Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 55. Chapter 55

Antikythera

Cookout Part Two

Alec looked at me seriously. Then looked away. “You don’t want to hear this.” He said with dejection.

“I don’t?” I asked. “My friend is telling me some personal things. I do want to hear it if you want to share.” I touched his arm and he didn’t have the reflex he had earlier. “I’ll listen.”

“Why?” Alec asked. “You don’t know me.”

I nodded. “That’s why we’re talking. To get to know each other. You don’t know me either.” I said. “I’m listening.”

“My father was…” Alec sought a word, “cruel. Not just to me, but Mom, too. When he was home he would drink. When he drank he got mean. He would beat on Mom and me. His abuse wasn’t restricted to physical abuse. He abused sexually, too. Neither of us could say no to him. When he wanted it, we did it.” Alec looked at me. “I saw him rape my mother many, many times. He said it wasn’t because she was his wife.”

He looked at me again. Looking for a reaction? My face didn’t change. Finally, I said. “Men have used that excuse forever.”

Alec nodded. “When my father died, I knew what he did to us was over.” He laughed, but it wasn’t a happy or amused laugh. “With him, yes, but Mom was…so lost without my father. He was the one with a job, not her. She would smack me around before he died. She didn’t do it often from being abused herself. We moved to Stryia and stayed with her sister Sofia. Mom started drinking. What compensation from the mining company went to help her with that. She would get drunk and beat me, saying it was my fault my father was dead. I had wished him dead. ” Alec still watched me. “She didn’t just use her hand or fist. She used belts, large wooden kitchen spoons or even the cast iron frying pan.” He waited again. A pregnant pause in the conversation.

“What are you expecting from me?” I asked at last looked for something. “What usually happens you expect to see from me? You keep looking at me for something.”

Alec looked surprised. “No you poor thing or I’m so sorry?”

“To be pitied?” I frowned. “You want that?”

“No!” Alec said quickly. “Everyone I’ve told has either said it or it showed on their face. That’s what I keep expecting.”

“I’m saddened by what you said.” I confessed. “I don’t think pity would help you. What about your mother?”

Alec didn’t seem to know how to react to me, but said. “I was thirteen when Mom died. Again, I wasn’t sad.”

“Your Aunt Sofia had to know about all this.” I said calmly.

Alec chuckled. “She was as bad as they were, but the other way. She was nice, but did nothing to help. All she did was make excuses for Mom, even when Mom broke my arm. Aunt Sofia lied to the doctor, authorities and everyone about my many injuries. Aunt Sofia still made excuses with me. Then tried to make up for it by mothering me to death.”

I nodded. “I’ve heard of that. She felt guilty and knew she was guilty. It sounds like she was doing it to make herself feel better.”

Alec was now totally confused.

“Being happy that bullies are dead, isn’t a crime,” I said, Even wishing them dead isn’t a crime.” I grinned. “Unless you developed powers where your thoughts kill and even then I wouldn’t blame you.” I pointed at him. “There was a crime committed against you. You are the victim.” Henri was cooking now. I looked at Alec. “Your life was sad. I don’t and won’t pity you. You’ve overcome a lot.” The old Eric was surfacing. “I want you to be a friend. I want to be your friend. I like you, Alec.” I smirked. “Despite your handicap, I like you.”

Alec was comfortable with the other agents. He visibly relaxed more with me. His face was quickly confused when I said the last sentence. “Handicap!? What handicap?”

I put a calming hand on his arm. “It’s not your fault, Alec. It’s something you were born with. I’m not blaming you.”

Alec was now totally confused.

I touched his hair. “You’re blond!” Then I chuckled. “For that, I will pity you.” I rubbed the top of his head. “You poor, poor man.”

Alec laughed heartily.

“And we will have many other talks in the future.” I said standing. “I won’t willingly let you go if ordered. Even then I’d fight to keep you.”

Alec grinned, standing. “Thanks, for being a friend.” He hugged me.

“Thank you for being a friend,” I sang, “we’ve been down the road and back again,” I sang in English making people look as they were confused. “Your heat is true, you’re a pal and a confidant,” I looked at them. “The show on television The Golden Girls? It was big in the late eighties in the West?” The expressions didn’t change. I just rolled my eyes and huffed again.

Henri came out this time without his white chef’s coat or jacket. He had a casual short-sleeved royal blue shirt instead. I have to say this. The man is definitely quirky, but he was super organized.

I was going to offer some help, it was Peter’s and my cookout, but Peter said in my ear. “I’d really think about that first.”

Henri again knew where things were because he put it there. Peter was right, I needed to consider the repercussions if I got in Henri’s way. “It’s our cookout! One of the guests is doing it all? How is he a guest?” I turned to Peter and grinned. “I…know how to cook.”

Peter gave me a look. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

I chuckled. “No.”

“He has Gretchen.” Peter pointed out.

I nodded. “Who is another guest.” I took a breath and walked over. “This was our idea.” I said to Henri’s back. “May we help you? I can cook.”

Henri turned and smiled. “Can you?”

I laughed a little waving at him. “Not even close to what you do. Cooking now is just an evolved version of…” I lowered my voice and said gruffly, “me kill big game. Use fire.” I don’t know what a caveman sounds like. Do you? “Kill and meat hasn’t changed that much in millions of.” I pointed at the grill. “It’s the fire and how we get and use it that’s evolved.” Then to prove I knew something about it. “You’re not a man that sears are you? I think it dries the burger out.”

Henri grinned. “I reverse sear.”

“That takes longer.” I said. “Going from low heat to high,”

Henri was nodding, “That’s right. It gives me time to cook the burgers, the transfer to the high heat before I give it to someone.” He tapped me lightly. “You know.”

“About burgers, yes.” I smiled. “It was one of first things I learned to cook.” I waved toward Peter. “It was to survive, I needed to cook.”

Henri chuckled. “Was it that bad?”

“I couldn’t tell what it was! Not what it started out as or what is was to become.” I walked over to the foil covered trays. “Just tell me how long and when to turn them.”

Henri nodded. “Okay.” He pulled the foil from a tray. the a tray. They were huge! Abnormally big. I knew they would shrink when cooked. “This first row is for the Captain and another crewman. They are lactose sensitive. These burgers contain cheese that they can handle. The others have Blue Cheese, Cheddar and Pepper Jack.” He pointed again.

I shook my head. “You still won’t open that bag of chips."

“You wouldn’t appreciate me if I did.” Henri stated simply. “Anyone can do that.”

“No hotdogs?” I asked.

“That,” Henri frowned, “is almost beneath me.”

“Why?”

“Frankfurters are better!” Henri said. “Have you had one? A real German Frankfurter? Where they came from?”

I smiled at his passion. “I thought so, but maybe not.”

Henri shrugged. “I don’t have any in stock anyway.”

Working with Henri was a little tense a few times. I was determined not to do that. He had everything under control. Two kinds of bacon, smoked and candied, mushrooms and more! The cheese he mentioned wasn’t on the burger, but in the burger.

I did the low heat cooking and he did that reverse sear. He even did this covering thing with a few on the griddle. Both the grill and griddle were being used. I was on the grill. When Henri transferred some of the burgers, he covered them with a small metal container/bowls once he lightly seared them. He said the cheese in these needed the moist heat.

Henri made the condiments, too. He made the mayonnaise, several mustards and ketchup. One ketchup was smoky and infused with bourbon!

I bit into mine. Here I am again. What other way can I describe my adoration at the sensation happening? The burger was hot as delicious juices and my sharp cheddar in the burger was melted and just oozed out threating my clothes. I was prepared with napkins.

I smiled as Henri sat with us munching away happily.

“This is out of this world, Henri!” Peter said and took another bite. “Wha lse is in ere?” He asked with his mouth full. Something he almost never did.

Henri looked guilty. “Truffles.”

“Truffles?” I repeated.

Henri nodded. “I can do regular burgers and fries.” He explained. “But why if I can do more? I could and did. I love it.” He shrugged. “The truffles are mashed in with the ground beef.”

We talked and ate. It was getting dark as evening came. As the sun set, Peter got up.

“May I have your attention a few minutes, please?”

Everyone was here and the music stopped. They all looked at Peter.

Peter grinned. “I’m not really the one to give a speech and I won’t now.” He chuckled. “Eric and I thought of doing something special for all of you. Those that serve on the Duchess and those from Makarovia. A cookout just isn’t enough, but a small gesture of our gratitude. Eric and I married. My husband was right. We were just one of many couples to get married the Saturday before last. I’m sure there were some same gender couples to do that. The fact that I am a prince made it remarkable and even more when the world knew we had approval and support, not only from family, but the people that live there. You know all this. For the crew of the Duchess, this has been seven star service. We made friends with some,” he looked at Henri and Captain Agius, Peter laughed. “Others of you we didn’t because we never saw you.” He looked at Gretchen and the other female crewman I still don’t know her name. “To our agents that guarded us and have since become friends.” Peter smiled me. “We owe you agents more than a cookout. Much more. You have our gratitude and respect.”

I walked over beside Peter. “This has been a magical week. That was because of all of you.”

“It’s not over.” Peter said quickly. “We still have a few stops to be done. This was the best time to do this.”

“I pray the Basso becomes family.” I said. “I love the Count and Countess von Bar for their generosity. I can’t wait to meet them.”

“Thank you,” Peter and bowed to them. “Thank each and every one of you.”

I’m pretty sure we hugged everyone on the Duchess then. Even the Captain! The cookout party wasn’t over. The overall feeling now was that we had gelled into a comfortable friendship. The agents had been below on the lower two decks and even with a reduced crew, there wasn’t a lot of space. Close quarters. This was a crying shame as there was so much up here. I would make sure our agents felt free to come up.

Tomorrow was pretty much all about getting from here to Malta. Nautical miles and speed. It would take a day to get there depending on conditions and speed achieved and (Ow. The pain was on the left side of my head because of the math again.) It takes a while. Okay?

“Not the one to give speeches?” I asked Peter. “You did great.”

“Yeah,” Peter muttered. “I can, but I’ll gladly let you do it next time.”

Peter didn’t help cook, but he told me said he’d help cleaning up. It had been his party, as well. I was fine with that. I liked to cook, but hated the cleanup. I sure you never heard anyone say that before, (Sorry, sarcasm for me is an involuntary reflex for me at times.)

Alec came over and sat in a lounge near me. He was still a little reserved and may always be. He was more relaxed with me now. “Thank you, Your Highness,” his head was lowered a bit, but the eyes came up to look at me. “For listening earlier.”

Two, not everything in a person’s life will be funny or even pleasant. You’ve had more unpleasant things happen to you than some. That’s just life. Three, thank you for reminding me of what I am in case I forgot is nice of you, but not needed.” I shrugged. “I’m still me. The only I am a prince or highness is because I fell in love with him.” I pointed at Peter who worked on the grill. He was doing a good job, too. “You may have heard me say I prefer to simply be Eric.” I held a hand up to stop what sometimes came after I said that. “I know protocols and all that. Do it with strangers around, but with just us. Please, don’t.”

Alec chuckled. “Sure.” He looked more directly at me. He thought how to say something. “I don’t know how to express it.”

Again, I smiled. “Peter and I have a rule. Say what feel and are thinking what you feel and we deal with it before it becomes something much bigger.”

Alec relaxed more. “I’ve never met anyone like you.” He shook his head as he seemed to marvel at that. “I’m just surprised I told you what I did.”

“Why is that surprising?”

Alec pointed at Mikell. “It took almost a year to tell him any of it.”

I looked at Mikell, then back to Alec and shrugged. “You didn’t think you could until then.” I sat forward. “Anytime you feel like it. We’ll talk. Even when things are busy, we’ll talk if you want.” I chuckled again. “You’ll be with us a lot of the time. You’ll know when that will be.” I touched him on the arm. “We’ve got a lot of time now until well into tomorrow and part of the next day.” I thought again. “I think.”

Alec looked uncertain. “This is your honeymoon.”

I nodded. “Yes, which you are on with us.” I grinned. “And really, we’re on a honeymoon, too. You’re not just a subject. We are married. I told Mikell and some others, we’re married. We are. Mikell and me, Mercea and me, Rolph and me, Yuri and me, Boris and…” I grinned. “You get the picture. I married every single Makarovian. Don’t worry that I might fall in love with you.” I squeezed his arm gently. “It’s too late for that. I already have.”

Alec looked in disbelief that I said that. “I believe you.” His entire body was telling me he wanted to talk, very badly. I was a willing ear. He was eager to talk.

I looked at Peter really applying effort to clean the grill. “We have time now.” He needed just a little more. “Unless you feel it’s too soon.” I thumbed toward Peter. “I don’t keep things from Peter. I won’t volunteer anything you tell me as a friend. Mikell only told me you overcame a lot, but not what. That was a huge understatement.”

Alec smiled at that. “I don’t care if he knows.”

“Just know,” I said. “I won’t.”

I wasn’t wrong with what I said. After World War II, Dr. Lowenstein did some cutting edge Psychiatric work in the fifties with Holocaust Survivors. After that any psychological help vanished. Except some behavioral redirection (which had more to do with adhering to the demands of the Kremlin on the work effort). It stopped and did not reemerge except in the past few years.

I made sure he knew what I knew. “I have no training to be anything but a friend. Maybe we should train for friendship.” I said. “I don’t want to be your therapist. I’m not. I can be a friend and even a confidant.”

“I trust you.” Alec said sincerely. That statement told a lot. It was not something he said to anyone really. “You understood what I said about my father and how he treated me.”

I nodded. “I think so. I say it, all you give can me is confirmation that I understand. He abused you by striking you, he belittled and humiliated you, making you feel worthless and he abused you sexually. He had sex with you and had you do sexual things to him.”

Alec nodded. “I can’t even remember when it started. It just always was. Mom didn’t do the sexual part, but the physical torture and mental abuse she did. Believe it or not, I almost missed the sexual abuse.” He laughed. “As bad as the abuse was. That was the only real time he touched me without really wanting to hurt me. He did, but that wasn’t his goal.”

I did have feelings about it. It wasn’t pity. It was sad and I did feel sad for him. The emotion I felt the most was admiration. Somehow, this man had been through Hell and yet, here he was a functioning and productive member of the Human World. I didn’t school my expression, which Alec caught quickly.

“Something I said was amusing?” Alex asked testily.

I looked at him knowing he was just sensitive and didn’t believe that. “Of course not.” I said calmly. “I will admit what I feel is positive, but it is not amusing.”

“Positive!?” Alec balked. “How is any of this positive?” He demanded.

I smiled. “You are here!” I shook my head. “You are an incredible man, Alec! An inspiration!”

Alec sat back astonished. “What are you talking about?”

“You survived!” I said smiling. “In spite of horrors, you not only survived, but thrived! What happened was a crime I wished we could take to court.” I took both his hands and squeezed them determined to have him see it as I did. “You won the trust of King Olek, Mikell and even Yuri; otherwise he wouldn’t put you here.” I nodded laughing as I muttered. “And believe me, that’s not easily done with Yuri.” I grinned bigger. “You said your life wasn’t interesting? It’s more interesting than many I’ve only heard about.”

It was clear no one had said something like that to him. His mouth dropped open as he looked at me, not believing what I’d said.

“I’m proud to have you as a friend.” I said. “I’d be honored if you consider me yours.” I pulled Alec up and hugged him tightly.

Beside us, Peter leaned in. “Am I interrupting?”

I looked at Peter and then Alec and said simply. “Yes.”