A Time to Blossom

Redivivus

“Wake up Natty, we’re here.”

“Waah? Oh, where are we? Did I fall asleep?”

“You’ve been asleep for miles, Nat. Leaning on me ever since we passed Watford. My shoulder’s gone numb. We’re here now though. We just turn off the road and follow this track up the hill for a couple of minutes to my gran’s house. It’s a bit bumpy so it would have woken you up anyway.”

Nat sat up and stretched out as much as he could, taking in the much-changed view. Gone were the large industrial building and warehouses he remembered seeing after they left Heathrow airport, replaced by verdant green fields bounded by dry stone walls and trees bursting into blossom in the early evening light.

Craig’s dad turned around in his seat and grinned. “I told you that you should have got some sleep on the flight, Nathan. You conked out almost as soon as we left the airport.”

“Oh, yeah, but I got to do some work on my essay. The flight was perfect for that. When everybody went to sleep I had plenty of peace and quiet to let me concentrate,” replied Nat.

Craig’s mum glanced in the rear-view mirror and smiled at Nat too. “You being asleep actually was quite useful, Nathan. For once in his life, Craig sat quietly in the back so he didn’t wake you. That’s rare.”

“He didn’t even move to get out when we stopped halfway at the services near Nottingham to stretch our legs and have a short break. Looked so cute…” added Craig’s dad.

“Yeah, well, you’d best get out of my way the moment we stop the car, Nat, don’t want you scorched by the shock wave as I leap out of here faster than a greased weasel, I’m bursting for a pee. Have been for the last hour.”

A couple of minutes later the VW Polo pulled up outside a large, stone-built, three storey farmhouse set in a yard at the end of the track. Craig’s gran and grandad were waiting on the doorstep to greet them, having seen their approach up the track.

“Hi gran, love you,” said Craig as he jumped out of the car, kissed her cheek and then raced past her and into the house beyond. His voice tailed away as he thundered upstairs. “Back in a moment, gran. This is Nat.”

Nat stepped forward and offered his hand to Craig’s grandparents. “Hi, Sir, Ma’am. I’m Nathan Bauer. Craig’s friend from America. I’m afraid it’s my fault Craig’s got an urgent desire to be elsewhere. I fell asleep and pinned him in place in the car for the whole journey and it seems he was too sweet to wake me up at the rest stop. I’m really pleased to meet you both.”

“Pleased to meet you too, Nathan,” smiled Craig’s gran. “We’ve heard a little about you from Craig’s dad. We gather Craig had no idea you were coming to visit him. What a nice surprise for him. And don’t worry about Craig’s arrival, we’re used to him turning up with all the finesse of a tornado. In fact, we’d worry if he didn’t. Now, do come inside and tell us a little more about yourself. The kettle’s just boiled. You are a cadet at the school he attended for a while aren’t you?”

A minute or two later as Craig’s grandparents, parents and Nathan congregated in the kitchen area immediately inside the farmhouse door, there was the clattering of footsteps on the stairs and then Craig burst into the room.

“Sorry about that, but I was absolutely bursting. Natters, have you introduced yourself? Gran, grandad, this is Natty. Well, Nathan, but he answers to most things. He’s from America. He’s from my school there. My second school. I didn’t last long at my first school. Can I show him our rooms? Can we sleep on the top floor? Can Nat have the haunted bedroom?”

Craig’s grandad smiled. “Slow down a moment, Craig, let everyone catch their breath. Time for a cup of tea and then to unload the car. Your grandma’s cooked dinner for us all, it’ll be ready right after we’ve had a drink of tea. Fresh roast lamb with all the trimmings. But tea first.”

Craig’s gran turned to face Nathan. “Of course, we do have coffee if you prefer coffee.”

Nat smiled. “No, I’m good with tea. Craig converted us to it. We even drink it hot occasionally instead of iced.”

“Iced?” muttered Craig’s grandad, eyebrows raised. “Can’t say as that’d be much cop.”

* * *

After a cup of tea, Craig and Nat grabbed their bags from the car and wandered back inside the house. Craig’s gran smiled and rose from the table. “Impatient as ever, Craig. Well then, come along with me. I’ll show you and Nathan to your rooms. This way.”

As they ascended the stairs, Nat spoke. “I hope I’m not putting you to any trouble. This was very much arranged as a last-minute thing, very much at my instigation. Craig wasn’t expecting me to visit.”

“Not at all, Nathan. Friends of Craig are always welcome here. It’s a shame your friend Mandy couldn’t join us again Craig, I like her. But Nathan you are very welcome too, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Craig’s dad told us a little about you and we’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Now, this landing is the first floor. Downstairs are the main rooms: the kitchen, which is the heart of any farmhouse, and the lounge and drawing room. Up here on this first floor are four bedrooms and a bathroom. This is where the farm owner and his family would sleep.  Above us, where Craig wants you both to sleep, is the floor where, in days when this was a working farm, the farm hands would have lived. The rooms there are much smaller.”

“The views are better, gran,” said Craig, “And we can sleep in the haunted bedroom.”

Craig’s gran smiled. “I’ll show you the rooms on the next floor, Nathan, but don’t let Craig bully you into sleeping up there. There are perfectly good rooms for you both on this floor. Now, let me show you the small rooms and you can make your own choice. And the haunted room isn’t really haunted. The pipes for the central heating just make odd noises from time to time.”

“It’s the spirit of a murdered plumber trapped in them,” said Craig. “All scientifically explained. He boiled to death.”

Once they reached the top floor, Craig’s gran opened the door to the first room off the landing and ushered them inside. “This is the largest room; it has twin beds as you can see. Craig calls this the haunted room. Absolute rubbish. It does have good views out though; you can see the whole way down the valley towards the village at the bottom of the hill. There are four other rooms on this floor, all of them single rooms. And a bathroom of course. Let me show them to you.”

“Please,” said Nathan, “Don’t go to any trouble on my account. If Craig wants us to have this room It’s perfectly good for me. I don’t want to cause any problems. It’s as good as the dormitory we were in at Allegheny College.”

Craig’s gran smiled at them both. “Well, if you’re sure. By all means stay in here tonight. You can always change your minds tomorrow and move back down to the better rooms on the floor below. Now, I’ll leave you to unpack your bags. Don’t take too long: dinner will be served in about ten minutes. It’s your favourite, Craig. Shepherd’s pie.”

“Wow, thanks. Gran, you’re awesome!” said Craig as he gave his gran another kiss on the cheek. “We’ll be down right away. Just give us a moment to unpack.”

* * *

As soon as Craig’s gran left the room, Craig sprang forward and grabbed the small cabinet placed between the two single beds. “Let me shift this out of the way, Nat, then you push the beds together. We can make them into a double.”

Nat hesitated. “Are you sure, Craig? I mean…”

“JFDI, Natters.”

“JFDI?”

“Just freakin’ do it, Natters. Don’t argue.”

“But… your parents, your grandparents, Craig. What about…?”

“They’re on the floor below, Natty, and they won’t come up here. Besides, if they do, so what? We’ve slept in the same bed before Nat, at your house. We can sleep together here. That’s all I’m suggesting, Nat. Sleep together. I like sleeping with you.”

“I like sleeping with you, Craig. But I don’t want you to feel under any pressure to…”

“Pressure, pushing down on me, pushing down on you. Under pressure.…” sang Craig, laughing at Nat’s bewilderment. “Can't we give ourselves one more chance? Why can't we give love that one more chance? Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love. Give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, one more chance?”

“You’re mad, dude.”

“I know, Natty. Mad that we got parted. When we were on your boat on the river at your barbeque, you asked if you were worth telling my dad about. You are Nat. I told him. And he’s invited you here for Easter. Given us a second chance.”

* * *

“Gran, that was the best shepherd’s pie ever. You need to give your daughter the recipe and some extra cookery training. Better still, give me your recipe and I’ll make it for us. I promise not to divulge the recipe. Keep it secret. Grandad, can I have some more beer?”

Craig’s grandparent’s smiled and indulged him. “Of course, Craig. Nathan, would you like another beer too? Craig, bring some more beers for us all, there are bottles in the pantry. ‘Old Peculier’ or ‘Black Dog’, whichever you prefer. Bring the wine bottle too for your gran and mom. They would appreciate a top-up.”

“Gran, me and Nathan will wash up for you. Won’t we, Nathan? You just go and sit down in the lounge with a glass of wine. We can do the dishes. Nathan probably doesn’t know how, but I’ll teach him. You have servants don’t you, Nathan?”

Nathan laughed. “Craig’s right, we’ll do the dishes. I actually do know how to do them. We have a housekeeper, Milly, but she made sure I can wash dishes. I’m not good at cooking though.”

“We’ll do the cooking one night too, gran. I can teach Nat. You all go and put your feet up in the lounge. We’ll sort the dishes. Roll your sleeves up, Nat.”

* * *

Half an hour later Craig and Nat joined the rest of the family in the sitting room.

“Dad, what’s the plan for tomorrow? Will you take me and Nat mountain biking? Or can we go kayaking? Grandad, can I borrow your shotgun one day? I want to take Nat out hunting for rabbits. And maybe we can take Nathan into York, show him around…”

“Slow down, Craig,” laughed his grandad. “You’ve only just got here, and your dad’s had a long journey all the way from America, and then from the airport to here. Nathan too. Maybe they’d like a chance to rest for a day. Besides, tomorrow is Good Friday, the start of the holiday weekend. Everywhere will be heaving with tourists for the next few days.”

“Why not have a restful day tomorrow, Craig,” added his grandma. “No need to get up at the crack of dawn. Stay locally and give Nathan a chance to get his feet. I’m sure he’d appreciate a restful day.”

“Not much chance of a restful day around Craig,” laughed Nat. “I’ve learned that much. But, Craig, it would be good to just have a quiet day, I can tell you all that’s been happening at college, and get to know your family better.”

“Okay, Nat, we’ll have a quiet day. Just stay around the farm, or go somewhere local on the bikes. In fact, I’ve an idea. We could pop up to the top of the hill behind the house right now. It’s a warm night and clear. We’ll be able to see York from the top of Garrowby Hill, won’t we gran? They do still have the cathedral floodlit at night, don’t they?”

“Yes, Craig, the lights come on at dusk, so any time now.”

“It’s not a big hill, Nat. You saw it when we arrived. Just a gentle ten-minute stroll and we’ll be at the top. On a clear night you can see for miles all down the Vale of York. Flat as a pancake. Come on.”

* * *

“See, Nat. Like I said, we can see for miles from up here. The hill’s not super high, it’s just that the Vale of York is flat. See, over there, about ten miles away? That’s York Minister all lit up. Best cathedral in the world. We can go look at it one day later this week. Even climb to the top of the tower. And there are the walls all round York. Part of the mediaeval fortifications, most of them still intact. Some bits go back to Roman times. You can walk on the top of them almost all the way round the city. Here, take a look through dad’s binoculars.”

Nat took the proffered binoculars and gazed out into the early night. Before him, across the plain, lay the city of York.

“I was born down there,” continued Craig. “Dad was away serving overseas so mom came home to gran and grandad’s when I was due. I was born in the hospital in York. Dad was actually there though. The Marines gave him five days’ leave and flew him back. It was a real surprise for mum.”

Nat raised the binoculars upwards. “There are some amazing stars up there, Boots. So clear.”

“Yes, not much light pollution round here to block them out. See over that way? That’s Cassiopeia, right next to Perseus. Then over there you’ve got Auriga, Gemini and the Dog Star. That one’s Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Reminds me of Travis.”

Nat lowered the binoculars and looked at Craig. “You know all the stars?”

“You don’t?” asked Craig in equal bewilderment.

“Nope.”

“Better hope you never get lost, Nat.”

“That’s why we invented GPS, Boots.”

“GPS is no good if your battery goes flat, Nat.”

“Stars are no good if it’s cloudy, Boots.”

“That’s when you revert to moss, Nat.”

“Moss?”

“Yeah, green stuff. Grows on rocks and trees. Deer eat it.”

“I know what moss is, Boots,” laughed Nat. “I just don’t get how you can use it to find your way.”

“Simple, Natters. Moss doesn’t grow on the north side of a tree. So, find a tree with moss on it and you can detect north. Even at night, in rain, with a flat battery.”

“I’ll make a note to carry a bit of tree round with me in Lemon Steroids, Boots.”

For a moment the two of them sat quietly, gazing up at the stars above, then Nat spoke.

“I’m glad we’re alone at last, Craig. It’s really good to be here. I think this is going to be my best holiday ever. I’ve missed you since you left Allegheny.”

“I missed you too, Nat. I didn’t realise how much I liked you until I got sent back here.”

Nat was silent for a moment. He sat holding the binoculars but looking at Craig. Perhaps for too long.

“Nat?”

“Did you get sent back, Craig, or did you come back because you wanted to come home?”

Craig looked uncomfortable, then spoke almost in a whisper. “I came back because I had to, Nat. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. It was the right thing to do.”

“That’s what your dad said, Boots. Jackson too when I cornered him a few days ago and asked for his version. And Kyle. They all said you chose to come home rather than got sent back against your will.”

“It wasn’t much of a choice, Nat. I wanted to stay, but it was complicated. Everyone said that the best thing was for me to come home. Dad wanted me out of America. Jackson wanted me out of college. Kyle wanted me out of the dorm. They all had their reasons, Nat. We talked them over. And you were one of the main reasons. If I had stayed, they said you might have been more interested in me than looking after the other guys in the dorm. So part of the reason I came home was to ensure you didn’t do anything wrong by Shane, Travis, Will and Noah. They all needed you, Nat. Just look how good you’ve been for them. And that’s been good for you too, Nat. It got you noticed.”

Nat said nothing, just continued to look at Craig.

“And I wasn’t sure about you, Nat. I liked you, but I didn’t know how much. You can be scary at times. Then that weekend at your house changed everything. When we were on the river and you told me you liked me. I needed time to think Nat. That was a bit out of the blue. So coming home was best. It gave you and the guys a clear run at things. Gave me time to think.”

Nat just looked, his eyes boring deep into Craig.

“But I missed you, Nat. Every day since I got back I missed you. I don’t know why. Can’t describe it. I know we talked online and by video call and phoned each other. But it wasn’t right. It wasn’t as good as being with you.”

“I’m with you now, Boots. And I know how you felt. I missed you. Every minute of every day. Everyone said you actually left because you wanted the best for me and the guys. I just needed to hear it from you.”

“I love you, Nat.”

“I love you, Craig.”

Nat rolled up his sleeve and looked at his wrist, glanced at his watch. The bright red Vostok watch Craig had bought him for Christmas. “It’s time we got back, Craig, or they’ll be sending out a search party. But before we go back to the house, I want to give you something. I love this watch you bought me for Christmas, and the sentiment behind it. I actually bought you a Christmas present too, but I didn’t send it. I was scared to. But I’d like to give it to you now.”

Nathan reached into his coat pocket and took out a small box, still wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. “Merry Christmas, Boots.”

“What is it, Nat?”

“Open it and see, Dumbfuck.”

Craig slowly and carefully peeled off the wrapping paper to reveal a leather box embossed with a logo and the letters ‘JLC’

“Go on, Boots, open the box.”

Craig flipped up the lid on the box.

“It’s a watch too!” he smiled. “A nice dress watch. It’ll look awesome with my dinner jacket. Can I try it on?”

“Of course you can, it’s yours. Your Christmas present from me.”

Craig slipped the watch from the box and held it over his wrist alongside his own Vostok watch. “It looks good, Nat. Now I have two watches too, just like you. My Vostok to wear every day, and this one to wear on special occasions.”

Nat leaned forward and smiled. “Wear it every day. Look, Boots. The dial flips over. It has two faces. One set to GMT for you, and the other set to Pennsylvania time. It’s a Jaeger Le Coutre Duoface Reverso. It tells the time in two different places. So we’ll always know what time each other is at. I have one too. We can always be together with these watches.”

Craig looked at the watch for a moment, then looked up at Nat. Moved closer. Reached out his hand and placed it on the back of Nat’s neck. Pulled him closer.

“I love you, Nat.”

* * *