A Balance of Harmonies: One of the Crowd
Oct. 19th, 2012 02:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warI have a request if anyone can help me out. I’m looking for the words “one”, “two”, and “three” in different languages (the way you’d say “part ‘one’” if that’s different than the regular “one”) for a story. The more languages I can get the more chapters I can write (I have ideas for eighteen). I attempted to use Google Translate, but since it can’t always translate the word back and some languages have more than one “one” and I need the Romanization, I’d rather get the words from people who have at least a familiarity with the language in question. In my house we have a least a little study in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, and Mandarin, plus my daughter is presently studying Russian, but she’s only a few weeks in and hasn’t yet learned with of the two “one”s to use.
So any help you could give me would be wonderful.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Title: One of the Crowd
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter ninety-two of gobs
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: stretching, painting, a long lunch, sleep, waking up, a shower, breakfast, writing, transitioning, concern, secrets, drawing, dealing, getting it out
Length: about 2,700 words
Summary: Emil has a good day. Kurt enjoys his men. And Peregrine puts off the inevitable.
Master list
Emil stretched out in the bed. He was alone. None of them had slept until Kurt’s alarm went off then they got up and made a huge breakfast feast. Brandon had eaten his fill. After Kurt and Brandon left, Peregrine had stayed up to do the dishes and sent Emil back to bed. Emil fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The clock read ten thirty: just over three hours of sleep. He should get up. Sleeping in would make going to sleep harder tonight, and both his men would be tired as neither slept at all, if Peregrine was painting like Emil assumed he was. But Emil closed his eyes and they wouldn’t open. He would get up in a few minutes.
--
Peregrine looked at the portrait of Ivory. Something wasn’t right. He’d thought he’d gotten his final ideas seeing Ivory again at church on Sunday, but fitting the happy, glowing person onto the body of the dutiful youth wasn’t turning out as easy as he’d hoped. He stared at the painting and picked up his coffee mug. It was empty which meant Emil was still asleep.
He turned to his unfinished picture of Emil on the balcony. He stared at it. Emil was melancholy, his red robe whipping in the wind, as he watched the army march away. Maybe he needed jewelry. An army general would bestow gold and gems on his lover, wouldn’t he? And the lover would wear them to show he was loved. Rubies to match the robe? Emeralds? Sapphires? That might work best. Or maybe a mix. He opened a notebook and drew out several ideas. Maybe Emil would know.
Peregrine carried the notebook into the kitchen. He could make Emil breakfast in bed and text Kurt to see if he could come home for lunch. He grinned. Last night had been wonderful and today would be better.
--
Kurt ginned at his phone. He could take a long lunch today and make up the time by staying late. In fact he could leave right now. He waved and grinned at people who hailed him as he left word with the secretaries and then walked out into the sun.
Two hours later, he returned full of life and energy. Beka looked him over. “You look more wide awake then this morning. Did you nap on your lunch?”
“No.” He grinned at her then walked away to let his colleagues speculate. He gave them someone to talk about, which seemed to please them, so everyone was happy.
--
Emil snuggled between his two lovers. He thought he wouldn’t sleep, but the sound of Kurt’s breaths and Peregrine’s heart beating beneath Emil’s ear, soothed Emil into wonderful dreams.
--
Peregrine opened his eyes then pulled his pillow over his head. “Kurt, turn that alarm off.”
He had wanted to sleep for a few more hours. He wasn’t looking forward to today.
He rolled over and sat up. Emil, more awake then he generally was this time of the morning, was responding to Kurt’s overtures with enthusiasm. Peregrine stood up. He needed a shower. He gathered his clothes then turned to watch his lovers. They were beautiful and erotic and picturesque, but he was all sexed out. He’d be ready for them again when he got back on Friday.
He took a short shower, so Kurt would still have warm water for his, and then he made breakfast. They still had leftover pancake mix from yesterday. In the middle of his seventh pancake, Kurt and Emil stumbled out of the bedroom looking thoroughly mussed. He flipped this pancake unto the plate warming in the over. “Shower, then breakfast.”
Emil smiled. “What about breakfast then a shower?”
Kurt kissed Emil’s head. “How many more are you going to cook?”
Peregrine lifted the container of batter. “Three, maybe four.”
He poured batter into the hot pan. Emil leaned on the counter beside him. “Need a hand?”
Peregrine grinned. “Want.”
Emil wrapped his arms around him. “And what you want, you get. Kurt, shower without me.”
Kurt put on an over the top pout. “If I have to.”
Emil grinned and chased him to the studio door. There Kurt turned and accepted a kiss. Peregrine did have the best lovers.
--
Kurt checked his phone after the meeting. The lawyer Zawadzki’s uncle recommended wanted to meet Kurt and discuss any case they might have. Kurt called him back and made an appointment. The lawyer might also have some idea of what he should do will all the names people had given him. He was willing to be the go-to guy to keep his rights, but he didn’t want to have to do all the work.
--
Emil sat down at his computer and the words just flowed onto the page. Maybe writing fiction wasn’t as hard as he’d let himself believe.
--
Peregrine locked his bike in the shelter’s bike corral. Addison bounced only a few feet away. Peregrine nodded to him. “How’s it going?”
“I like it here.”
“That’s good.”
“People are nice to me.”
“I’m glad to hear that to.” Peregrine stood up. Addison took his hand. Peregrine ruffled the kid’s hair. “Have you made any friends?”
Addison nodded. Hunter stepped away from the wall. “We’re all watching out for him.”
Peregrine heart ached. Hunter had never been this innocent. He bumped his arm against Hunter’s. “And how are you doing?”
Hunter looked at his feet. “I didn’t want to come back this morning. Here I’m just one of a crowd. At Dad’s I’m somebody special.”
Peregrine touched his shoulder. “You are always somebody special. When do they think you should make the transition to public school?”
“Andre says Christmas break. Kit says I should be reading at grade level by then, although my math could still use work. But Liam is really good at math, just like Willow said and I understand more than before.”
“And you don’t want to wait.”
Hunter nodded.
“I can understand that. Do you know why Andre wants you to wait?”
“Because lots of kids move during Christmas and I wouldn’t be so out of place, but Willow and Olivia say the semester doesn’t end until January, so I’ll be really far behind in all my classes. If I start now, I’ll only be a little behind.”
Peregrine patted his back. “I’ll talk to Andre.”
Hunter grinned. “Thanks.”
Brandon looked up as Peregrine entered the classroom, but he didn’t do anymore than nod until Peregrine had started the kids onto the latest project. When Peregrine stopped at his table, Brandon picked up his pencil. “Thanks for this weekend.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“Are you going to tell?” He glanced toward Andre’s office.
Peregrine patted his shoulder. “I’m not putting your future in danger.”
Brandon twirled his pencil. “Thanks.”
Kit came over. “What’s this?”
Peregrine stood up. “I think Emil has him convinced to go to art school, or at least pursue some sort of career. Right?”
Brandon nodded. “If Emil can write and cook, I suppose I can do art and take care of my house.”
Kit nodded. “If just to fill the empty hours.”
He nodded toward the front of the room. Peregrine followed him there.
“Did Brandon visit you Sunday? He was gone all night and not even Andre knew where he was.”
Peregrine looked over his class of busy students. “He came by when I wasn’t there and made a meal with Emil. That boy can cook.”
Nick called Peregrine over. Kit frowned. Peregrine stepped over to help his student. “I’ll tell you at lunch.”
“Tell him what?” asked Nick.
“No, if I told you,” Peregrine squatted next to his chair, “it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, would it?”
“You have secrets?” asked Evan.
“Everyone has secrets.” Tyler glanced at Dakota and back at his empty paper.
“True.” Peregrine grabbed an extra pencil and piece of paper. He drew a box. “Some secrets are open secrets that everyone can see.” He drew a duck inside the box. “Some are we only think are secrets, but others see what we hope they can’t.” Peregrine drew a box partially covered by a blanket. “And some are only secrets from ourselves.” He drew a boy with a blanket over his head. The boys at the table laughed. He drew another box and gift wrapped it this time. “And some things are only secrets for a select number of days, then everyone can know.”
“That better not be a duck inside,” said Nick. “No one wants a duck.”
“No one wants a dead duck,” said Brandon. “That’s what it would be if you didn’t give it food or water. And does it have air holes?”
Peregrine grinned and pointed at Brandon. “This one will have to be a chocolate duck. Otherwise it’s not going to last for three months.”
Brandon grinned back. “If you still have to brochures for the art schools, I’d like to look at them.”
“I’m sure we can get more if necessary. Kit, do you know where they are?”
Kit nodded. Peregrine turned back to Tyler and his blank paper. “What’s holding you back?”
“I…” Tyler looked down.
“Tyler’s in love and his brain has stopped working.” Nick beamed. Tyler mimed balling up his paper and throwing it at him.
“Art doesn’t need a brain.” Brandon surveyed his paper. “It only needs a heart.”
Tyler pressed his lips together. Peregrine patted his shoulder. “Listen to Brandon.”
And he must have because Tyler’s drawing was the best he’d ever done. Peregrine rescued it before Tyler could ruin the beauty by adding too much. “That’s great. All it needs is a little patience. Look at it again on Friday and see if you still want to add anything.”
Tyler begrudgingly gave up the paper. Dakota looked over Peregrine’s arm. “That’s beautiful. I love horses.”
And Tyler beamed as if he’d just won first prize.
“My horses never look right.” Dakota showed off his paper.
“Horse are said to be very hard to draw.” Peregrine smiled at the effort.
“And Tyler draws then so well.”
Tyler blushed again.
The other boys got up from the table. “Dakota, are you eating with us at lunch?”
Dakota looked at Tyler. Peregrine turned away. Small child romance was a little beyond his tolerance level today.
Kit looked through the papers on his desk. “You were going to tell me?”
Peregrine waited until the last boy left. “I met Brandon’s men.”
Kit sat up straight. “What were they like?”
“So very young.”
“Really? I got the impression they were twice his age.”
Peregrine shook his head. “Young and stupid. No, deliberately ignorant.” He gave Kit a brief summary of Sunday. “I just can’t see how punishing them for what would have been legal ten miles north of here is going to help anyone.”
“And what do you think Andre will say?”
Peregrine sighed. “I’ve got to go find out. I brought Grant and Julian by without saying who they were.”
Kit raised his eyebrows. “You what?”
Peregrine shrugged. “Brandon wasn’t here.”
Kit gestured to the door. “And maybe you should deal with that right now.”
“Maybe I should.” But he wasn’t looking forward to it.
Andre office was empty, but only because Andre was talking to Tonya in the lobby. He turned to Peregrine. “You will be back on Friday?”
“Unless something goes really wrong. I’ll make sure you get a substitute.”
“Good, good.”
“Addison looks to be doing well.”
Andre nodded. “Most of the boys look out for him and the others avoid him.”
Peregrine nodded slowly. “Hunter says he’d rather start public school now.”
Andre waved Peregrine to his office. “I can understand his impatience, but I want him to be ready.”
“Can he be anymore ready? Emotionally?”
Andre frowned. “I want him to know he has a fallback position.”
“Then tell him that and let him move on. Have you filled his slot?”
“The first night he wasn’t here. Have you seen my waiting list?”
“Anyone permanent?”
Andre frowned. “We can hope. About the veterinarian and graduate student you brought by…”
“Neither lives in town, but I’ve got a doctor who might give a talk.”
Andre moved his papers around. “I was hoping the veterinarian could come. Animals and all that.”
“I’m sure you could ask around. About Brandon. I’ve talked to him.”
“And?”
“How much do you know about Brandon’s situation before he came here?”
“His grandfather told me some of it when he dropped him off.”
“And you believed him, the man who would rather leave his flesh and blood at a homeless shelter than let him live with him.”
“I was under the impression that his grandfather couldn’t care for him.”
“Wouldn’t, more likely.”
“Which I would have found out of Brandon would talk to me.”
“Why should he talk to someone who had already made up his mind about the only two people that have ever put Brandon’s needs above their own?”
Andre got up and closed the door. “Who is the person who has already made up his mind?”
“I did my research. Did you know that these men were both undergrads when they met Brandon? That they gave him his own room? That they helped him get in driver’s permit and where taking him out driving several days a week? That he was ready for his driving test? Which he will have to study and practice for all over again because he’s had no chance to do either while he was here.”
“But they did sleep with him. He doesn’t deny that.”
“And neither do they, but only once he was seventeen, which is legal in four-fifths of the states.”
Andre pressed his lips together. “And what would you have me do? Tell him to go live with them?”
“No.” Peregrine leaned back in his chair. “His grandfather has them all scared. Brandon will stay until his birthday, but I don’t see why he should be pressure to stay away from them longer. That’s all I’m asking.”
Andre sighed. “Just that.”
“And not saying terrible things about two people he cares about. Yes, they made some mistakes, but who hasn’t.”
Andre placed a hand flat on his desk. “And that’s all you think it is? Just a little mistake?”
Peregrine closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. “You seemed to like them well enough when I brought them by.”
Andre froze. “When was this?”
“I’m sure you remember. Two young people, not much older than the boys here, one with a birthmark on his face, the other with a mangled hand from a car accident.”
Andre stood up. “You brought them here.”
Peregrine got to his feet. “When I knew Brandon wasn’t, as he was practicing the culinary arts in my kitchen.”
Andre opened the door to his office. “Come by my office Friday before you go to the classroom. And take the rest of today off.”
Peregrine nodded and hurried out. He’d need to stop by and tell Kit that he wouldn’t be back this afternoon, but he had to acknowledge that Andre had taken the whole thing better than Peregrine had thought he would.
And Peregrine had done the right thing. He wasn’t sorry for anything that happened on Sunday. Maybe he could get another painting done before he had to fly out tonight.
So any help you could give me would be wonderful.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Title: One of the Crowd
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter ninety-two of gobs
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: stretching, painting, a long lunch, sleep, waking up, a shower, breakfast, writing, transitioning, concern, secrets, drawing, dealing, getting it out
Length: about 2,700 words
Summary: Emil has a good day. Kurt enjoys his men. And Peregrine puts off the inevitable.
Master list
Emil stretched out in the bed. He was alone. None of them had slept until Kurt’s alarm went off then they got up and made a huge breakfast feast. Brandon had eaten his fill. After Kurt and Brandon left, Peregrine had stayed up to do the dishes and sent Emil back to bed. Emil fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The clock read ten thirty: just over three hours of sleep. He should get up. Sleeping in would make going to sleep harder tonight, and both his men would be tired as neither slept at all, if Peregrine was painting like Emil assumed he was. But Emil closed his eyes and they wouldn’t open. He would get up in a few minutes.
--
Peregrine looked at the portrait of Ivory. Something wasn’t right. He’d thought he’d gotten his final ideas seeing Ivory again at church on Sunday, but fitting the happy, glowing person onto the body of the dutiful youth wasn’t turning out as easy as he’d hoped. He stared at the painting and picked up his coffee mug. It was empty which meant Emil was still asleep.
He turned to his unfinished picture of Emil on the balcony. He stared at it. Emil was melancholy, his red robe whipping in the wind, as he watched the army march away. Maybe he needed jewelry. An army general would bestow gold and gems on his lover, wouldn’t he? And the lover would wear them to show he was loved. Rubies to match the robe? Emeralds? Sapphires? That might work best. Or maybe a mix. He opened a notebook and drew out several ideas. Maybe Emil would know.
Peregrine carried the notebook into the kitchen. He could make Emil breakfast in bed and text Kurt to see if he could come home for lunch. He grinned. Last night had been wonderful and today would be better.
--
Kurt ginned at his phone. He could take a long lunch today and make up the time by staying late. In fact he could leave right now. He waved and grinned at people who hailed him as he left word with the secretaries and then walked out into the sun.
Two hours later, he returned full of life and energy. Beka looked him over. “You look more wide awake then this morning. Did you nap on your lunch?”
“No.” He grinned at her then walked away to let his colleagues speculate. He gave them someone to talk about, which seemed to please them, so everyone was happy.
--
Emil snuggled between his two lovers. He thought he wouldn’t sleep, but the sound of Kurt’s breaths and Peregrine’s heart beating beneath Emil’s ear, soothed Emil into wonderful dreams.
--
Peregrine opened his eyes then pulled his pillow over his head. “Kurt, turn that alarm off.”
He had wanted to sleep for a few more hours. He wasn’t looking forward to today.
He rolled over and sat up. Emil, more awake then he generally was this time of the morning, was responding to Kurt’s overtures with enthusiasm. Peregrine stood up. He needed a shower. He gathered his clothes then turned to watch his lovers. They were beautiful and erotic and picturesque, but he was all sexed out. He’d be ready for them again when he got back on Friday.
He took a short shower, so Kurt would still have warm water for his, and then he made breakfast. They still had leftover pancake mix from yesterday. In the middle of his seventh pancake, Kurt and Emil stumbled out of the bedroom looking thoroughly mussed. He flipped this pancake unto the plate warming in the over. “Shower, then breakfast.”
Emil smiled. “What about breakfast then a shower?”
Kurt kissed Emil’s head. “How many more are you going to cook?”
Peregrine lifted the container of batter. “Three, maybe four.”
He poured batter into the hot pan. Emil leaned on the counter beside him. “Need a hand?”
Peregrine grinned. “Want.”
Emil wrapped his arms around him. “And what you want, you get. Kurt, shower without me.”
Kurt put on an over the top pout. “If I have to.”
Emil grinned and chased him to the studio door. There Kurt turned and accepted a kiss. Peregrine did have the best lovers.
--
Kurt checked his phone after the meeting. The lawyer Zawadzki’s uncle recommended wanted to meet Kurt and discuss any case they might have. Kurt called him back and made an appointment. The lawyer might also have some idea of what he should do will all the names people had given him. He was willing to be the go-to guy to keep his rights, but he didn’t want to have to do all the work.
--
Emil sat down at his computer and the words just flowed onto the page. Maybe writing fiction wasn’t as hard as he’d let himself believe.
--
Peregrine locked his bike in the shelter’s bike corral. Addison bounced only a few feet away. Peregrine nodded to him. “How’s it going?”
“I like it here.”
“That’s good.”
“People are nice to me.”
“I’m glad to hear that to.” Peregrine stood up. Addison took his hand. Peregrine ruffled the kid’s hair. “Have you made any friends?”
Addison nodded. Hunter stepped away from the wall. “We’re all watching out for him.”
Peregrine heart ached. Hunter had never been this innocent. He bumped his arm against Hunter’s. “And how are you doing?”
Hunter looked at his feet. “I didn’t want to come back this morning. Here I’m just one of a crowd. At Dad’s I’m somebody special.”
Peregrine touched his shoulder. “You are always somebody special. When do they think you should make the transition to public school?”
“Andre says Christmas break. Kit says I should be reading at grade level by then, although my math could still use work. But Liam is really good at math, just like Willow said and I understand more than before.”
“And you don’t want to wait.”
Hunter nodded.
“I can understand that. Do you know why Andre wants you to wait?”
“Because lots of kids move during Christmas and I wouldn’t be so out of place, but Willow and Olivia say the semester doesn’t end until January, so I’ll be really far behind in all my classes. If I start now, I’ll only be a little behind.”
Peregrine patted his back. “I’ll talk to Andre.”
Hunter grinned. “Thanks.”
Brandon looked up as Peregrine entered the classroom, but he didn’t do anymore than nod until Peregrine had started the kids onto the latest project. When Peregrine stopped at his table, Brandon picked up his pencil. “Thanks for this weekend.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“Are you going to tell?” He glanced toward Andre’s office.
Peregrine patted his shoulder. “I’m not putting your future in danger.”
Brandon twirled his pencil. “Thanks.”
Kit came over. “What’s this?”
Peregrine stood up. “I think Emil has him convinced to go to art school, or at least pursue some sort of career. Right?”
Brandon nodded. “If Emil can write and cook, I suppose I can do art and take care of my house.”
Kit nodded. “If just to fill the empty hours.”
He nodded toward the front of the room. Peregrine followed him there.
“Did Brandon visit you Sunday? He was gone all night and not even Andre knew where he was.”
Peregrine looked over his class of busy students. “He came by when I wasn’t there and made a meal with Emil. That boy can cook.”
Nick called Peregrine over. Kit frowned. Peregrine stepped over to help his student. “I’ll tell you at lunch.”
“Tell him what?” asked Nick.
“No, if I told you,” Peregrine squatted next to his chair, “it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, would it?”
“You have secrets?” asked Evan.
“Everyone has secrets.” Tyler glanced at Dakota and back at his empty paper.
“True.” Peregrine grabbed an extra pencil and piece of paper. He drew a box. “Some secrets are open secrets that everyone can see.” He drew a duck inside the box. “Some are we only think are secrets, but others see what we hope they can’t.” Peregrine drew a box partially covered by a blanket. “And some are only secrets from ourselves.” He drew a boy with a blanket over his head. The boys at the table laughed. He drew another box and gift wrapped it this time. “And some things are only secrets for a select number of days, then everyone can know.”
“That better not be a duck inside,” said Nick. “No one wants a duck.”
“No one wants a dead duck,” said Brandon. “That’s what it would be if you didn’t give it food or water. And does it have air holes?”
Peregrine grinned and pointed at Brandon. “This one will have to be a chocolate duck. Otherwise it’s not going to last for three months.”
Brandon grinned back. “If you still have to brochures for the art schools, I’d like to look at them.”
“I’m sure we can get more if necessary. Kit, do you know where they are?”
Kit nodded. Peregrine turned back to Tyler and his blank paper. “What’s holding you back?”
“I…” Tyler looked down.
“Tyler’s in love and his brain has stopped working.” Nick beamed. Tyler mimed balling up his paper and throwing it at him.
“Art doesn’t need a brain.” Brandon surveyed his paper. “It only needs a heart.”
Tyler pressed his lips together. Peregrine patted his shoulder. “Listen to Brandon.”
And he must have because Tyler’s drawing was the best he’d ever done. Peregrine rescued it before Tyler could ruin the beauty by adding too much. “That’s great. All it needs is a little patience. Look at it again on Friday and see if you still want to add anything.”
Tyler begrudgingly gave up the paper. Dakota looked over Peregrine’s arm. “That’s beautiful. I love horses.”
And Tyler beamed as if he’d just won first prize.
“My horses never look right.” Dakota showed off his paper.
“Horse are said to be very hard to draw.” Peregrine smiled at the effort.
“And Tyler draws then so well.”
Tyler blushed again.
The other boys got up from the table. “Dakota, are you eating with us at lunch?”
Dakota looked at Tyler. Peregrine turned away. Small child romance was a little beyond his tolerance level today.
Kit looked through the papers on his desk. “You were going to tell me?”
Peregrine waited until the last boy left. “I met Brandon’s men.”
Kit sat up straight. “What were they like?”
“So very young.”
“Really? I got the impression they were twice his age.”
Peregrine shook his head. “Young and stupid. No, deliberately ignorant.” He gave Kit a brief summary of Sunday. “I just can’t see how punishing them for what would have been legal ten miles north of here is going to help anyone.”
“And what do you think Andre will say?”
Peregrine sighed. “I’ve got to go find out. I brought Grant and Julian by without saying who they were.”
Kit raised his eyebrows. “You what?”
Peregrine shrugged. “Brandon wasn’t here.”
Kit gestured to the door. “And maybe you should deal with that right now.”
“Maybe I should.” But he wasn’t looking forward to it.
Andre office was empty, but only because Andre was talking to Tonya in the lobby. He turned to Peregrine. “You will be back on Friday?”
“Unless something goes really wrong. I’ll make sure you get a substitute.”
“Good, good.”
“Addison looks to be doing well.”
Andre nodded. “Most of the boys look out for him and the others avoid him.”
Peregrine nodded slowly. “Hunter says he’d rather start public school now.”
Andre waved Peregrine to his office. “I can understand his impatience, but I want him to be ready.”
“Can he be anymore ready? Emotionally?”
Andre frowned. “I want him to know he has a fallback position.”
“Then tell him that and let him move on. Have you filled his slot?”
“The first night he wasn’t here. Have you seen my waiting list?”
“Anyone permanent?”
Andre frowned. “We can hope. About the veterinarian and graduate student you brought by…”
“Neither lives in town, but I’ve got a doctor who might give a talk.”
Andre moved his papers around. “I was hoping the veterinarian could come. Animals and all that.”
“I’m sure you could ask around. About Brandon. I’ve talked to him.”
“And?”
“How much do you know about Brandon’s situation before he came here?”
“His grandfather told me some of it when he dropped him off.”
“And you believed him, the man who would rather leave his flesh and blood at a homeless shelter than let him live with him.”
“I was under the impression that his grandfather couldn’t care for him.”
“Wouldn’t, more likely.”
“Which I would have found out of Brandon would talk to me.”
“Why should he talk to someone who had already made up his mind about the only two people that have ever put Brandon’s needs above their own?”
Andre got up and closed the door. “Who is the person who has already made up his mind?”
“I did my research. Did you know that these men were both undergrads when they met Brandon? That they gave him his own room? That they helped him get in driver’s permit and where taking him out driving several days a week? That he was ready for his driving test? Which he will have to study and practice for all over again because he’s had no chance to do either while he was here.”
“But they did sleep with him. He doesn’t deny that.”
“And neither do they, but only once he was seventeen, which is legal in four-fifths of the states.”
Andre pressed his lips together. “And what would you have me do? Tell him to go live with them?”
“No.” Peregrine leaned back in his chair. “His grandfather has them all scared. Brandon will stay until his birthday, but I don’t see why he should be pressure to stay away from them longer. That’s all I’m asking.”
Andre sighed. “Just that.”
“And not saying terrible things about two people he cares about. Yes, they made some mistakes, but who hasn’t.”
Andre placed a hand flat on his desk. “And that’s all you think it is? Just a little mistake?”
Peregrine closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. “You seemed to like them well enough when I brought them by.”
Andre froze. “When was this?”
“I’m sure you remember. Two young people, not much older than the boys here, one with a birthmark on his face, the other with a mangled hand from a car accident.”
Andre stood up. “You brought them here.”
Peregrine got to his feet. “When I knew Brandon wasn’t, as he was practicing the culinary arts in my kitchen.”
Andre opened the door to his office. “Come by my office Friday before you go to the classroom. And take the rest of today off.”
Peregrine nodded and hurried out. He’d need to stop by and tell Kit that he wouldn’t be back this afternoon, but he had to acknowledge that Andre had taken the whole thing better than Peregrine had thought he would.
And Peregrine had done the right thing. He wasn’t sorry for anything that happened on Sunday. Maybe he could get another painting done before he had to fly out tonight.
