Catering With Benefits (3) - An Appetite for More - 48. Does it Get Any Better?

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While Snowy and Romel were serving the food, Duncan and Isa took the opportunity to sit either side of Tristan, so they could pump him for information about Justin’s strange behaviour.

“I guess he’s just a little surprised at two brothers having such a relationship.” replied Tristan.

“No, it’s more than that.” said Duncan.

“And he said it was complicated and raw. What does that mean?” asked Isa.

“I think I may have an idea, but I’m not certain, so I don’t want to say anything for now. Leave it with me guys.”

Duncan said, “Mmm. Sounds mysterious, I...”

“...can’t wait to find out.” Isa finished.

As they sat down to eat, Edward proposed a toast “Firstly I would like to welcome our new guests today, from the Stingers water pole team and Tristan’s SDC dancers. Welcome guys and we look forward to getting to know you all. I was going to say, I look forward to seeing more of you, but it’s all on display already.” The group laughed and toasted the newcomers.

“Now I’ll be quiet while you enjoy your meal, but I will have more to say later.”

“Yes he will.” added Romel “You can’t shut him up on occasions like this.”

<>

Justin sat next to the water polo team captain, who introduced himself as “Mark, but everyone calls me Walrus.”

“Oh is that a compliment or not.”

“To be given any nickname in our team is a compliment, but I didn’t see it like that in the beginning.”

“So how did you get the name, Walrus?”

“I had this long moustache before I joined the team. I was very overweight at the time and really joined up as a way of getting some exercise to lose weight. At my first practice session, someone remarked, I would make a great player as I had some much blubber to keep me afloat, I wouldn’t need to tread water. I wasn’t impressed and almost gave up then. But later at home I thought about it and accepted it as a challenge to not only lose the weight but become a good player. Then at the next session, someone called me Walrus and the name stuck. Water polo is a rough game and the guys are not prone to giving compliments, even to fellow team members, so I accepted the nickname as their way of welcoming me.”

“So, it looks like you lost the weight and became such a good player, you’re now the captain.”

“Yes, I proved my worth to the team and myself.”

“Good on you. Can I call you Walrus, even if I’m not in the team?”

“I’d be insulted if you didn’t. Speaking of the team, you look pretty fit, what’s your sport?”

“Nowadays, just gym work, but I used to be a gymnast in my teens.”

“Have you ever thought of playing water polo?”

“No, I’ve not even seen a game.”

“Then we must remedy that and get you to a game. We have our season grand final next week. I’ll leave two tickets at the gate for you. I assume you have someone to bring with you.”

“Of course, Craig over there, next to Edward, is my partner.”

“Then it’s game on and when we go into off season training, you can come and join us, see if you like it.”

“Thanks Walrus. We’ll be there.”

<>

Brett could not believe his luck. Not only had he been able to ogle eight naked men cavorting in the pool all morning but when he sat down for lunch a swimmer and a dancer sat either side of him. Of course this might have had something to do with the position he chose. When he approached the table there were three empty chairs in a row, so he chose to sit in the middle one and leave the rest to chance.

Looking to his right, he said, as he briefly squeezed the man’s thigh “Ooo, you have strong legs, you must be a polo player?”

“Yes, I am and I’m also a police officer.”

“A man in uniform as well, does it get any better?”

“Maybe not, but it could get a lot worse, if you don’t remove your hand.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realise it was still there. Anyway, I’m Brett, what’s your moniker.”

“Pig.”

“Sorry I asked.” Then turning to his left, said “Tall, lean and taught, you must be a dancer.”

“Yes, sweetie, fancy a session on the floor?”

“Anywhere’s fine with me, whenever you’re ready.”

“Perhaps not now.”

“Why, too busy eating?”

“No, because the man behind you is giving me a death stare that would make Julie Bishop cringe.”

Brett turned to see Jeremy glaring at him and replied “That’s just my bitch, don’t worry about her.”

“Well, she looks serious. These legs are my living. I can’t earn a dollar if one gets broken.”

“Good point, let’s start again. I’m Brett, and in the back stalls is my partner, the lovely Jeremy.”

“Hi Jeremy.”

“Now what should I call you?” asked Brett.

“Richard.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, just Richard.”

“Well Richard, Jeremy and I are pleased to meet you. Aren’t we Jez?”

“Of course Brett. Hi Richard, is my partner here bothering you?”

“Not at all, actually he’s quite amusing.”

“Yes that’s what most people say when they first meet him. It’s later on he becomes a pain in the arse.”

“Ooo, a big boy is he?”

“That’s not what I meant Richard. But now I think you two deserve each other. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Finally!” said Brett. Then turning to Richard, said “No tell me, all this flexibility you dancers have does that mean you can do more interesting positions? I’ve always wondered about that.”

“Depends on what you mean by more interesting.”

“Well, I take it you can do the side splits?”

“Of course, what’s your point?”

“So, if I was lying on the floor, could you lower yourself over my face, insert yourself down my throat and have me begging for more?”

“I could do that, but I doubt you’d be begging for more. Assuming you could swallow all I have to offer.”

“I like the way you think Richard. Now tell me about....”

<>

Towards the end of lunch Edward rose to assault the ears of the guests. “I’ve already welcomed the newcomers today so I ask you to bear with me while I talk of the older members of this gathering. At the beginning of this year, I was working for Telstra, but please don’t hold that against me, because I have since left and gone into a new venture.”

There was a groan from the other end of the table. “No, my dear Romel, I’m not going to talk about myself, well not all the time. The year has been eventful. My closest friends Craig and Justin moved their careers in a new direction by buying Poppy’s restaurant on Flinders. That then encouraged some other friends Dean and Andy to buy the other part of the business, now known as Dean’s Bar. Take a bow guys. If that wasn’t enough, then my new friends Jeremy and Brett opened their waxing business in the same premises.”

“You didn’t ask me to take a bow Edward.”

“I didn’t think you’d need to be invited Brett, but by all means, please take a bow.”

When Brett was finished, Edward added “A toast to them all and to their continued success.”

After the toast, Edward added “Now, if you don’t mind we’ll talk about me.”

“Could we stop you?” asked Juanito.

“I’d like to see you try. That reminds me, the mouthy one down there also headed in new directions this year. Juanito enrolled in accounting, took up a position with Craig and Justin and then got in to a dress and make-up to mount a challenge to me being the only drag queen in the family.”

“Where can we see you perform, Juanito?” asked Richard.

“If you come to our New Year’s Eve party at Divas.” replied Edward you will get two Divas for the same price. And that finally brings me to...well...me, of course. Romel and I opened our function centre called Divas. We’re available for weddings, parties, anything... Now I sound like an old rock band, so I’ll stop gushing about me.”

“About time.”

“I’ll ignore that, for now as I have something serious to talk about. This year we lost one of our own. For those who don’t know, this year we lost our friend Jared in a tragic car accident in the NT. Jared was the partner of Thomas, who is not here today, because he is in France with very good friends of his, dealing with his grief and recovering. Please take your glasses and stand with me to remember Jared.”

“To Jared” the crowd chorused.

“Now I only have one more thing to say and that is to wish everybody here, continued success in business and love. May 2020 be an even better year for all.”

<>

After lunch Tristan gave his crew a further thirty minutes break before ordering them back into the pool for more practice. Most of the party returned to sit around the pool and watch the athletic young men show off the bodies and their other talents.

Romel started to clear the lunch remains, but Edward was feeling a little drowsy after a big lunch and more than a few wines in the sun. He stretched out on his sun lounge for a rest and his thoughts went to the same period last year, especially the new love that was blossoming at the time. He remembered watching Craig standing behind Justin with his arms tightly around him while they both watched the water babies in the pool. He felt confident it was a relationship that would last a lifetime. The past year had tested that relationship but the bond held fast and Edward felt confident it would continue.

He remembered his first meeting with Snowy was at that same party. Completely out of the blue, Tristan, who had not previously had a boyfriend, turned up with this six foot plus, blonde Adonis. He had been a co-conspirator with Justin when he wanted Snowy distracted so he could quiz Tristan about his boyfriend. Justin later let Edward in on his conversation with Tristan and they both witnessed the moment, in the pool, when Tristan told Snowy he loved him.

This was one of the few times when Edward was wrong about a relationship. He did not feel it would last beyond the holiday period, but he was happy to admit to himself he had made a misjudgement. They were still together and seemed even more in love.

One of the most fun aspects of last year’s party was the parade of nipple jewellery and Edward’s subsequent dumping in the pool. He surprised even himself, when he took it as fun and laughed along with his friends. ‘Oh my god’ he uttered out loud ‘Am I losing my inner bitch?’ Hmm, he thought, I never did get to try that snowballing thing. Maybe I should put it on my bucket list. But he was sure Raj had gotten over his revulsion of such, if what Juanito told him about Raj giving great head was true. Another great pairing, Edward thought, even if the relationship had a bumpy start.

Then he remembered how Jared had let him try his snake nipple rings. He remembered the pain they caused, but that was just a mere annoyance compared to the pain of having lost one of the group under such devastating circumstances. Edward began to tear up, but was jolted out of his melancholia by a cheer from the poolside. He stood up to look and noticed the four dancers walking in a circle by stepping from the shoulders of one support man to the next. He was impressed by how much they had achieved in just one day of practice.

He then returned to his memories of last year and laughed out loud when he remembered Justin’s gifts of chocolate penises modelled from his own. That cheered him and he continued his trip down memory lane.

During a conversation with Justin, Edward had made a few predictions. What were they, he mused and then they came back to him. He predicted Juanito and Raj getting together and also Thomas and Jared rekindling their broken relationship. But even he could not predict how it would end. On that sad note, Edward tried to clear his mind and just enjoy the moment. He closed his eyes and snoozed away to the sounds coming from the pool.

When Tristan was happy with the ‘dancing on water’ part of his choreography he wanted his crew to try an idea he had for stepping out of the pool or, as he put it, stepping off the surface of the water back onto land. He didn’t want his dancers to pull themselves out of the pool in the normal way, but instead to seemingly float from the water surface back onto land. In a variation of the lift they had been practicing all day he had them try it at the side of the pool. Firstly they did a slow rise and the dancers stepped off the shoulders onto the pool edge. It worked well, but he wanted them to try it faster. The strong legs of the bottoms soon had the dancers popping out of the water.

He then asked “I want all four of you to do it simultaneously, as fast as you can.” The bottoms gave him a thumbs up, went down into the water, bearing their loads and then when the underwater signal was given, popped up at an alarming speed. “Fabulous guys, that’s just what I want. Now do it again like that and this time the tops will step off your bottoms and onto the pool edge.

Down they went, signal was given and up they popped, perfectly in unison. As they stepped onto the pool edge, two of the dancers slipped on the wet surface. Isa slid vertically straight back into the water, between his support man and the poolside. In doing so his decent was only slowed when his nose hit the edge of the pool. As Tristan gasped at this he noticed the second dancer who had slipped, fell forward and hit the tiled surround, face down.

Craig sprung into action and went to Duncan, now lying face down in a pool of blood. Isa, now screaming in agony, was lifted by his strong support man and laid out on the pool edge. Romel attended him and then yelled for someone to call 000?”

“Right onto it.” answered Justin.

Craig’s initial diagnosis was a bleeding and possibly broken nose. He was also concerned about a possible concussion.

The two nurses stemmed the bleeding by the time the ambulance arrived. Both men were stabilised by the paramedics and conveyed to hospital for further attention. Craig and Romel accompanied their patients and Snowy tried to console a distraught Tristan, while Edward asked around for contact numbers of each man’s family. Eventually Tristan suggested he check their bags in the house for phones. Richard helped him find the phones, but there were no obvious names like, Mum or Dad. But there was a Bro on the phone so Edward called the number and the other phone rang. When Edward looked confused, Richard said “They’re brothers, didn’t you notice the resemblance?”

“Now that you mention it, yes. So do you recognise any names on their phones, such as a partner?

“That’s probably not necessary. They don’t have partners as such.”

“What do you mean, as such?”

“Um, er, they....”

“Yes, go on.”

“They are each other’s partner.”

“I’m not following...er...oh, now I am.”

“I think their Mum’s name is Patricia. I’ll check this phone, you check the one you have.”

They both found a Patricia on the contact lists, so Edward asked “Do you know her?”

“I met her once at a birthday party.”

“Then maybe you should call her.”

***

Both the twins spent the night in hospital under observation. While their mother was talking to the doctor, Tristan apologised to them both.

“No need for that” replied Duncan.”

“We all know the risks.” added Isa.

“Thanks, but I still feel bad about it.

When their mother returned she told them they had to stay a further day to have their broken noses reset by a cosmetic surgeon.

Patricia and Tristan spent the next day at the hospital awaiting the outcome of the surgery. Tristan felt so guilty about the accident, so when he apologised to Patricia for the fourth time she said. “Tristan, please stop apologising, it’s not your fault. Dancing is in the family and we all know the risks of injury. The boys have been lucky up till now, but every dancer has a bad day.”

“Thank you for being so understanding, but I feel maybe I pushed them too hard and tried to be so far outside the box.”

“Tristan my boy, a choreographer that doesn’t push his dancers to their limit and a little beyond, isn’t really doing his job. So don’t beat yourself up over this. It’s probably not the worst injury they will have in their careers. But it is typical of them to both do exactly the same thing all the time, even when it comes to injuries.”

“Are twins really that close?”

“These two are, but you know there might be an upside to this.”

“How’s that Patricia?”

“If their noses are not exactly the same as before the accident, at least we will be able to tell them apart.”

Tristan laughed, then apologised for laughing. “It’s all right my boy, I can see the funny side of it.”

<>

After that conversation, they were both keen to see the results of the surgery, but were disappointed when they went to see the twins and found their noses bandaged and were advised by the surgeon it would be a week before their new noses would be on public display.”

“Tell me Doctor, did you repair their noses exactly the same?”

“Plastic surgery has two forms. The most commonly known is improvement surgery, but the most commonly performed is restorative surgery due to injury. In this case my aim was to restore their noses to the same as before, as they did not need improvement, so I expect they will be the same. I’ve got to say, it was a challenge .I’ve not before operated on identical twins with the same facial injury.”

Tristan then asked ‘So what you are saying is they will still be identical in looks.”

“As I said before, the operation was to restore each patient to his former self, so if they looked the same before, they should look the same now. Any more stupid questions?”

“Sorry.”