Fanfic: B&S episode 601: Here comes the rain again. 2/4
Season 6 - Episode 1 - HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN 2/4
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;)
***** PART 2/4 *****
Rebecca rummages through her drawers, looking for a special cable that she needs to transfer pictures from her camera to her computer. For some mystical reason that cable has this amazing disappearing act, which means that Rebecca always spends hours and hours looking for the cursed thing.
She runs into an envelope and wonders what that is all about. She still has so many things to clear, but she’s never in the mood to do some cleaning. When she opens the envelop she bites her lip and fishes some leaflets out of it. “Magic manor”. Oh, my God, did she still have these?
She looks at the pictures and stares at the text without really reading it, because she suddenly remembers the fortune-teller, who had told her that, in a few years, another love would come along and that Justin would be forgotten…. She had been so angry at the thought, so convinced that Justin was 'the one'.
She looks up at her ‘wall of pictures’, as she calls it. Inspired by Nora’s staircase, that wall carries all sorts of pictures that are important to Rebecca. Naturally, pictures of Holly and David. There is one of Kevin and Scotty, taken on their wedding-day. She still regularly emails with the both of them.
Kitty has sent a new family picture as well. Rebecca had put the picture of Kitty, Seth and Evan right next to the picture of Robert and Kitty with Robert’s kids. She doesn’t have much contact with Kitty. It must be, of course, that Kitty’s health makes that her priorities in life lie elsewhere and not with Rebecca.
Rebecca is not in contact with Tommy or Julia and she doesn’t really miss them either. She misses Sarah, Paige and Cooper though. She now looks at the family-picture that Scotty had sent her. The picture had been taken on Sarah and Luc's wedding-day and they are in the middle of the picture, surrounded by family.
She sighs. And there’s Justin, with Tyler. Rebecca looks more closely and she wishes she could feel something of regret or remorse or … jealousy? But she doesn’t feel any resentment or anger. Tyler seems nice and she knows, from what Justin told her, when they just knew each other, that he once loved Tyler very much.
She tilts her head a bit to get a better look at Justin and Tyler. She just has no bad feelings towards either of them. Justin had done what he felt he had to do. Rebecca had done the same. They got divorced. Justin found his old love back and Rebecca… found a new love.
The phone rings, but she’s not ready to pick it up.
“Hi, honey. It’s your dad….” Rebecca smiles softly when she hears David speak, it can still move her to hear him say that he’s her ‘dad’. “… hope you’re not gone already? I wanted to pick you up. I have news and…”
“Hi, dad, I’m here, just a little too late to get at the phone.” She answers.
“Oh. Good. I’m in front of your door and….”
“We were just on our way down. We’ll see you there. Bye.” She quickly says.
“Was that your father?”
Rebecca turns around to look at the handsome young man leaning against the door-post, casually putting on his watch. His dark hair frames a gentle face with the most beautiful green eyes she ever saw. With the eyes of a photographer she might see that his mouth seems a bit too big for his face, but the woman in her doesn’t really care.
Rick is a sweetheart and he comes without the baggage, that the Walkers brought into her life. In fact, he’s the opposite of her on so many levels. Only child with a steady home-life, with two parents in rock-solid marriage and he can boast about the wonderful childhood he had.
An A-student, a fellow-photographer, who doesn’t drink - wine gives him headaches - and never did drugs - he doesn’t even smoke- and whose family doesn’t have illegitimate children crawling out of the woodwork every couple of months, which was quite refreshing after all the Walker-drama.
He would almost be boring if Rebecca didn’t like the ‘normalcy’ he brings her. She’s still completely in awe by him.
“Yes, that was my father.” She replies. She walks up to him and wraps her around his neck to kiss him. He answers the kiss with tenderness.
“Is he picking us up?”
“He’s downstairs waiting for us.” She replies between two kisses. “… said he had news for us…. Oh, this is so good.” Knowing she refers to their kisses, Rick wraps his arms around her more tightly.
“So, what do we do? Do we let him wait and try out our new bed again? Or … are we curious enough to go downstairs?” Rick grins mischievously and Rebecca contemplates her options, then shakes her head and she puts some space between them, by pushing him back.
She picks up her camera and her bag. Rick watches her with some regret, because he wouldn’t mind being in Rebecca’s arms again.
“If dad has to wait too long he’ll come up at the most inconvenient moment. I swear, sometimes he can be such a Walker.”
Rick nods at her words. He has heard so much about the Walkers by now, that he sometimes feels he knows them.
“Alright, whatever you want, babe.” He replies, as he takes his own camera to follow her and find David.
*****
“Hey, Justin, can I talk to you for a minute?” Dan asks and Justin nods. “About this afternoon…. I am a bit worried about how you sort of ‘zoned out’. I mean, I need you there with me and not with your mind years away… Was it just that you knew the guy or … I mean… Man, I hate to ask you this…. But.. It’s not ‘cause you’re using again, are you?”
Dan positively looks embarrassed about the question. Justin smiles and squeezes Dan’s shoulder.
“It’s been a rough couple of weeks, with the earthquake and all, but no, I’m not using. I just got distracted because I knew the guy.”
Dan sighs relieved.
“I’m sorry, man, but I had to know… I’ve worked with a guy before who was a drug-addict and I kept covering for him, because I liked him and I believed that all he needed was a chance… and he nearly killed a patient because his mind was somewhere else and…”
“It’s alright. You know my past, you know my problems. You have the right to ask me the question. I’m glad you came to me with that question and that you’re honest about it. If you ever do catch me using drugs, don’t ever, ever cover for me, but report me straightaway. Alright?”
Dan nods, but doesn’t let go of the topic.
“Do you think that guy will make it?” He asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve seen him get back from some rather dark places, but he was pretty far gone this time.”
Justin’s face becomes sad and he softly continues:
“It could have been me. It was me a few years ago. I scared my family half to death, because I overdosed. I think that is the hardest thing to deal with for me. This anger that I wasted so much precious time with that shit.
I’ve hurt so many people and that guy… he was a friend in the same trouble as me and he may die…. Could have been me.” Justin says again and Dan nods.
“Hey, could have been, but you’re not. Don’t dwell on the topic, I need you here, we have work to do.” And with those words Dan pushes Justin in the direction of the ambulance.
*****
Yet another camping-site. Nora looks over the piece of ground they’ve hired for one night. It’s been fun to be with Brody, she cannot deny that, but she has reached a point where she can’t even remember where exactly she is. Every place starts to look and feel the same to her.
She has seen more of California in these last few weeks than she has in her entire life, but she’s not happy with it. The fun of travelling has lost its shine. She watches how Brody places a small table and two chairs outside. It’s still warm, but she knows that the chillier night-air isn’t very far away. There’s a prediction for a rainy night.
She puts on her sweater and can’t help but resent the damp smell of it. She searches for her deodorant and, not for the first time, she wishes she could be in her bath-tub and soak for a few hours.
“Dinner is ready.” Brody says cheerfully.
“I’ll be right there.” Nora replies and, true to her words, she joins Brody a few seconds later. Again, Brody has managed to create a nice meal from tinned food mixed with fresh vegetables and Nora knows she shouldn’t complain. She can’t remember the last time she dated a guy who would cook for her, and now she has one.
“Nora? Is everything alright?” Brody asks.
“Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t I be alright? Just a bit tired I guess.” She yawns to put some proof to her words.
“Early to bed then?” Brody asks with little smile.
Oh, if there’s one thing Nora can’t complain about it’s her love-life. There’s something magical about waking up in Brody’s arms and realizing he’s her lover again. His love, his tenderness, but above all his care, those are the things she feels she can’t live without anymore, but the travelling…..
“You’re more than just tired, aren’t you? It’s the travelling, isn’t it?” Brody asks and for a moment Nora wonders if she thought out loud. “Don’t worry. I know you’re trying, but you miss your home, don’t you?” His question is a direct one and Nora can only nod.
“I don’t want to whine….” She starts carefully.
“I know you don’t, but these last few days I noticed that you’re heart wasn’t really in it anymore.” Brody says.
“I love to be with you. I love all the places I get to see. I love that you’re here with me and that you make me feel like a young girl again, but….”
“.. You miss your house, your garden, your kids, your friends and the life you built for yourself before and after William’s death and before I walked back into your life?” His eyes are warm and gentle. No reproaches, just acceptance. Nora nods again numbly. “How about… we stay here till the end of the week and then go back home?”
Five more days on the road, but then it will be over… Nora can’t believe he’s suggesting it, as if he read her mind, as if he felt her innermost feeling, as if … he was a part of her.
“Are you serious?” She asks. “I know you love to travel…” Brody smiles at her and caresses her cheek.
“I do. But I love you more.” He answers very matter-of-factly and she starts to feel all warm and fuzzy inside again. This is why she loves him so much. Because he loves her.
“Yes, I miss my home, but I’d miss you even more if you weren’t around.” She’s happy she doesn’t have to fight with him over this.
They continue their dinner and wash the dishes together. They have a little stroll around the camping-ground, until the chill sends them inside the motor-home. Nora quickly takes a shower, shivers at the cold when she finally enters the small bedroom and nestles close to Brody who wraps his arm around her.
He looks up from the map on his lap.
“Where are we going tomorrow?” Nora asks. Brody smiles.
“Can I surprise you?” He asks in return. Nora kisses him.
“Surprise me.” She wraps her arms around him and pulls him closer.
*****
Saul wakes up and carefully pushes the blankets a little off his body. Jonathan may always be cold, but he isn’t. Jonathan makes a little noise and wraps his arm tighter around Saul and Saul never knows if it should make him feel trapped or loved. He just cannot decide.
This is what he has dreamed off for so long. Jonathan. A warm body against his own at night. No more loneliness. A man by his side who’s smart, funny, kind, even if sometimes a bit too free-spirited…. No, not too free-spirited. Saul knows that the problem lies within himself. He knows he can be too uptight at times.
He once accused Kevin of being the loneliest man he had ever known, but the reality of it was that, what he believed he saw in Kevin, was just his own reflection. Kevin had been honest, where Saul had never been. Even Nora’s unwavering support of Kevin, Scotty and Jason and many others hadn’t made him change his mind about keeping his secret.
And now, he sometimes regrets all the wasted time, all the time where he couldn’t be who he was supposed to be… He sighs and doesn’t realize that he wakes up Jonathan.
“Hey, warm again?” Jonathan asks.
“Yeah. Sorry if I woke you."
“No, it’s alright…. I had to wake up anyway.” Jonathan grins. “Too much wine.” He gets out of bed, leaving Saul to suddenly feel cold and alone, wondering if it is a good idea to move in with Jonathan. Sure, Jonathan has a big house and there’s easily enough space to put Saul’s possessions.
Saul fears however that it would still be Jonathan’s place to him and not a house he can make his own.
“I’ve been thinking… how about a December wedding?” Jonathan asks loudly from the bathroom.
And that is another thing. Jonathan’s desire to get married. As much as Saul appreciates Jonathan’s proposal, he knows that Jonathan only did it to prove that he’s sincere about wanting a relationship with Saul. Saul cannot see any reason to keep talking about it now that the point is made. It’s waste of time and money. They are both in their 70s. Why bother?
Of course, if he says something about that Jonathan always replies with another question: Why not? And Saul doesn’t have an adequate answer to that question either.
“Well?...” Jonathan asks, entering the bedroom again. He lies down next to Saul. “I’d love to see you as a December-groom.”
“You said the same about the idea of getting married in the spring.” Saul replies icily and Jonathan rolls his eyes.
“I don’t see any reason why should wait any longer.”
“I don’t see any reason why should move so fast. It’s not like one of us is pregnant.”
“Even that is no longer a reason to get married quick, Saulie. You’re hopeless sometimes.” Jonathan gently taps Saul on the nose. “It must be why I love you so much.” He answers softly and kisses Saul’s lips. “Why waste more time? We’re not 16 years old, experiencing some puppy love… I’m not getting any younger.”
Fear grabs Saul by the heart.
“Your test-results were still okay, right?” he asks, suddenly concerned that Jonathan is keeping something from him. “I’d marry you yesterday, if there was something wrong with you, you know that.”
“So…” Jonathan’s eyes narrow. “You would me marry me straightaway if I were dying, but you’d postpone it, if I continue to live? Because then you would have to think it over, sleep on it, put it up for Walker-deliberation, to hopefully get a positive result?” Saul feels a bit foolish. In a way Jonathan is right. What is he afraid of?
“I know. I’m not making any sense.”
“No, you’re not.” Jonathan pulls up the blankets around them and Saul lies closer to him again. He knows that he’s too hesitant, but he can’t help it. It’s too ingrained in his mind that a marriage, with the man he loves, is just not an option for him.
*****
Suddenly Scotty sits up straight in his bed.
“I know who he is.” He says out loud.
“Hmpf?” Kevin replies from somewhere halfway under his pillow.
“I know who he is.”
“Who?”
“Wesley Corvin. I know who he is.” Scotty says one more time.
“I guess, I will have to hear it now too, don’t I?” Kevin wakes up reluctantly, rather wanting to just turn over and go back to sleep.
“He was my mom’s boyfriend.”
“Bertha had a boyfriend?” Kevin wonders softly and Scotty frowns.
“My mom was actually quite pretty when she was young.”
“No doubt.” Kevin replies, not wanting to argue with his husband in the middle of the night.
“Why would he leave me something though?” Scotty now asks himself.
“Ahm. Just a quick question. You are sure that you’re Wally’s and not someone else’s, right?”
“Yes.” Scotty feels slightly insulted at the suggestion that he wouldn’t be.
“Good, because we had enough De-Walkerings, I don’t need a De-Wandelling on top of that. I like you just the way you are… And I like Wally too.” Kevin confesses dryly.
“Dad will be thrilled to know.” Scotty replies sarcastically.
“Can we go back to sleep now?” Kevin begs and he pulls Scotty back into his arms.
*****
Holly looks at David, then Rebecca and Rick.
“What?” She asks carefully. She’s sure she misunderstood. “I can’t do this.”
“I know it will be very hard for you at first… but this is the opportunity of a life time. For Rebecca, Rick and me. …” David starts.
It seems like it’s not that obvious for Holly after all.
“You can’t be serious.” Holly eventually says. They just can’t be. Are they seriously expecting her to go along with this?
“Mom. Please.” The words come out of Rebecca so easily and Rebecca grimaces over her own stupidity. “Holly….” She continues. “Flying to Brazil to film there will be so exciting. We can all go. David can do his work. Rick and I can take pictures. We can all do our jobs and you… you can lounge around the hotel. .. Or maybe pick up acting again?”
Holly can’t laugh over Rebecca’s little joke. South-America? She’s not interested in going there at all. She can feel the weight of everyone’s stare on her.
“Can I have some time to think it over?” She asks to stall the decision-making.
“We have until the end of the week.” David says.
*****
Though Nora is the first to wake up, it’s Brody who is up and preparing coffee by the time she gets out of bed. He makes her so lazy and he spoils her way too much. She opens the window of the small bathroom and looks outside. The sun shines, the bird are singing and she can’t imagine any place she’d rather be… well, except home.
“Stop complaining.” Nora tells her image in the mirror. “Brody is doing the best he can.”
She quickly freshens up and by the time she joins Brody breakfast is ready. “You spoil me too much.”
“You deserve it.” Brody kisses her.
Nora looks around. Everything seems to be cleared up.
“Where are we going today?”
“You’ll see. It’s going to take quite some driving…. But I’m sure you’ll love it.”
“Then I’ll put my life in your hands.” Nora declares dramatically, then she laughs.
End of part 2/4
**** Commercial Break *****
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;)
***** PART 2/4 *****
Rebecca rummages through her drawers, looking for a special cable that she needs to transfer pictures from her camera to her computer. For some mystical reason that cable has this amazing disappearing act, which means that Rebecca always spends hours and hours looking for the cursed thing.
She runs into an envelope and wonders what that is all about. She still has so many things to clear, but she’s never in the mood to do some cleaning. When she opens the envelop she bites her lip and fishes some leaflets out of it. “Magic manor”. Oh, my God, did she still have these?
She looks at the pictures and stares at the text without really reading it, because she suddenly remembers the fortune-teller, who had told her that, in a few years, another love would come along and that Justin would be forgotten…. She had been so angry at the thought, so convinced that Justin was 'the one'.
She looks up at her ‘wall of pictures’, as she calls it. Inspired by Nora’s staircase, that wall carries all sorts of pictures that are important to Rebecca. Naturally, pictures of Holly and David. There is one of Kevin and Scotty, taken on their wedding-day. She still regularly emails with the both of them.
Kitty has sent a new family picture as well. Rebecca had put the picture of Kitty, Seth and Evan right next to the picture of Robert and Kitty with Robert’s kids. She doesn’t have much contact with Kitty. It must be, of course, that Kitty’s health makes that her priorities in life lie elsewhere and not with Rebecca.
Rebecca is not in contact with Tommy or Julia and she doesn’t really miss them either. She misses Sarah, Paige and Cooper though. She now looks at the family-picture that Scotty had sent her. The picture had been taken on Sarah and Luc's wedding-day and they are in the middle of the picture, surrounded by family.
She sighs. And there’s Justin, with Tyler. Rebecca looks more closely and she wishes she could feel something of regret or remorse or … jealousy? But she doesn’t feel any resentment or anger. Tyler seems nice and she knows, from what Justin told her, when they just knew each other, that he once loved Tyler very much.
She tilts her head a bit to get a better look at Justin and Tyler. She just has no bad feelings towards either of them. Justin had done what he felt he had to do. Rebecca had done the same. They got divorced. Justin found his old love back and Rebecca… found a new love.
The phone rings, but she’s not ready to pick it up.
“Hi, honey. It’s your dad….” Rebecca smiles softly when she hears David speak, it can still move her to hear him say that he’s her ‘dad’. “… hope you’re not gone already? I wanted to pick you up. I have news and…”
“Hi, dad, I’m here, just a little too late to get at the phone.” She answers.
“Oh. Good. I’m in front of your door and….”
“We were just on our way down. We’ll see you there. Bye.” She quickly says.
“Was that your father?”
Rebecca turns around to look at the handsome young man leaning against the door-post, casually putting on his watch. His dark hair frames a gentle face with the most beautiful green eyes she ever saw. With the eyes of a photographer she might see that his mouth seems a bit too big for his face, but the woman in her doesn’t really care.
Rick is a sweetheart and he comes without the baggage, that the Walkers brought into her life. In fact, he’s the opposite of her on so many levels. Only child with a steady home-life, with two parents in rock-solid marriage and he can boast about the wonderful childhood he had.
An A-student, a fellow-photographer, who doesn’t drink - wine gives him headaches - and never did drugs - he doesn’t even smoke- and whose family doesn’t have illegitimate children crawling out of the woodwork every couple of months, which was quite refreshing after all the Walker-drama.
He would almost be boring if Rebecca didn’t like the ‘normalcy’ he brings her. She’s still completely in awe by him.
“Yes, that was my father.” She replies. She walks up to him and wraps her around his neck to kiss him. He answers the kiss with tenderness.
“Is he picking us up?”
“He’s downstairs waiting for us.” She replies between two kisses. “… said he had news for us…. Oh, this is so good.” Knowing she refers to their kisses, Rick wraps his arms around her more tightly.
“So, what do we do? Do we let him wait and try out our new bed again? Or … are we curious enough to go downstairs?” Rick grins mischievously and Rebecca contemplates her options, then shakes her head and she puts some space between them, by pushing him back.
She picks up her camera and her bag. Rick watches her with some regret, because he wouldn’t mind being in Rebecca’s arms again.
“If dad has to wait too long he’ll come up at the most inconvenient moment. I swear, sometimes he can be such a Walker.”
Rick nods at her words. He has heard so much about the Walkers by now, that he sometimes feels he knows them.
“Alright, whatever you want, babe.” He replies, as he takes his own camera to follow her and find David.
*****
“Hey, Justin, can I talk to you for a minute?” Dan asks and Justin nods. “About this afternoon…. I am a bit worried about how you sort of ‘zoned out’. I mean, I need you there with me and not with your mind years away… Was it just that you knew the guy or … I mean… Man, I hate to ask you this…. But.. It’s not ‘cause you’re using again, are you?”
Dan positively looks embarrassed about the question. Justin smiles and squeezes Dan’s shoulder.
“It’s been a rough couple of weeks, with the earthquake and all, but no, I’m not using. I just got distracted because I knew the guy.”
Dan sighs relieved.
“I’m sorry, man, but I had to know… I’ve worked with a guy before who was a drug-addict and I kept covering for him, because I liked him and I believed that all he needed was a chance… and he nearly killed a patient because his mind was somewhere else and…”
“It’s alright. You know my past, you know my problems. You have the right to ask me the question. I’m glad you came to me with that question and that you’re honest about it. If you ever do catch me using drugs, don’t ever, ever cover for me, but report me straightaway. Alright?”
Dan nods, but doesn’t let go of the topic.
“Do you think that guy will make it?” He asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve seen him get back from some rather dark places, but he was pretty far gone this time.”
Justin’s face becomes sad and he softly continues:
“It could have been me. It was me a few years ago. I scared my family half to death, because I overdosed. I think that is the hardest thing to deal with for me. This anger that I wasted so much precious time with that shit.
I’ve hurt so many people and that guy… he was a friend in the same trouble as me and he may die…. Could have been me.” Justin says again and Dan nods.
“Hey, could have been, but you’re not. Don’t dwell on the topic, I need you here, we have work to do.” And with those words Dan pushes Justin in the direction of the ambulance.
*****
Yet another camping-site. Nora looks over the piece of ground they’ve hired for one night. It’s been fun to be with Brody, she cannot deny that, but she has reached a point where she can’t even remember where exactly she is. Every place starts to look and feel the same to her.
She has seen more of California in these last few weeks than she has in her entire life, but she’s not happy with it. The fun of travelling has lost its shine. She watches how Brody places a small table and two chairs outside. It’s still warm, but she knows that the chillier night-air isn’t very far away. There’s a prediction for a rainy night.
She puts on her sweater and can’t help but resent the damp smell of it. She searches for her deodorant and, not for the first time, she wishes she could be in her bath-tub and soak for a few hours.
“Dinner is ready.” Brody says cheerfully.
“I’ll be right there.” Nora replies and, true to her words, she joins Brody a few seconds later. Again, Brody has managed to create a nice meal from tinned food mixed with fresh vegetables and Nora knows she shouldn’t complain. She can’t remember the last time she dated a guy who would cook for her, and now she has one.
“Nora? Is everything alright?” Brody asks.
“Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t I be alright? Just a bit tired I guess.” She yawns to put some proof to her words.
“Early to bed then?” Brody asks with little smile.
Oh, if there’s one thing Nora can’t complain about it’s her love-life. There’s something magical about waking up in Brody’s arms and realizing he’s her lover again. His love, his tenderness, but above all his care, those are the things she feels she can’t live without anymore, but the travelling…..
“You’re more than just tired, aren’t you? It’s the travelling, isn’t it?” Brody asks and for a moment Nora wonders if she thought out loud. “Don’t worry. I know you’re trying, but you miss your home, don’t you?” His question is a direct one and Nora can only nod.
“I don’t want to whine….” She starts carefully.
“I know you don’t, but these last few days I noticed that you’re heart wasn’t really in it anymore.” Brody says.
“I love to be with you. I love all the places I get to see. I love that you’re here with me and that you make me feel like a young girl again, but….”
“.. You miss your house, your garden, your kids, your friends and the life you built for yourself before and after William’s death and before I walked back into your life?” His eyes are warm and gentle. No reproaches, just acceptance. Nora nods again numbly. “How about… we stay here till the end of the week and then go back home?”
Five more days on the road, but then it will be over… Nora can’t believe he’s suggesting it, as if he read her mind, as if he felt her innermost feeling, as if … he was a part of her.
“Are you serious?” She asks. “I know you love to travel…” Brody smiles at her and caresses her cheek.
“I do. But I love you more.” He answers very matter-of-factly and she starts to feel all warm and fuzzy inside again. This is why she loves him so much. Because he loves her.
“Yes, I miss my home, but I’d miss you even more if you weren’t around.” She’s happy she doesn’t have to fight with him over this.
They continue their dinner and wash the dishes together. They have a little stroll around the camping-ground, until the chill sends them inside the motor-home. Nora quickly takes a shower, shivers at the cold when she finally enters the small bedroom and nestles close to Brody who wraps his arm around her.
He looks up from the map on his lap.
“Where are we going tomorrow?” Nora asks. Brody smiles.
“Can I surprise you?” He asks in return. Nora kisses him.
“Surprise me.” She wraps her arms around him and pulls him closer.
*****
Saul wakes up and carefully pushes the blankets a little off his body. Jonathan may always be cold, but he isn’t. Jonathan makes a little noise and wraps his arm tighter around Saul and Saul never knows if it should make him feel trapped or loved. He just cannot decide.
This is what he has dreamed off for so long. Jonathan. A warm body against his own at night. No more loneliness. A man by his side who’s smart, funny, kind, even if sometimes a bit too free-spirited…. No, not too free-spirited. Saul knows that the problem lies within himself. He knows he can be too uptight at times.
He once accused Kevin of being the loneliest man he had ever known, but the reality of it was that, what he believed he saw in Kevin, was just his own reflection. Kevin had been honest, where Saul had never been. Even Nora’s unwavering support of Kevin, Scotty and Jason and many others hadn’t made him change his mind about keeping his secret.
And now, he sometimes regrets all the wasted time, all the time where he couldn’t be who he was supposed to be… He sighs and doesn’t realize that he wakes up Jonathan.
“Hey, warm again?” Jonathan asks.
“Yeah. Sorry if I woke you."
“No, it’s alright…. I had to wake up anyway.” Jonathan grins. “Too much wine.” He gets out of bed, leaving Saul to suddenly feel cold and alone, wondering if it is a good idea to move in with Jonathan. Sure, Jonathan has a big house and there’s easily enough space to put Saul’s possessions.
Saul fears however that it would still be Jonathan’s place to him and not a house he can make his own.
“I’ve been thinking… how about a December wedding?” Jonathan asks loudly from the bathroom.
And that is another thing. Jonathan’s desire to get married. As much as Saul appreciates Jonathan’s proposal, he knows that Jonathan only did it to prove that he’s sincere about wanting a relationship with Saul. Saul cannot see any reason to keep talking about it now that the point is made. It’s waste of time and money. They are both in their 70s. Why bother?
Of course, if he says something about that Jonathan always replies with another question: Why not? And Saul doesn’t have an adequate answer to that question either.
“Well?...” Jonathan asks, entering the bedroom again. He lies down next to Saul. “I’d love to see you as a December-groom.”
“You said the same about the idea of getting married in the spring.” Saul replies icily and Jonathan rolls his eyes.
“I don’t see any reason why should wait any longer.”
“I don’t see any reason why should move so fast. It’s not like one of us is pregnant.”
“Even that is no longer a reason to get married quick, Saulie. You’re hopeless sometimes.” Jonathan gently taps Saul on the nose. “It must be why I love you so much.” He answers softly and kisses Saul’s lips. “Why waste more time? We’re not 16 years old, experiencing some puppy love… I’m not getting any younger.”
Fear grabs Saul by the heart.
“Your test-results were still okay, right?” he asks, suddenly concerned that Jonathan is keeping something from him. “I’d marry you yesterday, if there was something wrong with you, you know that.”
“So…” Jonathan’s eyes narrow. “You would me marry me straightaway if I were dying, but you’d postpone it, if I continue to live? Because then you would have to think it over, sleep on it, put it up for Walker-deliberation, to hopefully get a positive result?” Saul feels a bit foolish. In a way Jonathan is right. What is he afraid of?
“I know. I’m not making any sense.”
“No, you’re not.” Jonathan pulls up the blankets around them and Saul lies closer to him again. He knows that he’s too hesitant, but he can’t help it. It’s too ingrained in his mind that a marriage, with the man he loves, is just not an option for him.
*****
Suddenly Scotty sits up straight in his bed.
“I know who he is.” He says out loud.
“Hmpf?” Kevin replies from somewhere halfway under his pillow.
“I know who he is.”
“Who?”
“Wesley Corvin. I know who he is.” Scotty says one more time.
“I guess, I will have to hear it now too, don’t I?” Kevin wakes up reluctantly, rather wanting to just turn over and go back to sleep.
“He was my mom’s boyfriend.”
“Bertha had a boyfriend?” Kevin wonders softly and Scotty frowns.
“My mom was actually quite pretty when she was young.”
“No doubt.” Kevin replies, not wanting to argue with his husband in the middle of the night.
“Why would he leave me something though?” Scotty now asks himself.
“Ahm. Just a quick question. You are sure that you’re Wally’s and not someone else’s, right?”
“Yes.” Scotty feels slightly insulted at the suggestion that he wouldn’t be.
“Good, because we had enough De-Walkerings, I don’t need a De-Wandelling on top of that. I like you just the way you are… And I like Wally too.” Kevin confesses dryly.
“Dad will be thrilled to know.” Scotty replies sarcastically.
“Can we go back to sleep now?” Kevin begs and he pulls Scotty back into his arms.
*****
Holly looks at David, then Rebecca and Rick.
“What?” She asks carefully. She’s sure she misunderstood. “I can’t do this.”
“I know it will be very hard for you at first… but this is the opportunity of a life time. For Rebecca, Rick and me. …” David starts.
It seems like it’s not that obvious for Holly after all.
“You can’t be serious.” Holly eventually says. They just can’t be. Are they seriously expecting her to go along with this?
“Mom. Please.” The words come out of Rebecca so easily and Rebecca grimaces over her own stupidity. “Holly….” She continues. “Flying to Brazil to film there will be so exciting. We can all go. David can do his work. Rick and I can take pictures. We can all do our jobs and you… you can lounge around the hotel. .. Or maybe pick up acting again?”
Holly can’t laugh over Rebecca’s little joke. South-America? She’s not interested in going there at all. She can feel the weight of everyone’s stare on her.
“Can I have some time to think it over?” She asks to stall the decision-making.
“We have until the end of the week.” David says.
*****
Though Nora is the first to wake up, it’s Brody who is up and preparing coffee by the time she gets out of bed. He makes her so lazy and he spoils her way too much. She opens the window of the small bathroom and looks outside. The sun shines, the bird are singing and she can’t imagine any place she’d rather be… well, except home.
“Stop complaining.” Nora tells her image in the mirror. “Brody is doing the best he can.”
She quickly freshens up and by the time she joins Brody breakfast is ready. “You spoil me too much.”
“You deserve it.” Brody kisses her.
Nora looks around. Everything seems to be cleared up.
“Where are we going today?”
“You’ll see. It’s going to take quite some driving…. But I’m sure you’ll love it.”
“Then I’ll put my life in your hands.” Nora declares dramatically, then she laughs.
End of part 2/4
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