About a boy part 4

The endlessness continues yet again from here.


The caterers arrived at 11am on the dot. Angela was happy about that, it gave her a reason not to pay attention to Sally. She felt that Sally always came with the most annoying helpful remarks to annoy her. "Our mother always did it this way" Sally would say. Angela tried to ignore it and do things her own way and after a while Sally would leave her be. She greeted the kitchen staff, the waiters and went to supervise the table setting. The people coming might be animals but that doesn't mean we have to stoop to their level, she thought.

Meanwhile Perry had finished making his room presentable and was now sitting on his bed with a wooden box. He was just about to open it when Kenneth came in to check on him. "What do you have there?" his father asked him. "Oh just some clothes I made for Sophie," he responded. His father smiled, "how are you holding up son?" he asked. Perry looked at his father, put on a brave face "I've been better, but I have a feeling things are going to be good soon". Kenneth smiled, he had to. Then he went over and hugged Perry, almost knocking over the wooden box.

Perry rushed to catch the box before it fell on the ground. "Those are some precious clothes you've made for Sarah" his father said and Perry blushed and ignored the insinuation that the box did not contain Barbie clothes. "They are for Sophie" Perry said and with that Kenneth went to the kitchen to check on his hung over wife. The boy went and closed the door, then opened the wooden box. He smiled as he looked at the blue book inside. Of course he hadn't been able to open it but in time he would figure something out. Maybe the letter opener from his fathers study would work? Still he didn't have a strong desire to read it. He had other motives.

When he had heard his parents talking about the diary in the livingroom he had known he would have to find it. From his spot behind the door in in Seans room he had heard his mother raise her voice. She did not think they children should find the diary and she was prepared to go to his room right at that instance and procure it. Who knew what he would have written in there. He might have been a dying boy, but he still had moments where he was angry at them and if some hideous lines from a diary would somehow end up outside the family. Well she wouldn't be able to cope with that. Perry had then gently lifted the mattress and fished out the blue diary. Then he had run to his room as quietly as possible. He had almost slipped on the oriental rug running along the marble floor hallway. Perry was thankful he had gone barefoot. Then he had put the diary inside his pillowcase and gone to sleep.

Now sitting there with the diary, he wondered what his brother John would do to have it. Afterall they had been close, but just how close were they really. John had brought Sean with him everywhere, always including him whenever he had company over. Despite their 4 year age difference John had adored Sean. Sean however didn't really include John when he made plans to go somewhere. It could be nothing, afterall Perry was so young he couldn't remember too far back. Perry held the diary in his hand and pondered. What would John give to get this, this message from beyond. He knew he couldn't just walk up to his parents and say he had found this lying around but he also knew that John wouldn't ask questions or tell.

What Perry mostly wanted was to be left alone. His older brother always picked on him, and the usual morning would start at breakfast where he would be sitting hiding behind the Cornflakes trying not to make eye contact and make any sounds. It took so little to set him off and he'd be thankful if John would just leave him alone. Still Perry knew it was worth so much more. Then all of a sudden he heard Sally out in the hallway and he quickly put the diary back in the box and slid it under his bed.

Sally entered the door without knocking. She brought with her a gin and tonic and a cola, both with lots of ice. Then she handed him the gin and tonic and he took a large sip. The day after it tasted almost good. Sally took a sip of cola and shuddered. "I think we have to switch, this is just awful" she said adding "it lacks vodka". Perry grinned. She always knew what to say to make him laugh. Of course he knew she wasn't entirely joking. He'd heard his parents talk about her drinking and his mother thought it quite inappropriate. "She could at least do it at home, in the comfort of her own home" Angela had said.

Perry liked it, he found her facinating. Sally would sometimes make herself a drink and get a faraway look in her eyes and talk of all the exotic places she'd been when she was in her late twenties. Of course she still claimed she was in her late twenties. "I'm not a day over 29" was her motto along with "another gin and tonic over here please". Sally had told the same stories over and over about how she'd jumped on a plane after she had graduated and flewn to Turkey where she'd seen the most incredible things. She'd met the most facinating people. tall dark and handsome men and exotic women belly dancing in hotels. He would be spellbound, not caring that he'd heard the story a million times before. It was so exciting to hear about the tall dark and handsome men, and the colourful silks sold at the market in Ankara. Somehow she never mentioned that the local people didn't have indoor plumbing and electricity. It was not important to the story. The smell of spices made up for that.

Then the doorbell rang, and Angela came into the room to fetch them. She'd already gotten her iron fist around Johns upper arm while Kenneth had gone to greet the arriving guests. So far it was only Kenneths parents, his dad pushing his mum around in a wheelchair. They were in their late 70s and his mum had her leg removed many years ago. Perry couldn't remember her not being in a wheelchair and he didn't know her name. Not that he cared. They didn't bring money and smelled of old people. He didn't like that smell. To make matters worse they both smoked cigars. He remembered his mother slapping his grandmother. It had been quite shocking and since then they hadn't spoken. He heard his mother say "there is nothing like a tragedy to bring people closer together" continueing mumbling under her breath "with people they don't like". There was a raspy noise from his grandmother and she was wheeled out onto the patio.

The other guests arrived shortly after and the family were standing at the ready to shake hands and make fake kisses. Sally had been sent to entertain the guests on the patio with the promise of another gin and tonic. Once everyone had arrived Angela and Kenneth went out onto the patio to mingle. Perry then cornered John when he was on his way into his room. They spoke for a long time, Perry sitting on Johns bed and John walking around looking out onto the patio at the guests. They were having appetizers now, and drinks. John looked at Perry "are you serious, you actually have his diary?". Perry nodded, "yes, I've got it". John stood frozen, like a pillar. He had turned ashen. It was odd to see his older brother look that way, Perry liked it. Whatever was in that diary it had to be good. John settled the matter, and they left the room. The younger brother went to his room to hide the diary better, while his older brother went to the bar and made himself a vodka and cola. His parents wouldn't suspect it wasn't just cola.

Sally spotted Johns drink straight away. She could smell it a mile away so she went over to talk to him. They made their way towards the garden and once out of sight she took his drink and poured it onto the grass. "You really shouldn't drink, you are not old enough for that" she said. John immediately came back "well you are the one feeding gin and tonics to a 5 year old boy". Sally smiled "well he's an old soul, he is more man than you'll ever be dear, now go back there and smile" she paused, "your mother expects you to behave today and if you don't you'll answer to me". At that moment Kenneth came down and announced that the buffet was open.

As the afternoon wore on, Angela started feeling more and more tired. She had not had any alcohol all day but finally she gave in. She went to the bar and fixed herself a dirty martini. Her signature drink with extra olives. Angela looked around and saw nobody there, so she drank it all, then made herself another. She felt the alcohol rushing through her system and she felt better. Much better in fact, but she knew she should not have anymore drinks. Naturally she switched to red wine.

When the last guests had left Perry was sitting in the garden by the pool with a tray of appetizers and a cola enjoying the silence. His older brother had locked himself in his room and Kenneth was playing Chinese checkers with Sally on the patio. Angela was bossing the caterers about in the kitchen but finally gave up. She walked down the hallway from the kitchen to Seans room. Unlocked the door, went in and locked the door behind her.

She looked around the room and wondered where the diary could be. It had to be there and then she rummaged through the cabinets, dresser and looked behind all the books. The diary wasn't there. Angela sat down in the fluffy chair and took a deep breath. Something wasn't right, and she wondered if Kenneth had taken the diary and destroyed it. But why would he have told her about it in the first place. Nothing made sense anymore. Why did all this have to happen to her? Her sister Oliva was a horrible creature but yet she always skipped by unscathed. Even if nobody really liked her. At least nobody Angela knew. Angela shook her head and closed her eyes.

By the time she woke up Perry was having an evening swim and Sally had finished her sixth gin and tonic. Kenneth had been looking for her everywhere and had gotten nervous. He'd paid the caterers and lost his game of Chinese checkers. The look on Angelas face told him something was up, yet he didn't read much into it. Something was always up after they'd held functions. Either she was mad that he hadn't worn a tie or the tie he'd worn was too formal or didn't compliment her outfit. Angela interrupted his mind wandering "it's not there, the book. I've checked everywhere". Kenneth looked at his wife "you do realise it makes little difference, we'll find it sooner or later". She knew he was right but she couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. It was just so very odd, because Sean had never been very secretive. Except for the notes she'd found that John had written. She would have to talk to him about that, but he was so sad at the moment. She could tell.

That night for the first time since Sean had died, she'd slept next to Kenneth. Life would have to go on.