A Fluffy Tale (16 page)

A grim-faced Leo gathered the photos into
the albums and closed it.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to go?”
Julian asked. “He’s upset.”

“Yes, he is. And he needs his friends, so
please don’t leave, Julian. I…didn’t mean to expose him so much. I had no idea
that Caran had left me all the photos she had. I’d always assumed Zachary had a
collection—we just never discussed it. We’ve never talked about any of this
before. So much wasted time.

“Will he be all right?”

“I hope so. He’s upset, but he was grateful
to know more about his parents, and Caran and Peter’s feelings, and…just how he
fitted in. You see, his understanding of the situation hadn’t really moved on
from what he understood as a child. No one had explained, or helped him work it
out. His own reserve didn’t help of course, and Caran just never got over
Helena’s death. Peter didn’t either, I suspect. I know they loved Zachary—I
wish they’d found a way to show him that more than they did.”

“My parents loving
me…it’s been there all my life. I’ve never doubted it, even when they’ve
driven me crazy. He must have been so lonely.”

“Yes. Which is why I won’t let him be alone
now. I think he knows it’s bad for him. I asked him if you should come over and
he said yes. He could have refused. He’s learning, Julian.”

“He’s really glad I'm moving in?”

“Yes. Surprisingly so.” Leo smiled. “He
pretends it’s so Linis will have company, of course.”

Julian grinned. “Of course. Are you sure
yourself? I'm a slob.”

“And I can hire a cleaner, or someone with
a shovel if necessary. I wasn’t any tidier at your age, my dear boy. I'm
looking forward to it. I’ve been alone for too long, and I hate it. Would you
put that up on that bookcase for me? Thank you. Now—he said he wanted to cook
but I think that’ll wait another day. Let’s choose a nice meal and then a
decent film to enjoy afterwards.”

The DVD player had been a new addition when
Zachary was released from hospital, and though he despised television, Leo had
introduced him to foreign cinema. Julian, who in his student days had regularly
haunted the art film houses, had rediscovered his taste for it. Now he’d be
able to watch a film with them both and only have to get as far as the stairs
to go home. Luxury.

Zachary emerged when the food was
delivered. He looked very much calmer, though tired, and thanked Leo for
organising the food. “I want to cook tomorrow,” he insisted.

“Of course, my dear fellow. Julian’s in
need of lessons too—he’s hoping you’ll teach him some of your techniques.”

Julian, who had mentioned nothing of the
sort, just smiled and agreed, and mentally reminded himself that Leo was a
conniving old bastard and he, Julian, was a mere amateur in the manipulating
Zachary stakes. Zachary, though surprised at Julian’s interest, was more than
happy to agree to show him whatever he wanted to know.

“And you should make him do the shopping,”
Leo added. “Learning where to buy the best ingredients is part of the secret of
being a good cook.”

“He can come with me…er, if you’d like,”
Zachary added, uncharacteristically hesitant.

“Sure. We can get a walk in and I can find
out what’s what at the same time.” And he’d better learn to feign a genuine
interest in cooking or Zachary would realise what Leo had done. The old bastard.

Zachary always let the two of them choose the
film, having no experience in the matter, and willing to give almost anything a
try, at least once. Tonight, more subdued than usual, he didn’t even look at
what they’d chosen, just taking up his usual position on the sofa. Julian sat
on one armchair, Leo on the other. Leo started the movie up, and they settled
back to watch.

Not five minutes later, Linis, who’d been
lying peacefully on Zachary’s lap, sat up and whined, before stalking along the
sofa, coming to rest on the arm closest to Julian’s chair. He whined again, and
stuck out a paw to bat at Julian’s arm. Pyon, who’d also been lying quietly,
jumped up off Julian’s lap, ran across the floor, and leapt onto Zachary’s lap.

“What the hell?” Julian asked, looking at
Zachary. “Linis, shoo.” The kem continued to stare at him, and batted at him
again, this time with a hint of claws. “What do you want?”

Linis turned around, ran across the sofa to
Zachary, head butted him, and then ran back to Julian, whining and batting him.
Leo laughed. “I would say Linis thinks you should be sitting closer to
Zachary.”

“Silly kem. Run away.” But Linis wouldn’t,
and he wouldn’t shut up either. The whining was getting on Julian’s nerves. He
finally looked at Zachary, who seemed as bewildered as Julian felt. “Do you
mind?”

“It’s worth a try. Linis, what’s wrong with
you? Leave Julian alone, please.”

But his kem ignored him, and actually
hooked Julian’s sleeve with his claws and tugged. Julian picked him up and
carried him over to the sofa, settling down at the very end, trying hard not to
encroach on Zachary’s space. “Happy now?” he asked Linis as he set the big kem
down.

Apparently not, because the whining
continued until Julian moved close enough to Zachary that Linis could lie on
the sofa, stretched out between the two men, his head on Zachary’s lap and his
tail and back legs on Julian. “Has he ever done anything like this before?”
Julian asked.

“Never. Linis, that looks very
undignified.” Linis merely twitched his tail. Pyon, taking his cue, stretched
out alongside his friend. Only Nuji retained some common sense, sitting on
Leo’s lap and squeaking in amusement at the antics on the sofa.

Zachary shook his head at his kem. “If
you’re quite finished…Uncle Leo, would you mind rewinding?
Someone
was distracting me.”

But Linis was
still
not happy. Julian had kept his hands off the kem’s body,
mindful of the effect on Zachary. Linis had other ideas, digging his back feet
into Julian and whacking him with his tail and doing everything but sitting up
and shouting for Julian to pet him. Julian sighed and stroked both kems. Linis
settled down immediately.

“You mind?” he whispered at Zachary.

“I’ll survive,” his friend said dryly.
“Linis, you’re being a pest.” His kem ignored that remark as being beneath him.
When Zachary started to pet him as well, Linis trilled quietly.

Julian couldn’t relax for a good while
after that, worried about Zachary’s reaction to Julian touching Linis. But
gradually he realised whatever sensations he received through his kem seemed to
be helping the man. Zachary’s posture eased, and the hands moving over Pyon and
Linis’s fur showed no tension. He doubted Zachary was entirely absorbed in the
film—he seemed too distracted for that—but Julian could detect no sign of
distress or embarrassment.

Eventually he just concentrated on the long
but excellent film. As the credits rolled, he turned to Zachary to ask him what
he thought—and found the man had quietly fallen asleep, head turned against the
back of the sofa, his face soft and relaxed.

“He’s been out for at least an hour,” Leo
whispered, smiling. “I wondered if you’d notice.”

“The movie was so good…I should wake him
up.”

“Yes. You do that. I’ll see you upstairs.”

Julian waited until Leo left, hoping the
slight noise might rouse Zachary—but the man slumbered on. “Linis, you try.”

The kem yawned and gave Julian a ‘Me? You want
me
to
do your dirty work?’ look. So was no help. Julian finally had to resort to
giving Zachary a gentle push on the shoulder. “Hey, Zachary—show’s over.”

Zachary woke with a start, blinking in the
dim light. “Oh…I slept?”

“Yes, you did. Leo’s gone to bed. You
should too.”

“Yes.” But he made no move except to hold
Linis close to his chest, his expression sad. “I was dreaming. About…Mama.”

“Was it nice?”

“Yes. It was. I just…haven’t dreamed about
her since I was a child.”

“The photos?”

“Yes. I…it…it was strange. I felt…almost
like it was just new to me. Like it hadn’t been more than twenty years.”

“You cried for them.”

Zachary nodded. “I felt rather foolish.”

“I don’t think so.” It was rather curiously
intimate, this quiet conversation about such a personal thing, in the darkened
living room. It surprised Julian that Zachary would even speak of this to him,
but he felt the man wanted…something…from him. “You didn’t cry for your
grandparents either, did you?”

“No. Because…I don’t know
why, exactly. I just…thought it wasn’t right. That Grandfather would
disapprove.”

“Your granddad isn’t you.” He reached
behind him and turned on the little table lamp. Pyon walked over onto his lap
and looked up, as if waiting for Julian to get moving. “Will you be okay
tonight? Leo would sleep down here if you wanted. Or I could, since he’s got
that medical alert thing. I don’t need to be in the apartment itself.”

Zachary sat up a little. “No…it’s enough
you’re both upstairs. Close but…”

“Not too close?”

“Yes. I have to admit I was relieved when
Uncle Leo told me what you and he had arranged. It’s the perfect solution for
him—but for you?”

“For me too. Come on, let me help you up.”

He kept his grasp impersonal and brief,
letting go as soon as Zachary had his feet under him. “Okay, see you tomorrow.
If you need anything…I keep my mobile in my room. You can call me, you won’t
wake him up.”

“I'm perfectly fine, Julian.” But before
Julian could take offence at the cool words, Zachary smiled slightly. “I
appreciate…the thought.”

“Good night, Zachary.” Pyon squeaked. “He
says good night too.”

“Yes, I know.”

Julian grinned at that,
then let himself out. He found Leo waiting for him in the apartment, eyes
anxious, cuddling Nuji to his chest and stroking his tail.

“He’s fine,” Julian reassured him. “Tired,
a bit emotional about stuff, but he’s okay.”

“Oh, I do hope so. Linis was worried.”

“That was what all that nonsense was
about?”

“Well, of course. Linis thinks you’re good
for him. They’re not exactly subtle creatures, kems—are you, my dear fellow?”
he said, nuzzling Nuji. “And Zachary will tolerate interference from Linis that
he wouldn’t from a human. I confess myself curious as to how far Linis will go,
but you should let him guide you. If there’s anyone or anything on the planet
who knows how Zachary’s mind works, it’s his kem.”

“I think you’ve got a fair idea too. What’s
this about me wanting to be a cook?”

Leo’s guileless expression was a fraud. “I
thought you might like to learn. He’s an excellent cook, but you could guess
that. Teaching you will give him an excuse for your company he’d never ask for
on his own account.”

“Are you pushing us together?”

“I'm encouraging two young men who should
be friends, to be friends. Zachary needs you, and he’s good for you as well.
Your kems are all for it—you’re powerless to resist.”

Julian shook his head in disgust. “Pushing
Zachary where Zachary doesn’t want to be, isn’t a great idea. He’s only just
stopped being all huffy with me over every little thing. Don’t back him into a
corner, please, Leo.”

“I won’t. But he’s making strides. He’s not
who he was when we first met. I want that process to
continue, and I need your help.”

“You,” Julian said, wagging his finger at
his friend, “need a hobby.”

“I have one—you.”

Julian sighed. The man was impossible—and
impossible to be annoyed with. “I give up. And I'm also going to bed.
Goodnight.” He gave Leo’s arm a little squeeze. “Those photos meant a lot to
him. He needed them, I think.”

“Yes, he did. Just…well,
if only I’d given them sooner. But at least he’s got them now.
Goodnight, Julian. I know I’ll sleep sounder for you being here.”

Julian’s new bed was the most comfortable
he’d ever slept on—ironically, he’d helped Leo choose the mattress without the
slightest inkling of what the man planned to suggest to him—but it took a
little while for him to get to sleep. He kept thinking about Zachary, and his
parents, and how awful it would be to go through life not knowing about them,
not having any clear memories—and to believe that the people who’d brought you
up, didn’t care all that much about you. He promised himself that he’d call his
Mum the very next day and tell her he loved her. He didn’t do that often
enough—and if Zachary’s situation could teach him anything, it was that you
could never know when the last time you saw someone, really would be the last
time.

Julian’s family weren’t rich, and none of
them were travelled or worldly. Sometimes that lack of worldiness really
annoyed him. But he wouldn’t trade any of them—or any time with them—for all
Zachary’s privileges and wealth. Money just wasn’t a substitute.

By day, Julian’s new status changed little
in their routine. There was some legal stuff to sort out, to give Julian
adequate protection in case of Leo’s death or a breakdown in their
relationship, and to protect Leo against exploitation. Both sides were handled
with scrupulous fairness by one of Zachary’s colleagues at the law firm, not
Zachary himself, who wanted to ensure neither Julian nor Leo later felt there
had been improper bias. But that took up only a day in total, and the rest of
Julian’s duties were exactly as they had been. Leo was slowly introducing him
to the business matters which he would later handle,
but there wasn’t a huge amount, and Leo’s accountants did most of the work. The
rest of the time, Julian was just Leo’s companion—his friend, his helper, his
foil for the man’s wicked humour. He kept waiting for the downside, but it
never came. He was being paid to spend time with someone he’d gladly help for
free, and he had to keep pinching himself to convince himself it wasn’t all
some wonderful dream.

Zachary went back to work on half-days, the
afternoons being taken up with physiotherapy appointments and other minor
chores. The ugly wheelchair-friendly car had been sold, but at Julian’s
suggestion, replaced with a sleeker, smaller one, to give them a little more
flexibility with outings and quick dashes here and there. He gave Zachary lifts
to his appointments about half the time, because they could then run errands
afterwards. Julian and Leo wanted to encourage Zachary to think it normal to
have someone else around when he did things, so more often than not, they
invented a perfectly plausible reason for Zachary to need a lift rather than a
taxi. Zachary, Julian suspected, was well aware of their game—but never argued
about it. The guy was learning.