he could even catch Jake's eyes to see if this was weirding him out, Jake's dad opened the door. As they were ushered in he was hit by an amazing smell. Pine underlay it but it was spicy and mostly due to roasted meat.
Marcus herded them toward the living room and Russell rose and greeted them with, "Merry Christmas."
Jake and he shook hands, and after only a brief hesitation Russell offered his hand to Heph. Heph hid his smirk and shifting the present to his left hand, shook Russell's without giving into the temptation to squeeze too hard. Jake asked, "Where's Susan."
Susan and Russell had met in college and been dating since their sophomore year. After graduation Russell got a job in Burlington and Susan was working in Boston. Things had been inconvenient, but Jake said she'd been there for Thanksgiving. "Susan… it was just getting too hard to find the time to get together. We needed space-"
"She dumped you?" Jake asked.
"*We*, we decided that at this point in our lives a long distance relationship isn't in our best interest," Russell said.
Marcus asked, "Can I get you a beer Heph? Jake?"
"Thanks, Dad," Jake said.
"I'm good," Heph said shaking is head.
The coffee table had a platter of dried fruits and a bowl of mixed salted nuts. Russell and Jake picked at the fruit and Heph just listened as they traded small talk. Marcus came back with a drink for Jake and tried to engage Heph in the same. One wide-eyed look at Jake had him jumping in to run interference. Heph keep shooting nervous glances in the direction of the kitchen, or at least the direction the smell was coming from. Russell and his Dad exchanged a silent but telling look and he stood saying, "I'll just make sure Mom has enough help. You know how tough it is trying to get it all on the table at the right temperature and at the same time."
Once he left, Heph looked Marcus in the eye and asked, "You're not railroading her are you? I don't want to ruin your holiday-"
"Son," Marcus said, yet he was looking at Heph and that was a surreal-in-its-own-way experience. Jack Twist was just about the only person Heph remembered calling him son beside his mother and some vague memory of his dad which he was never sure wasn't just wishful thinking. "Your intentions… well, you're going to be part of Jake's life," Marcus continued, "aren't you?"
Heph swallowed hard and said, "Yes sir."
"Then we all have to find a place in our lives for each other, because he is always going to be my son, and she is always going to be my wife," Marcus said.
Russell returned and said, "Uhm, it's ready."
Heph left the present on the coffee table and the four men went into the dinning room. It was a large round table and Heph took the seat between Jake in his dad, feeling a bit like a coward but not caring at that point. He had a clear view of an ornate clock on the sideboard and he just knew he was going to feel every minute crawl by.
---
He'd complemented the rack of lamb, she'd said thank you, other than that they hadn't spoken or looked at each other. She had spoken to Jake three times. Marcus and Russell were working harder than game show hosts to engage each person in turn and keep up a lively non-controversial murmur going throughout the meal.
They had adjourned to the living room for coffee. Heph just left his on the coffee table and waited for Jake to switch his empty for it. Jake made out like a bandit in the gift department. It was not merely overcompensation for the recent distance in their relationship, Jake had mentioned that with a birthday on December twentieth he traditionally got just cards for his birthday and great Christmas presents. It was one of the reasons Heph had made sure to give him the tickets for the ski trip they were taking on his actual birthday.
Heph was given a set of Ralph Lauren cologne, for which he thanked them both. He pointedly handed the wicker box to Mrs. Twopony and she thanked him uncomfortable. There was a notable pause as they all sat waiting. Finally at Marcus' prompting she unlatched and lifted the lid. Russell who had craned his neck to get a peek gasped. Marcus reached over, lifted the statue out of the box and placed it on the table.
"Babe," Jake said. "That's…" he stopped finally pulling his eyes away from the turtles, one large, one smaller, riding invisible waves. He looked at Heph and at that moment Heph knew that regardless of if Mrs. Twopony got it, at least Jake did.
"It is…very beautiful. Thank you." She said stiffly.
For the first time since that day, their eyes met. Heph tried not to glare and replied, "Thank you for your hospitality. I wish you and your family peace and prosperity in the dawning year." They both nodded once, almost formally, like a bow before a battle. Heph had serious doubts that either of them would ever think the other was good enough for Jake and knew that no matter how long this night seemed it would only be the opening volley.
---
"Texas is a big state," Ares said climbing behind the wheel of Heph's truck. The threat of a storm had caused Laura to ground Merc's car until spring and after a brief tussle from which Ares emerged the victor Merc had resigned himself to being a passenger.
Merc slid into the center of the benched seat and Bobby climbed in after him. "I know that," Bobby said. "I just think its odd him going down there for the holiday… I mean this is a big business time of the year…"
"Everything closes early around this time," Merc said. "The roadhouse is never open on Christmas; it’s the perfect time for him to get away."
Bobby scowled at Merc, knowing he was just pleased to have delivered the last of the gift baskets of maple sugar candy his mother had loaded him down with that day to drop off at various friends and associates. Merc said that the good thing about maple sugar was that leaving it on someone's porch in the cold wouldn't impact it the way it would chocolate. "But why Texas?" Bobby pushed. The note tacked on the door of Jeff's little apartment he kept over his business had said, 'gone to Texas - call Theresa if you need anything'. Theresa was his assistant manager but it hadn't been a business call, not really although Bobby had wanted to talk to him about the recording studio idea.
"Maybe its business," Ares offered, "Checking out the trends and stuff from the big guys."
"Maybe he went to see your mom," Merc said, and then at Bobby's look of horror added, "What?"
---
"No cookie for you?" Heph asked softly as people began their orderly progression out of the pews and lined up to approach the altar.
"No cookie for me," Jake whispered with a smile.
"How come?" Heph said, he was hoping that after forty-five minutes of standing, sitting and kneeling in regulation like some sort of callisthenic that it was almost over. The serving of the godly refreshments seemed a good indication it was if what he remembered from Mum's descriptions of mass had been correct. She hadn't been to mass since she and her father had butted heads over her first mixed marriage and Heph's limited exposure to his father's Presbyterian background had all but dried up since his grandfather had passed.
Jake looked a bit uncomfortable but opened his mouth to answer, Russell who sat on his other side - putting as many family members between Heph and Jake's mom as possible - answered instead, "That'd be because of you."
"That would be because of me," Jake said in a low harsh tone which Heph had never heard him use before. "I have no remorse. I have no intention of changing. I will live with the consequences of my actions." His voice then soften, he looked at his brother and glanced briefly toward where his mother and father stood in line and said, "he is God's way of telling me He understands and loves me."
Russell leveled a hard look at Heph which Heph really couldn't hold against him since he could see it was born out of a deep love for his brother. Russell looked at Jake and said, "Okay." He nodded and got up to stand in line.
Heph looked at Jake, the naked emotion in his eyes overwhelmed him. If they had been somewhere, anywhere else than in Middlebury's Immaculate Conception Church with a looming larger than life crucifixion front and center he'd have pulled him into his arms and never let go. Instead, he just nodded at Jake and prayed to that God that he would be enough.
End - part thirty two
Heph's not much of a talker, so a lot of this part is internal. Warning: there's some religion in this, it is not meant to offend anyone regardless of their beliefs.
Disclaimer & Cast List
http://wordsmithslash.livejournal.com/46253.html#cutid1
Previous Parts
http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=wordsmithslash&keyword=Reconciliation&filter=all
Reconciliation - part thirty two
---
The girls were coming after Christmas and would be there for New Years. The Twist/DelMar family had been invited to the Owens' home for New Year's Eve, no one was saying it was an engagement party but Laura was going all out and Melissa's parents and sister were expected.
Tragedy struck the Owens' family just before Christmas. It seemed Fenris had crawled up onto the foot of Laura's bed during the night, fallen asleep curled on her feet and never woken up. Briefly Heph and Merc discussed going to tell Menthu, but since he was coming home in only a few days Laura overruled them and he was told when he arrived home.
Bobby was lagging near the back. The family stood around the pyre. Hestia was sobbing inconsolably. Heph had her wrapped in his arms with a resigned look. He'd privately confided in Jake and Bobby that morning that she was feeling pretty guilty so could be expected to be over-emotional. It seems she'd been kicking Fenris out of her room owing to him developing chronic gas over the past several months. Merc however just shrugged and said that their family got unnaturally attached to pets. Given that Fenris had been a member of the family for nearly as long as Hestia, Bobby figured it was to be expected. Ritualistically burning his body however, was borderline creepy.
It had all seemed perfectly reasonable as it was happening. Being that due to an early cold front by the time the whole family had made it home for the holiday the ground, and Fenris, were frozen, Ares and Heph had come up with the idea of a funeral pyre. It seemed the dog had been named for a Norse god or monster, Bobby couldn't figure it out from the story since he was both a wolf and the son of Loki. Somehow that had made a Viking funeral be the preferred method of disposal of the remains. However the nearest body of water larger than Manor Creek, which was deemed too small to launch a flaming long boat on, was out by the quarry between Farmingdale and White Chapel, and was currently frozen as well. Ares had cobbled together an impressive Fenris-sized long boat before they had determined that there was nowhere to sail it, so they couldn't fire flaming arrows at it and have it sail off while burning on the water. The boat, along with Fenris and all his worldly possessions - his dishes, leash, collar, dog toys, a whole cooked duck in honor of the one he'd stolen off the dining room table as a puppy - were in the boat and the boat rested on a grid of metal bars over a pit of coals.
At first only the bottom had turned black and the smell had been horrendous. But periodically Tyr or Heph would shovel coal into the pit and as the flames started to rise, the thick black smoke had started to eventually just smell like coal. Although Laura sat on a chair, everyone else stood. Morrigan held Michael while Mary held Sarah, both of whom kept asking when Fenris would come back. Jake, Melissa, and Bobby had exchanged looks as if to say 'what are we getting into' but now just stood offering support to their grieving friends.
Menthu wasn't as openly distraught as Hestia but his face was ashen and drawn and he shed quiet tears and when Melissa put her arm around him he pulled her into a hug and didn't let go. Merc seemed to be fighting his emotions, trying not to cry and Bobby was torn between just telling him it was okay, to go ahead and in just pretending he wasn't paying attention so that Merc could cry if he wanted to without being seen.
It was while he was looking away and mulling over which option would wound Merc manliness the least, and not make Bobby himself look like a total girl, that he saw Walt coming down a path which meandered around from the front drive. Given that the family was busy he went over to meet him.
"Sheriff," he said with a nod by way of greeting, his hat still in his hand because, okay it was a dog but they obviously didn't think of him as just a dog and well, it seemed respectful.
"Son," Walt returned his greeting. "What…"
There really weren't words but Bobby understood and just answered, "Fenris died."
"Oh… that's a damn shame," Walt said. He was still looking at all that smoke and Bobby figured it wasn't a social call. The neighbors were spaced out a bit in this part of Farmingdale but the smell must have hit someone. He looked down and then at Bobby, "what're they doing?"
Bobby opened his mouth then shut it. He looked over at the family, gathered around the pyre. He really didn't have any words to explain how this all made sense and it did… kind of. He opened his mouth again and just before he closed it, inspiration struck, "it’s a Native American thing."
"Oh," Walt said. He looked startled and looked around then back at Bobby. "Really?"
"I think. I mean… it could be," Bobby ventured. He looked back at the family, and then looked at Walt. "Think they'd buy it?"
"Who?" Walt asked.
"Whoever called you," Bobby said.
Walt grinned and looked down. He walked over and offered his condolences to Laura and the family.
Later, they all gathered around the hearth indoors. Laura brought out what she called the good whisky and poured them all, except Hestia who pouted and Bobby who had declined, a glass. Stories were told about Fenris' most colorful antics, more than a few contributed by Walt who had been called out often during his puppy-hood seeing that Menthu's Welsh Elk Hound had scared the b'Jesus out of the neighbors when he'd first been adopted.
---
The next morning at breakfast, Ennis had that look. The one he used to get when Bobby first moved there. Like he thought or maybe hoped Bobby was pulling his leg. Jack looked at Ennis then back at Bobby. "They what?" he said.
---
It wasn't like he had a lot of ground to stand on. What could he say? I don't want to go 'cause you're mom's crazy… no definitely glass house time there. After having survived their dog's wake Jake could point out that proportionately there was a much higher percentage of insanity in Heph's family compared to his. Just his dad cleared an entire fourth of Jake's clan as sane. Heph would have to produce two for one just to stay even, and that was… unlikely.
It had been a late invitation and extended probably at behest of Mr. Twopony. Jake had been planning to go by himself and then Heph had been invited only that day. He really would have rather pleaded other plans but Jake had asked him and well, Jake rarely asked for anything. Mum would have a fit if she knew he'd accepted such grudgingly given hospitality. But Mum had a habit of holding the twenty century to standards that had gone out fashion around the time of The Mabinogion.
Still in honor of ancient hospitality ritual, an insult needed to be answered. Since he couldn't do it overtly he'd have to find some subtle way. Perhaps an embarrassment of riches would work. He went back into Ares' old workshop. His brother had left some of the older tools but cleared out a lot of stuff when he'd moved out and Heph had started using it for storage for stuff that was just too valuable to leave out back in the gardens. Opening the double doors on a large built in shelving unit he hesitated before uncovering and reaching for a silver statue. It was just over six pounds and showed two sea turtles. They were mostly hollow and positioned to look as if they were swimming. He'd modeled them on a painting Jake had.
That painting had been the only thing, besides his clothes Jake'd loaded into Heph's truck that day *she'd* thrown him out. It had hung over the headboard in his old bedroom. The look on Jake's face that day, just before he'd grabbed it and stuck it under his arm had haunted Heph many nights when sleep was elusive. It was such a lost, lonely look. Heph wondered if he'd ever be enough to make up for what Jake had lost by being with him.
The statue was monochrome just silver and shadow with only placement and texture to give the illusion of movement. The painting was all shades of blue and green and remained a little splash of home in Jake's new room. It sat on top of the bookshelves, next to his new lamp. Heph had originally thought he'd give this to Jake, but that painting was going wherever they went and they were going together. So would she get this? Or would it fly right passed her? With his luck she'd think it was a bride price or something. That painting meant something to Jake, something he thought he was losing that day, maybe if she didn't get it, at least Jake would.
He took a few minutes and polished it a bit since it had been sitting. Carrying the piece out of what had once been an old coal cellar, he emerged behind the bar in the basement. Hestia was cutting up magazines; she'd been doing that a lot lately as the new thing with her friends was to make collages out of all the words and phrases that described them. She had already been the recipient of five empty wine bottles plastered with paper and glue.
"Hey, wrap this for me?" He said.
Turning the sound down on M-TV with the remote she stood and said, "Whoa, that is so cool. Look they have beaks and flippers and… is this for Jake? He'll love it."
"It's for his parents," Heph said.
"We don't like her," Morrigan said coming down the stairs. She crossed to them, dropped the stack of magazines she'd brought on top of Hestia's pile and leaned in to examine the turtles. Standing straight and not quite reaching eye level she put her hand on her hip and said, "Why are you giving her something so nice? She called you a deviant-"
"Morrigan, shut up," Heph said. Holding the turtles out to Hestia he said, "Wrap?"
Hestia looked at Morrigan, did the freaky female thing where they said stuff with their eyes and then said, "Let me find something."
Heph sat the statue on the bar and turned to the fridge. He found a beer and poured it into a fluted glass and looked up in time to see Morrigan raise her eyebrow. "I'm legal, remember."
"It's only three o'clock," she said.
"And I'm having dinner at eight with clan Twopony," He growled.
"You weren't upset before," Morrigan said.
"Until nine this morning there was nothing to be upset about, now that woman is going to spend the evening giving me the evil eye for doing unspeakable things to her son," he said and took a long swallow.
"You don't *have* to go," Morrigan said as she sat on one of the bar stools and poured the rest of his beer into a glass for herself. "If Mum finds out she waited until this morning to invite you-"
"I *have* to go." Heph said. "He was here for the great dog burning, he puts up with Merc on a daily bases, Jesus, Mum showed him the book-"
"No," Morrigan gasped out, she covered her mouth but didn't stop and undignified snort from escaping, "When? How? Why don't you tell me this stuff?"
Coming down the stairs caring a wicker box, Hestia called out, "She did it to R.J. too, before they went on tour. If you came home more you'd find out these things."
The box was an old sewing box; Heph remembered seeing it stashed somewhere when he'd been scrounging for clothes that fit. It was a darkly stained wicker, lined with red crushed velvet. He wondered what Hestia had done with the antique buttons, needles and desinagrating spools of thread that had been in it.
The statue fit as if it the box had been made for it. "Good eye," Heph told her. "Is this enough? Do I need paper or a bow?" Bowing to his sisters' expertise he left it as it was and just hooked it shut.
"So what are you wearing?" Morrigan asked.
"No!" He said backing away. "I may be the queer one, but we are not bonding over clothes, you have a twin for that."
"Come on, Heph." She said advancing on him as Hestia tried to circle behind," I'm not going to make you shave your legs, I just want to see-"
He bolted up the stairs with both sisters hot on his heels.
---
Ennis came in the backdoor, he'd stomped the snow off his boots coming up the stairs and again before coming through the door but shucked them anyway to keep the peace with Marianne. Hanging up his coat he glanced over at the boys at the kitchen table. Being winter break they couldn't be working on homework but there were papers spread out. He was surprised when Ares walked into the kitchen from the living room.
"That's some wind chill," Ares said by way of greeting. His hair was pulled back and Ennis still had trouble not focusing on the thick silver rings in his ears when he talked.
"Yeah, reckon it's too cold to snow at least," Ennis said.
"An optimism," Ares said. "It never used to bother me but my blood's thinned or something."
"You oughta move home, we'd make a real man of you," Merc offered.
Ennis had walked over to look over Bobby's shoulder while they were talking and Bobby held up a drawing. He knew it was a floor plan of some sort but couldn't think of what for. "What's this?"
"Well…" Bobby started slow but then the words burst out as if, if he were to stop to breathe Ennis might change his mind about wanting to hear. "Heph said that the real problem with recording is blocking the exterior sound. Buddy Holly recorded a lot of his stuff right in his garage; and equipments advanced since then, but the problem is recording what you want and not recording what you don't want - so we're keeping our eyes out for recording equipment and stuff… but if we get it, well we were talking insulation and stuff like that -"
"You gonna build a recording studio?" Ennis asked.
"We don't have that kind of money," Merc offered. "We figured we'd use your barn."
---
The result of Hestia and Morrigan's united effort was a cohesive ensemble suitable for dinner with the parents of one's intended and the ominous prospect of attending midnight mass with the family. The black dress pants had belonged to his father and were paired with one of Tyr's white long sleeved shirts. Morrigan gave strict orders that he was not to flex nor lift his arms too high since Tyr's arms weren't quite as long. Menthu had contributed the tie, belt and watch and Heph's new boots been delivered from Hell's Kitchen by Melissa. Morrigan donated a silver hair clasp after getting both Tyr and Menthu to swear it wasn't too girly.
Heph sighed, and sent a pray of thanks that he really didn't have to go to prom and if by some freakish twist of fate he did at least they wouldn't all be home to harass his date. Because Jake coming to the door with them all hovering around, not even trying to look like they were there for any other reason than to see Jake see Heph was something he could have lived without. Jake was speechless and oblivious to their audience as he pulled him down into a kiss. At least he was until Morrigan, Melissa and Hestia chorused 'awww' and Menthu and Tyr started making catcalls and whistling. Heph was deeply grateful Merc and Ares weren't around.
Making sure he remembered his gift he got Jake out of there as quickly as possible, Hestia only got to snap three pictures. Getting into the car he had a real frying pan to fire feeling. Jake spent more than half his time watching him instead of the road and Heph felt it wasn't all due to his clothing. Feeling that this had to be at least as stressful for Jake he asked, "Is there… do we have a plan? Are there things I should avoid? Subjects? Words?"
"Just be yourself," Jake said with a smile and then added, "and no matter how provoked you are, don't hit anyone."
"Then if she starts calling you names, we both leave," Heph said.
---
Ennis settled next to Jack on the couch handing him a beer. After dinner, Bobby had left with Merc and Ares to run some errands for Laura. They were having a blessedly quiet Christmas that year but Lureen was coming up for the big New Year's party. The TV was off and the fire was crackling. With the boy out and about he really should take advantage of Jack's full attention but couldn't resist and said, "guess we're going to have to build a new barn - maybe back passed the stockyard, be more convenient anyway."
Jack's head whipped to look out the window, as if their barn might not be there and then back at Ennis. "What? Why? What's wrong with the barn?"
"Nothing," Ennis said with a grin, "it's just the future home of Brokeback Studio and destined to revolutionize the recording industry."
---
Jake shifted a shopping bag of presents and knocked on the door. Heph wondered about how odd that must be. How did it make Jake feel, knocking on a door that had been home up until a couple months ago? He couldn't imagine knocking on his Mum's door - ever. Regardless of how long any of his siblings had been out on their own they just burst in whenever they were around. Hell, Merc treated the Brokeback that way. Before he could even catch Jake's eyes to see if this was weirding him out, Jake's dad opened the door. As they were ushered in he was hit by an amazing smell. Pine underlay it but it was spicy and mostly due to roasted meat.
Marcus herded them toward the living room and Russell rose and greeted them with, "Merry Christmas."
Jake and he shook hands, and after only a brief hesitation Russell offered his hand to Heph. Heph hid his smirk and shifting the present to his left hand, shook Russell's without giving into the temptation to squeeze too hard. Jake asked, "Where's Susan."
Susan and Russell had met in college and been dating since their sophomore year. After graduation Russell got a job in Burlington and Susan was working in Boston. Things had been inconvenient, but Jake said she'd been there for Thanksgiving. "Susan… it was just getting too hard to find the time to get together. We needed space-"
"She dumped you?" Jake asked.
"*We*, we decided that at this point in our lives a long distance relationship isn't in our best interest," Russell said.
Marcus asked, "Can I get you a beer Heph? Jake?"
"Thanks, Dad," Jake said.
"I'm good," Heph said shaking is head.
The coffee table had a platter of dried fruits and a bowl of mixed salted nuts. Russell and Jake picked at the fruit and Heph just listened as they traded small talk. Marcus came back with a drink for Jake and tried to engage Heph in the same. One wide-eyed look at Jake had him jumping in to run interference. Heph keep shooting nervous glances in the direction of the kitchen, or at least the direction the smell was coming from. Russell and his Dad exchanged a silent but telling look and he stood saying, "I'll just make sure Mom has enough help. You know how tough it is trying to get it all on the table at the right temperature and at the same time."
Once he left, Heph looked Marcus in the eye and asked, "You're not railroading her are you? I don't want to ruin your holiday-"
"Son," Marcus said, yet he was looking at Heph and that was a surreal-in-its-own-way experience. Jack Twist was just about the only person Heph remembered calling him son beside his mother and some vague memory of his dad which he was never sure wasn't just wishful thinking. "Your intentions… well, you're going to be part of Jake's life," Marcus continued, "aren't you?"
Heph swallowed hard and said, "Yes sir."
"Then we all have to find a place in our lives for each other, because he is always going to be my son, and she is always going to be my wife," Marcus said.
Russell returned and said, "Uhm, it's ready."
Heph left the present on the coffee table and the four men went into the dinning room. It was a large round table and Heph took the seat between Jake in his dad, feeling a bit like a coward but not caring at that point. He had a clear view of an ornate clock on the sideboard and he just knew he was going to feel every minute crawl by.
---
He'd complemented the rack of lamb, she'd said thank you, other than that they hadn't spoken or looked at each other. She had spoken to Jake three times. Marcus and Russell were working harder than game show hosts to engage each person in turn and keep up a lively non-controversial murmur going throughout the meal.
They had adjourned to the living room for coffee. Heph just left his on the coffee table and waited for Jake to switch his empty for it. Jake made out like a bandit in the gift department. It was not merely overcompensation for the recent distance in their relationship, Jake had mentioned that with a birthday on December twentieth he traditionally got just cards for his birthday and great Christmas presents. It was one of the reasons Heph had made sure to give him the tickets for the ski trip they were taking on his actual birthday.
Heph was given a set of Ralph Lauren cologne, for which he thanked them both. He pointedly handed the wicker box to Mrs. Twopony and she thanked him uncomfortable. There was a notable pause as they all sat waiting. Finally at Marcus' prompting she unlatched and lifted the lid. Russell who had craned his neck to get a peek gasped. Marcus reached over, lifted the statue out of the box and placed it on the table.
"Babe," Jake said. "That's…" he stopped finally pulling his eyes away from the turtles, one large, one smaller, riding invisible waves. He looked at Heph and at that moment Heph knew that regardless of if Mrs. Twopony got it, at least Jake did.
"It is…very beautiful. Thank you." She said stiffly.
For the first time since that day, their eyes met. Heph tried not to glare and replied, "Thank you for your hospitality. I wish you and your family peace and prosperity in the dawning year." They both nodded once, almost formally, like a bow before a battle. Heph had serious doubts that either of them would ever think the other was good enough for Jake and knew that no matter how long this night seemed it would only be the opening volley.
---
"Texas is a big state," Ares said climbing behind the wheel of Heph's truck. The threat of a storm had caused Laura to ground Merc's car until spring and after a brief tussle from which Ares emerged the victor Merc had resigned himself to being a passenger.
Merc slid into the center of the benched seat and Bobby climbed in after him. "I know that," Bobby said. "I just think its odd him going down there for the holiday… I mean this is a big business time of the year…"
"Everything closes early around this time," Merc said. "The roadhouse is never open on Christmas; it’s the perfect time for him to get away."
Bobby scowled at Merc, knowing he was just pleased to have delivered the last of the gift baskets of maple sugar candy his mother had loaded him down with that day to drop off at various friends and associates. Merc said that the good thing about maple sugar was that leaving it on someone's porch in the cold wouldn't impact it the way it would chocolate. "But why Texas?" Bobby pushed. The note tacked on the door of Jeff's little apartment he kept over his business had said, 'gone to Texas - call Theresa if you need anything'. Theresa was his assistant manager but it hadn't been a business call, not really although Bobby had wanted to talk to him about the recording studio idea.
"Maybe its business," Ares offered, "Checking out the trends and stuff from the big guys."
"Maybe he went to see your mom," Merc said, and then at Bobby's look of horror added, "What?"
---
"No cookie for you?" Heph asked softly as people began their orderly progression out of the pews and lined up to approach the altar.
"No cookie for me," Jake whispered with a smile.
"How come?" Heph said, he was hoping that after forty-five minutes of standing, sitting and kneeling in regulation like some sort of callisthenic that it was almost over. The serving of the godly refreshments seemed a good indication it was if what he remembered from Mum's descriptions of mass had been correct. She hadn't been to mass since she and her father had butted heads over her first mixed marriage and Heph's limited exposure to his father's Presbyterian background had all but dried up since his grandfather had passed.
Jake looked a bit uncomfortable but opened his mouth to answer, Russell who sat on his other side - putting as many family members between Heph and Jake's mom as possible - answered instead, "That'd be because of you."
"That would be because of me," Jake said in a low harsh tone which Heph had never heard him use before. "I have no remorse. I have no intention of changing. I will live with the consequences of my actions." His voice then soften, he looked at his brother and glanced briefly toward where his mother and father stood in line and said, "he is God's way of telling me He understands and loves me."
Russell leveled a hard look at Heph which Heph really couldn't hold against him since he could see it was born out of a deep love for his brother. Russell looked at Jake and said, "Okay." He nodded and got up to stand in line.
Heph looked at Jake, the naked emotion in his eyes overwhelmed him. If they had been somewhere, anywhere else than in Middlebury's Immaculate Conception Church with a looming larger than life crucifixion front and center he'd have pulled him into his arms and never let go. Instead, he just nodded at Jake and prayed to that God that he would be enough.
End - part thirty two