Waifs and Strays
Pulling into the driveway Jack could see the house lit up like a Christmas
tree. Since he was fairly confident that he hadn't left even one light on
that morning, that could mean only one thing; Judy. He contemplated turning
around and driving off again but decided that that would be cowardly. And
pointless. The blasted girl would only track him down wherever he went. He
knew from bitter experience that there was no escaping her when she had the
bit between her teeth. He slowly got out and locked the door. Then turned
towards the house to meet his fate.
The door flew open and a tiny girl erupted onto he drive, talking nineteen
to the dozen. She grabbed his arm and tried to drag him faster towards the
house, gesticulating with her free hand.
Jack was used to his younger sister's ways by now so he wasn't in the least
surprised by her greeting. Nor, to be honest, was he following a single
word she said. This also was not unusual, given the speed she could run at
when excited and how little sense she generally made at such times.
He allowed her to drag him into the house and down the hall, pausing merely
to turn off lights as they went, and into the kitchen where he headed for
the kettle. Whatever Judy wanted could wait until he had some tea inside
him and putting a mug of hot liquid in her hands might actually slow her
down a little too.
Turning around, he became aware of a dark haired boy sitting quietly in the
corner watching them. His straight black hair hung down over his eyes,
putting his face into shadow, so it was difficult to see much of it but his
clothes looked knocked about, as thought he'd been in a fight. He had a
definite air of shy embarrassment about him.
Before Jack could say anything either to or about him, Judy ran down with a
final "Ok then, I'll leave you two to get aquatinted." And, grabbing her
bag, she headed for the door.
Jack snaked out an arm and caught her wrist as she shot past.
"Not so fast young lady" he said. "How about starting with proper
introductions and explanations. Intelligible ones" he added as she opened
her mouth to protest that that was what she had just done.
"Jack, Dominic. Dominic, Jack. Gotta go. Gotta rehersal." And she was
headed for the door once more. Unfortunately, Jack was closer and, with a
slight flick of his ankle, it shut before she got there.
"Judy.." He warned. He was basically placid by nature and was well used to
his sister's antics by now but even he had limits, as she'd found to her
cost in the past. "Sit"
"Ok but listen this time. Right?" She turned with a definite flounce and
plumped down on a chair at the table in the middle of the room
"Thank you" said Jack, turning once more to the boy in the corner who had
been looking more and more uncomfortable through this exchange. "Tea?" He
asked.
"Look...I'm sorry....This was a mistake. Judy said you'd be able to help
but....I'm sorry. I'll go." As he spoke he was fumbling for his
belongings, his hair hanging down over his eyes in an unsuccessful attempt
to hide how close he was to tears.
"Hey. Its ok. You don't have to go anywhere." Jack interrupted gently.
The lad was obviously seriously upset and, however annoyed he might be with
Judy for dumping yet another problem on him, there was no-way he was going
to take it out on a kid who looked so close to the end of his tether.
"You just sit there and drink your tea and Judy can explain, slowly and
clearly," looking firmly at his sister "Precisely what the problem is."
The boy still looked unsure but allowed himself to be pushed onto a chair at
the table. The kettle had boiled by now and Jack quickly made tea. Once
they were all seated he nodded to his sister to start again.
"Why don't you begin with a proper introduction?"
"Ok. This is Dominic Powers. You remember his sister Cathy? She and her
mother...." Judy stopped, unsure how to continue.
"I remember" Jack replied quietly. All too clearly, he thought. Cathy had
been one of Judy's closest friends from school. She and her mother had been
killed in a car accident a year or so back. Now he came to think of it, he
vaguely remembered the dark haired boy from the funeral. The boy said
nothing, just curled himself closer around his mug. Jack reached out and
cupped his hand, stroking it gently with his thumb, as Judy continued.
"Well Dom's in a real mess. He doesn't want to stay with the company and,
well, he can't now even if he wanted to and.."She tailed off
"And" Jack prompted. He continued to gently stroke Dominic's hand without
apparently taking any other notice of him, aware that the boy was slowly
relaxing.
"And, well, there was this huge row when he said he wanted out 'cos he's
going to be really difficult to replace this close to the tour and, well the
guys he's been living with, his flatmates, they, kinda threw him out."
"Yeah, kinda" repeated Dominic looking up and, for the first time Jack, got
a good look at his face. There was an ugly swelling by one eye and cuts and
bruising down the cheek. Like the rest of his person, it was also somewhat
grubby.
"More than 'kinda'" Jack commented. "Have you had that looked at?"
"It's nothing." Dominic retreated back behind his hair.
"Carry on." Jack said to Judy as he got up and reached for the first aid kit
from the cupboard over the sink. " I can clean him up while you give me the
rest of the story."
"I said I'm ok!" yelled Dominic jumping up suddenly. "Fucking leave me
alone. All right?"
Jack also stood but replied in his usual quiet tone.
"You are clearly not ok and, since you came to me for help, I suggest you
sit down," He indicated Dominic's recently vacated chair "behave yourself
and accept it."
As Dominic continued to stand and glare he added "Now", still quietly but
with a hint of steel in his voice.
Dominic slowly sank back into his chair his eyes dropping to his cup. His
flash of temper subsided as quickly as it had come up. "I'm sorry" he
muttered.
"Oh God! Jack, I'm sorry but I really do have to run." Judy had caught
sight of the clock and the whirling dervish was back. "I'm going to be so
late as it is. It is ok isn't it Jack? He can stay with you can't he?"
Judy stopped in the doorway long enough to turn pleading brown eyes on him.
Looking from them to the one deep blue eye he could see peeping our from
behind the curtain of hair, Jack laughed. "Yes he can stay. For now
anyway. When did I ever turn away one of your strays?"
As if on queue the cat door flapped open and a sleek black cat came it.
All eyes turned to the cat. Judy took advantage of the distraction and,
with a cry of "Love you Jack. Bye," she was gone.
The cat strolled up to investigate the new arrival. Dominic offered his
hand. It was sniffed and the cat then indicated that a caress would be
permitted. With the first smile Jack had seen on his face the boy crouched
down and began to stroke the cat.
"What's his name?" he asked
"Derek"
Dominic snorted. "Funny name for a cat"
"It's the name he came with" Jack grinned, he was used to that comment. "And
besides, it suits him."
Looking at the cat, Dominic wasn't so sure but didn't really feel confident
enough to argue.
"Anyway, leave the cat alone and come here so I can finish cleaning you up."
Jack sat back down and indicated that Dominic should join him. "Are you
hurt anywhere else?"
"Not really" Dominic sat down and slipped back behind his hair.
Putting a finger under his chin and gently forcing him to look up, Jack
asked "Sure?"
"Fucking hell, its what I said isn't it" Dominic's temper flared again and
he pulled away, stalking across the room to stare out of the window,
wrapping his arms around himself as though for protection.
"Look Kid, I'm not going to tell you again. Sit down and behave yourself."
Jack was starting to lose patience with his temperamental guest. " I'm
perfectly willing to house you. Judy was quite right when she said that I'd
be willing to help Cathy's brother but I've had a long day and I'm not going
to put up with any more temper tantrums. You either behave yourself and
answer in a civil manner or I'll treat you like the ill mannered child you've turned into. Now which is it to be?"
Dominic hung his head for a moment and then turned, flushing. "I'm sorry.
I guess I've had a bad day too. Just a few bruises. Nothing serious."
"It's ok kid." Jack slipped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a
slight hug. "What say we run you a bath so you can clean up and let those
bruises soak while I sort out the spare room and dig around for something
for supper?"
Dominic looked up and smiled. "That'd be great," he said. "I'm sorry I'm...." He suddenly choked off as his throat tightened and he started to
shake. Trying desperately to stop the threatened tears he started to pull
away.
"Hey... Its ok....There's no need to cry." Jack wrapped both arms around the
boy, rocking gently.
"'m not" came the muffled response.
Chuckling quietly Jack pulled back and gently pushed the boy's chin up. He
wiped his finger across one tearstained cheek. "No?" He asked, showing
Dominic the wet finger, "What's this then? Has it started raining in here
again?"
Dominic gave him a watery smile and wiped a sleeve across his eyes. "Sorry"
he offered again.
" Come on you." Jack ruffled his hair and then pushed him towards the
stairs and the bathroom. "You'll feel much better once you're clean and we've got some food inside you." And then you can fill me in on the rest of
the story, he thought.
Jack sat on the sofa in the sitting room sipping his coffee and watching the
kid on the floor in front of the fire. Wrapped in an oversize bathrobe,
Dominic had originally started off in the chair opposite but the lure of the
cat on the hearth had soon proved too much and he was now down on his knees
flicking his fingers for the cat to catch.
"Suppose you fill me in on the rest of the details." said Jack finally.
Instantly Dominic retreated both physically and mentally. He moved back
against the armchair, drawing his knees up to his chin and hid behind his
curtain of hair.
Jack waited. Giving the boy all the time he needed to form an answer.
"Its difficult to know where to begin." He said finally
"How about the beginning?"
"That's harder to find than you'd think."
When Dominic offered nothing further Jack tried a different tack.
"Ok, let's start with your immediate problem. Your flatmates threw you out.
Literally." He added, indicating the bruises on the boy's face. "Why? What
exactly happened?"
"You knew I was a dancer right?"
"I'd worked that one out." Jack answered with a grin. "Was?"
"Yeah was." It was a definite challenge. " I'm through and I'm not going
back. I just wanna do what I want for a change" he ended on something of a
wail
"And what's that?"
"I want be an artist. I want to go to college and train properly. I'd got
a place starting September but..."
"But?" Jack prompted, wondering where the problem lay.
"They wouldn't let me. No-one would listen."
"What do you mean they? Who's to stop you? How old are you anyway?" Jack
had mentally placed the boy at somewhere between eighteen and twenty but he
suddenly wondered if he might be younger. Like most dancers, he was pretty
small so it was difficult to tell.
"Nineteen. And yes I know I'm an adult but it's still not that easy. My
father went ballistic when I told them and Mum.."
The mention of his mother proved too much again and he buried his head in
his knees curling into an even tighter ball.
Jack moved over to sit on the floor beside him, putting an arm across his
shoulders
"What about your mum?" He asked quietly.
"She stated me off dancing when I was little. She loved it. When I got into
the ballet school I think it was the best moment of her life." Perhaps
without realising it, Dominic leant into the comforting arm and, resting his
head against Jack's shoulder, continued "I've known for a while that
dancing really wasn't what I wanted to do but, when she died, I felt like I
couldn't give up. That it would be a betrayal of everything's she'd wanted.
I had to succeed"
"No it wouldn't. I didn't know her that well but I'm pretty sure she'd want
you to be happy first"
"That's not what my dad thinks. I tried to tell him and he just went
berserk. He went on and on about how much it all meant to her and how I'd
be throwing back at her everything she'd done to make it possible. How I'd
be betraying her memory if I didn't carry on the way she wanted me to."
" He can't have really meant it. Maybe he just needed time to get used to
the idea. He'll come around." Jack was clutching at straws, trying to make
some sort of sense of the mess before him.
"He hasn't, he won't. You don't understand!" Dominic's volatile temper was
back up again.
He pulled away and tried to storm off across the room. Unfortunately the
whole effect was ruined by him tripping over Derek who'd woken up to the
fact that there was a cuddle going on that he wasn't part of and was heading
over for his share. The cat shot out of the room; the boy fell headlong
across the end of the sofa, ending up bent over one arm, banging his head on
the floor.
As he clutched his head yelling and swearing Jack got up and stood behind
him.
"Well if this isn't poetic justice I don't know what is," he said, grinning
as he gave the beautifully presented backside a sound smack. " I warned you
I didn't like tantrums."
"Owwwwwwww" Dominic wailed and, putting his hands back to try and protect
his backside, he lost his balance and fell off onto the floor. He sat
glaring up a Jack and, with his hair all over the place and the too big robe
rucked up around his ears, he looked all of 10 years old. Jack laughed out
loud and sat down on the sofa, patting the seat beside him.
"Come on kid. Enough with the dramatics and finish the story."
Dominic glared at him for a moment more until the ridiculousness of his
position struck him and he laughed too, joining the older man on the sofa.
"That's pretty much it. I tried to do what he wanted. I really tried but
it was getting worse and worse. My dancing was suffering and the ballet
master was going mad all the time. Then there was the tour looming over us.
It was awful I just couldn't take it anymore."
"So you resigned?"
"Yeah. I heard I'd got the place and I thought everything would be ok. But
then there was the row and they threw me out and I didn't know what to do.
I can't go home, not after everything Dad said, and now I haven't even got
anywhere to live." He finished on a wail of plaintive despair. Then, as he
realised that he'd just poured what felt like his life story out to a
comparative stranger he straightened up and said anxiously, " I'm sorry. I
wouldn't have let Judy bring me only I really didn't have anywhere else to
go and she was the only one who still talking to me. I'll find somewhere
else tomorrow, I promise
Jack was pretty sure that Dominic's father would be far more understanding
than the kid seemed to think but he didn't want to get him worked up again
by suggesting it. He looked down into the anxious face beside him and
smiled. For all his tantrums and mood swings this was an incredibly
appealing young man. "Don't worry about it. We'll sort it all out in the
morning and you can stay for as long as you need to."
"Sure?"
"Sure."
They sat back, side by side in companionable silence, watching the fire die
down. Each feeling that he had met someone very special and that that
someone was going to be very important to him.
End