Chapter 49 #2
‘So …’ Gareth started tentatively. ‘Before the kids wake up, I would love to know how it all happened with Martin, and don’t spare any details.’
The showcase was planned for the afternoon and Opal had asked Hetty to come in to prepare one final lunch spread.
It had been hard to give her all the instructions whilst avoiding eye contact entirely.
If Opal couldn’t wipe the memory of Hetty’s untimely intrusion out of her mind, she was sure that young Hetty couldn’t either.
Their exchange was short and straight to the point and Hetty had scurried off the moment it was done.
Gareth settled himself down at the table in the orangery, and Opal took the seat beside him.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and through the glass all around them they could see the pool glistening amidst the velvet cut lawn.
In the middle of the table was a freshly opened bottle of wine.
Almost instinctively Opal reached for it and angled it towards Gareth’s glass.
‘I’m all right, thanks,’ he said sheepishly, covering the rim with his hand. ‘I’m actually cutting back.’
Opal placed the bottle back down. ‘I’m so proud of you, darling,’ she whispered, echoing his own words back to him.
‘Thanks, I realised it was time. Joshua wouldn’t have wanted me to … drown in my sorrows so to speak.’
Opal reached for Gareth’s hand and squeezed it. Just then Noah and Adam walked in, also hand in hand. Gareth turned, smiling at the sight of them, and then stood up suddenly.
Adam, having not expected the sight of Gareth so early in the day, seemed taken aback. The two men stood facing each other for a moment, and Noah, apparently sensing the gravity of a moment, silently pulled himself away and sat down.
‘Adam, how are you?’ Gareth sounded almost … nervous.
‘I’m well, thank you, Gareth.’
And then to everyone’s slight surprise, Gareth pulled Adam into a hug. Opal felt the embers of her heart glow as she watched Adam’s expression turn from shock to something softer as he closed his eyes, and his arms around Gareth.
For his own reasons Joshua had wanted to keep these two men he loved separate in life; now, though, in his death maybe they could find comfort in the knowing of each other.
Silently, and somewhat stoically, the two men pulled themselves apart and took their places at the table. Adam, of course, sat beside Noah.
Johan’s entrance was far less warm. Opal almost felt sorry for him, before she reminded herself that it was he who had seemingly gone out of his way to alienate almost everyone at the table.
As Hetty began to bring in platters of food, Opal stood and raised a toast. ‘I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you, and how very much I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to show me today. It’s the final showcase as you all know and …’
‘Opal, sorry to interrupt,’ Noah cut in, ‘but where are the girls?’
In the turmoil of the past forty-eight hours, Opal had completely forgotten that no one else was up to speed.
‘Oh, yes, of course, well, it’s a bit of a long story, but the short of it is that they’ve both left.’ Opal watched as confusion spread across the faces in front of her. She racked her brain for a better explanation, but none came.
‘They … for personal reasons, they … um,’ Opal stumbled. ‘We’re not really sure why Heather left, but then when Ruby found out …’
‘Let me guess, she ran after her to continue her little role-play as a dyke …’
‘Please shut the fuck up, Johan.’ Noah’s tone was exasperated, but he voiced the impatience they all felt. Everyone had had enough of Johan’s snide interjections.
‘Thank you, Noah.’ Opal caught his eyes and was a little alarmed to realise that he too now stoked in her feelings of a maternal nature. How alien it felt to her now that she had lusted for this man. He smiled back at her shyly.
‘As I was saying, neither Ruby nor Heather will be here for the showcase …’
‘I don’t think we should do it without them.’ It was Noah again, though his voice was softer now, a little hesitant.
Opal thought back to the bravado of the young man who had turned up on her doorstep six weeks earlier, and sweet-talked his way into her house.
The Noah who sat in front of her now was quieter, a little shyer but also …
more himself. It was as though Adam’s self-possessed assuredness had begun to rub off on him, but he was still getting used to being his true self in the world – the newly exposed outer shell of him, still in the process of calcifying.
He cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think we should do the final showcase without all five of us here. It doesn’t feel right.’
‘Noah’s right,’ Gareth added. It was heartening to see Gareth soften towards Noah. Ironic that it was probably the truth of Johan’s deception that had caused it.
‘Thank you, Gareth,’ Adam said quietly, and the three men exchanged subtle but meaningful looks.
‘So what? After all of that we just fuck off home? No one gets the money but at least we’re all happy families?
’ Johan’s arms were crossed and he didn’t try to keep the disdain from his voice.
‘Come on, Gareth, you can’t seriously be telling me that you’re going to break your promise that one of us would win? ’
‘Me break my promise? Don’t get me started, Johan. I notice that your distinctive cockney twang has really faded during your time here,’ Gareth shot back.
Opal watched an unfamiliar sight before her: Johan looking embarrassed, contrite even. It was almost unsettling, but it did finally shut Johan up.
‘So that’s settled then? No showcase today?’ Opal asked the table and all but Johan nodded.
‘But, Johan, I do hear you about the prize. Let me have a think about it and I’ll let you know what happens next. For now, why don’t we enjoy the last of our time together. Despite … everything, it really has been a transformative summer.’ Opal raised her glass.
Everyone followed suit. And then Noah stood.
‘I wanted to say thank you, all, even you, Johan, maybe especially.’ Johan rolled his eyes in response, but Noah carried on in all earnestness, looking down at Adam as he spoke. ‘For teaching me how to stop hiding, and how exhilarating it is to just … be myself, and to belong, cheers!’
Just as they all raised a toast again, Adam was on his feet.
‘It’s been a pleasure to get to know you all, and Heather and Ruby, in absentia.
’ Adam turned to Opal then, and the depth of his stare made a shiver run down her spine.
‘And Opal, thank you for trusting us with your home, and with your dreams. I hope we made you proud.’
Opal swallowed a lump in her throat as Adam turned to Noah finally. ‘And Noah, what can I say? I’ve never met anyone like you. You’ve made my heart sing for the first time …’ Adam shot a knowing look down at Gareth ‘… for the first time since it was broken.’
‘Cheers!’ Gareth called, and again there was a shimmering of tears in his eyes. Glasses clinked, and then everyone turned to Johan.
‘You want me to make a little speech?’ He sneered, but stood nonetheless. ‘Thank you to our wonderful hostess and the lady of the manor, Opal. Your body is magnificent inside and out.’
Opal felt the burn of blush in her cheeks but didn’t look away fast enough to miss the collection of raised eyebrows turning towards her.
‘Yes well, thanks, everyone, and cheers.’ She stuttered and was grateful when the final tinkle of glasses melted into chatter between Gareth, Adam and Noah across the table.
Johan, exiled to the other end of the table, took a sip of wine and as he lowered his glass, Opal caught him wink at her. Despite herself, she winked back.
For too long she had thought scandal was the worst thing that could beset a person, but in his final act of arseholery he had freed her of that notion too, and how could she not be at least a little grateful for that?