Growing Up

“Oh.” The wheels in Liam’s head were still turning, and as usual quite slow when it came to this subject. And then he got it. “Oohhhhh.”

“Can we just change the subject?!” Ricky’s cheeks were deep red. “Everybody makes a big deal out of this.”

“Yeah, because you’re the one making a big deal out of it”, James chuckled. “The entire day you walk around like you’re trying to smuggle drugs under your shirt.”

“Don’t worry, Ricky.” Jo smiled encouragingly at her friend. “We can find Lorelai and ask her if she has some make-up.”

“Um…Jo…” Liam cleared his throat. “I think Ricky isn’t a transvestite.”

Jo rolled her eyes. “Not to doll him up, Liam. Make-up to cover his…ehm…’bruise’.”

“Oh, okay! Sorry, of course, um…yeah…”

Ricky looked still very awkward while James couldn’t stop grinning, those three were just a very funny bunch of people.

Meanwhile Alfie finally found his ‘grown-up drink’, which he got by secretly sneaking into the kitchen and getting some without even asking, also filling up his flask which he quickly put back into his pocket and walked out of the kitchen again. Now he could at least endure all those little brats for a while longer. Well, this was by far better than spending an afternoon with anyone from his family, so he would rather be among short, geeky people and their weird parents than any family member.
After he came out of the house, he passed a few science stands and he totally ignored the little girl who asked him if he wanted to see her science project, and then wanted to find a quiet place somewhere away from the little brats, but then he stopped for a moment at the sports field, the only thing that slightly interested him here – well, and mainly because it was kind of funny to watch some of the kids falling on their ridiculously nerdy faces.
While Alfie was watching if those kids could even remotely hold a tennis bat, someone else was watching him. Scotty, Sarah and Jill were standing close to him, but while the girls were busy ‘practicing’ lacrosse, Scotty was way more occupied with the young man. He literally froze when he saw Alfie.
“Would you watch Jill for a moment?”, Scotty asked Sarah.

“Sure.” The girl nodded while Jill was pulling excitedly on her lacrosse bat.

Scotty hesitated for a moment, then he approached the young man carefully. “Excuse me…”

Alfie turned towards him, already dreading some weirdo person to ask him if he wanted to look at some more science projects or theatre plays, but when he looked right at the older man, there was something familiar about him. He tried to place his face somewhere, but he couldn’t, though he was sure he had seen him somewhere. He thought that he looked still attractive- for an old dude, of course.

“Your eyes…”, Scotty said quietly. “Just like your grandfather’s.”

“Sorry, what?”

“No, I’m sorry, I should introduce myself first.” The older man smiled almost a bit shyly. “I’m Scott Chadwick, I was a good friend of your grandfather.”

There was a change in Alfie’s expression when the other man mentioned his grandfather.
“You were a friend of his?”

“Yes, you could say that.” Scotty kept scrutinising Alfie with a friendly smile. “Actually, we met too, but that’s long ago. The last time I saw you, you were around seven…You certainly grew up a lot since then, and you used to have those rosy cheeks.”

Alfie was glad Ricky wasn’t listening right now. But now he slowly seemed to remember, at least a few pictures came up in his head.

“Yes, like that one time we went to a lacrosse game with you, the Oxford University team was playing against Cambridge. I think you were about five.”

That definitely rang a bell. Now that he mentioned it, Alfie remembered tiny bits and pieces, but it was rather a blur. He even remembered that man, but back then his hair wasn’t gray yet, it was brown.

“You sat on your grandfather’s lap the entire time and you got so tired that you just fell asleep, right there, in his arms.” Scotty paused for a moment, lost in thoughts. “And during the remaining game, Arthur hoped nothing would happen because he worried that the fans would wake you up. In the end, Oxford won and all the fans were cheering, but you were so sound asleep in your grandfather’s arms that nothing could wake you up that moment, not even a sports field full of cheering fans.”

Alfie was quiet for a moment, seeming to recall that day.
“Scotty, isn’t it?”

The older man smiled. “Yes.”

“You gave me that book once…”, he said. “Huckleberry Finn.”

“You remember?”

“Well, yeah, and I remember that I was reading the book hidden in my closet with a flashlight on, because my father wanted me to read British laws instead of American novels.”

“That’s a shame”, Scotty said quietly. “I mean, that your father didn’t let you read what you wanted to read.”

Alfie shrugged his shoulders, he was so used to his father disapproving everything that he liked that he just didn’t care anymore.

Scotty kept looking at him as if he was the most fascinating person he had ever met.
“God, you’re so…you’re so tall.”

“Well, it would be a problem if I wouldn’t have grown since I was seven. At least I would have had a problem with that”, Alfie said with his typically sarcastic undertone.

“That’s true.” The older man grew quiet for a moment. “You really do have Arthur’s eyes. I didn’t notice that when you were little, but now it’s so obvious. And it’s kind of strange, to see the eyes of someone you knew for so long suddenly at someone else. But it’s nice…” He smiled, but it was a strange smile, almost with a hint of sadness.

Alfie wanted to say something, but at the same moment a little ginger girl appeared behind Scotty’s legs, and when she saw Alfie, her big blue eyes lit up and her cheeky smile grew wide.
“Fi!” Jill ran towards him with stretched-out arms and held on tightly to his leg.

“Not you again!” Alfie looked down to the little girl.

“Fi!” Jill couldn’t pronounce his name yet, so she called him Fi.

“What? Stop looking at me like that, you irritate me.”

Scotty chuckled. “It seems you two know each other well, don’t you?”

“I liked you better when you couldn’t walk”, Alfie said to Jill who had both her little arms tightly wrapped around his leg.

“I actually saw you when you were Jill’s age, only that your hair was blonde, just like Arthur’s, and you didn’t hug other peoples’ legs, you would rather hide behind your grandfather’s.”

Alfie felt a bit weird, that someone whom he didn’t really know seemed to know so much about him- or rather, about his childhood, the time Alfie always kept so secret and didn’t want to talk about. He wanted to say something, but then a group of kids with lacrosse bats showed up next to Scotty and asked him some questions. The sight of all those lacrosse bats distracted Jill for a brief second, so Alfie quickly made use of that moment and escaped from her grasp. Before she had the chance to cling to him again, he quickly said bye to Scotty and that he had to go, then he walked away from the older man and the little red-head.

Jo, Liam, James and Ricky were standing for a little while longer until… “Alfie, I mean I think Alfie, we should go and see if we can find him.”
 
“Yes okay, but I’ll see you around okay?” Jo hugged Ricky a little awkward.
 
“You will. And I love it, it’s amazing what you two built here.” Ricky smiled.
 
“Thanks.”
 
Jo took Liam’s hand as they strolled over the festival. “This seems to be really good doesn’t it?”
 
“Jo we are amazing what all those children do I mean there are just more and more people coming and people that couldn’t get tickets for today bought already tickets for tomorrow. It feels like the entire country is here and I would not be surprised anymore when suddenly the queen shows up.” Liam kissed Jo on the cheek, it was just lunch time and guests were supplied with sandwiches and lemonade and Jo was already a little tired.
 
“I wonder where our daughters are?” Jo mumbled, while she was eating the sandwich Liam had gotten for her. Liam laughed, “Jill is wandering over the property doing lots of mischief while Jane is either with her or more likely she found someone she trusts and fell asleep on his or her arms.”
 
“So I guess that makes me just a person your oldest daughter trusts.” Graham joked.
 
“Dad!” Liam grinned and hugged him as tight as he could with Jane on Graham’s arm. “I thought you didn’t make it.”
 
“For nothing in this world would I have missed this. Liam, Jo I always knew your school is amazing but seeing this and it was just the first morning. A few of my friends are here and they are all very interested in becoming a permanent sponsor of your foundation. A very generous sponsor.” Graham and now given Jo a hug as well.
 
“Oh Graham, that is wonderful. Through the estimations we already have three more full scholarship but I think this will even be more.”
 
“Oh that are really good news.” Graham smiled and turned his head to take a sandwich from the try the waitress took around. And then Jo saw it, Liam had taken the sleeping Jane and was distracted.
 
“Oh Graham you got something on your cheek. May I?”
 
“Yes please.”
 
Jo gently rubbed over Graham’s right cheek and stepped a little closer to him. “You might want to be a little bit more careful it’s lipstick.”
 
“Oh.” Graham looked and Jo and they understood each other, Graham already thought that Jo knew and so did Lorelai but Liam didn’t and as long as he was a little more discrete he would not yet had to talk to his son about it.
 
“I lost Jill earlier in the kitchen, because Jane had a little incident and peed all over me that’s why she is changed and I’m wearing a shirt from one of your members of staff. She was awfully embarrassed but because of that I saw their little garden, Jo that is a magnificent place for little girl to have.”
 
“I’m so sorry she is normally very good with going to toilet on time I think she just got carried away a little.” Jo kissed the sleeping Jane.
 
“See I told you Jill is wandering over the property. I would not be surprised if she is at the gate checking out the car that are coming and going.” Liam chuckled. Graham looked at his son and had to think how proud Cathy would have been on him. Every student that passed them said hello, check Jane on Liam’s arm and had a quick word with their headmasters in no other school did Graham ever see such trust between the teacher and students. “Did you ever read Little Women? I mean I guess you did Jo but Liam did you? Because your school is so much like Plumfield.”
 
Jo grinned they never had told anyone that they had modelled Waterfall Downs Academy for Gifted Youngsters after the fictional school Plumfield.

“As if I would read Little Women”, Liam said, but when he saw Jo’s raised eyebrows, he added. “Well, yeah, I must have read it at one point or the other…”
 
Graham chuckled. “It’s not an embarrassment to have read Little Women.”
 
“Well, for a guy it is.”
 
“I don’t think so. It’s a classic.”
 
“For girls”, Liam replied dryly, never admitting to his father that this particular novel was one of his favourites.
 
Jo smiled. “I’m glad you don’t think that Little Women has to be read by girls only, Graham. And I’m glad you’re not too embarrassed to admit it, unlike other people…” She looked teasingly at her husband, who made a face.
 
“Oh yes, I love that book.” Graham winked at his daughter-in-law. “Anyway, now that I know Jane is safely with her parents, I’m going to look around for a bit more, I wanted to see the little musical band you’ve got, I heard great things from the other parents.”
 
“Yes, they are an adorable and gifted little bunch”, Jo said. “I guess we’ll see you later for dinner?”
 
He nodded. “I’ll be there.” He smiled one last time at the little family, then he turned away from them.
 
Jo and Liam walked a bit around, meeting a few parents while Jane was still sound asleep on her daddy’s arm, and then they finally spotted their second little girl, holding the hand of an older man who approached them.
 
“There she is”, Jo said smiling to her other daughter. “Where have you been the entire time?”
 
“It turns out your daughter is a born lacrosse player”, Scotty said friendly. Jill let go off his hand and ran to her parents, pulling on her mother’s hand excitedly.
 
“Me play!”, she shouted in her little-girl-language.
 
“You played lacrosse?” Both Jo and Liam looked surprised.
 
“She saw Sarah’s lacrosse bat and let’s just say, she fell right in love with it.” Scotty watched the little girl with a smile, and then he noticed the sleeping girl. “Oh, I already heard Jill was a twin, but they really do look astonishingly similar.”
 
“But they couldn’t be more different”, Liam replied.
 
“You are Mr and Mrs O’Doherty, I assume?”
 
“Please, just call us Jo and Liam”, Jo said while shaking his hand. “And you are?”
 
“I’m Scott Chadwick, but please call me Scotty”, he said friendly.
 
“Oh…” Liam leaned closer to Jo and whispered in her ear. “He’s that very generous sponsor I told you about.”
 
“Really?” She looked back at the older man. “Ehm…Mr…Scotty, it’s really nice to finally meet you. Your donations have helped us build the school the way it is now, we, and especially the students are very grateful for that.”
 
“I’m glad I could help”, he said. “And I have to say, I’m very impressed. Your school is absolutely wonderful, especially considering you are both so young and achieved all of this.”
 
Jo started to blush again. “Thanks, that’s very kind.”
 
Liam smiled at his wife. “She’s very humble.”
 
“I can see that”, Scotty chuckled.
 
“Aren’t you the one helping out the kids with the lacrosse team?”, Liam asked.
 
“Yes, I am. I know I’m not the youngest anymore, but when I was younger lacrosse was my life. I started playing when I was a little older than Jill, and never really stopped.”
 
“Wow, I wish I would be that athletic”, Liam mumbled.
 
“I’m sure two little children keep you plenty athletic, especially that one…” Scotty looked at Jill who grinned widely at him.
 
“Oh yes!”, both parents agreed.
 
That same moment Sarah showed up behind them. “Um…excuse me, I don’t want to interrupt, but we need your help on the field, Mr Scotty.”
 
“Oh, right, of course.” He nodded and turned back to Jo and Liam. “It was very nice to make your acquaintance. I assume we’ll see each other soon.”
 
“Oh yes, that would be nice”, Jo said.
 
“Goodbye, Jill.”
 
“Bye!” She waved at the older man.
 

They waited until he and Sarah had left, then Jo leaned her head on Liam’s shoulder. “Scotty seems very nice, I wonder if he has any family…”

It had been a long day when Jane and Jill finally were lying sound asleep in their beds, Jill was still holding the lacrosse ball Sarah had given her while Jane of course cuddled her yellow duckling tightly in her arm. Jo hugged Liam who was standing in Jill’s door frame just watching his youngest daughter sleep. “Liam what are you thinking?” Jo whispered.
 
“How lucky I am, we are. We have us and this school and they all loved what we are doing here and did you see our students they are so proud, all of them wear wearing proudly the school colours. They could answer all questions and if not they found someone who could. Jo our school is amazing.”

Jo smiled and Liam. “So you don’t regret to built it with me?”

“Not a second.” Liam grinned and kissed his wife. “So how about some mommy and daddy alone time?” Liam’s hand was wandering into Jo’s dress, it made her giggle.
 
“Oh um yes!” Jo blushed and pulled Liam out of the nursery, it just felt wrong to say things like this in here. Liam grinned as Jo unbuttoned her dress while they went to their bedroom not that they made it all the way to it.
 
The next morning was a little more relaxed, they were prepared for the large crowd. Lorelai was preparing the show she and the riding students had prepared, show jumping, dressage and some western barrels riding. John was helping and Betty was meant to watch the boys and the twins but well she just gave up and enjoyed the festival. Henry and Jill were finding a place to do some mischief while Jane was sitting on Liam’s shoulders holding her duckling and just being glad that she was with daddy and that she saw mommy not too far away. Meanwhile another little soul wandered off something he would normally not do but the festival started to be too noisy in his little ears. He found a quiet room a room with wonderful thing in it. Some, no actually all of the things seemed to be shiny and pretty. Some were made of metal looking like gold and silver and there was this huge black think.
 

“So pretty!” Edward was not a bold boy, he was very careful and asked first before he did something, but this time he could not be like his normal shy self. He had to go for it. He had to sit on the little bench; he had to press the white and black buttons. His stretched his left hand and pressed his slim children finger on the buttons and the sound that came out of the body of the black thing made his heart skip at least one beat maybe even two. Edward got off the bench to push it closer to the buttons and climbed back on the bench so that this time both of his little hands could play with the white and black buttons. He stopped for a moment listening to the festival noises outside and then without him realising it he play the festival noises on the big black pretty sound machine. He really wished he would never have to stop pressing those buttons. Edward never had felt like this, he always liked music and listening to people make music like his Uncle Liam but this was different this time he was making music he was making his own heart beat so fast.

Graham was talking with a few parents when he suddenly saw little Edward walking past him right towards the house. Graham turned his head to see if one of his parents or someone else was following the little boy, but he seemed completely on his own- which could be dangerous, considering his age and all the different things that were going on at the same time. So Graham excused himself from the parents and followed the boy, but not too obvious. Edward walked right into the big music room, and Graham decided not to walk in right away, but to watch what the boy was doing. What followed then shocked Graham, but in a completely good way. Edward, who had never played piano in his life, sat there like he had never done anything else in his life and actually created a little composition of the different noises and sounds he heard at the festival. It wasn’t just a childish jingling that many children did when they sat at a piano. No, this was something Graham had never seen in his life, he almost forgot to breathe while he was watching and listening to this little boy who could well have been the next Mozart. And this was not an exaggeration. Graham had seen many gifted people, some of them more gifted than others, such as Jo, but he had never seen anything like Edward.
Edward was completely enchanted while he played his melodies, he didn’t stop for a second, he just played and played without any hesitation. Sometimes a smile crossed his lips, then he frowned again because he focused, and then the smile came back on. He was completely mesmerised.
Graham entered the room very slowly, trying hard not to startle the little boy. He just had to take a closer look at Edward and the way he worked with the piano, this was just too incredible.
Suddenly, Edward stopped. He seemed to have noticed that he wasn’t alone anymore. He slowly turned his head around and looked at Graham.
 
“Don’t stop on my account”, Graham said quickly.
 
Edward looked shy at him, almost as if he had been caught doing something forbidden. Graham smiled friendly at the young boy, he knew that Edward was generally very shy and didn’t open up to people that easily.
“Can I ask you something?”
 
The boy nodded quietly.
 
“Have you ever played the piano before?”
 
Edward shook his head.
 
“Any other instrument?”
 
He shook his head again.
 
“So this is your first time ever?”
 
Edward nodded.
 
“Do you like it?”
 
Now the young boy smiled at him. “Yes. It’s very nice.”
 
“You probably don’t realise it, but you have a gift, young man.”
 
“Gift?”, Edward repeated. “Is…is that good?”
 
“Oh yes, it’s very good. You have no idea how good it is.” Graham came closer and looked at Edward’s small but miraculous hands. “You will go far.”
 
“But I like it at home.”
 
The older man chuckled. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that you’re going to achieve great things with your talent.”
 
“Oh…” Edward looked down on his hands as well. “Okay.”
It was funny how absolutely clueless this boy was in terms of his gift, he had no idea how talented he was.
 
“Edward, would you like it if you and I meet from now on and practice on the piano?”
 
The boy nodded excitedly. “Yes!”
 
“Fantastic. I will talk to your parents and ask them if it’s okay for them. Do you want to come with me?”
 
“I want to stay here.”
 
“Oh, I see, you don’t want to leave the piano, do you?”
 
Edward shook his head.
 
“Fine, but you have to promise me to stay put, and I’ll come back with your parents right away, okay?”
 
“Yes, sir.”
 

“Okay.” Graham smiled one last time at him, then he quickly left the room to find the parents of the gifted youngster.

Edward grinned, he liked that this man that seemed just as quiet as he was didn’t mind that he was in the room with all those pretty toys. The little boy looked at the grand piano again he gently patted it and then went to have a look at the other instruments; he liked the harp as well.
 
Meanwhile Graham ran over the summer festival area to find Lorelai and John until he suddenly remembered that Lorelai probably was at the horse show paddock. A little out of breath  he reached Lorelai.
 
“Lorelai we need to talk.”
 
Lorelai looked up a little surprised. “Is something wrong? You look a not so well.”

“I’m fine, I’m really great.” Graham was actually so excited that there was a hint of an Irish accent in his speech, something Lorelai noticed right away. “I need to talk to you and John about Edward. Do you have a minute?”
 
“Well we are preparing the show but yes I guess I have a little time. John went with Henry for a walk, the little man got a little restless here.”

“I see, shall we see if we can find them?” Graham offered Lorelai his arm. Lorelai looked a little confused.
 
“Is Edward okay?”

“Yes he is fine. He is in the music room.”

“Oh no he will break something there is he alone?”

“Yes he is but I doubt that he will break anything. Lorelai did you notice that your son is a musician?”

“Who Edward? Oh Graham he is four what kind of musician can he be?” Lorelai laughed, she was not musical, she knew some nursery rhymes, she likes to have the radio on in the background but she was not a musical person.
 
“Lorelai I would like to offer you my service and be his tutor as long as I can teach him something.”
 
Lorelai stopped on the spot and looked shocked at Graham, could it be that she underestimated her son?
 
“I know he likes music and is always humming and singing, but Graham don’t make any jokes. I want him to be as long as he can be just a child and learn in his own speed, it will be hard enough in a year when he starts school. I don’t want to add pressure through piano lessons.”
 
“I promise there will be no pressure. I will teach him free of charge-“
 
“It has nothing to do with money Graham.”
 
“I know, I just try to say that he is really gifted and he deserves to explore this gift to a degree that he feels comfortable and when he ever doesn’t want to play the piano he doesn’t have to. You can see it as time with an older man, time in which Edward can learn something. I will not pressure him, music will stay a hobby but no duty. Just come with me, listen to your son.” Graham took Lorelai’s hand and pulled her gently to the music room by now a small crowd has formed along the windows and doors, so far Edward hadn’t noticed it. Graham went to the small groups and asked them to leave because Edward is too young to play for an audience. Since most listeners were parents of a gifted child themselves they understood and congratulated Lorelai to Edward’s gift. Lorelai was standing in amazement in the doorway and listened to her son play a violin, he wasn’t holding it the proper way but he clearly played a melody. A melody she knew so well.
 
“Graham this melody what is this?” Lorelai just whispered she didn’t want to take Edward out of the world he was in. Graham listened a moment he heard that it was just a short melody and after about fifteen notes it repeated itself, but it was from no piece of music he had ever played or heard.
 
“I don’t know but it sound like as if it is the same style as the melody he was playing earlier when he turned the festival noises into a piece of music.” Graham watched Lorelai who was in shock she never thought that Edward was stupid but she also never thought that she had carried the modern Beethoven under her heart. She turned to Graham. “And you teach him?”
 
“It would be an honour. As I said I will never put any pressure on him I just guide him while he decides the pace.”
 
Lorelai nodded. “I will have to talk to John first but we always said we will never stand in the way of our sons and if music is Edwards way for his life then we will be there cheering at the sideline.”
 
Graham smiled. “I’m glad you see it that way. I will see that I work out a schedule around my travelling schedule and that I am at least every second week in Oxford. Well I do travel a lot less nowadays but I am still often in London so I can easily come to Oxford for his lessons. I will see that he gets a piano to practice on. And when he is a little older he might even accompany once in a while when I go to London.”

“Oh as long as you promise to watch him you can take him anywhere. My mother played the piano the only one in the family with a musical string but nothing like this. How could I not have seen this?”
 
“It is easy to look over it when you don’t know what to look for.”
 
Edward stopped and saw his mother. “Mutti schau ich mach Musik.”
 

“Ich habe es gesehen. Edward wuerdest du gerne ab und zu mit Graham das Klavier spielen ueben?”

Edward nodded excitedly and took Graham’s hand to pull him to the piano. After he had climbed on the bench next to Graham he looked expecting at the older man and Graham understood. He smiled and started playing a melody, just something little. Edward leaned forward and started kitting the keys to found out their sound until he found the keys he was looking for to play along Graham. Lorelai smiled, she knew Edward would be a while now here so she would go and find John to tell him that they had the next Beethoven living under their roof.

Overall, the Summer festival was a complete success. After various performances, games, plays and a whole lot other things for the parents to look at, the festival ended on Sunday evening, with Liam and his science class showing off their hand-made firework, which looked absolutely great in the clear evening sky. Some parents were concerned about the students’ safety at first, but then they saw how well-planned Liam had been with the fireworks and they knew they could trust him.
 
“This is so beautiful!” Jo stood next to her husband, admiring the firework. “I can’t believe you did this.”
 
“I didn’t, the students did. I only helped them.”
 
“It’s absolutely amazing.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “This whole weekend was.”
 
“It really was a success, wasn’t it?” He smiled at her. “But I’m so exhausted.”
 
“Me too. Let’s just take it easy tomorrow.”
 
Liam laughed. “If the girls let us.”
 
“Jane definitely will, but Jill…maybe she’s also exhausted because those past days were very exciting for her, so there might be a chance she wants to stay in bed and sleep all day tomorrow…”
 
“Yeah. I don’t think so.”
 
“Me neither.” Jo chuckled. “But there’s always room for hope.”
 
Liam took her hand, and together they watched the fireworks before they would say good bye to all the guests, and then take their daughters and just pass out in their bed, so ready for a break.
 
Not too far away from the geeks were James, Ricky and Alfie. Ricky didn’t get Alfie to come along on the second day, but at least he managed to drag him to the last day of the festival. James had accompanied Ricky on all three days, seeming very interested in everything he had seen.
 
“So, what do you think of Waterfall Downs?”, Ricky asked him.
 
“I’m really impressed. I had no idea that two young people could pull this off. I mean, it’s a whole school, with children, and staff and everything, and they just built it together. That’s insane.”
 
Ricky smiled. “You know, my best friend Jo has always been very ambitious and so hardworking, no wonder she got so restless after university that she decided to build a whole school for super smart children.”
 
“It’s seriously crazy, and it all seems to work.”
 
“Oh yes, Waterfall Downs works perfectly well. The teachers are great, the students are a bright bunch and Jo and Liam are just a really good team, they seem to know exactly what they’re doing.”
 
James was quiet for a moment. “This school must be great to work at. I always loved working with children.”
 
“Really?”
 
“He has like ten sisters”, Alfie replied dryly.
 
“I have four”, James said. “20, 18, 15 and 12. So you can imagine how it was at home when they were all still young, and believe it or not, I loved all the craziness in our house. There are moments when I could kill them, but I love them all to death.”
 
“Wow, four younger sisters, I can’t even imagine how that must feel like.”
 
“You’re an only child?”
 
Ricky nodded.
 
“See, most people with lots of siblings envy only children, but I actually couldn’t be happier to have grown up among so many siblings, I just always liked the chaos and being among children.”
 
“You would be perfect for a place like Waterfall Downs”, Ricky said. He noticed how quiet Alfie was. Alfie was watching the guests, unintentionally looking for his grandfather’s friend who had brought back a few memories that Alfie had suppressed through the years.
 
“Are you okay?”, Ricky asked with a lowered voice.
 
“What?”
 
“You seem a bit absent.”
 
Alfie cleared his throat. “I tried to blend out this choir of singing brats over there”, he mumbled.
 

“They have lovely voices.” Ricky looked in the direction of the choir, but then at his boyfriend again, knowing that something was bothering him- and it was not the choir. But he didn’t want to ask him right now because he knew Alfie wouldn’t want him to snoop around. Ricky hesitated for a moment, making sure nobody was watching – luckily everyone was distracted by the firework and the choir- then he took Alfie’s hand, and Alfie actually held it so long until he had to let go off it because some parents walked past them.

Of course Jill did not let their parents have a quiet day but luckily they had Betty so they spend the first day of the summer holidays in the garden doing nothing but read, tinker and enjoy the day. Most of their week would look like this, well nearly Betty left on Tuesday for her own holiday. So it was just Liam and the girls and a minimum staff in the house, so little that they would barely notice them.
 
Meanwhile in the middle of the week at the Gay’s flat. “Alfie, please.” Ricky mumbled very embarrassed as he took Alfie’s hand to stop him from pushing it into his trousers.
 
“What?”

“James is downstairs.”

“Yeah so?”
 
“He could hear us.”
 
“Oh Ricky come on it has been six nights that you allowed me to touch you. Six bloody nights in which we just cuddled. I want to touch you, I want to... make love to you.” Alfie sounded slightly annoyed. He felt Ricky tremble in his arms.
 
“I know, I’m sorry.” Ricky mumbled, Alfie suddenly felt that his chest got wet.
 
“Whoa! Cuddling it is.” Alfie kissed his boy on the top of his head.
 
“I’m sorry, I really am but I can’t while James is in the house.” Ricky whipped his cheeks and snuggled closer to his boyfriend.
 
The next morning Ricky made an English breakfast for James and Alfie. It had all toast, hash browns, eggs, sausages, grilled tomatoes and bacon. Ricky had also made coffee.
Alfie stabbed the whole sausage and pointed with it at James. "Seriously dude, I never had to say this but you are so cockblocking me. Look at me I'm a mess because Ricky does not let me ride him."
 
"Hey! I'm standing right here." Ricky looked a little offended.
 
"Well if you would let Alfie ride you he would not have to talk about you." James grinned.
 
"That's right." Alfie confirmed.
 
“But…” Ricky blushed and starred into his coffee cup.
 

“Don’t worry I decide I will stay in Oxford so I will look for a flat or something and then Alfie gets his rides again.” James grinned. “But I think I need to come breakfast quite often those eggs are really good and Alfie stop pointing your sausage at me.”

Ricky looked up from his coffee up. “You’re going to stay here?”
 
“Don’t worry, not in the flat, I’ll find something else around here.”
 
“No, um, I meant Oxford.”
 
“Yes, that’s the plan.” James took a sip from his orange juice. 
 
“Good for you”, Alfie said. “Why would you want to stay in Scotland anyway? I mean, it’s all highlands and nature and cows.”
 
“It’s not all that”, James replied teasingly. “But you’re right, I can find better jobs here than in the highlands.”
 
“What about the distillery?”, Ricky wanted to know. 
 
“Oh, the distillery is covered. My parents are still very fit, and we also have staff, and well, it looks like the oldest of my sister is going into the family business, so she will take it over when my parents decided they are too old for the job.”
 
“I see.” Ricky smiled briefly, but inside he could feel a new wave of nervousness hitting him. He was still not over the fact that Sofiya was living so close by, and now James moved here as well. Ricky really liked James, it was pretty much impossible to dislike him, but he was also sort of a ‘threat’, as ridiculous as that sounded. Even though Alfie told Ricky that there wasn’t anything going on, and never had, Ricky could still feel the strange, very familiar vibe between the two good friends, and it made him nervous. Now that James was moving to Oxford, that could mean that Alfie would spend a lot of time with him, taking him to play tennis instead of Ricky, or asking him if he wanted to go to a Polo game with him, and Ricky already saw himself sitting alone at home, watching re-runs of his favourite show and stuffing himself with ice cream while the other two had fun. 
“I…um…I actually have to go to the library.”
 
“Since when?” Alfie raised an eyebrow. 
 
“I have to return a few books.”
 
“Now?”
 
“Yes. They are due today, so I’m going now to get this done.” That was actually true, but he also wanted to go outside for a bit and get some fresh air, trying to distract himself from all the worries he had about being the third wheel on the wagon, and about both Sofiya and James living so close by. 
 
“He’s okay, isn’t he?”, James asked after Ricky was gone. 
 
“Of course he is, why wouldn’t he?”
 
“I just want to make sure he doesn’t think that I’m going to replace him or something like that. That’s not why I came here.”
 
“It’s not?” Alfie shot him a grin. 
 
“Don’t be a moron.”
 
“Listen, Ricky is a bit…he’s…let’s just say, he’s a bit paranoid that I’m going to find someone else and dump him, but it has nothing to do with you specifically. Dude, he even thinks I want to marry Sofiya.”
 
“Oh, Sofiya, I haven’t seen her in ages, how is she doing? Still a weak spot of yours, isn’t she?”
 
“Don’t get me started on her.”
 
“She still got it, doesn’t she?” James always liked teasing Alfie about her.  
 
“Shut up, Scot.” Alfie got up to get something to drink. 
 
“Oh man, I can’t believe that you still get so uncomfortable when I mention her”, James chuckled. 
 
“I can’t hear you!”, Alfie shouted from the kitchen. 
 
 “Yeah, sure.” Suddenly he noticed the wallet on the table, which looked exactly like his. “That’s weird, how did this get here?” He reached for the wallet and opened it, thinking it was his, but then he realised it wasn’t his, it looked more like Alfie’s. He was about to close it again when something caught his attention. It was a small picture of a little boy.
“Dude, do you have a son I don’t know of?”, James asked. 
 
“What?”, Alfie came out of the kitchen and saw James with the picture. 
 
“Wait…” James looked closer. “Is that…?”
 
“Nobody.” Alfie snatched the wallet and the picture away from him and quickly put it back. 
 
James’ smile grew wider. “That is Ricky, isn’t it?”
 
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
 
“You carry a picture of Ricky as a little boy in your wallet. That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” 
 
“Shut up, Scot.”
 
 James chuckled quietly while he drank his orange juice. It was so obvious that Ricky meant the world to Alfie.

Ricky worked the following days more then he actually had to but he had to. So here he was a week after the Summer Festival in his office again even though it was Friday afternoon.
 
Dan had waited the entire day until his father was gone and he was alone at home, then he finally had the phone to himself and nobody would listen. For at least half an hour he stood next to the phone and stared at it, getting up from the couch, walking up and down, and going back to the phone, and he always kept the little card with Ricky’s number in his hand. He didn’t really know Ricky, he only knew he was a friend of Jo and Liam and he had seen him around a lot, but for some reason Jo seemed to think that Ricky was the ideal person to talk to. Only Dan wasn’t quite sure what exactly she meant by that, though very deep down he had a slight clue. Especially now, after he saw that horrible article his father had shown him. Although this article was about someone else, Dan felt kind of offended and even part of the whole thing. He actually had a feeling he could barely describe, but he knew he had to talk to someone, so he took a deep breath and finally dialled the number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Professor Butcher?”, Dan asked shyly. He already knew it was Ricky because Ricky always sounded very young. Dan had no idea how old he was, he guessed he was older than him, but he certainly didn’t look like it.
 
"Yes, hello this is him," he did wonder who called him at his office to this time, "who is calling?"
 
“Hi…um…this is Daniel. You probably don’t know me, well, actually we met briefly. I’m a student at Waterfall Downs.”

“Yes, sure, Dan. How are you?”

“I’m okay, I guess.” Dan was quiet for a moment, not knowing how to continue. “I…um…Jo told me…um…she said I can call you if I want to talk to someone. I hope I’m not interrupting you, I really don’t want to bother.”
 
"You are not a bother at all you can call me anytime. "

"I don't have long the house for myself and I cannot talk when my family is here."

"Dan listen I don't think it is wise to talk on the phone do you live close by?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good please come to my office at the university."
 
“When do you have time?” Dan asked.

“I have time right now, so you can stop by if you want to.”

The younger boy was quiet for a moment. “Okay.” It was just a whispered and Ricky had to listen very carefully that he understood him.

“Are your parents okay when you’re not there?”

“That’s okay, I can tell them I was meeting people for a school project.” Dan said.

Ricky didn’t really like that Dan would lie to his parents, but he knew how tricky the situation was for Dan. He gave him the number of his office so that Dan knew where to go, after all, the university campus wasn’t small. Dan quickly grabbed a jacket and his bike and drove as fast as he could to Ricky’s office. When he arrived there he shyly knocked at the door.
 
"Come in." Ricky was reading in a book to see if this would be suitable for his class but he didn't like it. He looked up and saw the young boy come in. "Oh hello Dan, did you find here okay?"

"Yes, Sir."

“Oh Dan please just say Ricky. How can I help you?"
 

That was probably the hardest part. On one hand Dan didn’t really know why he would talk to Ricky, but on the other hand he knew that he really needed to talk to him. This all was just confusing for him, but very deep down he knew what was going on, he was only too scared to think about it, and to think of what his dad would do.

“I… um… I think I’m weird.”

“What do you mean by that?”, Ricky asked calmly.

Dan sat down and stared at his hands. “I think I’ve always been… different. But only until recently I really noticed that I’m… I’m just different than the other boys my age, and I don’t mean because I go to Waterfall Downs and I’m really good in math and actually enjoy studying. I mean… I…” He paused for a moment, still not looking up. “All the other boys my age look at Playboys and talk about girls or have girlfriend and I…I don’t feel anything. For girls. I think…” He had a really hard time saying those last words. “I think I’m sick.”

Ricky looked calmly and very friendly at the young boy of fifteen, but before he answered he got up and locked the door. He did not want to get interrupted right now. "I'm not locking you in, I'm just locking the world out."
 
He put a bottle of water in front of Dan and sat back down.
 
"I don't like girls either. At least not like most other man. May I ask you something? Is there a reason why you suddenly feel like you need to talk to someone? Did something happen? If anyone touched you or hurt you in any way you can tell me."
 
Ricky looked concerned at the young boy, he wasn’t sure what he would do when someone did hurt the boy. He had read that some fathers that think their sons have the disease of homosexuality got forced to sleep with a prostitute to cure them.
 
Dan took a sip of his water and bit his lip. He had a really hard time looking at the older boy right now.
“My father is…he…he showed me an article that men who…who like men should be tied to a horse…well…with their…um…you know, and then dragged around. Apparently they did that in America not too long ago, and they still do in some conservative states. It’s just…my father hates them so much.”

“By ‘them’ you mean men who like men?”

Dan nodded quietly. “I’m scared of him. He doesn’t know that I don’t like girls the way I should. I try to, I really do. I really want to like girls that way, but it just…I can’t do it. I don’t feel anything. But then I’ll see a guy now and then and I…I feel something, and it just scares me. I just don’t want my father to hate me. I want to be normal, you know?”
 
Ricky looked for a while very gentle at the young boy in front of him. He knew just too well how he felt. “I know what you mean. You don’t need to be scared. Maybe for a while until you feel not as panicked anymore as soon you start to feel something for a boy you should not show it too much. Enjoy the butterflies in silence, and I can ensure you that you are safe in Waterfall Downs to be yourself, to like boys more than girls. Missis Jo and Mr O’Doherty do not think as someone who likes their own sex more than the opposite as not normal.”
 
Ricky wanted to tell the boy so much but he also didn’t want to scare him. Dan had just said that his own feelings for men scared him.
 
“You are normal, Dan as normal as any man.”
 

“I just don’t feel normal”, Dan mumbled. He looked up shyly. “Do you…um…can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And are you…are you happy?”

“I am.” Ricky smiled. “Though I have to admit that sometimes it’s hard, because there are the moments where I just want to hold his hand and I can’t even do simple things like that. Still, I consider myself happy, and I feel lucky to be with him.”

Dan was quiet for a moment. “But it’s still hard, isn’t it?”

“You’ll learn to live with it and it gets better, I can assure you that.”

“Um…” Dan started to blush. “Do you..eh…does it even work? I mean…um…” He started to look very uncomfortable. “Does it work for two guys to be intimate?”

“Well first of all since a few years it is legal for two men to be intimate.” Yes Ricky was stalling but he needed a few moments to answer such a private question.
 
“This is a very private question though-“
 
“I’m sorry Sir. Please forgive me.” Dan looked very scared at Ricky, half getting up ready to leave.
 
“Oh no Dan, it is okay. I’m not offended I am just saying that it is a very private question… Yes my boyfriend and I are… intimate. It does work, obviously different then with a girl. It’s… um… well how… much do you want me to answer this question? I don’t want to scare you.”
 
Dan didn’t answer immediately, he just stared quietly at the floor, then he cleared his throat. “I think…um…since I’m not going to be in…eh…that situation any time soon, I don’t really…um…maybe too much detail would kind of freak me out right now. I just wanted to know that it works.”

Ricky watched the younger boy quietly. “It does work, and I understand that this subject might freak you out a bit, but you should also make sure you’re going to educate yourself enough before you…ehm…before you decide to be intimate with someone else.” Ricky felt a bit like a hypocrite since he had absolutely no idea what he was doing when he and Alfie first got together, he was completely clueless and just let Alfie take charge, but now he wanted to make sure Dan would have a little more knowledge when he would get in that situation.

“Well…it’s not like anyone is interested in me, so I guess I don’t have to worry about…that”, Dan mumbled.

Ricky smiled. “You’re what? Fifteen? Do you really think you will always be alone for the rest of your life?” The truth was, Ricky knew exactly how he felt. Just a few years ago, before he met Alfie, he often wondered if he would ever find someone who actually wanted to be with him. He just wanted to be found. And then came Alfie…
“You still have so much ahead of you, and when the time is right, you’ll meet someone too, and that person is going to love you for who you are, you just have to be a little patient.”

“You sure about that?”

“One hundred percent”, Ricky assured him. “But now is the time you have to learn a bit more about…certain things, because it’s important to know them, and since you can’t ask anyone in your family, I’m gladly here to help.”

Dan looked gratefully at Ricky. “Thanks”, he said shyly.
 
Ricky blushed now a little, this was a little bit weird. “Okay um let’s see. I guess first of all you do know that being interested in men does not make you a paedophile!”
 
Ricky looked determined at Dan, it took a moment but then the boy nodded. I just like being with children I don’t think of them in the way that I want to touch them.” Dan mumbled.
 
“I never thought you would but the people might do, don’t be offended they just fear what they cannot understand.” Ricky cleared his throat. “So um, do you know… know how to… touch yourself?”
 
Dan was just as much blushing as Ricky was, but he nodded since he didn’t trust his voice.
 
“Good… um so when you would be with another boy the two of you… you could… um do… what you do when you… touch yourself to each other… And… um… it can feel nice… if…” Ricky had to take a deep breath. “… if you or your partner… um… if…”
 
Dan saw that this was also not easy for Ricky, but the boy appreciated the young man’s thoughts of preparing him for how to be with another boy.
 
“… it is common if… you penetrate… the anus… of your partner.” Ricky took a sip of his tea and let his words sink into Dan’s mind. “But really the most important part is that you both want to be intimate. And then it is okay to do what feels right for you two. I might like to do things you don’t like at all.”
 
Dan was quiet and starred at his knees.
 

“Dan? Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?” Ricky whispered worried that he had scared the boy too much.

Dan couldn’t stop it, he just had to blush immensely.
“I…um…I had no idea…”, was all he could say at first, still processing what Ricky told him. “I never really…eh…thought of how…well, I thought about it but it didn’t occur to me that…um…” He scratched his chin uncomfortably.

Ricky had flushed cheeks as well. “Believe me, I’m a lot like you when it comes to this. I mean, before I met my boyfriend I had no clue how men…well…how they could be intimate. It might be an awkward subject right now, and I admit, even nowadays I keep getting a bit awkward when my boyfriend is too…well…blunt, but you’ll see, as soon as you’re with someone you really care about, it’s not that awkward anymore, it’s actually something very normal, just like any relationship between a man and a woman who love each other.”

“But it’s not exactly the same…”

“Yeah, obviously not, but love as love, you see? And being intimate with someone you love is very special, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a girl or a boy, as long as you both care about each other.”

Dan actually wanted to ask a lot more, but he felt like it would get too private. He wanted to know if it hurt the first time, but he didn’t want to make Ricky feel awkward. Looking at Ricky he actually couldn’t imagine that this young-looking man was intimate with another guy, he looked like an innocent lamb. Now Dan was really curious who Ricky’s boyfriend was, but he didn’t want to ask him directly.
“And…um…” He cleared his throat. “How is your boyfriend dealing with the situation?”

“What situation?”

“Being with a guy.”

“Oh. Well…let’s just say, he’s a lot more…comfortable when it comes to that…subject. Actually, he’s a little too comfortable sometimes.”

“So he doesn’t mind being…um…liking men?”

“Yeah, one can say that.”

Dan was quiet for a moment. “Did he tell his father?”

Ricky almost had to laugh. “Oh dear! Let’s just say his father is kind of in a very important position that makes it impossible for my boyfriend to say any such thing.”

Dan’s eyes widened. “Is your boyfriend famous or something?”

“Well…he’s not unknown…” Ricky didn’t want to say much more, and Dan seemed to get it.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to get too personal, I’m just…it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
 
Ricky shook his head. “Don’t worry Dan, with time you will meet my boyfriend but the times are not yet good for gay men. I cannot even publically hold his hand.” He looked sad. “His father is a very important man and it would destroy my boyfriend’s life, well and mine, so we keep it a secret but at Waterfall Downs we can be free. You don’t need to be afraid of being yourself at school. Neither Jo nor Liam will let anyone hurt you because like boys and not girls. Is there anything else you would like to ask me?” Ricky looked encouraging at Dan.
 

Dan was quiet for a moment, then he took a deep breath. “Do you believe in happy endings?”

Ricky smiled. “I always did.”

“Even for us?”

Obviously Ricky knew that by ‘us’ he meant gay men.
“Yes, I do.”

“You haven’t told your father, have you?”

“No, I haven’t, but I came out to my mother, and when the time is right I will talk to my father”, Ricky said. He knew that Dan’s father seemed to be a lot more brutal than his own dad, so he understood why Dan was too scared. “Dan?”

“Yes?”

“I promise you that you’re safe at Waterfall Downs, okay? I swear. Nothing will harm you there.”

Dan was quiet for a moment. “Okay…”, he mumbled, then he smiled shyly. “Thanks for listening to me, it’s really…it’s nice to know someone understands you.”

Alfie was reading but he wasn’t concentrating on the word, he kept checking the time but it was still too late. Ricky was later then his usual time to come home. Where is he?

And then finally Ricky came home, but he would not give it away.

“Alfie? I’m sorry I’m late did you eat?” Ricky called from the kitchen but he answered his question himself when he checked the fridge. Ricky went in the living room and saw Alfie reading the that the whiskey was rather empty.

“Alfie?” Ricky wrapped his arms around his boyfriend from behind.

“Who did fuck this time?” Alfie mumbled.

“No one, I called. Didn’t you get my voice message? I thought you were out because you didn’t answer the phone.”

“My mother had called several times this afternoon so I stop answering the phone. And how on earth am I supposed to get a voice message? The elf did not fly in and give it to me.” Alfie snapped, he was not yet ready not to believe that Ricky did not sleep with someone.

“No not an elf but the answering machine. Did you not see the red light flashing?” Ricky was patiently, he knew that his boyfriend was not very comfortable around new technologies.

“I told you my mother was bugging me and so I didn’t watch a bloody machine to wait for it to flash a light.”

Ricky chuckled. “Here let me show you what would have happened if you would have pressed this little play button.”

“Hey Alfie, are you home or just ignoring the phone. Well nevertheless I’ll be a longer at the office one of Jo’s students came by. He is homosexual and needs some guidance. I offered him at the Summer Festival that he could talk to me. Nothing will happen. There is dinner in the fridge please reheat a portion of it and don’t just drink. I’ll be home as soon as I can. I love you.”

“So you did it with a minor.”

“Alfie!” Ricky looked nearly angry at him.

“I wasn’t hungry.” Alfie whispered still having the book open.

“I called Alfie and I did not sleep with him.” Ricky climbed onto the couch next to his boyfriend and curled up into his arms. “The boy has no one and he is confused. His father is a very strict man and hates homosexuals. He gave this article to his son to read. I don’t think he knows for sure that his son his homosexual but he is suspicions.” Ricky put the article on Alfie’s leg, he took a quick glimpse without moving his head. He was angry but then it all disappeared, he knew how much articles like this hurt Ricky. Alfie put the book away and had forgotten that he was scared that Ricky had slept with this boy, he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and whispered. “No one will ever do this to you! I will not let this happen! Do you hear me, no one will ever be able to harm you not even my family I made precautions against it! You are safe and so is your reputation at the University.”

Ricky nodded and let his tears run freely now that he was safe at home. “I just hope one day you and I and every other gay couple will be able to hold their hands and walk down the street and no one turns around.”

Alfie was stroking over Ricky’s hair, he didn’t say anything but the gesture of holding Ricky tightly and not mentioning that he would like to sleep with him said more than any words could have done. “And don’t worry I didn’t tell the boy who exactly my boyfriend is.” Ricky whispered.

“Good or he is ringing at the door wanting a piece of me.” Alfie joked but he actually didn’t care what Ricky told this boy he just wanted that his Lover Boy could feel happy and not sad.

“There are the two most beautiful little girls on the planet”, Lorelai greeted the twins as Jo and Liam stopped in front of the main house of the stud farm. Jane was on Daddy’s arm, her head resting on his shoulder, while Jill was already half-way in the door, almost running into Auntie Lorelai’s legs.
 
“Okay, so here are all the things they need.” Jo handed over the bags while explaining again which bag contained what for which baby.
 
“Josey”, Lorelai interrupted her calmly. “You already explained everything to me, don’t worry about it, I know exactly what to do.”
 
“Oh, okay…” She blushed. “Thank you so much for taking the girls, I know the last time hasn’t been easy.”
 
Lorelai laughed. “Honey, I have two little boys, believe me, I have practice. Jill is just like Henry, so I know exactly what’s going on in her mind, which is a good thing because that helps me prevent her from doing mischief. Well, and Jane is…a bit different, yes, but now that I had her for a weekend, I know how she’s ticking, at least I know what to do.”
 
“Jill!” Henry appeared behind his mother’s legs and pulled the little red-head into a tight hug.
 
“Take it easy, Henry, you don’t want to squeeze her to death”, Lorelai warned him, but Jill seemed to like being squeezed by her best friend and let out a happy giggle.
 
“You have the number of the cottage in Brighton, right?”, Jo asked.
 
“We were told that we shouldn’t make or take any calls”, Liam reminded his wife.
 
“I know, but in an emergency-“
 
“In an emergency, yes, but other than that we will be completely telephone free”, he replied dryly.
 
“Exactly, that’s the plan”, Lorelai smiled at the young parents. “It’s your weekend, no kids, no school, no students, just you two.”
 
“Sounds good to me.” Liam planted a kiss on Jane’s head. “You’re going to Lorelai now, Princess.”
 
Jane looked a bit tired, she seemed very comfortable on her dad’s arm. Liam carefully handed her over to Lorelai, and when Jane was about to make a cry-face, Lorelai said: “You know who is waiting to play some music for you? Edward.”
 
That stopped her immediately from crying.
 
“Yes, Edward has been looking forward to you the entire day, he couldn’t stop talking about you because he wants to play some music for you, doesn’t that sound nice?”
 
Jane starred at her with her big blue eyes, then she nodded slowly.
 
“I thought so too.” Lorelai stroked gently through Jane’s soft hair.
 
“Okay, time to say good bye”, Liam said, and he and Jo kissed both of their daughters- although Jill was already way too distracted by her partner in crime than paying attention to her patents-, then they turned away and walked to the Jaguar.
 
“You’re okay?”, Liam asked.
 
“It’s always a bit difficult, saying good bye to them.”
 
“It’s only for two and a half days.”
 
Jo sighed. “I know. Wait, what are you doing?”
 
“Um…opening the door of the car…?”
 
“Yeah, I can see that, but you’re on the wrong side.”
 
“What?”
 

Jo smirked. “Honey, do you really think I’m letting you drive to Brighton?” She kissed him on the cheek, then sat down in the driver’s seat.

Jo leaned forward as Liam got into the car and turned the radio on, she liked driving with the radio.  The top was down. Lorelai had gone inside with the three children somewhere through an open window Jo heard Edward start to play, it was a little Irish melody and she knew it so well Graham had taught her this one as well just that Edward had only one less on Sunday so it was crazy how well he already played. Jo turned on the car and the purring of it, the radio and her husband putting his hand on her knee made her just feel so happy. The drive didn’t take long and when they entered the house it was all clean and smelled fresh, they were not often here Jo had planned to spend a lot of time with the girls here but last year she was in no travel condition and now they were actually quite busy with the school, but Jo already planned to be this summer with the girls here but the next two night it was just Liam and her. The kitchen was filled with food and at the other side of the house was enough fire wood to have barbeques and the fireplace on.
 
Liam had closed the door and put down their bags. “This is nice.”
 

Jo turned to her husband and kissed him. “This is better than nice. This is perfect. You want me to make some lunch?”

“Hell no all I need is you.” Liam grinned and pushed his hands under her blouse. Jo smiled as she let him push her gently to the couch, but then she shook her head. “No not there, right here on the drawer in the hall.” She whispered seductively in his ear. There was nothing more to get Liam aroused. Their clothes flew and soon their moaning was all they were able to say for the next hour.

A little bit later, Jo and Liam were cuddled up on the couch in the living room, Jo only wearing Liam’s shirt, and Liam only wearing his boxers. Of course they missed their girls, but they also really enjoyed some alone time together, since they barely got the chance to be alone, both because of the girls and also because they ran an entire school, so naturally they didn’t have a lot of time for themselves, completely uninterrupted.
 
“This is nice, isn’t it?” Jo’s head rested against Liam’s chest, and he had his arms around her.
 
“I can’t complain.” He kissed her on top of her head.
 
“Remember that one time when we slept over in the hunting hut of Ricky’s dad?”, Jo chuckled.
 
“Hell yeah, I couldn’t forget that if I tried! His dad and all his hunting buddies were standing over us with their rifles. I seriously got a heart attack.”
 
“Me too.” Jo giggled. “Well, this time it’s really just us, no hunters.”
 
“Sounds good to me.”
 
They were quiet for a moment, then Jo sighed.
 
“What’s wrong?”, Liam asked.
 
“I was thinking about Dan.”
 
“Um…what? You’re thinking about one of the students?”
 
“No, no, not like that”, Jo said quickly. She sat up so she could look at Liam. “I’m worried about him. He seems to…I think he’s very conflicted right now.”
 
“Conflicted?”
 
“About his sexuality.”
 
“Oh.”
 
“Well, and I don’t think he has anyone to talk to, so that’s why I told him to call Ricky, though I’m not sure if Dan will call him, he’s pretty shy himself and maybe doesn’t realise yet what’s going on with him.”
 
“You shouldn’t push him.”
 
“I’m not pushing him, I just see that he’s very confused and alone in this situation, and his parents seem very disinterested in their son’s life. I really hope he calls Ricky, he really needs someone to talk to.”
 
Liam smiled softly. “You always worry too much about everyone and everything.”
 
“I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”
 
“I know.” Liam leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “But Jo, can we not talk about the school or anything that relates to it? It’s just…this weekend is supposed to be about us, so I don’t really want to think of school right now.”
 
“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” She leaned back into his arms and they were quiet again, but then she took a deep breath. “Liam?”
 
“Hm?”
 
“I was thinking about Graham and-“
 
“Seriously? First you think about a teenage boy, and now my father? Who’s next? My grandfather?”
 
“No!” Jo rolled her eyes. “I wanted to ask you something.”
 
“What is it?”
 
“I know it’s kind of a sensitive subject with you, but…ehm…what would you think…um…what’s your opinion on Graham possibly…eh…having a girlfriend?”
 
Liam didn’t answer immediately, and she turned around to see if he was okay.
“Why? Do you want to set him up on a date?”
 
Jo could tell that Liam, as expected, wasn’t  easy-going about this subject, so she decided not to say anything about Ellen yet. This time, Graham would have to do that personally, she didn’t want to be the messenger anymore. However, she wanted to see what Liam generally thought about the idea.
“No.” She shook her head. “I just…I mean…yeah, he’s your dad, but he’s still quite young and very attractive, and I just…I would be surprised if he stayed single until he dies, you know? It’s just…it’s a bit unrealistic.”
 
“Why is that unrealistic? It’s not like he needs a girlfriend. I mean, he has us, you’re like a daughter to him, he has a son now, and he even has granddaughters, so it’s not like he’s going to die completely alone.”
 
Jo sighed. There it was again, that typical stubbornness of her husband.
“I know he’s not alone, but it’s still different if you have family or a partner. He doesn’t have someone to come home to.”
 
“So what do you suggest? That he moves in with us? Or maybe we find a nice retirement home somewhere around”, Liam joked.
 
 
Jo rolled her eyes again. “No. All I wanted to know is how you feel about him having a girlfriend or how you would feel if he had a girlfriend.”
 
Liam stared quietly at the wall for a moment. “I don’t know.”
 
“You must have an opinion about that.”
 
“I really don’t know. I mean, yes, technically I can’t expect him to be alone for the rest of his life, but if he really had a girlfriend I…I’m not sure what to think about that.”
 
Jo could tell that Liam got a little tense, which always happened when it came to that subject.
“But you’re aware that if he had a girlfriend, she would never be meant to replace your mother, right?”, she asked carefully. “Your father knows just as well as you that nobody can ever take her place. He would never even think about trying to find someone like Catherine.”
 
“You’ve talked to him?”, Liam asked a bit sceptically.
 
“I don’t need to, it’s so obvious. He still loves her…”
 
“How would you know?”
 
“How would I know? God, Liam, almost every song he ever composed is dedicated to her. She’s in his music, everywhere. And he’s got that look when he talks about her, you can tell that she still means the world to him.” Jo ran her fingers gently through Liam’s already messy hair. “I don’t need to ask him, I know that he would never try to replace his heroine.”  
 
Liam didn’t meet her eyes, he stared at his hands instead, but after he was quiet for a bit, he looked up again. “I guess I’m okay.”
 
“With what?”
 
“With him having a girlfriend.”
 

Jo smiled and leaned back against Liam.

Her hand was gently stroking over Liam’s chest. “I love you so much you know that.”
 
Liam chuckled nervous while he played lost in thoughts with her hair that was getting longer again. “Do you ever stop thinking?”
 
Jo giggled when she lifted up her head to whisper in his ear. “Oh yes every time you push your penis into me.”
 
Liam actually blushed a little but pushed his hands between her legs, “How about now?” Liam grinned widely.
 
“Gosh okay no thoughts either.” Jo moaned and she pushed her body closer to his hand.
 
 
It was their last morning after two incredible nights, they were sitting at the table having breakfast. “This was nice.”

“What?” Liam looked up from his tea.
 
“You and me alone.” Jo smiled and blow on her hot coffee.
 
“Yes it was.” Liam grinned a little dreamy.
 
“Liam I think we should do this more often. You and me alone. Maybe we can go on dates every week or every second week. We have people around us that will love to take the girls even over night. Your dad said he would love to spend more time with them and so did mine. And so many other people want to spend time with them. So what do you think about spending more often time alone, we don’t need to stay away over night but we can just go out and be… young.” Jo looked shy at her husband.
Liam looked for a while at Jo and then he grinned. “You really wanna leave the girls more often alone?”
 
“Yes, I think I am ready to do that. I feel very different then I felt last year around this time.” Jo bit her lower lip.
 
“I know.” Liam took her cup out of her hand and pulled his wife on his lap. “I’m glad you feel better. Every day I am happy that you feel better than last summer.” Jo put her head on his shoulder. “I said I was sorry right? I can’t remember if I did.”
 
“You never had a reason to apologise. You did nothing wrong.” Liam looked at Jo, her eyes were half closed because she was looking down. “But yes you apologised.” Liam didn’t want to really talk about the last summer it reminded him what he had down to Jo.
 
“You don’t need to apologise Liam.” Jo was snuggling closer to Liam. Liam was quiet and just held her a little closer.
 
“I like the idea of going on dates with you. You know we never really dated in the first place.”
 
Jo giggled. “True we sort of skipped this part. We just had very few dates but those were really nice and I would like to have more of those.”
 
“Deal, we go on dates.” Liam kissed Jo n her so soft hair.
 

“This will be nice.” Jo smiled. She liked it when Liam touched her hair. She really liked it.

A few days after the couple had gone back to Waterfall Downs, Liam decided it was bathing time for the girls again. He knew Jill would be totally thrilled about it, and he was already prepared for Jane’s drama. There was no doubt that his older daughter would be a drama queen again once she came in touch with the water.
Jane sat far away in her high chair and watcher her dad suspiciously while he carefully took off Jill’s clothes. They were in the bathroom now since they were big enough to use the bathtub- with Liam’s supervision, of course. Liam remembered the first time he had bathed his girls. They were so tiny that he put them- well, at least Jill, because Jane started to cry hysterically- into the kitchen sink. Now his girls were a lot bigger than back then, and Liam knew that at least Jill was long ready for the bathtub. After all, they had been to the public swimming pool and their own pool at Waterfall Downs with the girls, so the bathtub was no longer a huge deal.
“So, big girl, you’re ready?” Liam smiled at his younger daughter. Jill knew what was coming, so she couldn’t hide her excitement, she really loved the water. Liam was about to lift her up when someone knocked on the door.
“Yes?”
 
“It’s me”, Jo said from the other side. “Can…can I come in?”
 
“Sure. Is something wrong?”
 
Jo carefully peaked through the door, then she entered the room. “No.” She shook her head, watching her naked daughter who was holding on to daddy. “I think I’m ready. I’m not scared anymore.”
 
“Of what?”
 
“Watching you bathing the girls. I’m a lot more relaxed about the idea, so I was wondering if I can join you and watch.”
 
Liam smiled. “Of course. I’m really glad to hear that you’re more relaxed now.”
 
Jo smiled shyly back at him. “I try to be. I’m still a little nervous though.”
 
“That’s okay”, he assured her. “Do you hear that, Jill? Mummy is going to join us. Well, at least watch you.”
 
Jill grinned widely at him, then at her mother. That was obviously her approval, and she sure as hell liked being the centre of attention.
 
“Okay, ready?”
 
She nodded, and Liam carefully lifted her up and gently put her into the bathtub. Of course the water wasn’t too high, it didn’t even reach Jill’s shoulders as she sat down, but she definitely enjoyed it and laughed happily, already grabbing the plastic duck. There were two ducks, one green for Jill and a pink one for Jane, especially since Jane loved duckies, but she really didn’t seem happy about the idea of joining her sister in the bathtub.
 
“She’s really happy, isn’t she?” Jo looked over Liam’s shoulder, and he could see that her face wasn’t tense at all, it was quite soft.
 
“Oh yes, she loves it. Do you want to hold her?”
 
“What?”
 
“Just touch her shoulders slightly and make sure she doesn’t lose balance and falls to the side. Meanwhile I’ll try to get Jane to join us.”
 
Jo hesitated for a moment, but then she put her hands where Liam had them and made sure Jill wouldn’t fall to the side.
 
“So, Princess.” Liam stood up and walked to his other daughter. “You want to play in the bathtub with Jill and the duckies?”
 
She just stared at him, her face very tense. The moment Liam lifted her out of the high chair and walked over to the bathtub, she started to kick as if she wanted to break free from him.
“The water isn’t going to hurt you, Jane, I swear. Look how happy Jill is.”
 
But Jane shook her head and was very close to crying, so Liam sighed and put her back into the chair. “I guess I’ll never get you to go bathing.”
 
Jane was still visibly upset, so Liam started humming You are my sunshine, which immediately calmed her down and made her sister giggle in the bathtub.
 
“Everything all right over there?”, Liam asked his wife and turned around. A smile crossed his face when he saw Jo kneeling next to the bathtub, watching Jill and making sure she didn’t fall.
 
“Yes”, she replied, her eyes still fixed on her daughter.
 
Liam sat down next to her and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’m really proud of you, Lady.”
 

“Thanks.” Jo blushed and smiled shyly. “And I’m glad I can finally do things a normal mother does without being scared anymore.”

Jill giggled while Jane sitting next to the bathtub in a smaller plastic baby tub with her little pink duck got a sponge bath from her daddy still eyeing the tub suspiciously. “I’m not putting you in the water, don’t worry Princess.” Liam spoke very calmly with his daughter that was so scared of water.
 
“Liam!” Jo sounded a little panicked. Jill was leaning forward so that half her face was under water so that she could blow bubbles. Liam looked up at his wife and other daughter. He knew that Jill was very active in the bathtub that’s why he had bought bath toys for her but he knew that she liked to blow bubbles in the water.
 
“Oh yeah I should have told you. It’s okay Jo just let her blow bubbles and keep an eye on her. I mean she got a rubber mat in the tub so she should not sleep but still make sure she doesn’t stand up. But don’t worry Jill is quiet same in the tub.” Liam said chuckling.
 
“Liam. Help! Please.” Jo bit her lower lip and looked worried. “I’m not sure if…”
 
“Okay, Jo looked at me it is really okay. As long as Jill is watched she does not even care when she suddenly ends up under water. But would you like to swap, you can sponge bath Jane and I watch the wild one swimming in the bathtub?” Liam had gotten up just to squat down behind his nervous wife.
 
“Do you mind?” Jo sounded shy.

“No I don’t mind. Maybe I should have let you bath Jane in the first place.” Liam kissed Jo on the cheek and took over from her to watch Jill. Jo was sitting next to Jane in her clear plastic baby bath that had little yellow ducks on it. “Mamamamama duck.” Jane smiled at her mother and pointed at the ducks, one by one.
 
“Oh she wants you to count the ducks.” Liam explained Jo.
 
“Oh okay, let’s see one duck, two ducks, three ducks, four ducks, five ducks six ducks.” Jo was calmer now that she had Jane that was sitting in barely an inch high water in her tub and the little duck sponge to wash her. “Liam?”
 
“Yes?” Liam was laughing about Jill that was having her little cat mould filling it with water over her head and giggled.
 
“I like this, I do but I think I like it more when you bath the girls. I mean I can still be in the room or dry and dress one of the girls but I think I get too nervous bathing the girls.” Jo mumbled. “I think the girls like that bathing time means daddy time.”
 
“Sure.” Liam looked for a moment at Jo. “Are you okay?”
 
“Yes, I’m just not sure what is okay for Jill to do and that makes me nervous and I don’t want to be nervous.” Jo sighed.
 
“Okay. No problem. Maybe I can split up the girls and you can body lotion them and dress them again. And then you have also some special time with each girl.” Liam put his hand on Jo’s shoulder. She was using both of her hands to hold Jane even though their older daughter was nicely sitting in her tub.
 
“That sounds nice.” Jo smiled shy.
 
“Good. But I have to say that Jane really likes getting bathed by you.” Liam grinned. “And I like to have all my girls together. Oops.”
 
Of course Jo had to turn around and look at Liam and Jill when Jill slipped and got a dive. Jo went pale, like sheet pale. Liam picked up Jill and sat her back up straight. “You okay Cupcake?” Jill giggled. “Ya. Again?”
 
“No Cupcake we don’t do that again okay maybe later.” Liam was speaking calmly while he whipped Jill’s face to make sure she did not get bubble bath in her eyes.
 
“Okay dokey.” Since the sleep over at Lorelai’s Jill liked to say Okey Dokey. Liam smiled one more time at Jill and then looked at his wife. “Jo? Look at her she is okay. She just got her head under water but didn’t hit her head at the tub wall. Jill even asked to do it again.”
 
Jo nodded slowly. “Liam? I think I feel better if I just wait until one girl is finished bathing and I can dry and dress her. This should be daddy time. It’s not that I’m scared I just don’t know what Jill is okay to do.”
 
“That is fine.” Liam kissed Jo on the cheek still watching Jill with one eye. “I think Jane is ready if you want you can take her in the living room then Jill and I can play some more.”
 
“That sounds nice.” Jo looked at Liam, she was not pale anymore and she looked glad to take the clean Jane into the living room and get her ready for bed.
 
“This was some excitement Munckin, huh?” Jo passed Jane’s  room to get the baby body lotion, in the living room she put on the record of Swan Lake and towelled her daughter dry. “Mamamamama.” Jane giggled as she started to help her mom to apply her body lotion.
 

“Your sister is a crazy little lass, I’m glad you are not so fond of diving and water either.” Jo liked this being alone with just one girl and having one on one time with her.

Mid July 1972
 
Dan came home he had been at Waterfall Downs to hand in his assignments when he was greeted by his father. As always Dan came in through the kitchen, and his father was sitting with the cheap bottle of whiskey at the table.
 
“How dare you?” It was just a low growl from his father, who threw the small box in which Dan had hidden a treasure. Just when he saw the box he knew what he father meant.
 
“It is just a box I keep my pens in.”
 
“Don’t lie to me boy! I found those in there!” His father was spitting in excitement as he threw the pictures of underwear models on the table. Dan went pale and he knew exactly what would be coming…
Dan knocked at the door but no answer came, he opened the door and found the office in darkness. It was a stormy afternoon. Dan was limping and crying, his father had hit him on several times but never did he get a beating as bad as today. Dan curled up as much as he could on the chair across Ricky’s desk and waited. He knew Ricky would come back, he knew that he had a class this afternoon. All he had to do was wait.
 
Ricky opened the door and almost jumped up when he saw someone sitting in his office. He totally hadn’t expected anyone, and he was very jumpy anyway, so tiny things startled him already.
“Dan?”, he asked carefully as he recognised the boy from behind, but when Dan turned his head to him Ricky held his breath in shock. The younger boy’s face was green and blue from what looked like a hundred punches, and there was still dried blood on his lips and his nose.
“Oh God…” Ricky had a hard time finding words. He didn’t really need to ask what happened, he already guessed it.

“I’m sorry for bothering you again”, Dan said quietly, his eyes still red from crying. “I just…I couldn’t stay there any longer.”

Ricky took a deep breath, then he put his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder. “Did you tell him?”

Dan shook his head. “He found a box I had…with pictures of men.” He paused for a moment. “I thought he was going to kill me, I really thought that was it.” His voice trembled.

“Dan, you can’t go back there”, Ricky said calmly. “We have to find another place for you to live. I’ll call Liam and Jo right away, I’m sure you can stay at Waterfall Downs as a boarding school student. There’s no way you can stay with your father.” He was about to turn around to walk to the phone when he felt two arms around him. Dan was clasping him as if he was scared to be pulled away by his father.

“It’s okay…”, Ricky tried to calm him down, but he had a hard time staying calm himself.
 
“I am so sorry, I don’t mean to cause you any trouble.” Dan started crying again for one because he was on pain and two because he felt so helpless. Ricky shook his head and went back closer to Dan and pulled him into a gentle embrace. He meant in a friendly encouraging way but… Dan didn’t know what happened he tiptoed and kissed Ricky right on the lips. The kiss was about two seconds long when Ricky pulled away, he didn’t look angry but shocked.
 
“Oh my God I am so sorry!” Dan was trembling backwards away from Ricky, the boy fell over the chair he had been sitting on just moments before. Dan was sitting on the floor with fresh blood appearing from his cuts again.
 
Ricky knew that Dan hadn’t really kissed him because he wanted to. The boy was obviously way too overwhelmed with everything right now and couldn’t think straight, and Ricky didn’t take it personally, although at first he was shocked because he hadn’t expected that at all. The last time he was kissed by someone other than Alfie, it was Liam who was completely drunk, and that was many years ago, and before Ricky and Alfie started seeing each other. So, when Liam kissed him, Ricky was not in a relationship, but now he had a boyfriend- a very, very paranoid and jealous boyfriend- and was kissed by someone else. Of course the kiss didn’t mean anything, but still, Ricky knew immediately that he had to tell Alfie, he couldn’t keep it a secret from him. However, right now it was Dan who mattered, and the young boy was probably more than freaked out and Ricky felt so bad for him.
 
“It’s okay, Dan, don’t worry about it”, Ricky said calmly and reached out his hand to help him up, but Dan stayed on the floor, staring at his knees.
 
“I mess everything up.”
 
“That’s not true.”
 
“My father hates me, my mother doesn’t care, and you’re being so nice to me and I’m messing that up as well.”
 
“You didn’t hurt anyone, Dan.”
 
“I’ve never kissed anyone before”, he said quietly. “My first kiss wasn’t supposed to be like that. I’m such a mess, I’m so sorry…”
 

“Please don’t apologise, you have done nothing wrong.” Ricky grabbed his arm and pulled him up carefully, then he let him sit down in the chair again. “If anyone is at fault here, it’s your father. There is no excuse for doing what he did to you, and I’ll make sure that you’re going to a safe place, away from him.” Ricky walked to his telephone to call Jo. They would have to save this boy as soon as possible.

Dan was sitting like a heap of misery on the chair while Ricky was on the phone talking to several people.
 
Why did I kiss him? I mean yes Mr Butcher is handsome but come on he is helping me why on earth did I kiss him?
 
“Dan are you listening?” Ricky was standing next to him, so close that he nearly jumped off the chair again.
 
“Yes, sorry I was just lost in my thoughts.” Dan felt a little uncomfortable, luckily for him Ricky did notice this and stepped a little away from him.
 
“Are your parents at home right now?”


“No Sir.” Dan needed this formal distance and Ricky gave him that.
 
“Are you sure?” Ricky took his bag and got ready to go.
 
“Yes Sir. My mother is not sure were but out and my father went… after… I mean… he went in the pub.” Dan was blushing.
 
“Good that will work perfectly. Come on we need to get your things.” Ricky led the beaten boy out of the building to his car.
 
“What do you mean get my things?” Dan looked confused at Ricky as he got in the car.
 
“You are moving, but I explain everything later first we get your things.”
 
Dan was so embarrassed letting Ricky in his tiny benefits flat. His father wasn’t working and his mother well she slept with other men, drunk and probably did drugs and all he wanted was to get out one day and be a teacher. And here was Professor Rick Butcher dressed in brands he never heard of but they were clearly expensive not to mention the new car.
 
“I’m sorry it is not much but…”

“My parents live a few streets south; I grew up in this area. Don’t worry Dan all I did was got lucky and got a boyfriend with money and he likes to spoil me with presents. He has troubles telling me how he feels so every time he wants to tell me that I mean something to him I get another present.” Ricky smiled and helped Dan to pack all his things. Dan started loading a couple boxes and bin bags full of things into Ricky’s car while Ricky sat down at the kitchen table and wrote a letter, explaining his parents where he would be and that he would not be coming home. All this in a very formal way.
 
“Sir I’m ready to go.” Dan was standing shy in the doorframe. On the kitchen floor you could clearly see the blood splatters it scared him to remember his father hitting him over and over again.
 
“Good let’s go Lorelai is awaiting us.” Ricky put his hand on Dan’s shoulder and led him back to the car. The drive to the Three Lake Stud Farm was quick and Lorelai was really waiting outside. Dan wasn’t a rider so she just knew him from seeing him. Before they got out of the car Dan suddenly grabbed Ricky’s hand. “Sir, I cannot stay here they have two sons and people will talk my father will think I rape those boys. Do you really think I can stay here? For how long? What if they find out about… me.”
 
Dan was looking terrified at Ricky. He was so scared that someone could and would hurt him like his own father had done.
Lorelai was waiting patiently, she had send her sons with John out so that she could first clean up Dan since she had heard that he got beaten and show him around and then her boys would come back with dinner and they would have the first family dinner with Dan.
 
Ricky smiled encouragingly at Dan. “You can stay here for as long as you want. And don’t worry, nobody will find out anything or spread rumours about you regarding Lorelai’s boys, we will all make sure about that, I promise.”

“But…but…”

“It will be fine, Dan, trust me”, Ricky said calmly. “Lorelai’s farm is probably the safest place for you, apart from Waterfall Downs.”

Lorelai smiled warmly at the young boy and without hesitating for a second she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.
“Welcome at Three Lake Farm.” She took a step back and looked at him quietly for a moment, then she gently touched his cheek, trying to hide how upset and shocked she was to see such an innocent young boy beaten up like that. She would have to check later his body if any bones were broken, she might even would go with him to see a doctor. “This is going to be your new home. For the outside world it will look like you’re our new stable boy here, but all you actually do is live here with my family, and maybe watch the boys now and then, when my husband and I are busy with work. You will keep attending Waterfall Downs, of course, and when you’re done with school you can come home anytime, or stay a while for after school activities, whatever suits you best. But we all eat dinner together, that’s a given. Other than that we’re really easy going here and don’t really have strict rules. I just want to make sure you’re feeling at home here, we’re all very happy to have you here, Dan.”

The young boy looked shy and Lorelai could see that he was trying to hold back tears. She pulled him into a hug once more, then she turned to Ricky. “I’ll take care of him, nothing will harm him here.”

Ricky smiled gratefully. “Thank you so much, you’re a great help.”

“That’s the least I can do”, she said, her hand on Dan’s shoulder. “You can follow me into the house now, we have a nice room for you. There isn’t a lot decoration yet, but this weekend I’ll take you shopping and you can choose whatever you like to make your new room more comfortable.”

“Thank you, ma’am”, he said shyly.

“Don’t call me ma’am, that makes me sound old. Just call me Lorelai. And don’t worry about your stuff, I already arranged a few people to bring it into the house, so you only have to follow me.”

Dan nodded quietly, still overwhelmed with the situation.

“Ricky you are welcome anytime but for the moment Dan needs time. I’ve got him.” Lorelai said to Ricky.

“Okay, good. And Dan, you call me as soon as you settled in, okay?” He smiled one last time at the boy. “It’s going to be fine, trust me.”

Dan was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. “I trust you.”
 
Lorelai took Dan by the arm and led him into his room. “I show you the house in a moment but for the moment I would like to look at your injuries. Tomorrow we will go to see our family doctor but for now I need to be enough may I?” Lorelai was very gentle and calm and she didn’t mean to pressure Dan. On the chest at the bottom of his bed were bandages and several antiseptics and things she might needed to help Dan. Dan looked shy at her. “If you feel more comfortable we could wait until John comes back.”

“No!” Dan jumped off the bed and looked scared and shocked, he was not ready for a man to see him just in his underpants. “I mean… no it is okay. Just don’t be mad okay?” Dan took off his shirt and his trousers to let Lorelai have a look at his injuries. Lorelai was gentle and very calm and didn’t make a big deal of seeing Dan in nothing but his underpants. Lorelai was not too worried none of his rips caved when she put pressure on them he seemed to be lucky that his worst injuries where in his face. The rest of his body was just badly bruised. “I think it is not too bad, we will keep an eye on your cuts in the face but other than that you are not in any danger.” Lorelai handed him a fresh shirt and trousers.
 
“Thank you Ma’am… Lorelai.” Dan mumbled, he was blushing but glad that he was not in any danger.
 
“Good shall I show you around?”

“Yes.” Dan followed carefully smiling Lorelai. Lorelai didn’t really act like a hostess. She was not showing a guest around but a new member of her family. The moment she got the call from Ricky she knew what she had to do. She had lived once in a country that hated people for being different, and she knew she would always be against the people that did not understand others such as homophobes.

“So for starters, I want you to know that you don’t have to worry about anything. We know that you like boys and that is okay, our sons know that you like boys and they might have some questions and if you feel comfortable you may answer them if not feel free to tell them that you are not ready to talk about it. You are just fifteen so I think you have plenty of time to gain sexual confidence and experiences and I ask you to make sure that the boys do not see you be intimate with anyone even yourself simply because they are still young. As I said we will go at the weekend and get some decorations and other things you need. Don’t worry about the costs now that you are living with us you will not need to worry about money anymore. Let’s see what else. Oh yes John and I have to go sometimes on long journeys for our work, we… work for the government let’s just say it like this when we do leave I would like to leave the boys in your care. You don’t need to worry about the farm. My foreman will handle all of this and you will have access to money that you can go shopping and take care of the boys and yourself. I hope we don’t have to go for a while but we never know. I also want you to do all your homework and study hard for school and if you need any help just talk to us.” Lorelai looked at Dan, she had to suppress the urge to pull him into a tight embrace every time she looked at him. “Do you have any questions? Or want to say something?”

Dan wanted to thank her, but at that same moment a new wave of overwhelming emotions came over him and he felt tears running down his cheeks before he had the chance to stop it.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”, Lorelai asked concerned.
 
“I’m sorry.” He quickly wiped away the tears, feeling stupid for being so emotional. “I just…I never had anyone caring so much about me. I’m not used to it.”
 
“I see.” Lorelai pulled him into a hug. “It’s okay, you can let your emotions run freely here, I’m not going to judge you. Nobody is.”
 
“I’m acting so stupid.”
 
“No, you’re not.” She looked warmly at him. “You’ve been really brave today, Dan. I’m very proud of you, but you can’t always be strong, so it’s absolutely normal to be emotional and overwhelmed, okay? You had to deal with so much stuff your entire life, and now it’s finally time for you to start living and be a normal teenager without having to worry about your father.”
 
Dan stared at the floor. “I’m not a normal teenager. I’ve never been normal in the first place…”
 
“Don’t say that, Dan. And who the hell defines ‘normal’ anyway? What is normal? Who just came up and said ‘hey, this is normal and this is not’? You see, there is no right and wrong, and that counts for normal as well.”
 
“But…” He looked up shyly. “In the eyes of the others I’m not normal. Boys who like boys aren’t normal, at least not according to society.”
 
Lorelai sighed. “What do you think about Ricky, Dan?”
 
Dan blushed. “He’s very…he’s very nice.”
 
“And does he appear to you absurd or weird or abnormal in any way?”
 
“Not at all, he’s very-“
 
“Normal?”
 
“Yes…” Dan nodded.
 
“But he likes boys, doesn’t he?”
 
“I guess so.”
 
“You see.” Lorelai smiled. “Ricky is a boy who likes boys, but he’s just as normal as my cousin Jo, or her husband Liam, or my husband John. Well, my husband is another story, but don’t tell him I said that.” She winked at him. “Anyway, what I’m saying is that society is absolutely wrong by labelling gay men as abnormal. They are just as normal as everyone else, and the same counts for you, do you understand, young man?” She raised an eyebrow, knowing that she probably had an intimidating effect on Dan, but at least he listened to her.
 
“Yes, ma’am.”
 
She raised her other eyebrow, and he blushed.
 
“Oh, sorry, I meant Lorelai.”
 
After Lorelai had shown Dan the entire house and they had started making dinner the rest of the Von Gruensees. Edward was shy while Henry pulled him in the play corner and made the teenager build a tower with him.
 
"So how is he doing?" John kissed his wife.
 
"He is okay, a little confused and feeling sorry for himself but other than that he is okay. He will need some support and encouragement for the next few weeks. I think he has not yet himself accepted that he is gay." Lorelai hugged her husband tightly. "I just can't believe a father could hit his son so badly. I mean look at him."
 
"I know." John kissed his wife again. Watching Henry and Dan playing and Edward was sitting at the table drawing and then suddenly got up.
 
"Mr Dan this is for you. It is a piano. See this are the keys." Edward looked very shy at Dan, and when Dan kneeled down he blushed.
 
"This is really nice. I will hang it in my room at the wall." Dan whispered.
 
"What happened to your face?" Edward was looking concerned at Dan.
 
"My father didn't like the things I did so he hit me very badly."
 
"Is it because you like boys?" Edward whispered. Lorelai was standing ready to jump in but let Dan deal with this first.
 
"Yes." Dan mumbled.
 
"I think that is stupid, it doesn't matter that you like boys. I still think you are nice." Edward said a very matter of fact way. "Come I show you where the plates are we need to set the table. It's our job for dinner because Mutti and daddy are working hard for us, so we set the table." Edward looked at his brother past Dan that he got up as well. Together the three boys got plates and things to set the table.
 
“Good job, boys”, Lorelai said as she came out of the kitchen. Her sons sat down, but Dan kept standing.
 
“Is there anything else I can do?”, he asked politely.
 
“No, you can sit down, everything else is taken care of”, she replied with a smile.
 
“Are you sure?”
 
Lorelai laughed. “This is your home now, Dan. You don’t have to act like you’re the servant to the Queen.”
 
“I just…I want to help, I don’t want to be a burden or anything.”
 
“You’re not a burden, Dan. You and the boys just set the table, you don’t have to do more. Well, and of course everyone is responsible for their own room, I’m not going to clean after every mess, but that’s it. Just because you’re living here doesn’t mean that you’re going to be our new maid.”
 
Henry chuckled. “He’s a boy, he can’t be a maid.”
 
“I know that, sweetie.” Lorelai tousled her son’s hair, then she sat down, next to John. Dan finally sat down as well, next to Edward who observed him quietly. 


“Of course I’ll need your help with babysitting now and then, when John and I are gone.”
 
“I can definitely do that”, he said, happy to have found something to help in this household.
 
“Good.” Lorelai smiled. “But other than that I really don’t want you to think you’re just a guest here with no right whatsoever. That’s not the case, do you understand?”
 
Dan nodded quietly. “Thank you, ma’am. Um…Lorelai.”
 
Edward smiled at the older boy. “You’re writing with your left hand?”
 
Dan looked surprised. “How did you know?”
 
“The way you hold your cutlery.”
 
“Oh…” Dan blushed and quickly changed it. “I’m sorry, I have trained to use my right hand but sometimes I forget.”
 
Lorelai and John looked at him quietly for a moment. “Why do you apologise for that?”
 
“I…um…my father didn’t want me to use my left hand, he said it’s improper.”
 
“That’s ridiculous”, John said. “You can write with whatever hand you want to, nobody cares here. Isn’t that right, boys?” Both boys nodded. 


“I use my left hand too!”, Henry announced.
 

Dan smiled shyly, glad that nobody here judged him anymore.

A few days later, maybe a week...


“Daddy?” Jo had used her key to let her family into the house. She knew that her mother was busy with the DR -the Daughters of Royalty- so she knew it was okay to unlock the door. “Grampa?” Jill who was tightly holding her mom’s hand.
 
“Yes we will find him.” Jo smiled at the little girl. Both girls were wearing pale yellow dresses, nothing too fancy and made of cotton but still expensive.
 
“Dada?”
 
“I’m hear Cupcake.” Liam followed Jo and Jill into the house, while Jane was on his arm.
 
“Liam you should let Jane walk to strengthen her legs.” Jo looked gentle at him.  “I mean this not in a bad way I know very well how it feels not wanting them to grow up.”
 
“I know, I know. I just wanted to make sure she doesn’t fall on the gravel.”
 
Jo giggled about Liam’s care.
 
“Jo, Liam I’m sorry I was in the garden preparing for my little girls. Oh girls you look beautiful, I have a huge surprise for you.” Colin hugged and kissed his daughter on the cheek. “You are looking good too… Liam.” Colin joked as he hugged his son-in-law as well.
 
“Daddy what surprise? Are you sure you can handle the girls? I mean I know I sound again like an overprotective mother but, it is different with Lorelai. She has two sons they are little wild things. And you just had me, a long time ago.” Jo watched Jill looking intensely at a painting.
 
“It will be fine, you might not remember but you were wild. You had so much imagination. It was sometimes hard to keep up with you. That’s why I had the idea. Would you like to join me in the garden?” Colin took Jane’s hand, she loves her grandfather so much and she trusted him. Jo took Liam’s hand and followed Colin who had quickly two little girls, one at each hand. And then they walked through the garden door and they entered Wonderland, Alice’s Wonderland. “I’ve got books for Jill to read and music for Jane and I have an afternoon tea prepared for the girls and I have several snacks for them for during the day. They will be fine, I’ve got the maid in the house if they feel more comfortable going with her to the bathroom and I’m sure you have packed several clothes to change.” Colin smiled. “This garden is safe Jo.”
 
Jo looked around and it was amazing, her dad had created a wonder world right in his garden, when she suddenly started laughing. “Mother will kill you when she sees this garden.”

“I know she will.” Colin laughed as well, even harder when Jill found the small snacks of mini triangle sandwiches, macaroons and fruit.  “Oh, mommy look.” Jill grinned as she took a sandwich.
 
“Jill! You need to ask granddad first.” Jo looked a little shocked at her youngest daughter who had half eaten the cheese sandwich before she looked at her grandfather and said. “Please?”
 
All three adults started laughing. “See Jo it will be fine. So Liam please take your wife and go on your day out with her.”
 
Liam’s arm was wrapped around Jo’s waist. “Daddy I want you to know that Lorelai offered that you can call her any time.”
 
“I thought she just took in the boy from your school, the one that is homosexual?” Colin asked very calmly, he never was bothered that Jo’s best friend is gay or that any other men was in love with a man.
 
“Yes, she is but um Dan is a good boy and I talked to him yesterday he is very well and settling in.” Jo smiled at her father, she liked that he tried to be involved in her life as much as possible.
 
“Good, good so let them have some time to grew as a family together.” Colin smiled watching his granddaughters.
 
“Jo? Are you ready to leave?” Liam whispered in her ear.
 
“Yes. I just go and say goodbye.” Jo looked at Liam and he nodded they went together to their daughters. “Munchkins? Mommy and Daddy are going out for a little bit. And you stay with you grandfather, okay?” Jo asked her daughters. Jane looked a little nervous at her mother but then nodded, while Jill just nodded and looked at the butterflies in the case, they had nectar feeders and seemed okay.
 
“Listen Princess, Cupcake everything will be okay. Grandfather Colin will be there and he takes you to the bathroom and helps you with anything you need.” Liam kissed one daughter at a time and looked at them. Jane nodded and while Jill was busy running around.
 
“Oh and daddy don’t worry about the dresses they can get dirty.” Jo smiled at her father.
 

“I know Princess.” Colin smiled and kissed Jo on the cheek. “Liam take good care of my little girl.” Jo giggled like her daughters. She liked that her father still was telling Liam to take care of her. Colin knew that Liam was taking care of Jo but he still liked to say it to him, to be a part in Jo’s life.

After the young parents dropped off their girls at Colin’s, Liam turned to Jo.
“Anything specific you want to do today?”

“Not really.”

“Good, because I have an idea.”

“Does it involve tiny amounts of fabric, maybe none at all?”, Jo asked with a grin.

“Well, kind of. I thought we could go swimming.”

Jo’s smile faded. “Swimming?”

“Yeah, in our pool. I mean, it’s quite warm outside and we should take advantage of that before England decided to change its mood and get all grey and gloomy again. So, what do you think?”

“I…um…okay.”

“You sure? You look like I want you to jump into an active volcano.”

“No, no, we can go swimming”, Jo said, trying to hide that she was nervous.

A bit later, back in Waterfall Downs and dressed in their swimming clothes, Liam and Jo went down to the pool. Liam was in the water in no time and swimming his first round while Jo very hesitatingly put her toe into the water.

“It’s really not that cold”, Liam said. “And once you’re in, you’ll see that it’s actually quite warm.”

Jo sighed and sat down, both legs in the water, but she still didn’t jump into the pool. Suddenly she couldn’t see Liam anymore and started to get nervous. Liam, however, dived and swam towards her, and before she had the chance to pull her legs out of the water, he grabbed her and pulled her into the pool. Jo let out a high squeak, but she didn’t laugh, she looked quite terrified.

“What is it?”, Liam asked. Jo was pressing her body against his, clasping him as if she was scared she could drown. “You’re acting like we’re in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I have seen you swim before, so you can swim, can’t you?”

Jo was still too nervous to answer, so he carefully swam to the pool edge in order for her to hold on to it.

“Why are you so scared?”

Jo took a deep breath. “I’m not…I’m not good at swimming, you know that, Liam.”

“The pool isn’t really deep.”

“Still.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pulled you in like that.” He gently removed a few strands of her wet hair from her forehead. “Nothing will happen to you when I’m with you, okay? I can teach you how to properly swim, if you want to.”

She hesitated for a moment, then she nodded slowly. “But…but don’t let go off me, okay?”

Liam smiled. “Never.”

“I know it sounds silly, especially since this is not the ocean but a small pool, but I’m always scared I could drown.”

“It’s not silly, Jo. At least now we know where our older daughter got that water-phobia from.”

Jo chuckled quietly.

“But seriously…” He paused for a moment and looked into Jo’s eyes. “I would never let you drown. I already lost my mum like that, so I sure as hell won’t lose you to that bloody water. Trust me, okay?”

Jo could see how serious he was, and despite her nervousness, she trusted him completely. She knew Liam wouldn’t let go off her.