A New World Begins

Shoot that poison arrow…

Nathan sat on the edge of his bed and turned the small, cheap red plastic box over in his hands once again. Downstairs the festivities were still in full swing despite the late hour. The Christmas Eve Chamber Concert at the Governor’s Mansion was the seasonal event to be seen at and though it officially finished at nine-thirty, people would be there until at least midnight.

The box, in a FedEx wrapper, had been delivered earlier that morning, along with several other items, to the mail room where it was scanned by a staff member before being passed to his father. Pops had frowned when he saw the sender’s address details. It was from Craig. For a moment Governor Bauer had appeared hesitant, and then handed the package to Nathan without saying a word before departing to a charity lunch in Pittsburgh.

Nathan had taken the package up to his bedroom and opened it, finding the red box and a neat, hand-written note tucked inside a Christmas card.

“Nat,

A small Christmas present from me. I know you already have a nice watch, way more expensive than this one, but this is waterproof and almost indestructible. Perhaps you can wear this one in military training and keep your good watch safe from the mud. It doesn’t matter if this one gets damaged. I don’t think you can actually damage it. It’s Russian, so probably made from recycled tanks.

Have a nice Christmas.

Love from

Craig”

Nat opened the box once more. Inside was a stainless-steel diver style watch with a bright red dial that had big, clear numbers and luminous hands. The bezel was red too and turned with a very positive clicking noise. Several words were printed on the dial but in an unreadable script. Cyrillic Russian, he guessed. Folded into the box was a flimsy sheet of paper with some poorly printed, closely typed words and a few cartoon style instructions. Again, they were all in Russian but the cartoons made it clear how to wind the watch and set the time. There were just a few words printed in English. VOSTOK KOMANDIRSKIE 650840. That, he guessed, was the brand and model.

Nathan took the watch out of the box and held it. There was a definite feeling of solidity to it. It was much bigger and heavier than the Patek Phillipe Calatrava 96 he’d been given by his grandfather. Nowhere near as refined. The size, the red dial and the gleaming polished stainless-steel case and bracelet ensured it stood out on his wrist. His shirt cuff pushed up awkwardly against it, rather than smoothly sitting over it. It was most definitely not a dress watch.

“Are you going to sit there for the rest of the night, or come downstairs and circulate? People are wondering where our star cellist is. You’re public property until Christmas is over, remember…”

It was Elizabeth.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you knock,” scowled Nathan.

“I didn’t,” said Elizabeth matter-of-factly. “And what’s that thing on your wrist? I didn’t think even you were so tasteless as to buy a Rolex.”

“It’s not a Rolex, it’s a Vostok. It’s Russian. Craig sent it to me.”

Before Nathan could stop her, Elizabeth picked up Craig’s note from the bed and read it, the smirk on her face disappearing as she did so. “It does have a certain rustic charm, little brother, and, to be honest, it’s not quite so brash as a Rolex. The watch too. Almost matches your hair.”

Nathan was about to retaliate when Elizabeth put her finger to his lips.

“Shush, little brother. You’ve got yourself a keeper there. Not many people would be that thoughtful. Did you think to buy him a Christmas present?”

Nathan hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, I did, but…”

“But?”

“I didn’t send it.”

Elizabeth looked as though she was about to say something but, for once, thought better of it. It wasn’t often she went easy on Nathan but, seeing the pained look on his face, this time she backed off.

“Come on little brother, let’s go downstairs, I know the concert’s officially over but there are still a lot of people left, half of them hoping you’ll re-appear for an encore and half plundering the buffet, hoping you won’t. Let’s go disappoint at least some of them.”

Governor and Mrs. Bauer smiled as they saw Elizabeth leading Nathan back to the front of the ballroom. Nathan was still dressed in his tuxedo, but now he had pushed up the sleeves, his shirt sleeves too, and unfastened his bow tie but left it hanging around his neck. A garish red watch stood out on his wrist as he stepped forward onto the small raised dais at the front of the room. Elizabeth smiled and tapped the microphone to draw attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I might have your attention for a moment. Thank you. I’m sure you all enjoyed Nathan’s cello playing earlier and are hoping for an encore. The bad news is that I’ve twisted his arm and dragged him back here onto the stage. Unfortunately, we forgot his cello so hopefully you’ll bear with us as he tries to play the saxophone.”

Nathan smiled and stepped forward to the microphone as people in the ballroom turned to listen. Elizabeth remained standing by his side as, quietly, so quietly that at first the audience were barely aware that he had started, Nathan raised the saxophone to his lips and began to play. The notes gradually gained in strength as people paused eating, ceased chattering, strained to hear. The slow tempo began to rise in tone but remained quiet, hauntingly beautiful as the notes echoed around the room.

Elizabeth smiled and began to sing, her voice clear and perfectly attuned to the accompaniment.

“Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay?”

Herod the king, in his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.

That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and may
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”

The carol ended, Elizabeth stepped aside and bowed her head first to the audience, still in awed silence, and then to Nathan. Nathan was still centre stage, the audience still coming to terms with what they had just heard. Before they could even begin to clap, Nathan moved closer to the microphone and spoke.

“I know you may be expecting another Christmas carol, but I’d like to finish tonight with an interpretation of a song that means a lot to me. Sometimes the sweetest melody is an unheard refrain…”

Nathan began to play once more, quietly and tantalisingly, varying tone and pitch, hinting at a melody but then changing it, dashing the audience’s expectations just as they thought they had recognised the underlying theme. It was a masterpiece of jazz improvisation, at times slow and sensual, at others almost sleazy, but always just one bar beyond recognition. Of all those in the room, only Elizabeth recognised it, understood it, hummed the words silently to herself as she walked back to her mother and father.

If I were to say to you
"Can you keep a secret?"
Would you know just what to do
Or where to keep it?
Then I say "I love you"
And foul the situation…

* * *

Nathan stared out of his bedroom window as the last few departing cars snaked down the driveway towards the gatehouse, brake lights flickering intermittently. The concert had been another great success, but Nathan didn’t share the happiness being expressed downstairs by his parents.

A glance at his new watch told him it was just after one-thirty. So that would make it six-thirty in the UK. Or maybe seven-thirty. Did the summer and winter time changes in the UK match those of America? Should he call Craig? Craig would probably be awake by now, usually on his way to the pool. Except that, on Christmas Day, Craig wouldn’t be going swimming. He would be awake though. Almost certainly up, maybe exchanging presents with his parents.

Exchanging presents.

Nathan opened his desk drawer and took out an Orr’s bag, took one of two leather boxes from the bag, turned it over in his hand, snapped it open. Inside was the watch he had bought for Craig. A Jaeger LeCoultre DuoFace Reverso. The blued steel second hand swept smoothly round the white dial with its Clous de Paris guilloche engraving. One thirty-three. Nathan flicked the dial over, revealed the second face, its gleaming platinum hands standing out clearly from the iridescent blue face. It was six thirty-three in England.

Noah had been right. Buying such an expensive watch for Craig had been thoughtless. It would overshadow anything Craig’s parents bought for him. He’d probably be scared of wearing it too, of damaging it. Above all, he might feel Nathan was trying to buy him. He should have just bought Craig something simple and inexpensive. A pair of those waterproof socks he raved about for example, or a new pocket knife. Craig couldn’t be bought. He needed to be won.

Nathan put the watch back in its box, the box back in the drawer. He sat on his bed and looked at his phone. Picked it up. Hit Craig’s number on speed dial.

* Beep. The number you are calling is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Beep *

Nathan put his phone down despondently. It would have been nice to hear Craig’s voice. To wish him a Happy Christmas. To thank him for the present. It might only be worth a hundred bucks or so, but to Nathan it was a gift beyond price. He slipped off his shirt and trousers, folded them over the back of the chair alongside his desk and climbed into bed, the watch still on his wrist, its hands glowing eerily in the darkness. Genuine Russian radioactivity, probably, thought Nathan to himself. As Nathan lay wondering if he was about to get wrist cancer, his phone lit up.

* Incoming Call *

Craig: Hi Nat! Merry Christmas! I think I just missed a call from you. I was in the shower, I’m just getting up. I’m going to make breakfast for mum and dad. I always do it at Christmas. Well, since I’ve been old enough to not burn stuff anyway. Bacon sandwiches on Christmas morning before we open presents. It’s a tradition. What are you doing, isn’t it still dark o’clock over there? Did Rudolph wake you up or something?

Nathan: I’m just going to bed, Craig. We have just finished our Christmas Eve concert. Mum organises it every year. I just wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas.

Craig: You’d best get to sleep, Nat. Santa won’t call and bring you any presents if you’re still awake.

Nathan: Too late, Boots, he’s already been. I always wondered why Rudolph had a red nose. Turns out he’s a Russian reindeer.

Craig: He’s good at meteorology too, Nat.

Nathan: What?

Craig: You must have heard, Nat. Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear.

Nathan: Boots! Where do you get your jokes from? Travis?

Craig: That’s one of my best jokes, Nat. I have to save it up all year to use it.

Nathan: I guess you saved up all year for my present too. I love it. Thanks Boots, I’ll do exactly as you say and wear it every time we go out on military training. It definitely looks as tough as a tank. I did a quick google of it earlier. One website called it the Russian Rolex.

Craig: Nah, it wasn’t expensive, Nat. Just a couple of hours shifting oil filters and stacking tyres covered it. I wasn’t sure it would arrive in time for Christmas though, sounds like you got lucky. Rudolph must have got dragged along by the jet stream. Anyway, I’d best let you get to sleep, and go stop our bacon burning. Have a good night, Nat, and Happy Christmas to you when you wake up.

Nathan: Happy Christmas, Craig.

Craig: Before you go, I’ve got another joke for you, Nat. What’s the most disappointing present you could get tomorrow morning?

Nathan: Err, I’m not sure.

Craig: A sweater, Nat, when you were hoping for a screamer or a moaner.