Andy’s Gift

Part 7: He Still Thinks This Story’s About Him

“Uncle Andy!” Jake too tried to follow, but his mother intercepted him.

“Let Uncle Chris handle it, Sweetheart,” she instructed in low tones.

“Is Uncle Andy sick?”

“He’ll be ok, Honey,” Eliza assured. “The best thing we can do for him right now is to leave him alone, ok?” Jake still looked shaken, but he nodded.

“Come on, Jakey,” Jim approached his wife and son and handed Jake a trash bag. “How about we do your uncles a favor and help tidy things up a bit in here?” Jake frowned, but Eliza looked at her husband appreciatively.

“Go on, Honey,” she urged their son. “Just think how grateful Uncle Andy will be not to have this mess to clean up, especially if he’s not feeling well. Don’t you want to help him out?”

“Ok,” Jake grumbled, and he reluctantly took the bag from his father. The other children were already performing similar tasks at Jim’s suggestion, and the rest of Chris’ family began to follow suit. The remaining guests, following the example set by Chris’ brothers and sisters, pitched in too, and slowly the awkward silence caused by Chris and Andy’s abrupt departure began to lift.

Once the living room was as tidy as it could be, the children were released to do as they pleased and it wasn’t long before their screeching, happy sounds filled the house once more. Eliza enlisted the help of her two sisters and of Jake who was still brooding after Andy and looking hopefully in the direction of his uncles’ disappearance, and led them all off to the kitchen. It was only immediate family and their closest friends who were staying for dinner, but that was still fifteen people at least (not including the children who would eat at a separate table just for them). There were preparations to be made, tables to be set, food to be cooked, and in general things to be done. Eliza was in her element now, and as she took charge it wasn’t long before the hustle and bustle that had set the previous tone of the day was restored. Even Jake forgot to worry about Andy. Well, for a little while anyway.

Andy fell on his knees and clutched the side of the toilet, not daring to take time even to close the door as wave after wave of nausea shook him, and he heaved the entire contents of his stomach into the bowl; the hot chocolate, the sugar cookies, the chocolate chip cookies, the peanut butter cookies . . . all of it came up. Time after time he retched until even the green bile from his stomach added itself to the already colorful mixture. Andy gagged as the bitter acidic aftertaste filled his mouth and finally even his liver had nothing more to give. He still felt sick, though, and weeping exhaustedly, he laid his head on his arms and looked dizzily down into the swirling mess he had made, reluctant to leave the toilet just yet.

Chris closed the door as he entered the bathroom, and dropped to his knees beside his partner, placing his hand on Andy’s back as he pitched every form of sustenance he had taken in for the day uselessly into the toilet. “Are you all right?” Chris whispered softly as the violence of the vomiting subsided and Andy put his head down. He received no answer and anxiously Chris tore a piece of toilet paper from the roll. “Here, Baby,” he coaxed, offering it to his partner.

Finally, Andy turned his head to look at him. He took the toilet paper Chris held out to him, and with a shaking hand brought it to his mouth. “Are you ok?” Chris asked again. Andy started to nod, but then just collapsed into sobs, and quickly Chris gathered him into his arms. “Caro, oh Caro, it’s ok, Baby, it’s ok.” Andy pressed his face into Chris’ chest and Chris held him as he sobbed, brushing the hair back from his partner’s hot forehead, and just letting him cry. For a long time they sat there until finally Andy’s tears began to slow. Andy never volunteered the cause of his sudden emotional distress and his misery was so great that it never occurred to him to wonder why Chris wasn’t probing deeper.

“Are you going to make it through dinner?” Chris asked finally in the same dulcet tones he had previously been using. Andy nodded against his chest and Chris squeezed his shoulder. They had been sitting quietly for about five minutes now, and Chris was beginning to worry about their extended absence. He knew Eliza would manage things, but his sisters were all natural worriers and they would be concerned if he and Andy did not show themselves again soon. “Want to go see what we can do to help Liz in the kitchen?”

“Ok,” Andy choked and tears filled his eyes. He really didn’t want to do anything of the kind, but he knew they couldn’t stay here all day. Understanding his feelings, Chris kissed his head and held him for another moment or two, and then, giving his partner’s shoulder another reassuring squeeze, he got to his feet and helped Andy up after him. Andy washed his face as best as possible at the sink, and had a fare amount of success erasing the tracks of his tears, but he could not wash away his red eyes or the sallow complexion that faced him in the mirror. The joy of the day was gone for him, and as resilient as his spirit usually was, nothing could bring it back this time. In fact, nothing would ever make him happy again, Andy was sure.

“You ready?” Chris asked softly, breaking into his partner’s gloom filled meditations. Andy looked at him and nodded. Chris opened the door and dourly his partner followed him into the hallway.

All Andy wanted was to be left alone and as unlikely a prospect as that was, they almost made it to the kitchen without incident. It was necessary to pass the living room on their way, however, and as quickly as they tried to manage it, they were seen. Douglas caught up with them just as they reached the door of the kitchen. “All better?” he smirked at Andy. Andy scowled at him, but remained silent, and Chris put his arm around him.

“Now’s not really a good time, Douglas,” he cautioned his friend.

“Christopher, Darling,” Douglas responded with an air of affected shock, “I was simply inquiring about our young friend’s health and well being.”

“Yeah, well he’s fine,” Chris tightened his arm around Andy. “Thank you for asking.”

“I’m sure all his young friends will be delighted to hear it,” Douglas replied derisively. “Jacob has been quite worried.”

“How about you just give him a break,” Chris replied snappishly. “It’s Christmas Day and he’s not feeling well.”

“Fine, fine, I apologize, Andrew,” Douglas made a decidedly weak attempt at smoothing the waters. He was angry at Chris and feeling neglected. It seemed like his friend never had time for him now that Andy was in his life. He always seemed to be playing nurse maid to his, in Douglas’ opinion, extremely needy young partner, and it irritated Douglas to no end. ‘I’m sure the sex is good,’ he thought waspishly, running his eyes over Andrew’s tight, well toned body, ‘but I can’t begin to imagine what else Christopher is getting from such a whiney little baby.’

Chris narrowed his eyes at Douglas and frowned, holding Andy close to his side as he looked at his friend and saw things he had never noticed before. Douglas had always been petty and immature, but now Chris was seeing a side of him that was downright nasty. The appraising look his friend gave his partner did not go unnoticed and Chris clenched his fist, gritting his teeth in an effort to control his temper.

Andy looked at his partner’s face as he felt Chris’ body tense, and the anger he saw there gratified him. Finally, it felt like Chris was taking his side, and curiously he found, as he watched his partner battling his emotions, that it was easier for him to control his own. “Come on,” Andy encouraged softly, tugging at his Chris’ arm as he turned towards the kitchen. At first Chris didn’t respond; his eyes were fixed on Douglas. “He’s not worth it,” Andy whispered again, glancing at his adversary, and slipping his hand over Chris’ balled fist. “He’s not worth it,” he repeated, placing his chin on Chris’ shoulder, and finally Chris began to relax. He turned his head to meet the warm, and anxious green eyes of his partner, and slowly his fist unclenched. He felt Andy’s fingers entwine with his, and knew in that moment, if he had ever had any doubt, that he would follow Andy anywhere.

The total adoration Douglas saw in Chris’ face as he turned to look at his partner, brought out feelings he himself had never known he had and he reacted in livid desperation before Andy could pull Chris away. “Do you like the watch, Christopher, darling?”

Andy tensed as his partner looked back at Douglas, but Chris was back to himself more or less now. “It’s lovely, Douglas,” he replied tiredly. “It’s a lovely present. Thank you.”

“It’s the same one we saw out that day. Do you remember Andy old chap? I knew you would like it, Christopher . . .,”

“Well, I mean really Douglas, what the fuck did you expect him to say?” Andy couldn’t help himself as the sore nerve was touched and all his anger and mortification once again rushed to the surface. “What was he going to say?” Andy demanded again as Douglas stared at him in astonishment. “‘No, Douglas, I hate it! It’s a fucking god awful tacky watch! I plan on flushing it the first chance I get!’ Does that sound like Chris? You dumb asshole! Of course he likes it. It’s a nice watch, but would you really expect him to tell you if he didn’t?”

Chris hung his head and pinched the bridge of his nose to keep from laughing very inappropriately at the expression on Douglas’ face. Not many people got to experience the dark side of Andy and it was quite the experience, especially when you were not expecting it. Andy was still glaring at Douglas and Chris squeezed his shoulder lightly, now. “Apologize to our guest, please, Andrew,” he instructed in as low a tone as he could manage. His voice was tight because he was still trying not to laugh, but Andy misread it as anger, and he blanched.

“Sorry!” he pouted, mumbling what may have been the most ungraceful apology ever, and Douglas nodded smugly. He too had misread Chris’ tone, and he sneered nastily at the petrified look on Andy’s face, causing Andy to look quickly away as tears filled his eyes once more. If Chris had looked up and seen the expressions on their faces, he would have known just exactly what was in both his partner’s and his friend’s mind, but he didn’t. Consequently Andy and Douglas began immediately to contemplate what they both presumed Chris’ ultimate reaction to Andy’s insolence would be. Andy spent the remainder of the afternoon fretting and Douglas spent it privately celebrating.