Turn a different corner 38/?
Turn a different corner 38/?
By: Marea67
About: kitty, william, nora, holly, kevin, julia, jordan, scotty, tommy, justin
Rate: G.
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything
Extra: This an AU (Alternative Universe) story, so remember : The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here are part 01, part 02, part 03, part 04, part 05, part 06, part 07, part 08, part 09, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16, part 17, part 18, part 19, part 20, part 21, part 22, part 23, part 24, part 25, part 26, part 27, part 28, part 29, part 30, part 31, part 32, part 33, part 34, part 35. part 36 and part 37
*****
EARLY MARCH 2008
Nora wipes the top of her table one more time. It’s already clean, but she can’t resist ‘hanging around’ the kitchen a little longer. From the study she hears William’s voice. She cannot hear what is said, but it’s a fact that William is furious. And more stunning. For once it’s not Kevin or Justin who made him this furious, but it’s Kitty.
Oh, she knows, she shouldn’t be snickering, but William has always made it clear that Kitty is his favourite child and it is no secret within these walls that Kitty has no problems with telling on her siblings if that is required of her, to remain in that number one position.
So, to hear Kitty catch the full brunt of William’s anger, is a bit amusing to Nora. More interesting is that amidst William’s yelling, she can hear Kitty’s voice arguing back with equal fire.
She sits down and waits patiently, wondering when the silence will return. To tell the truth a part of her also admires Kitty for standing up to William. The only other child who ever really does that is Kevin. She cannot remember explosive bursts between William and Sarah or William and Tommy. No, not even that William ever raised his voice to Sarah, Tommy or... Kitty.
But she remembers his yelling at Justin, who would listen to him, say sorry, walk away casually and continue to go about his own way, as if William’s tirade hadn’t happened. Justin always shrugged off everything. Maybe that had always been the problem. Justin never seemed to take anything serious.
And of course, she remembers the explosions of either loud fights or deep cold silences between William and Kevin. She shivers. In fact, William had always been harder on Kevin than any of his other children. For as long as she could remember, Kevin had been different.
Though he was in sports, not excellent, but good enough, yet he preferred to read, the written word had always fascinated him. Though he was good with a rifle, he never saw the point of shooting something for the sole purpose of shooting it. Yes, that was probably the biggest difference between William and Kevin.
They could both see the same bird and William would know he could shoot and destroy it. And he would do so. Kevin would look at it, know he could kill it, but wonder if it was necessary to do so and if not, just simply let it be. And William would be unable to understand that aspect of Kevin, because it was too different from how William looked at things.
The door of the study flings open.
“I’m done! Completely done! I am 38 years old! I don’t owe you any explanation whatsoever!” She hears Kitty yell at William. Kitty marches into the kitchen, where she sees Nora.
“I have an opinion of my own!” Kitty now says angrily to Nora. “That, according to him... seems to make me like you.... Not sure if that is a compliment... Doesn’t feel like one. ... I’m going back to the hotel... It’s obvious that I’m not welcome here.” She is about to open the door, but waits a second.
She expects Nora to call her back and try to sooth the situation, but Nora bites her tongue. Whatever trouble there is between Kitty and William, it is their problem and not hers. Meanwhile, Kitty feels disappointed. First Kevin turns her down and now her mother cannot even be bothered to comfort her. She shakes her head and slams the door closed behind her.
*****
Holly feels her desperation grow. She really likes William a lot. She loves being with him. She adores to run her fingers through his hair or to kiss him, but sometimes she feels that he is holding back. They have been together for nearly 3 months now, she wants more that he’s giving her right now.
William never wants to go out with her. He says he likes her cooking and that they have to think about their reputations. He only became a widower recently and her husband’s death is also not long ago. People talk too much and they have their businesses to consider...
That is another thing. He keeps trying to buy her winery, but she’s not interested in selling it. He makes a real fuss about it. Sometimes she thinks he cares more about “Harper’s Landing” than he cares about Holly Harper. And it annoys Holly. She likes William.
She can sympathize with his loss and she knows how lonely it can get. She lost David after a short sickbed, but she still misses him every day. And of course, William is right. Not just people in the town would look up at them being together. There were the kids to consider.
William told her that his kids would be livid if they found out about her. And to be honest, she cannot imagine that her own daughter, Rebecca, will be very happy with new step-dad either. She sighs, maybe she shouldn’t be so demanding. It is after all not up to her to decide how William should morn his dead wife or when his period of mourning ends.
*****
Julie doesn’t get it. She had expected that Tommy would be thrilled with this child, but he withdraws even more from her than in the past. She spends even more nights alone, while he works at the office, more than before. Every time she wants to talk about any plans for their baby he changes the subject.
She caresses her growing belly and worries if perhaps Tommy thinks she’s becoming ugly, now that everything about her grows a size or two. Aren’t pregnant women supposed to be beautiful for their husbands...? Is she an exception? Is it because maybe Tommy never wanted her to get pregnant in first place?
*****
“I have to compliment you, Jordan. It was a very nice dinner. Thank you.” Jordan blushes under Scotty’s kind words. He has to admit that he was rather nervous about cooking for Kevin and Scotty, but with Justin’s help it had actually been fun and Jordan knows Scotty well enough to know that his compliment was a sincere one.
“So, are you guys really sure about this?” Kevin asks. “There is nothing in this contract that says you cannot take any other person into this house, so renting out your remaining guestroom, wouldn’t be against any house-rules. But, it also narrows your private space...”
“Kev, have you seen the place we’ve got? It’s huge. We both work and I study and Justin might pick up his studies as well. Neither of us are interested in partying, dating etc. This apartment is cheap, because it comes with my job. But we could lower our expenses even more, if we took in another person.
And if we can perhaps help another student, in the process... Who are we hurting? The bills will still get paid. We don’t mind sharing, but we know we don’t want someone taking over in here either, so we will be very selective with who we chose. We’re not in a hurry.” Kevin watches Justin nod to everything Jordan says.
He is amused with the friendship between Justin and Jordan, which seems to work so well for both of them. Jordan is a gentle, but no nonsense guy and so is Justin. So everything is very laid-back between them. Jordan likes Justin, but only as a friend, and Justin is aware of this. He doesn’t feel ‘threatened’ by Jordan’s being gay.
“Did you advertise?”
“Only at a local store, at the moment. See if we get replies... And we did. Three. But two of them didn’t pass our criteria. Tonight we will see the third one. Responded by email. A certain T. Altamirano. We’ll see.” Justin replies.
*****
William talks about some business-plan, but Tommy’s mind is not on the story his dad is telling. It is with Julia and the secrets he keeps and he knows she’s keeping too. Julia’s pregnancy is going well and she never looked prettier and Tommy never felt more miserable.
“Tommy, are you even listening to me?”
“Whah? .. Uh, yes, dad...” Tommy replies, but upon seeing his dad’s disbelief he sighs: “No, dad, I wasn’t listening at all.”
“What is wrong with you lately?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“You’re my son, if something is troubling you, I want to know about it.” William’s voice is calm and caring and Tommy closes his eyes. He shouldn’t.... He really shouldn’t ....
“It is about me ... and Julia.... and our baby....” he then hears himself start to say...
*****
Justin opens the door, expecting a man, but instead he finds himself staring at a woman with the most incredible blue eyes he ever saw.
“Yes?”
“I’m Tyler Altamirano. I’m here for the room…. This is weird.” She says astonished.
“I know you…. From somewhere…. It’s not a pick up line or something, but … I’m sure I’ve seen you before… somewhere. Don’t know….”
“I know from where.” She replies with a nervous laughter. And suddenly Justin also remembers.
“You’re the police officer who stopped me from going into the flat, the night Fawn died…”
END OF PART 38