Sons of Fortune (8 page)

“Want
me to show you around?” asked Tom.

“Sounds
great,” said Nat, “but can I make a phone call?”

“You
don’t need to, Diane’s already called.”

“She’s
already called?”

“Yea,
she phoned this morning, to ask what time you’d be arriving. She begged me not
to tell you, so I think we can assume she’s interested.”

“Then
I’d better call her back immediately.”

“No,
that’s the last thing you should do,” said Tom.

“But
I said I would.”

“Yes,
I know you did, but I think we’ll walk around the grounds first.”

The
next day at the Coulters’, Tricia answered the door. She was dressed for a game
of tennis.

“Is
Diane home?” Nat asked.

“No,
she’s gone to some party at the Capitol with my parents. She should be back in
about an hour.

I’m
Tricia, by the way. I spoke to you on the phone. I was just going to have a
Coke. Want to join me?”

“Is
your brother at home?”

“No,
he’s training down at the gym.”

“Yes,
please.”

Tricia
led Nat through to the kitchen and pointed toward a stool on the other side of
the table. Nat sat down and didn’t speak as Tricia pulled open the fridge door.
As she bent over to remove two Cokes, her short skirt rose. Nat couldn’t stop
staring at her white tennis panties.

“What
time are you expecting them back?” he asked as she added some ice cubes to his
drink.

“No
idea, so for the time being, you’re stuck with me.”

Nat
sipped his drink, not sure what to say, because he thought he and Diana had
agreed to see To Kill a Mockingbird.

Nat
was sipping his Coke when he felt a hand on his thigh. He blushed, but made no
attempt to remove it. Tricia smiled across the table at him. “You can put your
hand on my leg if you want to.” Nat thought she might consider him rude if he
didn’t comply, so he reached under the table and placed a hand on her thigh.
“Good,” she said as she sipped her Coke, “that’s a little more friendly.” Nat
didn’t comment as her hand moved farther up his newly pressed slacks. “Just
follow my lead,” she said. He moved his hand farther up her thigh, but came to
a halt when he reached the hem of her skirt. Tricia didn’t stop until she had
reached his crotch.

“You’ve
still got some way to go to catch up with me,”

Tricia
said, as she began to undo the top button of his slacks. “Under the skirt, not
over,” she added, without any trace of mockery. He slipped his hand under her
skirt as she continued to unbutton his slacks. He hesitated again when his
fingers reached her panties. He couldn’t remember anything in Teen magazine
about what he was expected to do next.
when
fletcher’s
mother dropped him off at Senator and Mrs.
Gates’s
home in East Hartford, it was Jimmy who answered the door.

“Now
don’t forget to always address Mr. Gates as Senator or sir.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“And
don’t bother him with too many questions.”

“No,
Mom.”

“Remember
that a conversation conducted by two people should be fifty percent talking and
fifty percent listening.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Hello,
Mrs. Davenport, how
are
you?” asked Jimmy as he opened
the door to greet them.

“I’m
well,
thank you, Jimmy, and you?”

“Just great.
I’m
afraid Mom and Dad are out at some function, but I could make you a cup of
tea?”

“No
thank you, I have to be back in time to chair a meeting of the Hospital Trust,
but please remember to pass on my best wishes to your parents.”

Jimmy
carried one of Fletcher’s suitcases up to the spare room. “I’ve put you next to
me,” he said, “which means we have to share the same bathroom.”

Fletcher
put his other suitcase on the bed, before studying the pictures on the
walls-prints of the Civil War, just in case a southerner should come to stay
and might have forgotten who won. They reminded Jimmy to ask Fletcher if he’d
finished his essay on Lincoln.

“Yes,
but have you found out Diane’s phone number?”

“I’ve
gone one better. I’ve discovered which coffee shop she goes to most afternoons.
So I thought we might just drop in casually, say around five, and should that
fail, my father has invited her parents to a reception at the Capitol tomorrow
evening.”

“But
they might not come.”

“I’ve
checked the guest list, and they’ve accepted.”

Fletcher
suddenly remembered the trade-off he’d agreed on with senator. “How far have
you got with your homework?”

“Haven’t
even started,” admitted Jimmy.

“Jimmy, if you don’t get a pass grade next term, Mr.
Haskins will put you on probation and then I won’t be able to help.”

“I
know, but I’m also aware of the deal you struck with my father.”

“Then
if I’m to keep it, we’ll have to start work first thing tomorrow. We’ll begin
by doing two hours every morning.”

“Yes
sir,” said Jimmy, snapping to attention.

“But
before we worry about tomorrow, perhaps you should get changed,” said Jimmy.

Fletcher
had packed half a dozen shirts and a couple pairs of slacks, but still hadn’t a
clue what to wear on his first date. He was about to seek his friend’s advice,
when Jimmy said, “Once you’ve unpacked why don’t you come down and join us in
the living room? The bathroom’s at the end of the hall.”

Fletcher
changed quickly into the shirt and slacks he’d bought the previous day at a
local tailor his father had recommended. He checked himself in the long mirror.
He had no idea how he looked, because he’d never taken any interest in clothes
before. Act casual, look sharp, he’d heard a disc jockey telling his radio audience,
but what did that mean? He’d worry about it later. As Fletcher walked
downstairs, he could hear voices coming from the front room, one of which he
didn’t recognize.

“Mom,
you remember Fletcher,” Jimmy said as his friend strolled into the room.

“Yes,
of course I do. My husband never stops telling everyone about the fascinating
conversation the two of you had at the Tail game.”

“That’s
kind of him to remember,” said Fletcher, not looking at her.

“And
I know he’s looking forward to seeing you again.”

“That’s
kind of him,” said Fletcher a second time.

“And
this is my kid sister, Annie,” said Jimmy.

Annie
blushed, and not only because she hated being described by Jimmy as his kid
sister: his friend hadn’t taken his eyes off her from the moment he’d walked into
the room.

“Good
evening, Mrs. Coulter, how nice to meet you and your husband, and this must be
your daughter Diane, if I remember correctly.” Mr. and Mrs. Coulter were
impressed because they had never met the senator before, and not only had their
son scored the winning touchdown against Hotchkiss, but they were registered
Republicans. “Now, Diane,” continued the senator, “I have someone I want you to
meet.” Harry
Gates’s
eyes swept the room searching
for Fletcher, who had been standing by his side only a moment before.
“Strange,” he said, “but you mustn’t leave without meeting him. Otherwise I
won’t have kept my end of the bargain,” he added without explanation.

“Where’s
Fletcher disappeared off to?” Harry Gates asked his son once the Coulters had
joined the other guests.

“If
you can spot Annie, you won’t find Fletcher behind; he hasn’t left her side
since he arrived in Hartford. In fact I’m thinking of buying him a dog leash
and calling him Fletch.”

“Is
that right?” said the senator. “I hope he doesn’t think that releases him from
our deal.”

“No,
he doesn’t,” said Jimmy. “In fact we studied Romeo and Juliet for two hours
this morning, and guess who he sees himself as.”

The
senator smiled. “And which part do you imagine fits your character?” he asked.

“I
think I’m
Mercutio
.”

“No,”
said Harry Gates, “you can only be
Mercutio
if he
starts to chase Diane.”

“I
don’t understand.”

“Ask
Fletcher. He’ll explain it to you.”

Jimmy
left his father to walk across and join his friend.

“I
don’t know what you see in her,” said Jimmy.

“She’s
got everything you haven’t,” said Fletcher smiling. “She’s bright, pretty,
fun
to be
withand
.

.”

“Are
you sure we’re talking about my sister?”

“Yes,
which is why you’re the one who has to wear glasses.
”

“By
the way, Diane Coulter has just turned up with her parents. Dad wants to know
if you’re still hoping to meet her.”

“Not
particularly, she’s gone from A to Z, so she’s now a natural for you.”

“No
thanks,” said Jimmy, “I don’t need your cast-offs. By the way, I told Dad about
Romeo and Juliet, and said I saw myself as
Mercutio
.”

“Only
if I start to date Dan Coulter’s sister, but I’m no longer interested in the
daughter of that house.”

“I
still don’t understand.”

“I’ll
explain tomorrow morning,” said Fletcher, as Jimmy’s sister reappeared carrying
two Dr.

Peppers.
Annie scowled
at her brother, and he quickly disappeared.

For
some time, neither of them spoke, until Annie said, “Would you like me to show
you the Senate Chamber?”

“Sure,
that would be great,” said Fletcher. She turned and began walking toward the
door, with Fletcher following a pace behind.

“Do
you see what I see?” said Harry Gates, turning to his wife as Fletcher and his
daughter disappeared out of the room.

“I
certainly do,” replied Martha Gates, “but I shouldn’t get too worried about it,
as I doubt if either of them is capable of seducing the other.”

“It
didn’t stop me trying at that age, as I feel sure you remember.”

“Typical politician.
That’s another story you’ve embellished over the years.
Because
if I remember correctly, it was me who seduced you.”

“This
is the Senate Chamber,” said Annie as they looked down from the gallery onto a
semicircle of blue leather chairs.

“It’s
very impressive,” said Fletcher.

“Daddy
says you’ll end up here one day, or perhaps go even further.” Fletcher didn’t
reply, because he had no idea what exams you had to pass to become a
politician. “I heard him tell my mother he’d never met a more brilliant boy.”

“Well,
you know what they say about politicians,” said Fletcher.

“Yes,
I do, but I can always tell when Daddy doesn’t mean it because he smiles at the
same time, and this time he didn’t smile.”

“Where
does your father sit?” asked Fletcher trying to change the subject.

“As
the majority leader, he sits third along from the left in the front row,” she
said pointing down, “but I’d better not tell you too much because I know he’s
looking forward to showing you around the Capitol himself.” He felt her hand
touch his.

“Sorry,”
he said, quickly removing his hand, thinking it had been a mistake.

“Don’t
be silly,” she said. She took his hand again, this time holding on to it.

“Don’t
you think we ought to go back and join the party?” asked Fletcher. “Otherwise
they might start to wonder where we are.”

“I
suppose so,” said Annie, but she didn’t move. “Fletcher, have you ever kissed a
girl?” she asked quietly.

“No,
I haven’t,” he admitted, turning scarlet.

“Would
you like to?”

“Yes,
I would,” he said.

“Would
you like to kiss me?”

He
nodded and then turned and watched as Annie closed her eyes and pursed her
lips. He checked to make sure that all the doors were closed, before he leaned
forward and kissed her gently on the mouth.

Once
he’d stopped, she opened her eyes.

“Do
you know what a French kiss is?” she asked.

“No,
I don’t,” said Fletcher.

“No,
neither do I,” admitted Annie. “If you find out, will you tell me?”

“Yes,
I will,” said Fletcher.

“A
RE you going
to run for president?” asked Jimmy.

“Haven’t
decided yet,” Fletcher replied.

“Everyone
assumes you will.”

“That’s
one of the problems.”

“My
father wants you to.”