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Just a gentle heads up, there are only 3 chapters after this one, 29 will end this book, enjoy.
Life's Illusions - Book Five - Chapter 26
The family had thought it would turn out to be a fairytale love story, but it didn't happen, as Franky would eventually tell Rosie.
"I think we both knew from day one, we're kindred spirits, but he doesn't ring my bell, and I most definitely don't ring his, he's a great guy but only as a friend".
Rosie hadn't been entirely convinced until she'd subtly, well in a Rosie style of subtlety, asked Ruben why, and he'd openly laughed as he answered.
"He's one of the most genuine guys I've ever met, but he's not for me Rosie, he's way to good, don't get me wrong, if I hadn't got to know him I'd have bedded him like a shot, that's if the chance had ever arisen, but I know it wouldn't have, and definitely not now he's a mate, we'll be mates for ever, I know exactly what he needs and it's out there somewhere believe me, it'll be someone exactly like him, a bloke who likes blokes".
Rosie looked confused, so he'd explained further.
"Franky sees camp and doesn't bat an eye, he laughs along, but it's just not him, he doesn't indulge in camp and it doesn't do anything for him, one of these days he'll meet a guy like your Daddy, a real man like himself, it's what he's looking for, and this future man, he'll have a set of iron principles, and believe me sister, when that day dawns you'll know it because I'll be buying me a hat with the biggest fucking feathers you've ever seen".
By then Rosie had been laughing so hard she was almost choking.
But Rosie couldn't know, at that very moment, her Momma was talking to Roslyn.
"I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, I just can't get there, it keeps eluding me, I don't know what I'm missing".
Her cousin had offered to send out someone they had complete faith in and Fleur had begged.
"Send him Roslyn, I'm desperate for a breakthrough".
In typical Aussie Male fashion, Dale had wanted to know who this person was that was coming into their family's midst, so he'd called Roslyn, and her description of the person arriving had actually concerned him.
"He's Mr Universe, built like a Greek God, but so fucking principled I want to punch him sometimes, he's so far ahead of Fleur in her technology on grafting, he's gay, but don't worry, I doubt there's anyone in Australia who stands any chance, no one in Europe has ever proved to be good enough, I'd hazard a guess he's still a virgin, if there's someone out there for him, I reckon they must be hiding in fucking Alaska because he's been looking for so long, and he's heading for thirty.
Roderick Wharf arrived three days later as the family were about to sit down for lunch.
Fleur welcomed him in, inviting him to join them for lunch.
Roslyn's description had been accurate, he was a beautiful man with muscles that bulged noticeably under his shirt and Chinos.
Dale welcomed him then sat back to watch as all three of their children greeted him, and he later admitted to Fleur he'd been surprised, expecting Franky to be more interested, but just the opposite happened, Franky showed nothing more than good mannered courtesy, but Roderick was clearly smitten with Franky.
Franky introduced his brother and sister before introducing himself.
"Hi Roderick and welcome, this is my elder brother Jimmy, he's the maestro of the winery, and my younger sister Rosie is COO of Montclair-Thorn-Mulroney, I'm Franky, I manage the Vinyards, I know you've specifically come to work with Momma on some of her grafting issues but I'd love for you to take a look over the Vinyards if you have time, I welcome outside opinions and observations".
Roderick responded.
"Thanks, to all of you, and I prefer Rod or Roddy, as for looking at the Vinyards, that's an invitation I'd never turn down, I'll give you a shout to see when it's convenient for you".
That was the point which caught Dale's attention, both Franky's reply and Roddy's reaction.
"That's okay, you don't need me to accompany you, take a stroll through whenever you want, but I was serious about hearing your observations".
Roddy looked decidedly disappointed, something Dale thought only he'd picked up on.
But Rosie had noticed too and couldn't wait to question Franky later.
"Why were you so cool with Roddy at lunch?, he's an absolute catch".
Franky looked puzzled before replying.
"Sis, I don't even know him, I'll admit he's good looking but that's all".
Rosie was flabbergasted.
"Good looking, that's the best you can come up with, seriously?, bloody hell Franky he's an absolute Adonis, if he weren't on the wrong bus he could throw me around any time he felt like it".
Franky's reply saw her walking away exasperated.
"That's a dollar for the swear box".
Roddy fitted in well, spending most of the daytime with Fleur in her poly tunnels, or as the family called them, the wizards workshops.
He joined them for mealtimes and marvelled at Dale's culinary expertise, sparking a round of genuine laughter when he asked Fleur if she didn't mind Dale monopolising the kitchen.
Rosie's response summed it up for him.
"Momma possesses the ability to burn water, believe me, in the kitchen she's a serious health hazard".
Fleur was laughing along with them and nodding at Roddy's questioning look.
"All true I'm afraid, but then, why have a dog and bark yourself?".
Dale had piped up from the kitchen causing further laughter.
"Hey, who are you calling a dog?".
On his third day Roddy asked Franky in front of the family if he fancied joining him for a stroll into town after dinner.
Unfortunately, Franky's reply only served to frustrate him.
"That sounds good, who else is up for joining us".
Jimmy's response saw them all staring at him.
"Count me in............ arghhhhhhh .... sorry out, I have things to do".
As he finished speaking he was glaring at his sister, who'd administered a swift kick to his shin mid sentence, and was now glaring back at him.
Rosie's reply was predictable.
"Sorry I have a ton of work to catch up on, enjoy yourselves".
Dale and Fleur both cited fatigue as an excuse to decline.
Franky was totally oblivious to the family's plot for getting him some alone time with Roddy and happily set off for the stroll after dinner.
Roddy kept up a steady stream of chatter which he found easy with Franky, so easy that they'd almost finished their second beer when Franky looked at his watch and commented.
"We should be heading back after this drink, it's nearly ten o'clock".
Roddy replied without thinking.
"That just shows how good your company is, I hadn't even thought about the time, I really hope we can do this again".
Franky replied in a positive way, and he had to admit he was warming toward Roddy, seeing him as a no nonsense sort of guy, intelligent but not overbearing or pushy, in fact he had a quirky sense of humour which really appealed to Franky.
"I'd like that, you're not so bad yourself, on the company front I mean".
Roddy replied smiling.
"In that case how about you having dinner with me on Friday night?".
Franky's silence caused him to bluster and turn red.
"Sorry, that was too forward, forget I asked, please".
But Franky's strait faced reply totally threw him.
"So let me get this right, you just asked me out on a date then dumped me without either of us actually going anywhere?".
Roddy was visibly crestfallen.
"Sorry, I like you Franky, the trouble is I'm completely crap at flirting, I've never asked anyone out before, but I would like to have a night out with you".
Franky was smiling which Roddy took as a sign to hope.
"I'd like that as well, but can we change it around slightly, there's not a restaurant in town that serves anything remotely near to the standard which comes out from my Daddy's kitchen, so let's eat with the family then we'll make a night of it, and move it to Saturday night because we can have a lie in on Sunday morning".
They'd finished their drinks and started the walk home when Roddy asked.
"Does that mean I get to share your lie in?".
Franky was completely straight faced, if a little curt in his reply.
"No".
Roddy sighed.
"Sorry, it was my attempt at a risque joke, I didn't mean to upset you".
They'd reached the entrance gates to Montclair-Thorn-Mulroney when Franky stopped walking, leaning against the entrance pillar to explain.
"I know for certain I'm gay, have done since I was around fourteen, but that doesn't mean I have loose morales, yeh okay, I get the fact that a lot of my friends think it strange my still being a virgin, I really don't care, the thought of having meaningless sex doesn't appeal, I have a perfectly adequate right hand and imagination which are capable of satisfying my needs until the right person comes along".
Roddy leant against the post next to him and his reply surprised Franky.
"I'd have to be a hypocrite to find it strange, I've never been with anyone either, in fact you summed it up exactly as I would if I didn't find it so difficult to talk about, that's one of the things I find so refreshing about you, your ability to answer something so personal in a perfectly matter of fact and honest way without any hint of embarrassment".
Franky smiled.
"A result of being encouraged by my parents to talk about anything and everything as I was growing up, there was nothing, no subject under the sun ever barred from discussion".
He paused to think.
"I can't say I wasn't hesitant about admitting to my family I knew I was gay but, it turned out to be a non event, well no, that's not strictly correct, it turned into a lively debate about all of the so called sexual labels".
Roddy's reply saddened him.
"I didn't have the nerve to tell my parents, they'd always been pretty vocal in their stance as anti gay, but they aren't stupid, by the time I was twenty two I'd never had a girlfriend, my Father asked me outright one day, and it was clear he wasn't going to be alright with me being gay, if I'm honest it wasn't the fact that he wouldn't be okay with my being gay, it's was what he said when he asked, the label he gave me, that really hurt, it still does".
Franky asked quite seriously.
"But you still have a relationship?".
Roddy nodded.
"Of sorts, I have my own place now, I moved out of the home I grew up in after that exchange, that was six years ago, I visit them a couple of times each month, but the atmosphere is always strained, my father will chat for a few minutes about my work then he disappears to his workshop behind the garage, Mum makes tea and brings out cake, but we probably don't say more than ten words before I leave, they've never been to my house in Beauchene and I don't expect they ever will, I'm a disappointment, a queer as my father called me".
What Franky said next surprised him.
"I feel sorry for them".
Roddy's reply reflected his surprise.
"For them, not for me?".
Franky giggled.
"Sorry, I wasn't being rude, I feel sorry for them because their bigotry means they can't see what they're missing, I have sympathy for what you're experiencing but, above all I have admiration for the fact that you didn't cave, despite what you knew you'd lose, you stuck to your guns, that gains you serious brownie points in my book".
Roddy leaned in and, before Franky could understand what he was doing, planted his lips firmly over Franky's.
Franky was shocked, but noticeably, he didn't put up any resistance, in fact his arms closed automatically around Roddy's shoulders, and much to Roddy's relief he let out an almost squeaking moan of satisfaction as their tongues began a duel.
But Franky's response whilst being kissed didn't prepare Roddy for his mood when the kiss ended, at which point he was seriously confused, flustered.
"Don't do that again, I told you I never engage in casual encounters".
Roddy sighed before apologising curtly.
"I apologise, I got the impression you were enjoying it, obviously I was mistaken, and I don't, or rather I didn't envision anything casual, now if you'll excuse me, I promise not to ever bother you again".
He'd turned away striding purposely up the driveway toward the house leaving Franky standing shocked, trying to understand why on earth he'd reacted in that way.
Both Franky and Roddy were noticeably fractious the following day, causing everyone to wonder what exactly had happened on their stroll into town, but it reached a head that evening as the family were sitting out in the garden as usual.
It was only around ten o'clock but when Rosie enquired if they'd enjoyed their evening in town, Roddy stood and excused himself, saying goodnight before heading for his room.
Rosie stared at Franky who stared back, warning her not to push the subject, but in truth they all knew she would.
"Okay, so something happened last evening that you're obviously not happy about, do you want to talk about it?".
Franky visibly calmed but his answer was emphatic.
"No".
Nothing more was said on the subject and the family retired around eleven o'clock.
Rosie had been debating with herself for nearly ten minutes in her room before finally going across the hall to Franky's door, only to find Jimmy already standing there, coming up behind him she'd said.
"Great minds think alike, but you have to actually knock so he knows you're there".
He'd jumped when she spoke before replying.
"There's definitely something wrong and I don't like seeing him upset".
Rosie nodded.
"I know, I won't be able to sleep either until I know he's alright, so come on let's find out what's going on".
Jimmy knocked and received a shouted reply to come in.
As they entered Franky was sitting on his bed still dressed.
"I knew you'd do this, there's no privacy in this bloody family".
Rosie crawled up on the bed beside him, saying.
"That's one dollar for Franky, I'll keep score".
Jimmy, now cuddled in on Franky's other side, and asked.
"At the risk of costing you more dollars, what is it?, and don't say nothing, because you know as well as I do, none of us is going anywhere until we get to the bottom of this, we're not comfortable with having a brother we feel is hurting, so spill Bro".
Rosie put her arm around him.
"Come on Bro, whatever it is the three greatest mind in Oz can surely figure it out".
She'd been joking until, at exactly the same time, she and Jimmy saw the tear track down his cheek, they had him pulled into a joint hug immediately with Jimmy saying.
"Hey Bro nothing's that bad, come on, get a grip and tell us what's wrong, we'll figure it out between us".
He spoke so quietly they had to strain to hear him.
"He kissed me".
Rosie punched the air almost yelling.
"Yes, there is a fucking god".
Jimmy on the other hand was rightly confused.
"So what's the problem, was it bad, didn't you like it?".
Franky was still really quiet in answering.
"No it's not that".
Jimmy now asked angrily.
"He didn't do anything else did he, like try to force himself on you?, if he did I swear I'll pulp the twat".
Rosie almost giggled at Jimmy's temper.
"And one dollar for Jimmy".
Franky finally opened up.
"He didn't do anything wrong, but I was shocked, I wasn't expecting it, I was completely flustered so I blasted him, now he won't speak to me, apart from saying good morning and good night to the room as a whole he hasn't spoken to me today".
Jimmy, now relieved somewhat, replied.
"You plonker, you're attracted to each other, it was always going to happen, you do like him I take it?".
Franky nodded.
"Yes, he's exactly what I've always envisioned".
Jimmy asked again.
"And the kiss, how would you rate it, from one to ten?".
Franky was blushing as he answered.
"Fifteen".
Rosie squealed, hugging him.
"You fucking idiot, you're in love".
Franky giggled saying.
"And that's now two dollars for Rosie, you forgot to add yourself in last time".
Jimmy summed up the situation.
"You knocked him back, he's a bit narked, but that's a true test, if what he wants isn't worth fighting for, he's a prick, and he definitely doesn't deserve you, now sleep, tomorrow's another day, and I promise you it will be a better day".
Rosie was almost laughing as she said.
"And Jimmy is also on two dollars now".
Leaving Franky's room they both turned right, away from their rooms, as Rosie commented.
"You appear to be going in the wrong direction".
Jimmy smiled.
"As do you sister dearest, unless of course we both have the same thing in mind".
He finished talking as they arrived outside Roddy's room and Rosie replied.
"Touche, go for it Bro".
Knocking got no immediate reply and Rosie was about to hammer the door when it opened, with a startled Roddy staring back at them.
Jimmy tried to put his mind at rest.
"Please don't be alarmed, but we'd like to have a few words if it's convenient, it will only take a few minutes".
But Roddy's response sent Rosie into a frenzy.
"I don't want to appear rude but it's not really convenient, I'm packing, perhaps we could have a chat after breakfast, before I leave".
Rosie flipped, quite literally, barging her way into the room.
"Oh no, this is a conversation that's happening now, unless you're planning to leave here on a gurney, with a mortician in attendance".
Roddy was now panicking until Jimmy stepped inside his room, closing the door behind him.
"Rosie, reign it in, we came here for a conversation, nothing's changed now get a grip".
But Rosie was still in panic mode, all she could see was her brother being hurt, and the sight of half packed bags did nothing to control her temper.
"Reign it in, are you serious?, Franky's going to be devastated if this idiot runs off like a frightened rabbit, I'm reigning nothing in, I'm all for tying him down and water boarding him until he agrees to the love and devotion part".
Far from his earlier terrified state when he'd opened the door Roddy now openly laughed, he couldn't help it.
Rosie on the other hand saw it as further stoking her fire and turned on him.
"You think this is funny?, you slobber my brother, send him into meltdown then head for the hills, well think again buster because if you leave and my brother is devastated, knowing his so called true love has dumped him I'll rip your fucking nuts off and stuff them physically down your throat".
Roddy turned to Jimmy.
"I was going to leave because I thought I'd done wrong, I thought I'd offended him, Franky's the person I've been searching for since I don't know how long, I could stand here all night telling you all the things I love about him, but in the end it doesn't matter if he doesn't like me, so for fucks sake, explain why you're here and why she's ready to water board me".
Rosie was now staring, silent, shocked, as Jimmy answered.
"You can believe me or not, I'll give you only one clue, thereafter you're on your own, you kissed him, I asked him to rate that kiss on a scale of one to ten, Rosie what was his answer?".
She almost mumbled.
"Fifteen, he said fifteen, he's so smitten, he knows he reacted wrong and he's beside himself, cut him some slack, please".
Roddy actually put his arms out to pull Rosie in.
"I wish I had a sister or brother, or anyone really, who'd have my wellbeing at the forefront like you have his, so a question, does he even like me?".
Jimmy answered.
"Franky is in love with you, he doesn't fully understand that yet, give him time, right now he's confused, he's been waiting so long for you, it proved a bit of a shock when you show up and lip lock him, try normal conversation, and tomorrow might be a good time to catch him in the Vinyards to give him your observations".
Roddy was genuinely sincere.
"Thanks guys, I think I was on the brink of making a monumental fuck up, Franky's a really lucky guy to have you both in his corner".
Rosie hugged him before they left saying.
"We'll always be in his corner, so think on before you ever hurt him, or everything I promised could come true, and by my reckoning we all owe at least five dollars to the swear box, night, night".
Roddy was last into breakfast next morning, causing a noticeable relaxation of at least three people's stress levels, though in truth six people were on edge, none more so than Franky, who thankfully was unaware of the previous nights goings on".
Roddy took his seat wishing everyone good morning and turning deliberately to Franky.
"I know how busy you are Franky, but do you think you could possibly make time for a chat at some point today, I can fit in whenever you suggest, please?".
The last word melted Franky's heart, and everyone around the table had to turn away to hide the glistening eyes, as Franky answered.
"You tell me a time that's good for you and I'll be available".
Roddy had it down perfectly he'd planned it, sitting up most of the night.
"I can make twelve thirtyish but that's lunchtime, I'm sorry but I really do think it would be beneficial, we could reschedule to later if you have a problem with that time".
Franky almost shouted.
"That's good I'll see you then don't worry about lunch, I'd rather we talk".
The meaning of Franky's words weren't lost on Roddy.
At twelve fifteen Roddy said to Fleur.
"I need to go now I have a meeting with Franky that is really important".
Fleur kissed him on the cheek and said.
"I agree, and thank you for everything, now go, don't be late".
When Roddy met Franky he was carrying a rather large picnic basket.
"Your Daddy waylaid me, insisted we had lunch while we talked about the Vines, though I'm not sure he'd have been so accommodating if he knew my intentions were to tell his son I think I'm falling in love with him, and I am, so whatever happened the other night, either tell me to stay or go, it's in your hands now Franky, I don't want to cause you upset or hurt, I'll do whatever you want, but I do want to stay, I hope you feel what I feel, but I only have what your brother and sister told me to go on, for goodness sakes give me something Franky".
Roddy sighed as he stopped speaking and Franky surprised him.
"You're a good man Roddy, the sort of man I've dreamt about, and I'm sorry I was stupid, totally flummoxed, you kissed me and I freaked out, I was all over the place".
Roddy smiled.
"Not a bad kiss then, a fifteen I believe".
Franky smiled.
"I'll bloody well kill them, that was supposed to be private".
But Roddy wasn't being put off.
"So, fifteen out of ten, were they lying?".
Franky was almost laughing.
"I answered honestly, and I admit, I said fifteen".
Roddy didn't laugh he asked.
"Shouldn't we try it again, maybe you could reevaluate, check if it was possibly an anomaly, you might need to amend your mark, purely in the interest of science naturally".
Franky laughed openly, a genuine belly laugh.
"As tempting as that sounds I'm more inclined to investigate my Daddy's hamper, though I'd like to retain the right to reevaluate at some point".
Roddy laughed with him.
"I must admit having your Daddy's food does make the prospect of waiting more bearable"
Dale had packed all manner of treats into the hamper which they spent over an hour devouring.
Franky apologised for the fact there were only soft drinks, but Roddy surprised him.
"That's perfect, I'm not really a drinker, those two glasses of beer the other night were probably the most I've drunk at one time in around six years, I've only ever been drunk once, it was the day I moved out of my parents house".
Franky asked.
"It was that bad was it?".
Roddy didn't respond for a few moments.
"The worst day of my life, my father stayed in his workshop whilst I was packing my stuff into the car, my mum knew I was ready to leave and chose that exact moment to call one of her friends for a chat, I left home and neither of them said goodbye, I drank just about anything and everything that night, sat alone in the garden of my new house, I cried a lot too".
Franky could see how the memory had saddened him and put an arm around him.
"How about we change the subject and try out your reevaluation exercise?, purely for scientific purposes of course".
Roddy brightened instantly.
"I'm all for science ...........".
He didn't get any further as Franky's lips cut him off, and this time both were moaning.
When they finally broke apart Roddy was staring wide eyed, but he still remembered to ask.
"So what's the verdict".
Franky was visibly flushed, he sounded breathless as he answered.
"Sixteen, possibly a little more, I'd need to run it again when I have my breath back".
Roddy laughed.
"I thought it was only a fifteen, what happened?".
Franky was now laughing as well.
"It was a fifteen when I didn't have anything to measure it against, now I do and that one was definitely well above fifteen".
They'd relaxed in the shade of the vines for most of the afternoon, talking about lots of different subjects, including Roddy's thoughts on the Vineyards.
Franky had been nervous about asking one question, but he asked anyway.
"Would you expect us to have sex at some point now?".
Roddy tightened the arm he had around him slightly.
"I don't expect anything Franky, I've told you I think I'm in love with you, but it's less than a week since we first met, I think I know how you feel and if I'm right we're in tune, for me it's far too soon, that's something for the future and I firmly believe that we'll both know when that time comes".
Franky was nodding happily.
As they were talking Ruben came wandering toward them, addressing Franky he asked.
"Sorry to butt in Franky but I've completed most of the restringing on the good stock, I thought I'd make a start on the other four, just wanted to know if you have any preference for how it's done?".
Franky patted the grass beside him and Ruben sat.
"Ruben this is Roddy, Roddy, Ruben, I've got a detailed plan back at the house, there are a few areas that look as though they got through this last season with nothing short of a miracle, you'll understand when you see them, they need to be first, after that I don't need to tell you how to do your job, I've never yet had cause to complain, we were just about to head back, walk with us and I'll get you the plan".
They'd walked back to the house and Roddy questioned the reference to 'good stock' and 'other', he asked what that was about.
Franky explained about Jimmy's idea of producing a good wine not exactly up to the standard of their best and taking a large portion of what they called the mediocre market, not exactly cheap, but cheaper than their finest wines.
Roddy was marvelling at Jimmy's ingenuity when Ruben mentioned the cross pollination boost they'd encountered, and there he was genuinely interested.
"It shouldn't be possible, but that's probably come about because of your Momma's grafting of several different plant types, in fact, you have no idea what you've just given me, listen, you guys carry on to the house, I'm going to try to catch your momma before she finishes, I have an idea thanks to you".
At that he almost ran toward where Fleur's poly tunnels were situated, arriving almost out of breath and surprising her.
"I think I have it, that last graft is failing because you've actually changed the plants identity, we need to graft onto an existing plant which has never been grafted, then take a cutting from that plant and it should be accepted, does that make sense?".
He could see her thinking it through, then she nodded as a smile formed.
"How on earth did you figure that out?".
He laughed.
"I didn't, Ruben and Franky told me about the cross pollination, that can only happen within family, it meant you'd actually changed the plants coding, they all think they're family so cross pollination is accepted, your current problem is that you're trying to graft on a family member who the plant thinks already exists in its coding so you need to change what you want to graft on very slightly then it will be accepted".
At the house Franky gave Ruben the plans for the four new vineyards which were shaded red on the areas he wanted restrung urgently, then shouted to his Daddy who was already at work in the kitchen.
"Daddy, is it okay if Ruben stays for dinner?".
Dale had popped his head out of the kitchen.
"What a silly question, of course it's alright, Hi Ruben".
Dinner had been the usual lively affair, understanding politics and religion, apart from Grace at the start of the meal, were both banned subjects, but just about anything else was fair game.
Jimmy surprised everyone with a statement and a request to Rosie.
"I tried the White from the cheap brand today, and I have to say I'm shocked, it's ready in my opinion, can you spare some time tomorrow to sample it Sis?".
Rosie looked sceptical as she replied.
"It shouldn't be ready, it's only been in casks for ten months, for a Pinot it ought to have a lot longer to go, but I'll happily set an hour aside before lunch tomorrow, how many casks did you try?".
He surprised her.
"Eight, the consistency is freaky, but I'm concerned it's too good, I won't say any more, see what you think tomorrow, in fact why don't you all come, Daddy can we have a picnic?".
As he was leaving later that evening, Ruben whispered to Rosie.
"That hat with the fuck off big feathers is looking decidedly likely".
None of them could understand Rosie's raucous laughter where she was fighting for breath as she waved Ruben off.
TBC Allan
Comments are welcome to cfgw2000@aol.com.
Thank you for giving me your time, enjoy.