Not just another Summer - 20. Kjell and Bella are angry

Arvid’s Father, Kjell was nothing like the figure from my imagination. Given Arvid’s strapping size, I had envisioned his Father to be some sort of Swedish hunk. Not a bit, Kjell was squat, veering to fat, with a pair of close-set eyes behind little round glasses. He had a habit of peering at everything which made him seem furious, even if he wasn’t.

His wife, Bella, was taller than him, slim and elegant but rather sharp-featured, and her long hair was unashamedly grey, no tinting or highlighting to disguise it, and her clothes were run of the mill.

They had wanted to speak to Vince about Freddie and Arvid, a personal matter rather than school issues. The request from them had been something of a surprise, and Vince had asked if I could be there. I think in the back of his mind was the worry about Freddie being queer and hitting on Arvid. I didn’t think that that should be a problem but…

They refused a drink, just had water, and sat perched on the edge of the sofa, looking stiff and uncomfortable.

I suppose I had built up this fantasy in my head, based on the idea of the family getting naked together for saunas and swimming in Sweden. Clearly not every Swedish man was a tanned Adonis, and we discovered that relaxed attitudes only went so far. Not much further than the sauna door, it seemed.

“We are concerned about Arvid’s relationship with Freddie.” Kjell spoke English well, with just a hint of deliberation.

“In what way?” It was Vince that responded, I had decided it wiser to leave the questions to him.

“We have become aware that they are intimate. Were you aware of this?”

“I have had conversations with Freddie about sexual matters, certainly, and he confided in me about his sexual preferences, but no particular person was mentioned.”

“But surely you must be aware.”

“Kjell, Freddie spends a lot of time with Arvid at your house. The two are rarely here for long, so no. But I have to say that given their ages, I would not object as long as it was consenting on both sides. Is consent an issue?”

“Not at all.” Kjell shook his head, almost as if to shake away Vince’s suggestion. “Any such intimacy is wrong at Arvid’s age. We feel that Freddie has led Arvid astray.”

“Corrupted him”, Bella’s comment was positively fierce.

Vince looked at me and his eyes widened; I injected myself into the discussion for the first time. “Well, boys of that age do rather experiment. I certainly know that I did.”

“This is as maybe.” Kjell was wonderfully dismissive.

“But we do not wish Arvid to be under such an influence.”

“When he is 18, he can decide for himself.”

“What you say to Arvid is, of course, your own affair. But I cannot and will not, in all conscience, forbid Freddie to see the boy.”

Kjell stood up, “Well, if you are going to take that attitude, I do not think there is anything further to say.”

Bella drew herself up to her full height, “Freddie will no longer be welcome in our home and Arvid will not be coming here.” She said this last as if ‘here’ was somewhere distasteful.

They departed but left a distinctly nasty taste behind. It was all over quickly but gave us rather a lot to process.

“Whatever happened to liberal Scandinavians?”

Vince frowned, “They have a strong right-wing movement.”

“You think?”

Vince shrugged, “Well, it would fit with those homophobic attitudes. His wife barely said a thing.”

“Got her under his thumb?”

“Fuck knows.”

“What are you going to say to Freddie?”

Vince shook his head, “The truth?”

I hung around and we watched television together until Freddie returned.

“Dad and Uncle Gray. Is something up?”

“We had a visit from Kjell and Bella.”

“Arvid’s Mum and Dad? He didn’t say.”

“He might not have known. It was about your relationship.”

“What the…”

Vince held up his hands, “Not my idea, son. Kjell insisted on seeing me. Gray was there, too.”

“Uncle Gray?”

“Your Dad thought my presence might help.”

“But what?”

“Kjell and Bella are very concerned that the two of you are intimate. That you, Freddie, have been corrupting Arvid, led him astray, and that until he is 18 and can decide for himself, he isn’t ready for that sort of thing.”

“Dad! What the fuck”, he went bright red. “Sorry.”

“Precisely. Our sentiments.” Vince smiled, “I told them. I couldn’t and wouldn’t forbid you from seeing Arvid.”

“But they’ll stop me from going round.”

“That was what they said, but you will have to see what Arvid says.”

“It sucks. I didn’t corrupt him. He was the one that, you know, suggested we try things out.”

“I’m sorry, but we cannot legislate for other people’s prejudices.”

“So, I can’t see him.”

“Well, you can come here. Assuming that his parents do not place him under house-arrest, I can, in all conscience allow the two of you to go upstairs to do homework.”

Freddie grinned, “Ace, Dad.”

“But we will be around, and I won’t lie if Kjell and Bella ask me if Arvid is here or has visited.”

“OK, Dad. Thanks. I’ll speak to Arvid.”

Freddie grabbed himself a snack from the fridge and disappeared upstairs, presumably to contact Arvid.

“Poor sod.”

Vince looked at me, “Freddie or Arvid?”

“Both. But Arvid, really. Stuck with parents like that.”

“There are plenty who are worse.”

“I suppose so. So, the two lads are going to be bonking away before dinner.”

“Or after.” Vince raised an amused eyebrow. “And we’ll have to remember to buy more food.”

“Come on, they won’t use that many calories!”

Vince smiled, “Arvid, as I remember, already eats like a horse.”

---

Dawn settled herself at their usual table, “Sorry I blew you off last week, things got completely chaotic.” There was a lot for the two of them to catch up on, not to mention their exasperation with the latest government moves. But she grinned and brought up a subject far nearer to home, “How’s your soap opera?”

Vince gave a dry laugh, “Still a soap opera, but better.”

“Dare I mention Peter?”

“I’ve been a complete idiot.”

Dawn exclaimed, “You don’t say! What happened? You realised that being a monk was boring.”

“I talked to Gray about Peter and me. It wasn’t deliberate, Gray found me trying to drown my sorrows.”

“And?”

“His advice was completely sensible. And I didn’t do anything. He had two goes, and I bit his head off. Both times.”

Dawn blinked at him, “So?”

Vince sighed, “He went to see Peter.”

“Oh, he’s definitely a Philpott, then.” Dawn sniggered, “That’s the sort of thing your Dad would do. And?”

“They sorted out a Date Night. Peter cooked, I didn’t know, I got home and there he was.”

“At The Grange? Good Lord.”

“Yeah. I completely lost it. Attacked him and we were rolling on the floor and”, Vince went red, “I got a hard-on.”

“I’ll never understand men. Don’t you know about talking about your feelings?”

“I don’t know who started it, but we began kissing and Peter was undressing me. On the floor. When Freddie came in.”

“Freddie?”

“Gray had organised for him to be at Arvid’s but that fell through, and the boy was curious.”

Another laugh from Dawn, “And he learned more than he wanted.”

“Upshot is that Peter stayed the weekend, Freddie seems comfortable with it and”, Vince gave a dry laugh, “I wonder why I didn’t do this ages ago.”

“So, all’s hunky dory?”

“Well, I’ve not told Lance and Francis, yet.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. The partners at your firm can hardly object, after all Peter is a complete credit to the centre and to his own hard work.”

“No, but there’s still part of me that panics.”

“Oooh, help. People know.”

“Something like that.” They both smiled, “Sorry for all the drama.”

“That’s OK. And apart from the Vincent and Peter show?”

“More drama. Freddie and Arvid.”

“Freddie and Arvid, as in…”

“Gray sort of worked out that Freddie was keen on someone. And Freddie told Gray that he liked boys.”

“Did Gray know who it was?”

“No, but he guessed, though it was all supposition. I suppose I should be annoyed at Gray for not telling me more, but he was keeping the boy’s confidences. And after all…”

“The boy is nearly 16. He’s going to be getting urges.”

“Yeah. But the urges were shared with his friend Arvid, and Arvid’s parents are not amused.”

“Shit. So, what does that mean?”

“They came round last night. Erupted. Shouting. Freddie had corrupted Arvid. The lot. Poor Arvid should not be allowed to choose a sexual partner until he is 18.”

“18? What sort of world do they live in. Presumably they’re religious nuts?”

“Not that I’m aware of, they just seem to be obsessed with keeping their son from being corrupted.”

Dawn frowned, “So, what’s going to happen?”

“Well, we’re waiting. See what restrictions get placed on Arvid. I’ve told Freddie that the lad can come round, but I won’t countenance helping them avoid any sort of curfew.”

“So, the boys will be bonking in Freddie’s bedroom at all hours of the day.”

Vince gave an ironic smile, “Something like that. Unless it gets worse for Arvid.”

“And is that all the drama?”

“Well. I’ve bought a piano, though it’s not been delivered yet.”

“A piano. Where did that come from?”

“Gray was talking about his piano. Dad bought him one, it was in the hall for all of Gray’s teens. Then Dad sold it, when Gray and he had the fight about Gray studying English not business studies or something else useful.”

“The more I learn about Mac, the more delightful he becomes.” She sounded exasperated, “So, this is some sort of peace offering.”

“A thank you, more like. I just hope he likes it. Just after he moved in, I caught him standing in the bay window, looking out at the garden, remembering, and he sounded so down about the piano.”

Dawn looked at him with amusement, “I knew that you were a bit softie at heart.”

Vince tried to look offended, “It was fucking expensive.”

“And are you worried about the money or his reaction?”

“His reaction. I’ve…” Vince gave an annoyed snort, “I’ve started to realise that he means something to me. My brother. Stupid isn’t it.”

“Took you long enough.”

“Which reminds me, we’re having a lunch party.”

“Bloody hell, you are moving in properly. Who?”

“Peter and I.”

“Wow.”

“I know, still freaks me a bit, saying that. Gray, his friend Matt, the bird-watcher, Freddie, Carly and Gustave from the office and Rowena.”

“Rowena?”

“Woman Venetia tried to set me up with.”

“Isn’t that leading her on.”

“No, she’s bringing her sons, they’ll have fun in the garden and Gustave’s bringing his nephew. Peter’s doing most of the cooking.”

“I can’t believe you. Two weeks ago, you were dead set on being depressed, and now.”

“Life’s wonderful. Till it’s not.”