Carter's Vanguard - 7. Chapter 7

Will was startled when he walked in the door. His long-suffering Uncle Arthur's truck had been in the driveway which wasn't unusual in of itself--Arthur routinely checked up on Will's progress and made sure his wardrobe was sufficiently filled. Arthur took particular pride in the way Will dressed, it was his personal way to get back at the Major, or so he told Will. Will just figured Arthur was a closet metro-sexual.

Will was getting in after a long day; he had history homework to mark as well as a couple of math exercises for his own work to get done. He rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand as he walked into the kitchen to find Arthur sitting at the table with Brody.

Arthur looked unwell, and for a moment Will's mind raced, was something wrong?

Arthur caught the look and smiled grimly, "Don't worry boy, I'm just here to fetch you for supper. Your Aunt Majella is throwing a family dinner tonight and you're expected to be there."

Will frowned. "It's rather short notice," he admitted. "I'd have to get ready and call Andrew..."

Arthur tightened his lips and his deep-set eyes suddenly flicked away from Will.

Suddenly Will knew exactly why Majella had decided to inform him last minute. You had to respect the woman for how she played family politics; she knew the game all too well, she knew the pieces and could manipulate a situation where she got exactly what she wanted all the while maintaining an air of innocence about her.

Will was annoyed by that; he reached out and picked up the phone calling Andrew, hope was after all supposed to be eternal.

Andrew picked up after the second ring, "Yeah, Will?"

Will started, then remembered Andrew had caller id, a system Will would never get used to. "I'm sorry to call you with such short notice," he glanced at Arthur, "but I just found out my Aunt has this big family thing planned for tonight..."

Andrew hesitated on the line, "Oh, what do I wear?" His voice sounded compassionate, understanding all too well how Will's family normally operated.

Will smiled, visibly relaxing, and for his own part his Uncle Arthur relaxed as well. Obviously Majella's plan hadn't been his choice. That warmed Will, knowing he had at least one ally in the family who was squarely on his side.

"What do we wear?" Will asked his Uncle, covering the mouthpiece.

"Majella has me in a suit," Arthur grumbled, obviously unimpressed with the idea.

"Suits," Will said into the receiver. "See you soon."

"Sure," Andrew said, already sounding distracted on the line, no doubt fumbling in his closet for his suit.

"Bye." Will hung up the phone and glanced at Brody who just shrugged his shoulders.

Arthur flashed him an apologetic look. "I was supposed to bring you back with me," he said with a look out of the window, "but this gives me a chance to get ready myself if you're coming with Andrew."

Will sighed; his long day was just going to get longer.

* * *

It hadn't taken him long to get ready--a quick shower to wash the grime of the day off and changing into the suit his uncle had bought him for exactly those types of events. He shrugged on the jacket and deftly tied the tie, blushing as he remembered the last time he had seen Andrew in a suit. Their first date, that walk along the canal, that kiss and realization that it was more than either of them had been expecting.

He dipped into the hair wax, using it to straighten his hair so it fell perfectly like curtains across his forehead. He liked his off-center parting ever so slightly to the left, just like his personality. He grinned and walked out of the bathroom, thundering down the stairs to find his shoes.

Brody, as usual, laughed at Will whenever he wore a suit. Will shot him a dirty look as he checked himself one last time in the hall mirror. The suit was sharp, it fit him well, even though it made him look so much older. He knew he belonged in a suit, it was comfortable and somehow looked right, though the jacket was a little constrictive on his shoulders.

He swept the jacket off, relaxing in just the black waistcoat, and nodded to himself. It was too hot for the jacket anyway and he looked just as smart in his shirtsleeves and the crisp vest. He adjusted his hair one more time as the doorbell rang, turning as Andrew walked in looking as ever like a model for a fashion magazine.

"You should really tell your aunt to give me more notice," Andrew said, selfconsciously brushing down his blazer and trying futilely to straighten his tie. "Mom wasn't home so she couldn't help me," he admitted with a blush.

Will beckoned him over, reaching up to undo the tie and retie it, just enjoying being this close to Andrew. There was something reassuring about his presence, something that made Will's heart beat just a little faster when he could smell that distinctive cologne and faint musky smell that was distinctively Andrew. Even if it was intermixed with...

"Rosehip?" Will said, screwing up his nose.

"Shut up!" Andrew said in surprise that Will had noticed, and he turned a full shade of red. Mister Cool-as-a-cucumber, Mister I-don't-get-embarrassed-over-anything, was as red as a tomato.

"Rosehip?" Brody cackled from the living room, "Well, we know who the woman is!"

"I ran out of shampoo and Mum was buying some more tonight; she hadn't gotten back when Carter called. I needed a shower so borrowed hers. Happy now?" he called through to the living room.

"Yes," Brody simply cackled, enjoying himself far too much. "That was all that was there; I believe you..."

Andrew dug his hands into his pockets. "How about we get going?" he said, recovering his composure as he suddenly noticed how Will looked. He stopped and stood still for a moment, his eyes traveling up and down Will, his breath catching for a second in his throat. "Wow," he managed.

Will smiled. "Thanks," he said, stepping forward to kiss Andrew lightly on the cheek. "I mean that, thanks for dropping everything to come with me."

Andrew chuckled, "Beats sitting at home with Mum, watching Wheel of Fortune." He turned and held the door open for Will and walked with him out into the warm night, "Plus this is the first time I get to go to one of your family things." He considered that as he sat in the driver's seat and looked over at Will with those inquisitive eyes of his, "What are the rules?"

Will hadn't thought about that, he rarely went to Majella's dinners; they were usually uncomfortable affairs where Majella scraped together elements of the extended family from all over and insisted they participate congregated in her house. Uncomfortable, because so few of them were English, most speaking only French. Will really had no idea what the rules were in this sort of situation; since Andrew had been away for most of the year he hadn't had to think about it. Now, however, he was struggling.

"I don't know," Will replied honestly, "though it might be funny to see how they react to you kissing me."

Andrew chuckled, "I'm not that much of an exhibitionist."

"You bloody are," Will accused, watching the houses whisk by the Mustang as Andrew navigated towards Majella Aube's residence.

Andrew reached out a hand to close over Will's, lifting it back to the stick shift as he guided Will's hand through the gear changes. It was a subconscious habit; Will loved it when Andrew did that--it was so intimate and yet so innocent, Andrew just desiring such a simple physical contact as he drove, a connection to his boyfriend.

"We're going to be fine," Andrew said reassuringly, as the car pulled into the driveway and tucked itself behind Arthur's white Mazda truck. The two young lovers stared out of the windscreen and up at the broad split-leveled house that, despite its quaint canary yellow siding, looked suddenly so ominous.

"You sure about that?" Will asked, turning to look at Andrew for strength. "So far you've been spared my family's insanity."

Andrew squeezed Will's hand, "Hey, nothing's going to happen to you, I'm here."

Will gave him a tight smile, getting out of the car and tugging down on the end of his waistcoat to straighten it. He wasn't a little boy anymore; he was a young man, his own man. He could put up with his Aunt Majella and his cousins for a couple of hours. Besides it was an opportunity to spend some time with his grandmother.

They both climbed the steps up to the raised veranda; to Will, the house was all upside down: the upstairs was the main floor with the bedrooms below. A large broad-decked veranda went around the outside of the house on massive stilts; it was like coming aboard a ship, the deck planks resounding under the sound of his footsteps. Andrew was a step or two behind as they went through the large patio doors into the sun lounge.

The dinner party was just getting started, Majella fussing about her kitchen as she finished setting out the large buffet that took up most of her counter space. The dark-haired French woman turned as Will poked his head around the doorway into the kitchen.

"Come in," she ushered with her ladle. "Make yourself at home."

Will nodded and stepped inside the kitchen and Majella wiped off her hands upon her apron as she came in to hug Will hello. She paused when Andrew stepped around Will to stand slightly behind him. Her eyes hardened for a second as she looked over at Arthur who was already pouring himself a stiff drink.

It was old Mrs. Carter, entering from the living room with a gaggle of the little cousins chasing after their great aunt, who finally broke the moment of discomfort. Will's grandmother was one of those old women that kids flocked to. She was warm with the cuddles, loving children and pouring attention upon them in a torrent. Put her in a red dress and give her a reindeer and she would be the perfect Mrs. Claus.

She gave Will a warm maternal smile and beamed up at Andrew, "I'm glad you both came." At least she sounded genuine. Majella still looked distressed at having a gay couple at her dinner party.

"I wouldn't have missed it, Mrs. Carter," Andrew said in a firm tone, and Will had to hide a smile knowing full well Andrew had directed that towards his aunt. Even though Andrew's mother swore he took after his father, Will often saw edges of his mother in his boyfriend. The dislike for Majella was one trait both mother and son shared in abundance.

Mrs. Carter turned to Arthur, "Well, don't just stand there, Arthur dear, offer the boys a drink."

Andrew politely refused; a responsible driver, he decided to stick to coffee. Will, however, knew from experience these types of social events passed easier when he was sufficiently inebriated, and gladly accepted the drink his Uncle mixed for him. It was powerful enough to strip paint, and Will knew it was Arthur's commiserations for the night to come.

Will smiled in thanks, making his way with Andrew through to the living room, still feeling out of place. There were maybe a dozen or so of his cousins running around, and it was still early. Will found his way to a chair in the corner and sat down, Andrew moving to rest a hand on the back of it looking around him, nodding to a few people he recognized. A few of the adults murmured to their spouses catching sight of the pair and Will knew they were both being discussed.

"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Will murmured just low enough for Andrew to hear him.

Andrew glanced down. "We could just go," he said sympathetically.

Will took a long breath and squared his shoulders, "Nope, I can deal with my aunt..."

"Willy!" The tiny voice caught him by surprise as two little arms were around his neck and a three-foot ball of excitement suddenly attached itself to him like a limpet. A head of brown curls and a pair of big hazel eyes stared up at him shyly, before Lucy buried her head into his chest again.

Will guffawed, separating himself from the over-eager sprog, Andrew laughing at his sudden situation. He managed to disengage her stranglehold from around his neck as he held her at arms length and grinned at her.

"Hello," he said, making a face at her.

She balled her face up in a miniature version of the displeased look Will normally affixed. "Don't put me down," she demanded.

Will continued to hold her at arm's length. "All right, so you expect me to carry you all night..." he stopped, staring at his little sister who he hadn't seen in nearly a year. "Where's your daddy?" he asked, realizing at the same time that he felt Andrew's hand protectively on his shoulder.

Will didn't need to look up, he knew exactly who had just walked into the living room. He calmly set Lucy back onto her feet and downed the rest of the glass Arthur had armed him with, standing up and meeting the Major's eyes.

The tension in the living room had escalated instantly, and part of Will wanted so desperately to get out of there, run as far and as fast as he could. But he wasn't afraid of this man any more. He held no power over his life, his power was solely a dominion over the past, and the past would never come again.

Will calmly walked through into the kitchen, the Major stepping aside to allow him past, no doubt expecting Will to run. Instead Will extended his glass to Arthur.

"I think I'm going to need another," he said firmly.