Andy’s Gift

Part Five: He Probably Thinks This Story’s About Him J

“They dreamed that they’d be your partner, they’d be your partner . . . .”

Chris too dozed for a while, relying on his always impeccable internal clock to keep him from sleeping too soundly or too long. ‘It would be easy to stay here all day,’ he thought, snuggling close to his partner, and suddenly he wished that they could. What had they been thinking when they offered to host the family party this year? It was their first Christmas in this house, their house. They had picked it out, they had fixed it up, and they were footing all the expenses together. It was their house. Why hadn’t they kept this Christmas for themselves? Chris sighed. ‘Now’s the time to get up,’ he mused regretfully, ‘if I’m going to.’ He lingered another cozy moment, enjoying the warmth of their bed and the quiet sound of Andy’s breathing, but finally he forced himself to sit up. Another surprise wake up call just wouldn’t do, especially because it might not be Liz this time. Chris smiled a little sardonically as he pictured Douglas arriving to find him and Andy in bed. ‘No, that wouldn’t do at all,’ he thought again. He definitely had to get up now.

Moving as carefully as possible so as not to disturb his partner, he edged his way to the side of the bed, and smiled as Andy rolled over and clutched the pillows. It was just 1:00 now, and Chris was hoping he would sleep for another forty minutes or so. Anybody arriving before that was either such close family that it wouldn’t matter if Andy was still in bed, or just plain rude, in which case, as far as Chris was concerned, it also didn’t matter. In fact anybody that early could stand outside for fifteen minutes for all he cared. ‘They can all bloody well stick to the time on the invitation,’ he thought grumpily, still wishing as he took his watch from the nightstand that he could crawl back into bed with Andy. “Bloody hell!” he muttered as the rickety catch on his worn watch band stuck stubbornly. “God damn fucking piece of shit!” Chris was not a habitual language abuser, and he glanced guiltily at his partner to be sure he was still sleeping. Andy’s bad language had gotten him in trouble on many occasions. ‘The difference is,’ Chris rationalized to himself, ‘I can control my impulses around other people.’ That was true, but he still felt guilty. “I need a new watch band,” he grumbled to himself, sneaking another look at his sleeping partner as the hook finally slid into place. ‘What you really need,’ his inner voice countered rationally, ‘is some coffee.’ With that thought in mind he leaned over to kiss Andy’s cheek, and then he eased himself off the bed and as quietly as possible made his way to the door. He cracked it just wide enough for him to slide through and then with one last tender glance in the direction of the bed he slipped out into the hallway and gently shut the door behind him.

Chris’ worries about early arrivals were unfounded, for the most part. His oldest brother, Alex arrived around twenty of two with his wife, Tracy, and his two daughters, Alicia and Kyla, but they were the only ones who didn’t “stick to the invitation,” and by that time Chris didn’t mind. He greeted them enthusiastically and then left them to entertain themselves briefly while he went upstairs to wake Andy.

Sitting down on the bed beside him, Chris smiled at the look of fuzzy non-comprehension on his lover’s face as he handed him a steaming mug of coffee. “Alex is here, Caro, with Tracy and the kids. Come on, Love, everyone else will be here soon. Go on and get dressed.” Chris waited until he was sure he had penetrated the fog of drowsiness that still hung over his partner, and then he left Andy to himself to get dressed as he made his way back downstairs to his brother and the other guests who were now beginning to arrive.

Andy joined them about fifteen minutes later, looking sleepy, but enthusiastic, and he perked up still more as people continued to arrive. His bottom was warm still from the sound spanking he’d received earlier, but as Chris had predicted, he was in no major discomfort, and happily there was no immediate occasion for him to sit down as family member after family member and friend after friend required his attention.

The party was in full swing by the time Eliza and Jim returned with their crew, and Andy had been restored to all his usual pep and bounce. Jake too had recovered all of his previous gusto, and in an effort to prevent anymore accidents attributable to too much pent up energy, Andy immediately whisked him and some of the other children away. They went outside intending to build a snowman, but ended up in a huge snowball fight. Their laughter and high level of vivacity eventually enticed all of the children and many of the adults, including Eliza, to join them for a while, but the adults never stayed long. They got cold easily, and laughingly called it quits as they were pegged in the back with snowballs, Andy always leading the charge.

The day, after its precarious start, was going along perfectly much to the delight and relief of all, and then it happened. Of course, the timing couldn’t have been worse either. Andy and the children came noisily in the back door, intent on a hot cocoa break. In their excitement, however, the snowball warriors had forgotten the rules about boots in the house and all, including Andy, had tracked slush and mud and wet snow halfway through the house before Chris saw them from the hallway where he was greeting a newly arrived guest. “Andy!” he exclaimed in involuntary horror, looking at their beautiful snow white carpets. Well, they had been beautiful and snow white.

Andy had been galloping through, as enthusiastic as anyone, and a large padded bundle that was Jake was clinging gleefully to his back. The shrill pitch of Chris’ voice stopped them all in their tracks, and conversation in the room came to a standstill.

“What?” Andy questioned in dismay.

“Boots,” Chris croaked, “carpet!”

“Fuck!” Andy muttered.

“Andrew Grazier!” Chris’ voice was icy.

“Sorry,” Andy mumbled as Jake slid from his back, adding another pair of wet, muddy boots to the mix. Chris’ eyes widened and Eliza came up quickly, claiming all her children and their cousins, and whisking the lot of them off to the laundry room to defrock and deboot them before more damage was done. Chris continued to glare at his partner, and quickly, Andy bent to peel off his own boots, stepping from the living room into the hallway, and placing them on the mud mat by the door.

“Rather late for that, don’t you think, my boy?” Andy’s heart stopped as the condescending chuckle reached his ears, and the blood drained from his face.

‘Jesus help me,’ he closed his eyes and muttered a short prayer, and then rose slowly to his feet, his heart banging against his chest as he confronted Douglas’ sneering face. “Hello, Douglas,” he said politely. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Chris’ expression had been one of livid disbelief as he gazed at their carpets once more, but now as his eyes settled on his partner’s face his expression softened some. He knew all the feelings between Andrew and Douglas, and he knew how much effort it was taking Andy to be civil right now. ‘Damn it, Chris! You fool!’ He cursed himself for not biting back his own sharp reprimand. It hadn’t been intentional. Never would he intentionally reprimand Andy in front of anyone, let alone Douglas. He held out his arm to his partner now, and Andy snuggled into his side. Tears were threatening, Chris saw, and his stomach turned. “It’s all right, Love,” he soothed in low tones, pulling Andy closer. “It’s nice to see you. I thought perhaps I’d lost you for the afternoon.” The kind words and patient tone only served to provoke the tears in Andy’s eyes, and he swallowed hard trying to force them back.

“Yes, how very lovely to see you, Andrew,” Douglas agreed. “I see you found some playmates.” That did it. Chris bit his lip as he looked at Andy, bringing his fingers up in an effort to subtly brush the rebellious tears away as they spilled onto his partner’s cheeks. ‘Chris, you’re a fucking bastard!’ Chris chastised himself once more. Douglas’ comment had certainly been unkind, but he and Andy were always trading barbs, and Chris felt he was to blame in this instance for leaving Andy so vulnerable.

“Would you excuse us, Douglas, for a moment, please?”

“Of course, Christopher, Darling,” Douglas responded with a smirk. He removed his long wool coat and apricot scarf (which was more than worthy of Carly Simon’s song) and hung them both on the coat rack in the corner. If only there had been a mirror there! He certainly would have made good use of it.

Chris silently summoned his sister who had just returned from the laundry room with the gaggle of children surrounding her. Most of the kids were already running off every-which way again now, but Jake started to follow his mother as she started towards the hallway. “No,” Chris mouthed silently pointing at his nephew. Eliza raised her eyebrows in surprise, but then sent Jake off to play with a solemn promise that Uncle Andy would return soon. “You know my sister, Eliza,” Chris started as she appeared curiously in the doorway.

“Of course, of course! Lizzy, dear, how very nice to see you again,” Douglas brushed each of Eliza’s cheeks with his own and made kissie noises. Eliza pulled a face and looked questioningly at her brother. She had never liked Douglas.

“Is he ok?” she mouthed pointing to Andy who had by now hidden his face on Chris’ shoulder. Chris nodded.

“Would you get Douglas a drink, Liz, and show him around?” he asked as his friend looked up.

“It would be my pleasure,” she responded derisively, and she placed her arm around Douglas, leading him away and looking worriedly over her shoulder at Andy. The relief came not a moment too soon as the emotional dam exploded and Andy collapsed into sobs.

“Oh Baby, Baby, come here,” Chris pulled him quickly into the dining room and away from the door, folding him in his arms as Andy buried his face in his neck. “Baby, I am so sorry,” Chris apologized, distressed by the vehemence of Andy’s emotions. “I should not have done that. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry about the carpet!” Andy sobbed.

“It’s all right, love,” Chris responded, kicking himself once more, “carpets can be cleaned.” Andy just continued to sob and Chris held him close, letting his chin drop to the top of his head as he waited for the emotional storm to pass. “Are you ok?” he asked as Andy finally began to grow calmer. Andy nodded. “I’m sorry, Love,” he said again. “Forgive me?”

“You know I do,” Andy returned softly, and Chris brought his hands up, gently cradling his partner’s wet face as he looked searchingly into his brimming green eyes. He tilted his head as Andy’s lips parted and the next moment Andy’s warm, wet tongue was entwined with his own.

“I love you,” he breathed, finally.

“I love you too,” Andy responded.

“How about we open presents,” Chris suggested softly and Andy’s face lit up as he thought of his own special present just waiting in the back of the tree to be opened. This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for.