Not just another Summer - 6. Peace offering

Monday I was a bit subdued when I met Matt, though it was banana and peanut butter sandwiches which were surprisingly yummy.

“You OK, you seem a bit glum? Sorry if I’m sticking my nose in.”

“No. It’s just stupid family stuff. It’s 20 years since Vince and I lived in the same house, and I’ve never been good as a roommate.”

“You going to stick with it?”

“I will do my damnedest. But part of me thinks Dad’s Will was his final joke; set Vince and I against each other.”

“Thats…”

“Mmm. So... Watch this space.”

We ate in silence for a bit, enjoying the quiet, just the sound of the birds, nature and more.

“I can’t be around for the next two days; I need to do the early shift at work.”

“Fair enough. But see you Thursday?”

He smiled, “Dead right. And a drink on Friday, again.”

“It’s a date.”

He smiled but never let on whether it was that sort of date.

---

I took advantage of Tuesday morning to make an inroad into the job searching, casting my bread upon the waters, widely and profusely.

It got to five o’clock and I was just beginning to think about what I’d do for dinner. I’d not seen Vince and had no idea what Freddie was doing but vaguely remembered him saying that mates were back from their holidays, and he’d hang with them this week. Unless, of course, his Father’s outburst had made him wary.

Someone tapped on the door, then ‘It’s Vince’ and I heard him coming in. I scrabbled to worked out where my shorts were. Bugger! He was wearing just a pair of boxer shorts and carrying a bottle of gin, a bottle of tonic and two tumblers filled with ice.

“Peace offering”, he looked anxious. I stared at him, an implicit question in my face. “I was at the centre last night and told Peter about our argument and that. He laughed and said it was about time someone called me out for being so uptight. That some people find nudity no problem, so…” He put the gin and tonic on the table, pushed his boxer shorts right down, and gave a nervous smile. “Fancy a gin and tonic?”

It was weird, having a G&T with my brother whilst both of us were unclothed. It was good gin too, small batch, independent producer, and Fever Tree tonic. No complaints there.

“You know, till this week, I’d never seen you naked before. Not sure I ever saw you in swimming gear, either.”

Vince smirked, “Well, Dad was hardly the type of man to have people sunbathing in the garden, was he?”

“Did you? I mean swim or sunbathe at the beach and that.”

“Moira and I took Freddie to the beach when he was young, of course. So yes, I wore a swimming costume. Not something I made a habit of though, and not sure if I’ve actually got one, now.”

I looked at him, “I hadn’t realised quite how hairy you were. I’m the opposite.”

“So, if you left things?”

“My chest and belly would still be smooth.”

“Couldn’t be more different. Moira hated it.”

“You never thought about waxing or something like that.”

“Come on. That wasn’t the sort of thing that trainee solicitors did, and besides”, he looked down. “Where would you stop?”

Truth to tell, if Vince hadn’t been my brother, I’d have suggested he shave his balls and around the base of his dick, to give things a bit of definition. But I wasn’t going to get into that sort of discussion, was I?

“Fair enough.” I smirked, “So, next time around, you need to find someone who actually finds hairy men attractive.”

His response was simply, “Yes, right.”

But I sensed something more. Did he already have a someone in the background? Who, I wondered. Logic suggested that perhaps she was already married or something equally complex. Vince wouldn’t be that coy, would he?

“Have you seen Freddie recently?”

“Not properly, this week.”

“He’s off with his mates, but I had a chat with him this morning.”

“About what?”

“Fucking embarrassing chat. If it wasn’t for…” He stopped and huffed. “Anyway, I told him I’d overreacted and that if he wanted to visit you naked, that was up to him and you. And I said that if he was around on Saturday afternoon, I may well join you. Like this.”

He gestured to his naked form.

“How did that go down?” I grinned at him.

“With amazement. I think he’s still calibrating the idea that if he can be naked at home, then I can too.”

“Seeing your Dad naked.”

Vince stared at me, “Would you have wanted to?”

“Hell no. I was too nervous of him.”

“Perhaps we ought to have done more when Freddie was young. Evidently when his friend Arvid is with his Dad’s family in Sweden, everyone gets naked to swim, sunbathe and sauna.”

“All sounds very Swedish.”

“And one uncle and aunt are downright nudist.”

“So, young Arvid got exposed to plenty of healthy naked bodies.”

“And unhealthy ones too. Fat and wobbly bits.” He grinned.

“Well, I have to say, you look very trim, brother. “

He gave a nervous laugh, “What, for a middle-aged man pushing 40 with a very sedentary job.” He sighed, “Well, I try.”

“And do OK. I assure you.”

I’d never go for a man as hairy as Vince, but I could see that he would be attractive enough. Saturnine, dark hair and despite all the body hair, a nice sized package, big enough to be apparent. Not one of those guys where his dick hid away amongst the hair.

My face must have given something away.

“You’re thinking about my dick, aren’t you?” He glared.

“Only from an aesthetic point of view.”

“And…”

“Oh really. Yes, Vince. I’m impressed. OK.”

“Thanks. And sorry. That was a bit big brotherish. I’m thinking of telling Freddie that we can be like this around the house, just not meals, watching TV or on Tuesday when the cleaner comes.”

I nearly dropped my gin. “You! Really?”

Vince looked the closest to coy that I’d ever seen him, “It has been pointed out to me that I don’t live my Father’s life, it’s mine. And that my attitudes are out of date. But it’s Freddie’s call.”

“Whether he can cope with your hairy arse over the cornflakes.”

“Something like that.”

“Mmm. And you think you’ll actually go with that?”

“Why not?”

“What happens when someone finds out that proper Vince Philpott is a nudist who gets naked with his teenage son?”

“Why should that happen? If we…”

I interrupted him, “Because secrets have a habit of doing just that. Coming out when you least want them to be aired. Freddie’s a teenage boy; he lets drop something to his mates.” I shrugged, “Doesn’t matter how. Are you prepared to stand up and say, yeah, I do. What of it?”

Vince stared at me; I could see the wheels turning. I had been 12 or 13 when he’d come back from Uni with his law degree, signed up as an apprentice solicitor, or whatever they called it, married his girlfriend, bought a house and had a baby. Creating the perfect life. The boring life. A pillar of the local law society. Yes, he did do the charity work, supported the homeless centre, made no secret of political views the opposite of Father’s, but it was all done from a position of order and control.

He glared at me.

I tried not to smirk, “I’m right, aren’t I?”

He gave a short nod, “I’ll have to think about it.”

That was it, discussion closed. I sighed. You always got that with Vince, he wanted to work through the issues in his own time and his own way. We’d never really had a standup argument. Ever.

Time to change the subject, otherwise he was going to stalk out again and I was determined to make this rapprochement last more than one measly G&T.

“Any chance of another gin?”

Vince nodded and set to whilst I fetched some crisps that I had on hand.

“Are you still seeing the bloke from the Nature Reserve?”

“Matt. Yes. We meet for breakfast; he watches birds, and I write.”

“Romantic.”

“Hardly. Its eight in the morning and we have banana and peanut butter sandwiches on homemade bread.”

“Really? Sounds romantic to me.”

“Funny idea of romance you have. We did go for a drink on Friday.”

“Where?”

“The Castle Arms.”

“Bit cheap and cheerful.”

“Well, his Mother’s ill, he had to repeat his final school years because he lost so much time helping her. He now works and tries to do a college course.”

“Sorry. I should know better than to be so glib.”

“Precisely.” I sighed, “I just wish I had a bit more spare cash but…”

“To flash around.”

“No! Sorry, that came out a bit sharp. Only he’s keen on the Nature Reserve, would like to work there eventually and can’t afford to volunteer, because he needs to actually earn some money.”

“Christ. Poor sod. You know, half of me wants to move out of this monstrosity and use the money to give to charity to help blokes like that.”

“Like Matt?”

“You see them at the centre. Bright and interested but worn down by the need to work all hours just to exist, or support relatives that the state has failed.” Vince sighed, “Sorry. I’ll get off my high horse. Now. Dinner. Shall we have a takeaway?”

“Dressed?”

“Of course.” Vince looked affronted.

---

“I read the article. I see what you meant last week. Your Dad, eh?”

Vince groaned, “Don’t. I was pissed off with Gray at first. But I think he did try, stay on message.”

“Talk about the poetry?” Dawn smirked.

“That’s it. Till the journalist asked what Dad thought of Gray’s poems.”

Dawn went quiet, “So, he told her. Jesus.”

“That’s about it. Now he’s better known for fighting with Dad than writing poetry.”

“Is he?” Dawn fixed Vince with a stare, “Writing? Do you at least talk about that?”

“A bit. It’s kind of personal with him.”

“But it’s how he makes a living, for God’s sake.”

“Yees. But he can’t just turn on a tap. He didn’t write much in East Anglia. But he’s started again, now he’s back here.”

“A return home?”

“More the landscape. For some reason it does something for my brother.” He chuckled.

She shook her head, “You know, the Philpotts are weird. Again.”

Vince went quiet and looked shifty.

“I know that look, Vince. What have you been up to?”

“Not so much me.” Vince gulped, “Look, you won’t say anything, will you?”

“Me!” Dawn gave a butter-wouldn’t-melt smile. “As if I’d ever.”

“Freddie caught Gray unawares the other day. Gray doesn’t wear clothes when he’s in his own place.”

“The house, or just the annexe?”

Vince’s eyes opened wide, but he laughed, “Just the annexe. I’m not sure I’m ready for my brother wandering bollock naked around The Grange.”

Dawn huffed, “Thank goodness for that. And imagine what your Father would think!” She grinned and both of them laughed. “And Freddie?”

Vince rolled his eyes, “Thought it a great idea. When he’s around, he pops in to see Gray for a mid-afternoon snack. Foursies, Gray calls it.”

Dawn sniggered, “Naked tea. And this has got you all hot and bothered, I expect.”

Vince looked embarrassed, as if he’d been found out, “Yes, rather.”

Dawn continued chuckling, “Well, it’s a bit unorthodox, but harmless enough. I take it that the two…”

“Good Lord, no. We might be a bit odd, but we’re not that weird. Besides, I gather Gray’s taste runs to something a bit older, and he’s got someone.”

“That’s OK. And you?”

“I, well. I lost it, but Peter said that I was being stupid and that it was no big deal. That I should join them and not be such a fuddy-duddy.”

At the mention of Peter, Dawn’s eyes had flashed, and she had looked thoughtful, but Vince was too involved in his story to notice.

“So, I took Gray a peace offering.”

Dawn simply raised an interrogatory eyebrow.

“Oh, just a gin and tonic, good gin though. And we had a couple, in his flat. Naked.”

“And how was it?” Dawn was amused now.

“Bloody weird. We ended up talking about Dad, how hairy he was. Stuff like that.”

“At least you two were talking.”

“Yes. About Dad, for God’s sake. Still, we both tried, and I’m doing naked tea with them on Saturday. God help me.”

“There, that wasn’t such a big deal, was it?” Dawn’s sympathy was exaggerated for effect.

“What happens if someone finds out?”

“Oh, come on Vince. It’s the 21st century, for God’s sake and Freddie’s fifteen.”

“I suppose.”

They concentrated on their food, and conversation wandered into other fields, notably the most recent speech by the Home Secretary on immigration. Again.

Finally, however, Dawn returned to the thoughts she’d had earlier.

“And how’s your love life, looking?”

Vince looked his usual collected self, but Dawn thought she saw ripples underneath. “A bit on and off. It’s got complicated and”, Vince sighed, “I just…”

Dawn gave him her best motherly look, “Well, I’m here if you need to talk.”

Almost as if to change the subject, Vince started talking about their plans for his and Freddie’s holiday the following week.