Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and not intended for minors or those judged unable by law to read this material. Any resemblance to actual people is purely coincidental.
The author reserves all rights to this work.
LONDON ROMANCE
PART EIGHT
MARTIN: NEW LIVES
I must admit that I was surprised when Will showed up the Saturday after New Year with Philip, the waiter we'd met in London. He'd said over the telephone that he was bringing a surprise. They'd come in a taxi an hour before lunch.
"Hello Will! You're here at last," I said seeing him after I'd opened the door.
"Hi there Martin." Will came into the house and I saw someone familiar standing at the door. Will introduced him, "I think you know Philip?"
"Yes," I said. "It's very nice to meet you," I greeted as I extended my right hand.
"It's my pleasure to meet you again," he said as he shook my hand in a firm grip.
"I'm Martin McBain. Call me Martin."
"Philip."
Michael met us in the living room with Nelly.
"What a surprise!" Michael said giving Will a hug. "I'd a feeling that your surprise was a 'someone' and not a 'something'."
"Hi Michael!" answered Will after Michael released him from his hug. He turned to Nelly and greeted her, "Hello Nelly. It's very nice to see you again."
"Hello Will. I've just brought some hot cocoa for all of you. Michael told me to make an extra. I now know why. Lunch'll be ready in an hour."
Will brought Philip in front to introduce him to Michael and Nelly, "Michael, Nelly, I'd like you to meet Philip Leung. This," he pointed to Michael, "is Michael Watson, Martin's significant other, and this," he pointed to Nelly, "is Nelly Lessington. She's the chief of household here and the marvellous cook that'll provide for our nourishment."
Nelly blushed, "Will, you cheeky boy! Don't pay heed to him, Mr. Leung. I'm very pleased to meet you," she said offering her hand.
"I'm pleased to meet you too, Ms. Lessington."
"Call me Nelly, everybody does. Ms. Lessington sounds so ... so ... snobbish. Just Nelly would be fine."
"Nelly it is, then."
"I'll let you gentlemen talk. I've got a meal to finish preparing," Nelly said. She turned and went back into the kitchen.
"Philip, aren't you the waiter we saw at the Victory?" Michael asked. Michael had a questioning look on his face but dropped it almost immediately. We knew that Philip had rejected Will's friendship a few months back and Michael had insisted on getting him over to our house to help him out of the hurtful period. We hadn't seen Will since then until the New Year Party that we hosted. Will seemed happy then. There were too many guests to have a personal conversation with him.
"Guilty as charged," laughed Philip. Michael had a way with people. He could make anyone comfortable. I only hope that Philip did not catch that questioning look.
We sat down and had a good talk. It was then that I learnt that the two of them were a couple. They'd decided to be a couple a week before, just before the New Year. We had a lively time, telling our 'coming out' stories and our 'getting together' stories. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the 'young' man sitting before me was already forty. He'd look older than Will but I'd not put him past thirty five. Perhaps it was his shorter stature and the fact that he was an Oriental.
Listening to them and telling my story with Mike kept me reflecting on my own life. I could understand how Philip was feeling. He was feeling inadequate and I detected a bit of uncertainty in him. After all Will was an attractive young man and he could have gotten any other young attractive man. I should know. I felt the same way when Michael came after me. The age gap between Philip and Will was definitely smaller than that between Michael and me. So, I suppose that he would adjust faster than I did.
That afternoon, after lunch, Michael brought Philip into the wine cellar to ask him about the wines we had stored up. Michael had been interested in wines and we even made a trip to France to learn about it more. He wanted to ask Philip about the wines from other places. I sat with Will next to the fireplace sipping sherry.
"Will, I know I shouldn't pry but I'm curious. Are both of you ... you know ... sleeping together?" Will looked at me with a strange look as if to say it was none of my business. "I'm sorry," I said. "I shouldn't have asked."
Will sighed and said, "I guess you're concerned over the HIV thing. I share this with you because you're a good friend Martin and because I don't want you to have the wrong idea about my relationship with Philip."
"You don't have to say anything, I was just too much of a busybody," I replied, feeling that I was too interfering.
"No, Martin, I know you asked because you care. Actually, Philip and I've been sleeping together, just sleeping. No sex, at least not yet. We're taking it slow. I've no desire to pass on HIV to him. I've not worked out all the details yet, but I'm working on it. I've decided that I'll not initiate anything, I'll let him indicate to me when and what we can do."
"You're pretty serious about him, aren't you?"
"Yes I am. Remember when you came to see me in London to announce Francine's pregnancy?" I nodded my head. "Well, when I'd dinner with Michael and you that weekend, Michael started talking to me about living my life?" I nodded again. "Actually, I'd already started to reflect a bit regarding my life. A few days before, I'd met Philip in a pub and I took a turn when I happened to look into his eyes. I saw loneliness and sadness in his eyes. At first I thought that it was my imagination and that I was really looking at my loneliness in life. I was about to slip into depression again because I felt so helpless in the situation I was in. Both you and Michael helped me out of that depression and I got into the social scene again. I admit that you'd helped me to get back into the grind, but Philip was the one who started the whole thing going."
"At first," I said, "Michael and I were surprised why you'd bring the person who rejected you two months ago here but we understood after you told us your stories. I'm happy for you, Will. I sincerely hope that the two of you'll make it as a couple."
"I hope so too. Philip and I've talked about many things, especially regarding our fears in this relationship. We're going to be as open as possible to each other. My brush with mortality has helped me understand that every moment we've together is precious. Once a moment's lost, it can't be retrieved."
We heard Michael and Philip coming up from the cellar and that ended our little conversation.
Gabe and Francine had welcomed Philip into the family. They were very happy that Will has found someone for himself. Gabe's parents weren't told but I'm sure they knew.
Gabe became a father in Spring and there was a celebration of his baby's christening. Philip and Will were at the christening party. Michael and I were also invited as well as half of the neighbourhood. It was there that I found out how Will and Philip had progressed. The party had been held in the Duncan's household and people flowed into the garden at the back of the house. Will, Philip, Michael and I were in the front garden halfway through. The rest of the people were at the back because the baby and the new parents were there.
"Still enjoying the honeymoon?" Michael asked the couple.
"We're discovering more and more ..." Philip said as he looked at Will. I could see that they were truly in love.
"Like?" Michael asked. He was enjoying the moment teasing the couple.
"Well, Mike," Will answered. "I'm sure not as much as you know because Martin and you'd been together for a longer time, right? Perhaps we should ask you for tips. Like, which lube ..." Will received a nudge from Philip.
"Mike," I laughed. "You'd better stop unless you want to go into ALL the things we do as a couple."
Michael gave me a friendly glare followed by a grin, "I guess not. We should let the new couple discover for themselves. However ..." I could see that he was going on another line of teasing. I glanced over at Philip and he had a fearful look on his face.
"We've found a place and we're moving in." Will quickly said, preventing Michael from continuing.
"You have?" I asked. "Where's it located? The cost must be quite high?"
"Actually, my housekeeper found the place for us," Will explained. "She's a genius. She knew that I was gay all this time and she didn't even tell me. She knew I was gay and when she noticed that the grocery list was getting bigger, she guessed that I'd found a lover and that he was spending time at the house. So she asked me one day if I was looking for a bigger house."
"How did she come to that conclusion? After all Philip has his own flat and isn't living with you." Michael's curiosity was clearly roused.
"When she popped the question about the house, I was surprised. I asked what gave her that idea. She revealed that she knew I'd a special someone. Since I hadn't told her I was gay, I assumed she thought it was a woman. So I played along. I asked her if she was feeling threatened because she might be replaced. She laughed and said that she didn't need to worry because she knew she was a he. I must've turned pale in an instant because she suddenly looked concerned and asked if I was okay. I asked her how she knew it was a man."
"How did she know that?" Michael asked
"Patience, Mike. She told me that she knew that I'm HIV positive for quite some time. One day she came in to check on my groceries on a day that she wasn't supposed to come in. I'd left my medicine on the kitchen counter and she found the name of the medicine rather familiar. Because she'd left everything as it was, I didn't know she came in. She looked up the name in a pill book that she had and she discovered that I was HIV positive."
"And she still continued to work for you?"
"I told you she looked upon me as a son. She said it explained why sometimes I'd wash my bedsheets myself and didn't give it to her. Whenever, I'd a wet dream, I'd wash the bedclothes immediately by myself. I didn't want her to come into contact with my semen. She guessed that I cared enough to wash the stuff myself. She was very grateful and impressed. That actually made her dote on me more!"
"How did she realise it was a man?"
"Think Michael. If it was a woman, there'll be signs like a woman's perfume and a change in the way my things were kept. I was just as untidy as before and there wasn't any scent of a woman. That's how she came to the conclusion."
"Very weak evidence, I must say," Michael remarked.
"Weak evidence or not, she guessed it. What's more, she was very supportive. She said that so long I wasn't fooling around, she'd still take care of me."
"Just like a mother," I remarked. "So she found an apartment for you? In London? It must cost a bomb!"
"It's not really expensive. It's actually a studio apartment meant for one person. However, it's slightly larger than the usual flats. She knew an agent that got quite a good price for it."
"You mean that you bought it?! How did you make payment?" I asked surprised. I knew that both Philip and Will just managed to make ends meet.
"My brother found me," Philip said quietly. Will grinned whilst Michael's eyes and mine turned to him. "He tracked down Emily, my teacher, and called her. Of course she didn't say where I was, except that I was in England last year. He explained that he was desperately trying to get me because my mother had become ill because of my disappearance. Emily said that she'd pass on the message if I should call. I emailed my brother when I heard from Emily. I didn't dare to use the telephone. He mailed back the next day and explained that my mother had been very depressed and had become ill. She just wanted me to return to Hong Kong and she wouldn't force me into marriage any more."
"He wouldn't call," Will jumped in. "I had to threaten him before he called," he said with a grin.
"Actually," Philip said, correcting Will, "he told me that I'd never forgive myself if my mother died before I called. And so I called. I explained that I'd found someone here and wanted to stay here. She was very relieved. I promised to go back in May for two weeks. She wanted to see my girlfriend but I said that 'she' was too tied up with work."
"Careful," I warned. "If she decided to come over here from Hong Kong, what'll you do? I recall a movie, 'The Wedding Banquet', where a gay man tried to hide the fact that he was gay from his parents and they insisted on being present for the wedding and to have a traditional Chinese wedding banquet. Looks like you're setting yourselves up for such a situation."
Philip looked worried. Will also looked concerned. Michael, as usual, gave them a word of encouragement, "Look guys, it hasn't come to it yet. Maybe she'll never want to come. Anyway, you'd probably have to tell her the truth when you return to Hong Kong."
"That's the problem," Will said, "She sent a sum of money as a wedding gift and we used that to pay for the downpayment for the flat!"
"If she finds out that I'm gay and that I've hooked up with a guy, she might flip and disown me and demand the money back!" said Philip anxiously.
I saw the situation that the two were in, I decided to help. "Look, how much are we talking about here?"
"She sold the flat that she and I were living in and gave me half the amount. I received twenty-thousand pounds."
"Alright, I'm willing to give you a loan," I started. "But perhaps before it comes to that, you'd need to see if you'll need to pay back in the first place. Why don't you find a way to tell your family before you go back?"
"Yes, find an opportunity to tell them part of the truth," Michael tried to help. "Just tell her that you don't have a girlfriend and that if you could keep the money, you could get a decent place to live here. Tell her that you like it here in the UK and that you've got a good job."
"Yeah, you don't have to say anything about hooking up with me. At least we could see if she'd want the money back," Will said, looking quite relieved.
"If she wants the money back, give me a call. I'll loan you the money."
Later, at home, Michael asked me if I was really going to loan them the money.
"Actually, I was thinking of giving them the money."
"You were? You were willing to part with twenty thousand quid like that?"
"Michael, unlike other couples, we've no children and we're living very comfortably with our wages and we've lots of savings. Here, I look at a couple who are starting out their life together. They're truly in love, but their lives aren't going to be as easy as ours was. Will lives with a shadow of death hanging over his head. If they could be helped in their financial situation, I think they'd have less stress and take care of each other more. Of course, I'll never tell them that I was giving them the money. I just won't press for payment."
"Martin, I'm glad you're mine. I find that you've changed more and more for the better. Each day I find myself loving you more and more."
Philip and Will never called me for the money. We did go on a holiday to Wales together. We decided to sit and watch the sunset together when we were on one of the cliffs overlooking the sea. Michael and I turned to see them in each other's arms.
Michael asked, "Do you think they'll live happily ever after?"
"I think they will."
THE END FOR NOW
We've come to the last part of this story of Will and Philip. I'd like to thank David, the Nifty archivist who has generously allowed me to post the story here. I'd also like to thank the various people who have mailed me. Many think that English's my second language. It's to do with my schooling and training. I was taught not to use contractions and slang words when I write. It's been a habit of mine and many friends notice that when I write to them: I don't write in the same way that I speak. I've tried to change that by editing my work. However, when time is short, that ideal falls short.
I'm leaving Will, Philip, Martin and Michael to fend for themselves for a while as I work on another series of stories. It is called the Pellegrine and is in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of Nifty. If you've any comments regarding any of the stories I've written, please write to me by email. If you want to hear more about the characters of <15 Hartford / London Romance> please feel free to write too.
Soul Lark solark36@yahoo.co.uk