SCHOOL DAZE

The direct continuation of Love Lessons

By Atonia Walpole

(Picture creations also by Atonia)

Chapter 1

Max rolled over in the bed and half opened his eyes. The sun was shining brightly through the curtains but he didn’t feel very bright. In fact he didn’t feel like himself. He sat up on the side of the bed and looked at the clock. It was after nine. He never slept that late. Why hadn’t Toni awakened him? He cleared his throat and it felt like he’d swallowed a pine cone. He hadn’t, had he?

Holding his throat he made for the bathroom for his morning ablutions. It was a struggle to get into his bathrobe but it felt so good…good and warm. He found his slippers and his glasses and started for the door but stopped. Something was wrong…definitely wrong. He made it down to the kitchen where Tuppy was washing up the children’s breakfast dishes.

“Good morning, Max,” she said brightly.

Max grunted and opened the fridge. Orange juice.  “Any coffee?”

“No, Sir, but I can make some for you. Are you all right? You look a bit glassy-eyed.”

“Hmm, where’s Toni?”

“Why, she’s at school. Today was Jacky’s first day of school and I’ll tell you, Maxi wasn’t happy about it.”

Max hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Oh, bollocks! I meant to go with them.”

“Well, I’m not sure how many fathers he needed today. Mr. Thorne accompanied them to school.”

“Mr. Thorne. “ Max grimaced and poured out a glass of juice. “Throat.”

“Throat, Sir?”

He cleared it again. “Throat.”

“Oh, dear, make sure you don’t go around the children with that…throat. Does it hurt; is it sore?”

“Yes,” he croaked and gave her a look.

“Daddy, Daddy!” Rose ran to him, tugging on his bathrobe.

“Oh, you can’t have your Daddy today, love. He’s got a throat.”

Max looked at Tuppy and patted Rose’s head. “Morning, little girl.”

“Daddy got a froat?”

“Bad froat.”

“Wanna see bad froat.” She still tugged on him and he picked her up.

“Can’t see it because it’s inside.”

She tried to open his mouth with her little fingers.

“Hmm mmm,” he said.

“Here, I’ll take her. I’ve put the kettle on and you’ve only to pour the hot water into the..."

“I have made coffee before, Tuppy.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Where is Maxi?”

“He’s up sulking in his room. Poor little lamb got himself all dressed for school just like Jacky and then couldn’t go.”

“Why couldn’t he go?” Max cleared his throat again. “They could have taken him.”

“Mr. Thorne said, no.”

Anger shot through him but didn’t make it out of his mouth. He clamped his jaws together. Mr. Thorne, Mr. Thorne …said.

Tuppy took Rose into the den/playroom. He finished his orange juice, pushed the plunger down before he added the boiling water and leaned his head on the kitchen cupboard. Not good, Skinner, not good.

Toni and Terry were having coffee in a little café around the corner from Jacky’s school.

“I still want to cry. He’s so…so little.” She sniffed and brought a tissue to her nose.

“I thought he did rather well. Walked right in like a good little soldier.”

“They should have let us go to his classroom with him.”

“I’m sure there’s a reason for that, Toni. Probably the sight of all the mothers crying into their handkerchiefs because little so and so has to go to school. Now think of all the preparations you went through to get him there. New school clothes, shoes, a book bag of his very own, orientation day and cookies and punch.” He half grinned and picked up his cup.

“I know, but now it’s real. Our baby is going to school. Where have all the years gone?”

Terry sighed, “I wonder that myself sometimes. Good years, bad years, and all the while he was growing up.”

“Are we horrible parents, Terry? I worry about him being pulled this way and that, living in two houses in two countries. What must he think of us?”

“It’s all he knows and there isn’t an answer for it. At least he’ll be in one place for the school year, except when he isn’t.”

“It’s going to be hard for you, I know.” Toni reached over and laid her hand on his.

Terry turned his hand over and held hers. “It’ll be a tough year…years.”

“Until he’s nine, you promised.”

“Four years without him is,” he shook his head. “My life is going to suck, Toni.”

“Mine’s going to suck when you take him for boarding school. He won’t ever come back.” She found a fresh batch of tears flowing.

“Let’s get out of here.” He pushed his chair back.

He leaned her on the car door and wiped her eyes with his thumb. “We fucked up our lives and this is what we have to live with. I’m sorry, baby.” He kissed her and reached for the door handle. We should go back and do something special for Maxi today.”

Max climbed the stairs, stopping every three steps. His feet felt like he had on heavy boots. Now the nursery stairs.

Maxi was sitting on the nursery sofa with the remote in his hand, watching cartoons.

“Hey, Maxi.” Max cleared his throat again. “What are you watching?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, turn it off.” Coughing, he cleared his throat again. “Sorry I wasn’t up when Jacky left. I know it’s tough on you seeing him go off to school. Look at it this way, you’ve got another year to play while he’s slogging away at his books. While he’s having to do his homework you’re out swimming or playing in the fountain. There’s two ways of looking at it, you know.”

Maxi fingered the remote. “He got a book bag.”

“Yeah, well he’s going to have to carry around a pile of books in it. Do you need a book bag, Maxi?”

“I didn’t get one.”

“Ah, would life be better if you had one?”

“A red one.”

Max looked at him…a book bag would make all the difference. “All right, you can have a book bag. We’ll get you one today but…it’s not just for show. You’ll have to put a book or two in it and read.”

“I can read.”

“I know you can. A book bag and a couple of new books.” He began coughing and moved away from Maxi. “Uggghh!”

“What’s wrong, Dad?”

“Throat.”

“Don’t tell Tuppy. You’ll get some stinky stuff on it.”

Max thought he might need some stinky stuff. He definitely needed something. “I’d better go down before I make you sick. Promise about the book bag…today…okay?”

Maxi smiled and hugged his neck.

Max made it back down to the bedroom. Clothes…he had to dress…book bag. He sat down on the side of the bed and fell backwards. He couldn’t remember ever feeling sick unless it was self-induced with alcohol. He looked at the clock again and frowned. Where the bollocks was Toni? How long did it take to get Jacky to school with…Mr. Thorne?

He sneezed about a dozen times and stood up. “That’s it…that’s it!” He went to the bathroom and turned on the hot water. A good hot shower is what he needed.

Toni and Terry came in, bringing the mail. “Tuppy, where is Max?” Toni came from the kitchen.

“He went upstairs earlier and hasn’t come back down. I think he’s coming down with something.”

“Hmm.”

“Did you get the little gent in school?”

“Oh, yes, walked in like he owned the place,” Terry smiled and picked up Rose. “Where’s Maxi?”

“In his room, poor lamb.”

“I’ll go up.” Toni went up the stairs and looked in their bedroom. “Max?”

“I’ve just boiled myself. Look at my back…probably third degree burns all over it.”

“Honey, what?”

“I don’t know but I need a red book bag.” He dissolved into a fit of coughing.

“Max, honey, you’re sick. Why didn’t  you say something?”

“There wasn’t you to tell. You weren’t here,” he croaked.

Toni found him a tee shirt and pajama pants. “Now you get right back in bed, darling.” She felt of his forehead. “You have a fever.”

“Jacky get to school?”

“Oh, yes, Max. He was such a good boy about it. I fell apart…just cried my eyes out. Terry took me for a cup of coffee.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I didn’t wake up…why didn’t you wake me?”

“I probably should have but you were sleeping so soundly.  What’s this about a red book bag?”

“Maxi wants one. I said he could have it and some new books.”

“You really sound awful. I should call the doctor.”

“No, you shouldn’t…I just need some…stinky stuff.”

Toni smiled and kissed his forehead. “Want me to send Tuppy in to you?”

“No…God no! I’m never sick, Toni, I can’t remember being sick. My throat is sore, my head feels like a soccer ball and I ache all over.”

“You stay right here today. I’ll go see what’s in the medicine chest. I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Max pulled the covers up to his chin. Toni was home and everything would get better now.

She came back with tablets, something in a spoon and a carafe of orange juice. Soon he snuggled down in his covers and went to sleep.

“Max is ill,” she told Terry. “I’ve never known him to be sick.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Fever, cough, sore throat, achy all over.”

“Sounds like either the flu or a good old fashioned cold.”

“He feels rotten and he wanted to take Maxi in to town for a red book bag and some books.”

“We can do that.”

“Why don’t we take him and stop for lunch. We can make a day of it and then pick Jacky up at school.”

“Sounds good to me, Luv.”

Toni went back upstairs to tell Max of their plans but he was sleeping peacefully. On up to the third floor she found Maxi and told him of the plans for the day. He was excited and ready to go.

The three of them drove into Bonnieux for the day.

Chapter 2

“Time to get up, my boy. It’s a school day. You can’t be laying about. There’s work to be done.”

Uncle Henry’s voice echoed in his room. Max turned over in the bed and realized it was the first day of school. He got out of bed and took his shower and dressed. He had to walk to school and it was foggy and damp. He jumped across a puddle and splashed muddy water on his new regulation shoes. Black with navy socks to his knees, they were part of his school uniform. Next came the short navy wool pants and the little jacket that never fit properly. It was the stupid hat he hated the most. The only thing he really liked about going back to school was his new book bag. It was red. He’d picked it out himself. Uncle Henry thought it was super. Everyone else carried the green and blue bags with the school’s name on the side. His was special and it was red.

“You can’t bring that bag in here,” the schoolmaster said, pointing a finger at Max’s bag.

“Of course he can. I bought it for him and he needs it to carry his books around in.”

“But it’s red!” And so was the schoolmaster’s face.

Max looked up at his Uncle Henry. Whatever he said went and he smirked at the schoolmaster.

The schoolmaster took his book bag and put it on a shelf with the rest of the children’s bags. It was easy to spot because it was the only red one. All day he watched his bag…in between doing his school work.

Class was dismissed and he ran to get his red bag but it was gone. He couldn’t believe it and felt around on the shelf. He ran after the other children and saw it ahead in the crowd. Some bloke had it on his back. He pushed ahead through the throng of children but the boy knew he was after him now and he ran a little ahead so that Max was always a little too far away to grab his bag.

The boy turned around and laughed and he was no longer a boy…he was Terry Thorne. He had to get the bag…he became desperate as the importance of the red bag grew. His life was in there…Terry was stealing his life! He ran as fast as he could but something was wrong. He began getting slower and slower and couldn’t get his breath.  For his life his legs wouldn’t obey him to run after the bastard…Toni and Maxi and Rose…and the chateau…everything. He was taking it all away from him. He couldn’t run anymore but he could hear their cries from the red bag. “I’m coming!” he called out and tried to get to his feet. His legs were like wet noodles. His whole body was a wet noodle and he was floating in soup…no, not soup it was the pool the pool was full of soup. It was chicken soup and it was so thick he couldn’t make his arms move. He was going to sink…he’d never get the red bag back now. He wanted to cry.

From beneath him in the pool of soup strong arms pulled him back to the surface. He gasped for air. “Uncle Henry!” he cried but it wasn’t Uncle Henry. It was Jack Aubrey and he was pulling him along as he swam to the side. “Breathe, Max, breathe!” Jack was saying and he tried but his nose was full of chicken soup.

Hands underneath his arms pulled him from the soup pool and lay him on his stomach and hit him in the back. “Oh, don’t! It hurts!” he cried out.

“You’re full of soup, idiot.”

“Officer, help me…help me! He stole my bag, my red bag. You can see him over there. He won’t give it back.”

“Who says it’s yours. Have you any proof? Any paperwork?”

“Of course it’s mine. Uncle Henry gave it to me. I’ve put my life inside of it and now he’s stolen it.”

“Hey, Max, Terry’s not a thief. I’d know if he was.”

“John, oh, John you have to help me. Help me to stand up…I…I gotta…I gotta get my bag back. It’s my red bag and he knows it.” Max was crying now and Biebe gave him a handkerchief.

“You bring that bag back to me!” he screamed at Terry. “You know it’s mine…you know it!”

“Come and get it!” Terry called back. He only said that because he knew Max couldn’t get to him.

“I thought you were my friend, my brother. How could you do this to me? I want my bag back!”

“Max, Max, what’s all the fuss about? There are plenty more bags. I’ll get you another one. Let him have it.” Uncle Henry patted him on the back.

“No, NO! All my things are in there, all my life, Toni and Max and Rose and Jacky too. He can’t have that bag!”

“What bag is he talking about? I don’t have a bag?” Duflot appeared in the vineyard with Uncle Henry.

“Duflot, you’ve got to help me get it back.”

“Where have you been for the last ten years of his life. You know his eyesight was failing…”

“He’s here now in the cellar!” Max cried.

“The cellar is full of chicken soup. He never liked chicken soup.” Duflot crossed his arms.

“Jack, Jack!” Max called down the cellar stairs.

He saw the red bag floating in the chicken soup. He jumped down the stairs into the soup, but it wasn’t soup, it was the fermenting tank. He swallowed and swallowed trying to get to the top of the tank. He wasn’t going to make it…wasn’t going to make it…he coughed and all the noodles came up, choking him. Why were there noodles in the fermenter? He grabbed the bag by the strap and looked around for Terry. He was probably drowned…but he had the bag. He just had to get to the side of the tank and get out.

The fermenting tank became the pool and he couldn’t reach the edge. He still had the bag in his hand. He could save the bag. He tossed it up on the side of the pool and tried to  jump up and get a good hand hold. Just then he saw Terry stoop down and pick up the bag and smile. “Thanks,” he said and disappeared.

Max scrambled to get up the side of the pool and just when he thought he might make it, he crashed backwards.

“Mr. Skinner, Max! Oh, dear….Ludivine? Can you give me a hand with Mr. Skinner?”

It took both of them to untangle him from the sheets and blankets and get him off the floor and back into his bed.

“What is wrong with him?” Ludivine placed her  hand on his forehead. “He has fever in his head.”

“I thought he looked sick this morning. Shall I call her or will you?”

“Oh, I will call her. She must come for him. Poor Maxie. He did not touch the chicken soup I make special for him.” She took the bowl away and went down to make her call.

It was 30 minutes before Jacky was to get out of school that Ludivine called Toni. They were buying sweets in a shop in Bonnieux.

“It is Monsieur Max, he is…he is very ill. I think, perhaps you should come home.”

“Oh…oh…all right. Jacky gets out in about a half hour. Can he wait that long or do I need to come now?”

“Perhaps, Madam Toni, you should not have left him. He is…how is it…out of his head.”

“What? I’ll be right there.”

Terry let Toni off at the door and he and Maxi returned to pick Jacky up from his first day at school.

Toni ran up the steps after listening to Ludivine and Tuppy recount his condition when they found him. She sat down on the bed and felt of him. His fever had to be over the top. She found his phone on the dresser and looked up the number for his physician.

Tuppy brought a pan of ice cubes and Toni began putting cold compresses on his forehead, trying to bring his temperature down. He was semi-coherent. Within the hour the doctor had come and seen him, leaving some prescriptions and some instructions. It was a virus.

“It’s all over the place,” she said, shaking her head.

“But he hasn’t been all over the place. He’s only been out once this week and that was to the school for orientation night.”

“Ah, the school…yes…did he drink from the punch bowl?”

“I believe so. We both did…why?”

“The children they drink some and pour the rest back in the bowl. I have seen six children so far today with the same symptoms. It is a virus and must run its course. A week to ten days at the most.  Try and keep  his fever down and these medicines will relieve the pain he suffers and see him through. You were right to call me, Mrs. Skinner. Keep me informed, especially if he does not rally within a few days.”

Toni looked down at poor Max. His face was flushed and moist. Now she felt guilty for going off with Terry and leaving him, knowing he wasn’t feeling well. She had no idea how serious it was.

“B….bbbb…aag.”

“What darling?” She leaned in.

“Boo bag. Don let Ter hav.”

“Don’t let Terry have the boo bag. No, dear, I certainly won’t let him near it…boo bag.” She frowned and tucked his sheets and blankets around him. “We got Maxi the bag he wanted and some books.”

She washed her hands and went out to greet Jacky, who was bounding up the stairs. “Can’t go in there, darling. Uncle Max is sick with a virus. She went down the hall with him and into Terry’s room where she sat in a chair and heard all about his first day of school. She was so pleased he handled himself like he did. No hysterics or tears…only curiosity. “We brought your brother a book bag today so you should admire it sometime this afternoon.”

Jacky grinned, “Yeah, I saw it in the car. I liked it.”

Toni hugged him. “I’m so proud of you.”

Max’s fever-induced nightmare had left him but traces of it remained. He remembered the red book bag and Terry. He felt like he was going to die and if he did Terry would have his life; he’d take it. He kept fighting his way back from sleep, afraid if he went to sleep he wouldn’t wake up. It was a hard fight because the medicine he’d been given made him drowsy.

He was in the pool again but this time without the chicken soup or any liquid at all. It was filled with debris. “Any chance of a rope or a ladder?” Who said that? He turned around quickly.

“Can you swim?” It was Terry, standing at the edge of the pool.

“Get me out of here, Terry. Come on, get me out of here!”

“I told you not to reveal the name of your tailor.” Uncle Henry looked down into the pool.

“Please, I’m sorry. Just get me out of here.”

“You’ve come to the wrong shop, my brother.” Jack with his hands on his hips looked down into the pool.

“Wha…what…what shop? The tailor shop? I swear I didn’t tell…I…Jack, get me out of here.”

John appeared at the edge of the pool, writing something in a tablet. “Is that your little car?”

“Car? Hey, John, give me a hand! Help me out of here.”

“Max, Max, darling wake up!” Toni touched his face and shook his arm.

“Toni.” He found her hand with his.

“You’re dreaming or something…calling out for John. Where were you?”

“Um, uh, I don’t…I was in the pool.”

“Well, darling you stay out of that pool. You need to rest and get well.”

“Stay, don’t go away with him. I promise I’ll live.”

“Max,” Toni looked at him in alarm, “what are you talking about?”

“Terry…he’s going to steal my life.”

“Nonsense! You really are out there, love.” Toni lay down beside him while he drifted off to sleep again.

“I don’t mind staying, Toni. With Max out of it and Jacky going to school each day, you’ve got your hands full.”

Toni hugged Terry. “You are so thoughtful. Really, I’ve got help. It’s not like I’m all alone here. I won’t stop you if you want to stay. I don’t mind having you around, you know.”

“I’d planned on a week but a few more days won’t matter one way or another. I’ll call the shop and let them know.”

Terry didn’t realize his phone had been turned off and probably for two days. He’d turned it when he took Jacky to his first day of school. He took himself outside to check his messages.

He’d had a call from Henry.

“Henry, sorry I’m late returning your call. My phone was off. Call me. It’s on now.”

He didn’t have to wait long for a returned call.

“Dad, I’ve, um, I’ve got some bad news. Mum’s dead.”

“Oh, Henry! When and what happened?”

“It was on Monday. Um, I was at school and they called me into the dean’s office. She, um, died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Just happened when she was getting ready to go out. I’m at her house now but…I don’t want to stay here, Dad.”

Terry was still trying to get over the initial shock. He sat down at the table out in the courtyard. “Henry, I’m coming home today. I’ll call you when I land. I’m so sorry, son. Is Frank with you?”

“He’s here but he’s kind of a mess. His sister’s come.”

Terry called and arranged for a flight and then went back inside La Siroque to tell Toni.

“Toni, I had a call from Henry. Liddy’s dead. I don’t know any of the details other than it was a cerebral hemorrhage and quite sudden. He needs me there and I want to be there with him.”

“Oh, Terry, how awful!” She went into his arms and held him. He was good at masking his emotions but she knew this had to hurt him, too. He’d once loved the woman enough to marry her and they had Henry. “I wish I could go with you…for Henry and for you.”

“I wish you could, too. We’ll be okay with each other. I’ll find Jacky and tell him.”

“Terry, is there anything I can do?”

“Just keep things together here. As long as I know everything’s okay here…I’m good.” He kissed her for a long time and then let her go. He went to find Jacky.

She couldn’t go with him. Times like this…she wanted to be at his side to help him through it. Her life with Terry came out of the closet and looked at her. She hid her face in her hands and cried. She remembered meeting Liddy when she and Terry first went to London to discover his life there. There had been little contact after that. Terry talked with her on the phone from time to time but as far as she knew he didn’t visit her. But what did she know anymore about his life?

Chapter 4

Toni was sitting on the bottom step when he came down with his bag. “I’m going on to the airport and see if I can get an earlier flight. I told Jacky and he’s sad for Henry.”

“I’m sad for both of you. Are you all right, Terry?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You know…I…I need to get there and see what’s going on with Henry. I’ll call you, luv.”

Toni stood up and hugged him. “Please do. I’d like to talk to Henry if it’s okay.”

After he left she wandered around in the playroom, picking up things and turning off the TV that no one was watching. How quickly things could change. She ran up the stairs into the bedroom to check on Max.

Max was awake and trying to pour a glass of water.

“Let me do that, honey. How are you feeling?”

“You have to ask?” He cleared his throat and coughed. “I’m rotten.”

“You really are. I’m so sorry you’re sick. Did Terry stop by?”

“Stop by? No, haven’t seen him.” He looked at her warily.

“He got a call from Henry. His mother, Liddy, has passed away. It was very sudden. Terry’s gone to the airport.”

Max looked at her a moment. “I’m really sorry to hear that, Toni. Poor Henry.”

“Poor Terry, too. He’s going to call later.”

“I don’t think I ever met her, did I?”

“Not that I know of. I met her once. It seemed strange, you know. She was someone Terry loved enough to marry and have a child with. I think she was on her third or fourth husband. Makes you wonder…”

“Wonder what?”

“If she ever got over him.”

“You haven’t.”

“No.” She dropped her head and fingered the blanket. “No, I haven’t and I don’t expect I ever will, really. I’ve only to look at Jacky and see him.”

“I once gave you the chance to go back to him and you didn’t. Are you having second thoughts?”

“Oh, gosh, no. I wouldn’t give you up for anybody. I have regrets about Terry. I’ll always love him. But it’s you that I want to spend my life with. It’s you I love most of all.”

“Not sure I agree with that last bit but, thank you.” He smiled a little. “In my fevered dreams I’ve had some really strange things going on. I thought Terry was trying to steal my life away from me.  That would be you and the kids. That’s my life. It was all bound up in Maxi’s red book bag but the bag was mine not Maxi’s.”

“Bless your heart.” She caressed his cheek. “You’re still too warm. I honestly don’t think he wants your life, Max. There are times, I know, he wears his regrets heavily but he’s built a life with Jacky. Jacky’s here now and that part of his life is kind of on hold. I don’t know what Henry will do. Maybe there’s a chance he’ll come back into Terry’s life. Terry needs him now.”

“I try very hard every once in awhile to feel sorry for him but I can’t quite get there. I have no regrets about you.”

“I’m glad. I have none about you, either. What can I do for you? Do you need something to eat or drink or…it’s not time for your meds again.”

“Just be here. That’s all I ask…and…some books…um, maybe my guitar…um a few CD’s and the portable DVD player and some movies.”

Toni laughed. “I’ll see what I can do about that list.”

“I’ll be glad when the kids can come in. How’s Jacky’s liking school?”

“So far so good. He brings his drawings home and Maxi copies them. He’ll be a year ahead when he starts if this keeps up. When your fever goes away they can come in. I love you, Max.” She kissed his cheek.

“Here I am weak and limp as a wet noodle and I can’t do a thing about it. Oh, speaking of noodles, some part of my daymare had to do with chicken soup. I was swimming in it.”

Toni shook her head. “Ludivine made a pot of chicken soup for you. I can heat some up if you’d like.”

“Um…no, I’ll give that a pass for now.”

Toni left to find some amusements for him.  Max thought about Henry and felt for the boy. He had established a sort of uncle relationship with him a while back. It was a damn shame he and Terry weren’t closer. Terrible thing to happen but maybe it might bring them closer as father and son. Unless it went the other way…a possibility.

It was late in the evening when Terry arrived back in London. He called Henry from the airport and found he was still at Liddy’s house. He took a cab.

The house was full of people and he didn’t recognize the one that opened the door. She turned out to be Frank’s sister. Liddy’s sister was there and she ran over to him and hugged him.

Frank came to him with a face full of fresh tears. He sloshed his drink as he reached for Terry. Terry hugged him for a moment.

“It happened so quickly. We were going out and she’d gone into the bathroom to do her hair. I heard her fall and went in…she…she…I called the emergency number, Terry, she was…gone…just like that…gone.”

Terry felt his own eyes fill. He was enveloped in family for a little while and he asked Frank about Henry.

“He’s upstairs in his room. He hasn’t said much, you know. He said he wasn’t staying here. I’ve been so…upset and there were all the arrangements to be made…I haven’t..."

“I’ll go up.” Terry went up the stairs and found Henry going through his CD’s. He had three bags on his bed he’d been packing.

“Dad.” Henry dropped the CD’s and stood by his bed.

“Henry, oh…hell, Henry.” He embraced his son. He felt the boy’s shoulder’s shaking and he held him tightly.

“She..she wasn’t even sick.”

“I know…things happen like that. I’m sorry…sorry I wasn’t here. I see you’re packing…what’s up?”

Henry blew his nose on a tissue. “I’m not staying here now. I thought…I thought I might stay with you.”

“Of course you can.”

“Frank’s okay, you know, but he’s not…I can’t stay here now.”

“I’ll take you home with me right now. I know it’s tough and has been for you. We’ll make it work.”

Terry waited while he finished packing up what he wanted to take. He picked up a framed photograph of himself with Liddy and Henry when he was a little boy. It caught him in the chest and he bit his lip. This was what Henry had to hold onto all those years. He remembered when he had a mother and a father together. He handed it to Henry and he stuck it in a bag.

“I’ve got a cab waiting. Let’s make the good-bye’s quick.”

“You can bunk in Jacky’s room tonight and tomorrow we’ll figure out how to arrange  a room for you here. I should have had a room here for you even if it didn’t do anything except collect dust.”

“No, no, Dad. I was a butt head. It was like Mom was the only thing I had. Now she’s gone and I knew you’d be there. I just had this feeling like I knew.”

“I’ve always been here. I haven’t been worth a shit as a father to you but I’ve never stopped loving you, Henry.”

“It wasn’t all you. I hated you for years. I thought you didn’t care…that you’d forgotten me.”

“A lot of things have happened in the past. Let’s leave them there and start again. Jacky said to tell you he’s sad for you.”

“I haven’t seen him in yonks.”

“All that’s going to change. He’s in school in France but we’ll have him when he isn’t.”

“Thanks for getting me out of Frank’s house. It’s…all about him, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. He’s suffering right now. I know you are, too, and so am I. We’ll see it through, son.”

Terry brought him some sheets for the spare bed in Jacky’s room. It was Maxi’s when he came over but neither boy would be there for awhile.

“There’s a pizza place down the street. I think I might run down and pick one up. Anything you don’t want on it?”

“I eat most anything, Dad.”

Sad…he didn’t know what Henry ate and didn’t eat. Terry hid it well with a smile. “All right then, back in a bit.”

With the pizza in hand he stepped out onto the side walk.

“What have you got there?”

“Jack!”

“Hello, Terry. I was in London  and sensed you were here. I decided to step over and say hello.”

“It’s good to see you, Jack.”

“Something wrong?”

“Well, yes, my first wife has passed…Henry’s mother.”

“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry to hear it. Where’s Henry?”

“He’s with me…at the flat. He’ll be glad to see you.”

“When did this happen?”

“Two days ago. It was very sudden. I was at La Siroque getting Jacky started into school there.”

“I suppose he’s cut up about it. Poor lad. Perhaps this is bad timing on my part.”

“Not at all, Jack. I think you might actually help the situation. Henry didn’t want to stay with Frank and, honestly, Frank probably wouldn’t know what to do with him now. Frank Barstow is…was Liddy’s husband. He really didn’t have anywhere else to go. He said he knew I’d be there for him.”

“As his father you would be, of course. Toni and Max know?”

“Yes, they know. Max is down with a virus right now…in bed and pretty sick.”

“I’ve never known him to be sick before.”

“Something he picked up at school as I understand it. He’s had the doctor out.”

“Tell me about you, Terry. How has her death affected you?”

“Aside from Henry, I’m not sure. I have memories of her but sketchy ones. I saw a photograph of the three of us when Henry was a little boy. I don’t even know what age he was…four or five probably. I don’t remember it. It wasn’t real. It never really happened. Henry was real enough; he was in the movie with me. Liddy was only mentioned and not by name. I went to her house to pick up Henry and the room was full of people, her relatives that I should know…and I didn’t. This magic shit is playing with my head today.”

They’d reached his building and Terry led the way to his flat.

“We’ve got company, Henry!” he called out as he brought the pizza down into the kitchen.

Henry appeared in the doorway to the den. “Uncle Jack! How are you here?”

“I just popped in. I was in London on some business. I am very sorry to hear about your mother. My condolences to you.”

“Thanks. Yeah, it was a surprise.”

“Want a beer, Jack?”

“Ah, yes, I’ll take one. What is this? It smells.”

“A pizza. Haven’t you ever eaten pizza?”  Terry grinned over the counter.

“I don’t believe so.”

“I can’t imagine you haven’t eaten pizza. It’s like the national food.” Henry was already pulling out plates and helping himself.

“I can’t get over what a young man you’ve become. Tall as your father.”

“I’m probably going to be taller than him. Still growing…so Mom said.”

Jack smiled and took a plate of pizza. “Knife and fork?”

“Nah, you eat it like this.” Henry demonstrated.

“How primitive.” Jack tried a bite. “A bit spicy.”

“Wash it down with this.” Terry handed him a bottle of beer.

Terry was glad he’d arrived. It helped smooth out the edges of the evening with Henry. He had some work to do there.

Jack refused to spend the night as he had accommodations. He patted his burning stomach and accepted the minted tablets Terry offered him as he was leaving.

Later Terry called Toni.

“Terry, how’s it going? How’s Henry?”

“He’s okay. It was kind of bad there for awhile until I got him out of Frank’s wake. I think we’re going to be okay together. He’s going to make this his base now. He’s got two weeks off from school to deal with it.”

“When is the service?”

“Tomorrow at 2:00. Same place we were for Max’s Connie.”

“Sorry, but that’s a place I never expect to see again.”

“I never expected to see it, either. Must be Karma. Oh, Jack stopped by last night. I ran into him on the way home from picking up a pizza. He said he was in London and thought to stop by. I’m glad he did. It helped the first night.”

“Jack, well, what a surprise.  Is he coming over?”

“He didn’t say he was. How’s Max?”

“I think he’s getting better now. His fever broke and I’ve come back to his bed.”

“That should help,” Terry grinned. “Sure would help me.”

Toni smiled and chose not to comment. It wouldn’t help either of them.  “Jacky got a star today. He’s doing really well.”

“Take a picture of it and send it to me. In fact take pictures of everything every day with him. I miss him, Toni.”

“I’ll blow up your e-mail. Love you, Terry.”

“Love you, too. Give our son a hug and kiss for me.”

There was that awful moment when Terry walked out onto the courtyard of the chapel. He looked at the empty space and at the very spot where he’d left Toni, the spot where he’d given her to Max and turned his back on her. The tears he’d held in check inside during the service now sprang to life. There was a terrible sadness about this place. It held a sense of loss, a chasm of regret. How could he have been such a fool?

“Dad?”

He took a ragged breath and blinked his eyes, turning toward his son. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” Henry shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

“Let’s get out of here.” He would never come back there again.

“How’s things in London?” Max asked while Toni set a tray on his lap.

“Henry’s with Terry now. I think that’s good. It will be good for both of them.”

“Yeah, it will be good for Terry. He needs him since we have Jacky.”

“The service was at two today…at the same chapel where we all went for Connie. That has to be rough on him.”

“I remember that chapel well. It was my wife we were singing to heaven. I’d never felt so bereft in my life and then Terry gave me you. I can imagine it was rough on him today. It would be for me if I had to go back there.”

Toni leaned over and kissed his forehead. “You do care about Terry, don’t you?”

“Only on occasion,” Max answered, looking into her eyes and blinking slowly.