A Fluffy Tale 2: Warm & Fuzzy (23 page)

Spen sagged in relief. “That’s great! Is
that what you wanted?”

“Considering they were only talking about a
reference and a month’s salary before, yeah. Zachary said we’d get more if we
sued and won—”

“But you can’t guarantee you’d win, and the
stress would be awful.”

“Exactly. He said the case was as strong as
he and his colleagues had ever seen, but sexual harassment suits are often hard
to predict. Most are settled before they come to court. He’s pleased. I’m
pleased because it means Jan’s position is stronger now. They’ll have to offer
him something similar, and he needs it, poor guy. Zachary says he’s actually
more screwed up than I am about it because he couldn’t tell anyone. Apparently
he cried all over Julian, did he tell you?”

“Yeah, he said. Oh good.” He lifted his
glass. “And you never have to go back to the company again.”

Daniel touched his glass to Spen’s. “No,
thank God.” Kani chirped happily and Myko did a somersault. Spen stared at his
kem in amazement. “They approve.”

“Yeah, they do. I’m so pleased, Danny.”

“Oh, and get this. Stern wanted me to sign
a non-disclosure agreement but Zachary told him to bugger off because we were
talking about criminal acts, and I couldn’t be forced not to disclose details
of a crime. So in theory I can go to the press and make a big stink but there’s
no way in hell I’m going to. Jan might, though. Wouldn't blame him at all.”

“He’ll probably want to keep it quiet too.
Even if he’s in the right, companies can be really old-fashioned about hiring
staff who sue employers.”

“Yeah. It was more the look on Stern’s face
and his solicitors when Zachary faced them down. He’s
awesome
.”

“He really is.”

“Linis just
yawned at Stern and he went white. It was like he thought Linis
was going to eat him.” Daniel grinned. Seeing his boyfriend happy made Spen
smile, especially when Daniel had been so miserable that morning. “Zachary said
six.”

“Yeah, that’s cool. We can finish our
drinks and walk over. It’s not far from here. Just across the park.”

Daniel suddenly reached up and loosened his
tie, then tore it off and stuffed it into his pocket. “I never want to wear one
of those damn things again. Reminds me of going to Mum and Dad’s funeral far
too much. And Tony.”

Spen stroked his hand. “We need to get you
back to what you really love. No, don’t say it. Plenty of time to plan and talk
about it.”

“Okay. Right now, this takes the pressure
off for a little bit. It’ll take me forever to get another job so this helps a
lot.”

Spen wished he was rich enough to say to
Daniel, “You don’t need to worry about a thing, I’ll look after you,” but he
wasn’t, and besides, Daniel wouldn’t accept. He was fiercely determined to
support himself and his family on his own, which Spen couldn’t exactly fault
him for.

“Drink up. It’s a lovely evening and the park’s cool and shady. Kani and Myko will enjoy it.”

The kems did love the park, with all the
places they could nose around, the leaves they could play with, and the
occasional greetings they could deliver to other kems, whose humans were also
enjoying the green peace. Spen loved it too, but for different reasons. He
could walk holding Daniel’s hand, and even kiss him occasionally, without
worrying too much about what the idiots at the office thought. Sure someone
might see him, but the risk was greater at the pub. Not that he cared for his
own sake, but it bothered Daniel, and he didn’t want to give the gossip mill
more fuel than absolutely necessary.

“It’s still hours and hours before the kids
land. I wonder how they’re finding it. They were a lot younger when we flew
last time.”

“I suspect they’ll find it all a huge
adventure and have a great time. Don’t worry.”

“Not even about plane crashes?”

Spen stopped and took him into a hug. “Not
even about them,” he murmured against Daniel’s ear. “Statistically, it’s the
safest form of travel.”

“Actually—”

“Danny.”

“All right.”

Spen kissed him and they walked on. He
should get out into this space more often, he thought. The pub was fine but
fresh air and trees were better. Probably better for his eyes too.

“I was thinking....”

“About what?” Spen prompted.

“Would it be awful of me to take over Mum
and Dad’s bedroom? I mean, it would be more comfortable with you staying over,
but it’s...well, it’s their room.”

“Which they don’t need, Danny. I don’t
think they’d want you to keep half the house as a shrine.”

“Dee would be upset if I threw out their
stuff.
I’d
be upset, I think.”

“Then don’t. Just use the bed, keep your
things in your room. That way you don’t have to commit one way or the other,
and you can still use that room as a guest room if you really need to. But it’s
your
home
, Danny. Your mother and
father would want you to use it as best you can, and enjoy it. You can tell
they wanted it to be for all you kids, a place where you felt loved and happy.”

“They did. Dad always said he would never
move unless he had to go into a nursing home.” Daniel smiled rather wanly.
“Guess he managed to avoid that, at least.”

Spen kissed Daniel again and wiped the
moisture off his cheek with his thumb. “Not really much to set against losing
them.”

“No. But you’re right. They wouldn’t want
us to make the house a shrine. I won’t disturb the closets and things, but we
can use the bed. Uh...if you want to.”

“You can see the size of me and you wonder
if I’d like the idea of sleeping in a
bigger
bed?”

Daniel grinned. “See your point. So where’s
their place?” They’d reached the edge of the park. Kani and Myko ran back and
climbed up onto their shoulders, because clever kems let their humans negotiate
hot road surfaces and busy traffic for them.

Two minutes later they were riding in the
elevator up to Zachary and Julian’s apartment. Not Julian and Leo’s apartment,
which was on the floor above. Apparently Julian bounced happily between the
two. Spen didn’t fully understand the arrangement but then he didn’t need to.

Zachary opened the door. “Welcome, Spencer,
Daniel. Please come in.” His dignified greeting was spoiled somewhat by the way
his kem, Linis, squeaked in delight to see Kani and
Myko. The three of them jumped down onto the floor for a cuddle, joined in
seconds by Pyon and Leo’s little white kem, Nuji.

Zachary stared at the kem ball in
amazement, and Daniel burst out laughing. “He’s a kem, Zachary. Some things are
hardwired.”

Zachary recovered. “Indeed. Do please take
a seat.”

From the kitchen counter, Julian waved in greeting.
“Hey, Beanie. Daniel, thanks for coming. Sorry for the
short notice but I wanted to wait until this crap with your bosses was sorted
out.”

“That’s fine, and thank you.”

“Go and sit with Leo. I’ll be about an hour
with food, because Leo wants to talk to you. Zachary too. Zachary, wine would
help, I think.”

“Of course.” Spen smiled at the way Zachary
took the chance to give Julian a quick kiss as he went to the fridge, but then
noticed how worried Daniel looked.
Fuck
.
Spen had an idea what Leo wanted to chat about, but Daniel didn’t. He slung his
arm around Daniel’s waist. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Go sit.”

Daniel gave him a queasy smile, then headed over to the sofa near the armchair where Leo was
waiting for him. “Come and sit, dear boy. Forgive me for not standing. I had a
double hip replacement a month and a half ago and I have to confess, I find it
a nuisance to keep getting up and down, even if I’m supposed to stay mobile.”

“Listen to him,” Julian said. “The damn man
wears me out walking all over the place. I’m grateful when I can get him to sit
still for five minutes.”

“Such a disrespectful fellow,” Leo said,
though his smile was affectionate. “And, ah, I should also ask your forgiveness
for that trick we played on you the other day. I believed it was necessary, but
I would understand if you were angry.”

Spen joined Daniel on the sofa but
carefully didn’t say anything. Daniel shook his head. “No, I’m not angry. I
understand it now. It was all just...horrible.”

“Yes, it was, and I’m so sorry, dear boy.
You should never have been in that position, and it’s utterly disgraceful that
Edward Stern allowed that situation to develop not just once, but three times,
right under his nose.”

“I think he’s got the message now, thanks
to Zachary.” Daniel accepted a glass of wine from Zachary and toasted him with
it. “You da man.”

“Oh. Thank you, I think.”

“It’s a compliment, Zachary. Thank you from
me too.” Spen lifted his glass to Zachary too, and grinned as a flush crossed
the man’s pale chiselled cheeks.

“Come and sit, Zachary,” Leo said. “Well,
now we’re all comfortable, I can start. Daniel, I asked you over partly so I
could apologise—”

“Really no need....”

Leo held his hand up. “Perhaps not, but I
felt it should be said. But my main purpose was to talk to you about how you
ended up in that terrible man’s clutches in the first place. Spen tells me that
prior to your parents’ sad death, you were a brilliant student with a
glittering future in engineering ahead of you.”

“He exaggerates.”

“I do not,” Spen insisted. “You won prizes
and everything.”

Daniel shrugged. “I told you why I dropped
out.”

“Yes, you did,” Leo agreed, “and you had
excellent reasons at the time. But things have changed, and I firmly believe
it’s time you returned to your studies, gained that qualification, and got on
with the career for which you are manifestly more suited than working as a PA.
Just as Julian makes a superb assistant and doubtless a fairly mediocre
engineer, the reverse is true for you.”

“There are two reasons I can’t do that,
Leo. One, I can’t leave my brother and sister to go back to the place where I
was studying, and two, I can’t afford the fees or to be out of work for so
long. What?” Daniel looked around and saw the grins on the other three faces.
“Okay, Spen, what have you been cooking up behind my back?”

“Nothing, I swear. It’s all Julian, Leo and
Zachary. They told me to butt out.”

“Nothing so vulgar,” Leo said, but his
smile only became more devilish. “Daniel, the university where you were
studying isn’t the only place in the country which offers that degree, is it?”

“No, but—”

“Nor, as I have since discovered, is it the
only institution which offers modules in your particular fields of interest.
Were you aware that in the coming year, Bentall University here is offering an
electrical engineering degree with a major in robotics and prosthetics, and in
fact the lecturer who will be taking charge of that is the same one who taught
you at your original place of learning? He’s been recruited and offered a
professorship. Quite the feather in his cap, I understand.”

Daniel stared. “Dr Woolley?”

“Yes, indeed. I have also had Julian
investigate, and late enrolments for mature students are still open for another
week. I know it wasn’t your first choice four years ago, but things have moved
on.”

Daniel turned to Spen. “I could study here?
Without leaving the kids alone?”

“Yep. Even do some of it by evening study
if you want to. Danny, you just need to enrol on that course, then you can apply for summer internships and job experience.
Dad says the council offers a few places and he’d be happy to put a good word
in for you.”

“And I have one or two useful contacts in
that line, Daniel,” Leo said. “I have one firm promise of a summer placement if
you enrol, based on your existing results, and I can probably arrange others.”

Daniel’s dazed expression was beginning to
worry Spen. The kid had had to deal with a lot of shocks recently and maybe
this was one too many. “Danny? What do you think?”

“It’s great...but I still can’t afford it,
or to support Dee and Alex.”

“Ah, this is where I come in, if Leo
doesn’t mind,” Zachary said. His uncle waved him on. “As a mature student with
dependents, you’re eligible for grants and allowances that you weren’t eligible
for as a dependent student. You have this settlement from your employer, which
will give you a cushion for six to eight months. Further, with your permission,
I contacted your solicitors handling the case against the construction company,
and enquired as to the progress of the case. There is no dispute that the
company is liable at least for some damages—the main point of contention
is the apportionment of blame between them and their subcontractors, and how
much, if any, will be awarded in punitive damages. However, there is an agreed
minimum that they will certainly be liable for, and your lawyers agree that
should you instruct them to do so, they could ask the defendants to make a
small interim payment, on account of what they will have to ultimately pay.
Even ten percent of the agreed minimum would easily cover your living costs and
fees.”

“And should all that fail,” Leo said, “I
would insist on offering an interest-free loan to assist you. Because, Daniel,
nothing saddens me more than young people not reaching their potential, and
when their potential is so great...well, it’s shocking.”

“Before you refuse that help,” Spen jumped
in to say, because Daniel had that stubborn look on his face, “you should think
about the fact that you can earn a lot more as an engineer, and so you’ll be in
a much better position to support Dee and Alex when they want to go to
University themselves.”

“Precisely,” Zachary said in his cool
voice. “It would be selfish to deny them out of some misguided principle.”

“Now don’t bully him, Zachary,” Julian
said, coming to sit by his husband. “It’s more important that it’s the career
that will make Daniel happy, and what makes him happy, will make Dee and Alex
happy.”