Rentboy (30 page)

“I have to sit down. I can’t stand up for long.” Eddie nodded at the back pew and made his way toward it, sitting down heavily and with difficulty.

“Does it still hurt?” Fox asked, anxious to remove any pain he could.

“It aches, especially at night, but I’ve got painkillers. Did you do it?” he said the last words very quietly.

“My dad? No. But I can’t talk about it.”

“Oh, I see. They took care of it. This whole thing is something we are supposed to forget.”

“I want to forget it. I want to forget my dad ever existed. I can’t look at a bin bag without getting a panic attack. Eddie, I’m so sorry. If I’d just stolen your computer the first time I was in your flat, you wouldn’t have had a chance to change the information, and I’d never have seen you again. The whole thing wouldn’t have happened. I’m so sorry.”

“Why didn’t you take it the first time?”

He was going to be honest now. He’d never lie to Eddie again. “I wanted to see you again. I wanted a reason to come back. I was hooked on you from that first night. You were just so…” He spread his hands, looking for the right word.

“Weird?” Eddie asked.

They laughed.

“You told me you loved me. Was that only because you thought we were going to die and you wanted to be nice to me?”

“No. I do love you. I loved you all along, but I knew how totally pissed off you would be when you found out what I’d done, so I couldn’t say it. I don’t blame you for hating me.”

“I don’t hate you, you silly Goth. I love you tremendously.”

“Silly Goth?” A giggle burst from Fox at the words. “So…are we on again, then?”

Eddie took Fox’s left hand, squeezing it. He struggled to move, but with his leg held straight in the narrow pews he was trapped. “I envisioned myself getting down on one knee when I did this, but I wouldn’t be able to get up again.” He paused before saying, “Afton Baillie, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

Shocked, deliriously happy, Fox said, “Yes. Hell yes!” Still stunned, he watched Eddie reach into his shorts pocket and pull out a small box. A modest diamond ring nestled inside on a velvet cushion. Hands shaking, Eddie removed the ring and slid it onto Fox’s wedding finger.

Tears stung Fox’s eyes as he looked down at his hand. The ring was perfect, traditional and understated, just like Eddie. But the proposal, in a chapel right after his father had slid through the curtains to be cremated, was off the wall, just like Fox. Tears fell from his eyes onto the ring.

“I love you so much, Fox. I don’t care how we met or all the things that have happened since. I care about you. I want you.”

“Do you know the whole truth now?”

“Yes, that man at the hospital, Mr. Conran, he told me everything.”

“Here’s the rest of the story. My mum is going into rehab next month. I’ve got her a place in a clinic in Scotland. She’s going to spend four months there. It’s really expensive, but we can afford it. The life insurance is a million with me as the beneficiary. I’ve already put the house on the market. It’s worth another million, and it was paid off in full. Mum will get Dad’s military pension, which is a really decent amount as well. He was in for thirty years. We’re rich.”

“I’m marrying a millionaire?” Eddie smiled. “I’d take you without a penny.”

“Will you take the twins as well?” Fox asked doubtfully.

“Yes, dear,” Eddie said with simple honesty. “You, the twins, your mum. The whole Baillie clan. In for a penny, in for a pound.”

Fox kept glancing down at his engagement ring. “Do you think it’s okay to take the money? I mean, it was all ill-gotten gains from my father’s work as a mercenary.”

“You earned it,” Eddie said. “And think of all the people we saved. Now kiss me, because I can hardly move to get closer to you.”

Fox leaned forward, touching his lips to Eddie’s. They were warm and pliable and delicious. He smelled like shaving soap, no aftershave, just Eddie—simple, uncomplicated Eddie. “You’re so fucking sexy,” he said against Eddie’s mouth, pushing his tongue inside.

Turning his face away, Eddie said, “Fox, I meant a peck. I don’t think we should do this here.”

“I think we should.” With a glance at the closed door to make certain they were alone, he unzipped Eddie’s shorts.

“Fox, no! This is a chapel of worship! Your father’s body just went through those curtains.”

“All the more reason to celebrate.” He crushed his mouth over Eddie’s. “And it’s a nondenominational chapel. We’re doing tantric worship.” He pulled back the waistband on Eddie’s plain white Y fronts. “You have got to stop wearing these sexy undies. You are driving me wild.” He shoved his tongue between Eddie’s lips and grabbed his cock. Eddie was hard even before he touched him. When Fox’s hand encircled the rigid dick, Eddie cried out immediately, pumping sperm all over Fox’s hand. “That was quick,” Fox said.

“I got a hard-on the minute I saw you. Thank God for baggy shorts. I’ve missed you so much.”

The door swung open. “Oh God.” Eddie hissed, pushing his limp cock inside and fastening his shorts.

“I know you are in love, but this is a house of worship,” Godfrey said in an admonishing tone.

“Awfully sorry.” Eddie’s face was scarlet.

“It’s my fault. I’m the bad boy,” Fox said, not in the slightest bit embarrassed. He rubbed the sperm off his hand onto his kilt and held it out to show off the ring. “Eddie proposed. Will you marry us?”

“Congratulations!” Godfrey grabbed them each in turn and hugged them tightly. “Of course I’ll marry you. I’d love to. But right now you’d better take your mother home. She looks very tired.” Between them they got Eddie on his feet and walked out into the sunshine. Tara was talking with the Athertons. Though she did look exhausted, she was holding up well.

“Tell them, Eddie,” Fox said when they joined the small group.

His cheeks still pink from being caught in flagrante, Eddie ducked his head, then looked up at his parents and Tara. “I’ve asked Fox to marry me, and he has accepted. We’re engaged.”

The Athertons stared, mouths open. Gay was one thing; engaged to a bloke was entirely another. To Fox’s sheer delight his mum broke the silence. “That’s lovely. Congratulations, boys.” She hugged and kissed them both. “What do you think of that, twins? Your brother is going to marry Eddie.”

They made no response.

“Thank you,” Eddie said. Fox kissed his mum on the cheek.

“You will wait awhile, until I’m finished with rehab? I wouldn’t miss your wedding for the world.” The same astonished looks that had gripped the Athertons at the announcement of the engagement continued at Tara’s declaration. She looked directly at Eddie’s parents. “I’m an alcoholic, but I’m going to get better. Fox has looked after the twins on his own long enough. It’s time I got involved.”

He couldn’t have been prouder of her even though he knew Eddie’s parents were struggling with all the news. “We’ll wait till next year, okay, Eddie?”

“Whatever you want, dear.” He looked at Tara. “We’ll be happy to wait. We just want you to be there.”

Fox threw his arms around his fiancé. His father was dead, his mum was on the mend, and he was going to live with Eddie forever. He could scarcely take it all in.

It was months since Edward had been down to the Tisbury Court area. Yet it was always the same, rife with interesting people, pedestrian traffic, noises, and less-than-appealing odors. Every shop he had gone into looking for a valentine card for Fox was full of giggling young girls poring over the offerings and impatient-looking men grabbing the first thing they saw that had
wife
on the front.

Fox deserved something special, so Edward had left work early to find the right one.

Beside the alley he had wandered down the first night he had met Fox was Gimme Gimme. They’d have something better than pink hearts and cupids everywhere. Inside he found as many men and women looking for valentine cards as in the others shops, but here the women were less giggly, and the men looked happier.

“Who’s it for, mate?” A tall, thin, butch young woman with a name tag declaring her to be Brittany stood beside him.

Thrilled to be asked, Edward found his cheeks growing pink. “My husband, or he will be this summer. We’re just waiting for his mum to get out of rehab. She was supposed to go for four months, but she needed a few more, so we’re planning to tie the knot on June twenty-first, my birthday.” He was rambling like an idiot as usual.

But Brittany seemed patient and kind. “Right, then. You need something special.”

“Very special. I’ve never had anyone to buy a valentine card for before. We met last June.”

“Oh yeah, where?” With deft fingers the young woman leafed through cards, frowning at one after the next before putting it back.

“In the alley right next to here.” Edward pressed his fingertips into his forehead. Why couldn’t he just shut up and stop letting everyone know what an idiot he was?

“That’ll be a story to tell your kids one day.” Brittany smiled. “How about this?” The card had a rainbow on it, and underneath was a line drawing of two men holding hands. They looked as goofy as him and Fox. The caption read
My Funny Valentine
. “That line’s been done to death, but it’s timeless. Or did you want something more romantic? Is he the sensitive type?”

“He’s very sensitive,” Edward said. “Very kind. Very loving. He’s perfect, and so is this card.”

“Great.” Brittany looked thrilled to be of service. “Anything else?”

“He’s also expressed an interest in a black leather dog collar. Do you have one of those?”

Brittany took a long, hard look at him. “You little devil. I would never have guessed.”

Edward’s face flooded pink again. “It’s purely for fashion. He’s an artist.”

“Come with me.” She led him to the more risqué side of the shop. “Spikes or studs?”

“I assure you it’s for decorative purposes only.” Why he felt the need to say that was beyond him. “He’s a Goth.”

“No need to explain, dude.” She winked at him, which only compounded his embarrassment. “You and a Goth. You must be quite a sight on the streets of London together. Him with black makeup and you in an anorak.”

“You should see us when we go out for meals with his autistic twin siblings who like to cross-dress.”

Brittany began to laugh, and seeing the funny side of it, Edward joined her. He was really improving on the humor side of things, and with understanding everyday speech and nuance. When someone was sarcastic, Fox would say,
Windup
. When they made a joke Edward took literally, it was,
Time to laugh, Eddie
. If Fox said he was going to
jump in the shower
and Edward warned him he could slip, or Fox was going to
run out to the shops
and Edward said,
No hurry
, Fox would say,
Figure of speech
. Not even his family had ever had the kind of patience with him that Fox had. He had learned so much over the last few months.

“So what’s it to be? Spikes or studs?”

“I think he’d like the spikes.” By the time he walked out of the shop, Edward felt a warm kinship with Brittany.

It was nippy out, a windy, overcast winter day. The cold brought his thoughts back to the old man Fox had befriended. Carrying his purchases, Edward walked down the alley, which was slick with rain. He had never known the man’s name, or he would have called out. A large cardboard box with a tarpaulin over it caught his eyes twenty yards away. “Are you there? Fox’s friend.”

The tarp shifted, and a head stuck out of the top. “Haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“I was wondering if you were all right,” Edward said.

“Why’s that, then?” the man asked with obvious suspicion.

“It’s Valentine’s Day. Everyone should have someone to care on Valentine’s Day.”

“I told you before. I don’t get up to that sort of monkey business.”

Unsure if it was a windup or time to laugh, Edward said, “I know that. I thought I’d help you out a bit, that’s all.” He pulled twenty pounds from his pocket and leaned down to give it to the man. “Have dinner on me.”

The man raised his eyebrows at the sum and took it quickly. “Very kind.” He pushed the tarp off and stood up. He was wearing a new overcoat, warm and heavy, and new boots. He wasn’t much cleaner but perhaps a little. Inside the box was a full bottle of whiskey.

“You look well,” Edward said.

“Things are looking up. He invited me to the wedding, but I’ll have to check my calendar,” the man said.

Confused, Edward shook his head.

“Fox. The bloke you’re going to marry.”

“Fox invited you to the wedding?” With an inward groan, Edward pictured the scene. On his side of the church, his mum and dad with Nik, respectably clad for the event. The grandparents, aunties, uncles, work colleagues—all the men in gray suits, the ladies in big hats. On Fox’s side, his mum, hopefully sober, the twins dressed as either girls or boys but definitely not one of each. Fox’s Goth friends from Wimbledon College of Art, and a tramp. It would look like the queen’s garden party versus Cirque du Soleil.

“He wanted to rent me a room nearby, but I said no. I like this alley. It’s home. He got me this coat and boots.” The tramp did a twirl while still standing in the box. “And unlike most people, the first thing he ever asked me was my name.”

The warmth that ran through Edward’s insides was like a stream of comforting water. “I love Fox,” Edward said. “He’s an outstanding human being.”

“That’s exactly what he is. And my name is Alistair.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Alistair. Now I’m going to go home to spend a bit of time with Fox before the twins get off the school bus.”

“He told me he got them into some school for kids with special needs. You have a nice day, Eddie.” At the surprise in Edward’s face, Alistair said, “He told me your name and what a genius you are. Says all kinds of lovely things about you, he does. He drops by about once a week to see how I’m doing and take me for lunch.”

“I didn’t know that,” Edward said.

“And don’t forget his flowers.” Edward looked at him. “He loves flowers.”