by Gerald Lopez
“I think we’ll go out for ice cream when we’re through looking around here,” the man, who’d previously spoken, said to his wife and son as if in a daze.
The family left and Rory spoke in a low voice to Samuel. “What just happened here?”
“You made a pretty strong suggestion to the father, and he’s taking his family to get ice cream,” Samuel said. “Congratulations.”
“But I didn’t even realize what I was doing,” Rory said. “What if I’d told the guy to jump off the roof.
“He probably would’ve done it. You put a lot of strength behind your suggestion… probably because you weren’t believed by your parents as a kid. In regard to me, anyway.
“In any case, I’d better be more careful about what I say.”
“I’ll be teaching you the ropes remember.”
“Samuel, how did I know they were husband and wife—the parents? They could’ve been just dating or even been brother and sister.”
“You picked up something from them that let you know what they were to one another. You’ll become more attune to those things as time goes by. OK, Rory, what exactly am I supposed to do in front of my brother’s picture? This feels kind of dumb.”
“I don’t know. I’ve seen people do it in movies. When they have a problem with a dead loved one they talk to their portrait or something. Are you having a cathartic moment yet?”
“Not really. I just feel stupid standing here. I’m taking off the suggestion I put over the desk. The secret drawer is under the middle top drawer. The bottom of the middle drawer lifts up.”
“I’ll get the letter. You try and clear things up with your brother before anyone comes in.”
Samuel looked at Angus’s portrait and made a funny face. He then addressed the portrait. “Hey bro, how’s it hanging?”
Rory couldn’t help but laugh when he heard what Samuel said, then he spoke. “Keep going.”
“It’s like this, Ang, dude,” Samuel said. “Your kin over there at the desk is so damn hot I made him into a vamp. I broke my promise to you. I’m a bad bro, turning one of yours. And what the hell, since I’m here I’ll just let you know I have other plans for him. None of which you’ll like little brother, but he and I will—a lot.”
“Geez,” Rory said.
Samuel made a mistake of looking into the portrait’s eyes. The painter had captured Angus’s eyes perfectly and it made Samuel a bit lonesome for his brother. “Hey, kid. I love you. Always have and always will… no matter what. And I’m sorry I broke my promise to you, but I did what I had to do. I’m not sorry for saving Rory or loving him.”
Rory had just found the letter, but the last thing Samuel said caught his full attention.
“Bye, bro,” Samuel said.
“Mommy, is that guy talking to the painting?” a little girl said to her mother as they entered the office.
“I’m rehearsing for a play,” Samuel said and smiled.
“Oh, did we disturb you?” the mother said. “We can come back.”
“He had just finished when you walked in,” Rory said. “We’re ready to go. Please look around and enjoy.” He walked up to Samuel and dragged him out of the room, down the stairs, and into the back garden.
“What’d you do with the letter?” Samuel said.
“I tucked it down the front of my pants so nobody would see I had it,” Rory said as he walked quickly down a garden path between hedges. He finally stopped and sat down at a stone bench under an arch covered in a flowering vine. Reaching discreetly down his pants he removed the letter and handed it to Samuel.
“Would you read it to me, please?” Samuel said.
“You sound nervous. And there you were a few minutes ago calmly doing your best valley girl, homeboy combo talking with your brother’s portrait.”
“This whole thing is silly.”
“All of it?” Rory said. “Even the last bit?”
“None of it really, especially the last bit. It felt stupid talking to a picture, but maybe… just maybe in some teensy way it helped. Heck, it got you to laugh. That’s worth the price of admission alone. Read the letter.”
Without saying a word, Rory opened the fancy wax seal on the front. It crumbled away. The letter was in perfect shape. He realized somehow that Samuel had sealed it using some special vampiric way.
“I’ll tell you how I did that later, Rory,” Samuel said and took a deep breath.
Unfolding the letter, Rory began to read from it.
“To Samuel, beloved brother and friend,
I need to start by telling you something that has always been difficult for me to say. Please accept my most humble apologies for the hurt I have caused you and the unfair promises I asked of you. I absolve you of all of those. The idea of you being alone is sad to me. You have always made sure I was never alone. When my wife died after my children were grown and gone, you were a constant companion. We traveled the world and I could not have asked for a finer time. Though I do not understand all of what you are, I do wish for you to have joy and love in your life. Forgive me for not being strong enough to share eternity with my big brother. I miss Jane too much and long to see her again. Sometimes, I know I have only lived as long as I have to make sure you wouldn’t be alone. Watch over my family members as you see fit. My trust in you never faltered, even if some things confused me. You are not nor could ever be the monster I once accused you of being. How could I ever love a monster? Do not judge me too harshly when you look back at our times together. Despite anything I might have said to the contrary, I truly believe I will see you again one day.”
Your little brother always,
Ang”
“Wow,” Rory said. “That’s—” he stopped speaking when he saw Samuel wiping his eyes. “Are you OK?”
“Yes, more than. I used to call my brother Ang and he called me Sam. This was a truly inspired idea of yours to come here, Rory. Even though I’m not sure we knew that at the time you came up with it.”
“I have another inspired idea,” Rory said.
Chapter 30
The Thing That Makes Everything Feel Better
“WHAT’S THIS NEW idea?” Samuel said.
“It’s a simple one,” Rory said. “We go and get the thing that makes everything feel better—ice cream!”
When they were back in the car, Rory gave Samuel a hug. “Your brother was a pretty awesome dude, dude.” He chuckled then got serious. “At what age did Angus pass away? I used to know from the family research I did, but can’t remember right now.”
“Ninety,” Samuel said then sniffled and wiped away some tears. “It’s dumb to shed tears over something that happened so long ago.”
“No it’s not,” Rory said. “The two of you were brothers and loved one another. It’s obvious he loved you a great deal. I actually have a couple old pictures of the two of you in Europe together.”
“I’d really like to see those,” Samuel said. “Angus and I traveled well together—we had fun. But, in truth he missed Jane awfully bad. There was never anyone else for him after her. He had the occasional romance but no other woman could take her place.”
“I believe him when he says he stayed alive so long for you,” Rory said. “And I don’t blame him for doing that. But, I understand why he couldn’t turn. He missed Jane too much.”
“Yeah,” Samuel said. “But… um… how’s about that ice cream?”
“As soon as you say what you were gonna say but stopped.”
“I’ve never had someone I loved in a romantic way want to turn for me,” Samuel said. “Charlie, my last lover, wouldn’t do it when given the choice. But you did, Rory. You really did do it for me, didn’t you?”
“I have a problem here,” Rory said. “If I lie to you, you’ll know. If I tell you the truth then I risk looking like a fool.”
“Then I won’t demand an answer. And I would never think of you as a fool.”
“Thanks for that,” Rory said. “Especially since there’s no way you could ever do
ubt the answer to your question.”
“It’s funny,” Samuel said. “You seem so reasonable sometimes, but… um… oh boy. I think I’m digging a hole for myself.”
“Naw, I know what you’re thinking. I’m coming across as a starstruck teenager. We already figured that one out. I will say this, though. When is love reasonable? It’s just a thing that happens in a way that’s beyond our control. I’m assuming it’s the same with vampires.”
“It is,” Samuel said, then leaned over and gave Rory a quick kiss on the lips. “It is the same with vampires. Can I say something crazy before we go get ice cream and promise never to talk about this again?”
“You can,” Rory said and smiled.
“My brother’s letter, what it said and the timing of everything,” Samuel said. “It’s as if he’s giving us his approval.”
“Oh is there an ‘us’ then?” Rory said. “I do sort of remember hearing someone mention the word love back in the office. Not that it was directed to me.”
“There’s something happening here,” Samuel said. “It’s foolish to deny it. When you’re both vampires it’s kind of hard to hide things from someone you love. And yes… there I said it. I’m not saying anything else until we’re past all this stuff that’s going on and our lives can settle down more. Now, let’s get some ice cream.”
Rory drove to the nearby ice cream parlor he regularly visited. He parked then he and Samuel went inside.
“Hello, Rory,” the older man behind the counter said. “We’ve got your favorite today Cherry Vanilla.”
“I’ll have two scoops in a waffle cone with whipped cream on top,” Rory said.
“I’ll have the same,” Samuel said.
The man started to make the cones while speaking with Rory. “Oh, Rory, Will’s favorite is here too—banana. We don’t make that one very often.”
“He loves that,” Rory said. “I’d better give him a call—” He had to fight hard to hold back the tears when the words he’d said fully hit him. Samuel’s hand on his shoulder helped steady him.
“Is everything alright?” The man said as he handed Rory his cone.
“Everything’s fine,” Rory said, remembering he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that Will and Anna were dead. “Will and Anna had to leave town for a long time.”
“That’s too bad,” the man said. “Their problems finally catch up with them?”
“They got into trouble with a bad crowd here and probably won’t be able to come back,” Rory said.
“What about the kids?” the man said.
“You’ll still see them,” Rory said. “Will and Anna gave me custody and asked me to raise them.”
“Smartest thing those two ever did,” the man said then went to the side to fix Samuel’s cone. “It’s not as if you weren’t more a parent to those kids than a grandparent. No insult meant to Will or Anna. I give them a whole lotta credit for putting their kids first for once. And you, Rory, are one helluva a grandparent.”
“Amen to that,” Samuel said.
The man handed Samuel his cone. “I don’t normally butt in too much but I have to say something, Rory.”
“Ring this up while you’re doing that,” Rory said then handed the man his credit card. “I’m paying for both cones.”
The man took the card and rang up the cones. “You’ve been a good dad to Will. I know you always had concerns cause of being an only parent and gay, but you needn’t have. They don’t come better than you when it comes to parents. And I’ve known you and Will long enough to be able to say that.”
“Thanks, I tried my best,” Rory said, then took a bite of his ice cream.
“That was all you could do,” the man said. “I tell you, that boy of yours fell hard for Anna. And, let’s face it, a dad doesn’t compare when a boy’s got it bad for someone. She hooked our Will big-time. Nothing you did caused that boy to go astray.”
“It’s good to hear you say that—means a lot,” Rory said. “You have a great day. I’ll be sure to bring the kids by soon.”
“Do that,” the man said. “It won’t be long before the twins will be eating ice cream like their big sister and grandpa. Bring your new friend with you as well.”
“Oh my God,” Rory said. “How rude of me? My thoughts were just on Will and I forgot to introduce my friend Samuel Brennan. Samuel this is Ben Keller.”
“Nice to meet you, Samuel.”
“Likewise, Ben,” Samuel said.
When they were outside, Rory asked Samuel to drive back. Once they were in the car, Rory began to cry quietly, but from the heart. Samuel reached over and hugged him while keeping an eye on their half eaten ice creams.
“I can’t call him anymore, Samuel.”
“I know, babe, I know.” The reality of things had fully hit Rory and all Samuel could do was hold him.
They rode in silence while eating their cones, then Rory spoke. “I see what you meant about food. This ice cream is a literal explosion of flavors in my mouth. I can make out and taste every single ingredient. They don’t really blend together like when I was mortal.”
“Veronique taught me that the trick is to focus your mind on what you think it should taste like and not what it actually does taste like.”
“OK, that helps somewhat,” Rory said as Samuel pulled into his driveway behind his truck. The only other vehicle there belonged to Celia and Monty.
“Hello,” Monty said when Rory and Samuel entered the house. He had Aileen in his lap along with a book he’d been reading to her.
Aileen looked at Rory and held her hands out to him. He went to her, picked her up, and hugged her.
“Have you been a good girl while Dada’s been gone?” Rory said and tickled her tummy.
Aileen giggled. “Da… da. Dada,” she said and giggled again.
Rory was happily surprised at how quickly she’d taken to calling him dada and he smiled. Samuel put his arm around him then spoke.
“Nice. Monty, where’s Celia?”
“She’s in the guest room changing the boys,” Monty said.
“I’ll go give her a hand,” Samuel said, then patted Rory’s back, gave Aileen a kiss on top of her head and left the room.
“How are you doing, Rory?” Monty said.
“Alright, I think,” Rory said.
“It’s hard to be sure when there’s so much happening around you, huh?”
“I don’t actually feel as lost as I think I should.”
“What do you feel?” Monty said. “If I’m not being too nosy.”
“You’re not being too nosy. I guess I feel like I’m no longer alone and that I’m finally where I’m meant to be.”
“Now that’s a feeling to grab tightly to. And if it means anything I’m in agreement with you. I think you’re home, Rory Baker.”
“That’s really good to hear, especially since my other home burnt to the ground.”
“No going back to that life anymore,” Monty said. “But, like the phoenix you’ve risen from the ashes. No worse for wear.”
“You and Celia have a son. Is he a vampire too?”
“Yeah, he got turned on the battlefield in Vietnam. He’s a good kid. Got an eye for the ladies and a bit of a mischievous streak, but he can be counted on.”
“Where’s he right now?” Rory said, bouncing a restless Aileen in his arm.
“In Paris with a cute little stewardess he met.”
“The girl’s sweet,” Celia said entering the room followed by Samuel who held both twins. “I just wished she’d managed to talk my baby out of all those tattoos.”
“They won’t last for long, Celia,” Monty said. “I keep telling you that.”
“Tattoos and scars don’t stay long, neither do most injuries,” Samuel said to Rory. “Our vampire bodies repair themselves and tattoos disappear.”
“Let’s say I cut off my finger chopping vegetables,” Rory said.
“Within a week it’d grow back,” Samuel said. “Provided you were gettin
g proper nourishment and a steady supply of blood.”
“Our son had an accident along those lines once,” Monty said. “Celia and I fed him some of our blood in as large a quantity as we could spare and it made the healing go a lot quicker.”
“It’s time we were going home, love,” Celia said then turned to Samuel and Rory. “If you boys need anything don’t hesitate to call.” She gave all the kids kisses.
“You two rest and take care of each other,” Monty said.
“We will,” Samuel said.
“Good-bye,” Rory said. “And thanks for babysitting.”
“Any time,” Celia said as she and Monty walked out the door.
“I could use a change of clothes,” Rory said.
“So could I,” Samuel said. “Then we’ll see what mischief we can get into.”
Chapter 31
Alone
RORY AND SAMUEL went to the master bedroom, laid the kids on the bed, and changed out of their dress shoes, socks, and suits into shorts and T-shirts. Neither bothered with socks or shoes. Rory turned to Samuel and hugged him tightly. Samuel just held him for a few seconds.
“Thank you, Samuel.”
“For what?” Samuel said.
“For giving us a home and being here for me and the kids.”
“You’re welcome.”
Samuel hugged Rory but they were soon interrupted by the twins fussing and Aileen calling out.
“Dada, dada.”
“I’ve got this handled if you want to take out some time for yourself, Rory,” Samuel said.
“That would be nice. I suddenly feel very tired.”
“Sit out in the swing,” Samuel said then picked up the twins
“Actually, despite what I just said about being tired I could use a walk. If you’re sure you can handle the kids. I won’t be gone long.”
“We’ll be fine,” Samuel said as Aileen pulled at his T-shirt for attention. “Go on and get outta here.”
AS HE WALKED down the steps of the back porch, Rory thought it odd that he didn’t feel the least bit guilty about taking a few minutes to himself. The kids didn’t really understand anything that had transpired lately. But they did seem to take well to all the new people in their lives.
