Chapter 26
Buffy and Will settled down into a nice routine. She’d realised that she’d left it too late to take up any course for September, and they decided that she would get herself sorted out at work, and then she’d have plenty of time to look for a course she wanted to do and enrol at Easter. The weeks flew by, with them learning to cook, Joyce having sent them a ring binder full of recipes of their favourite foods, and between them they built up quite a repertoire of dishes they could cook! There was always Franz letting her bring home broken cookies and unsold items, or new lines he wanted her to try, the students were good for market research.
Benny came round every Tuesday and Thursday evenings bringing treats from the restaurant, and he and Will studied together working on a joint project, a computer based command unit to help the disabled.
Joyce and Hank made sure they always spoke to Buffy and Will on a Sunday using the web cam, and Joyce would chat in the week too to Buffy, just usually on the phone.
It was during one of the Sunday afternoon conversations when Joyce said to Will………
“Oh, before I forget, this came for you yesterday, looks like it’s been round the block a few times – I had to pay four dollars postage for it!” She held up an A4 sized rather dog-eared envelope with several names and addresses crossed out and a couple of labels on it.
Will squinted and moved closer to the screen to see what it was.
“What is it?”
“Well, from what I can gather, it’s from Pearlman, Hardcourt and Dean, solicitors of London, or so it says - it was addressed to Mrs Betts at St Chads!”
“Good grief!”
“It was also forwarded to a Mrs Hortense Byrd of the family courts”
“Who was she then?” William asked
“She, my darling son was the wonderful judge who granted the adoption for us!”
“Oh, so that was her name…goodness, I bet she’s well retired by now, so what do you reckon it is then?”
Joyce had put the envelope down on her bed and said,
“You’re right, she had retired, twelve years ago. A Lady called Suzanne Myers phoned me from the family court wanting to know if it was me who adopted you, when I said yes, she told about this letter that had been going back and forwards and how it had been hanging around the office until she took the initiative and phoned the solicitors on the envelope, who told her it was about you, and when she looked you up – she found our name and number! I’m going to send it registered to you, will that nice young man in the bookshop sign for it for you if you’re at a lecture and Buffy’s working?”
“Who, Carlo? Sure he would, he’s very good like that, I’ll tell him I’m expecting something”
“Good. So tell me, how’s the studying coming on?…………………………….”
**************************************
Tuesday Morning
Benny met Will in the corridor outside the lecture room, he was very excited.
“Did you get a letter?”
“Letter? – Erm, no, I came out before the mail man arrived, why, what is it?” Will asked trying to look at the envelope Benny was waving around
“It’s from the Institute for the Disabled, they’re VERY interested in our project, they are willing to back us in our research, both with nominating suitable candidates AND getting a proto-type machine made up if necessary!”
“Wow! How did they find out about us, our project?” Benny shrugged as they made their way into the lecture room
“Don’t know, possibly through Professor Gustavsonn, he told me that some students were trying to do something similar to us in Boston, it could be him that told them at the Institute”
William looked thoughtful
“Hmm, could be we could ask, when is he in again?”
“Thursday, I checked”
“Hmm…I’ve got two lectures Thursday, either side of lunch, I could come in earlier”
“Can you make it for 10, I want to catch the guy from Sony that will be here before my lecture”
“Okay, I can always sit in the library”
*****************************
It was almost going home time for Buffy, the café part now closed, she’d cleared the tables and was sweeping up.
“Has Mrs Dawson come in for her small brown loaf yet Buffy?” Franz asked from the shop side
“Mrs Dawson…she’s the lady who carries that little terrier with the bow in its hair, right?”
“That’s her – and never on any circumstances try to pet the dog, it’ll have you finger off I a trice, vicious thing it is!”
“I remember you saying – yes, she came in just before lunch, she had two teacakes as well. Er Franz……tell me to mind my own business, but are you baking something, at this time - we shut in half an hour!”
“Ah, new line I want to try out…you DO have your friend round tonight to study with your brother, don’t you?”
“Who Benny, yes, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and just lately we’ve had one or two more, why?”
“Market research! Get them to try these savoury slices will you, and then tell me which fillings they like best”
“Oh good – I thought I’d have to go out for chips and dips…so what are they, they smell great!”
“Well, there’s cheese and onion…steak and mushroom…chicken and ham…and spicy mixed bean”
“Hmm, they sound yummy!”
“I’ll put them in a box for you as they’ll be hot – they can be eaten hot or cold”
“Thanks…so that’s it I think” Buffy swept up the crumbs and put away the dustpan and brush.
“How about a quick coffee before you go, I can tell you about my new toy I’ve got coming”
“New toy eh – go on then…so what new toy is this?”
“A real espresso coffee maker, all shiny silver chrome, straight from Italy - it’s got a super milk frothing steam tube that froths the milk I seconds!” Franz said with a gleam in his eye
“You know, my mom always said the only difference between men and boys were the price of their toys!” Buffy said grinning
“Mama would never let me have one…she said it would attract the wrong clientele! – She used to have these funny ideas!”
“How is your mother?” Buffy asked sitting on a stool in the kitchen
Franz’ face clouded a little.
“Oh, you know…frustrated that she can’t do what she used to do, she gets impatient and short tempered”
Buffy nodded and felt sorry for him – he didn’t have much of a life.
********************************
Buffy got in barely five minutes before William.
“I’m starving, did you bring anything back fro work?” William called from the lounge
Buffy came out of the bedroom having changed out of her work clothes
“On the side in the kitchen, new line, Franz wants me to use you as market research”
William went into the kitchen and saw several boxes
“Hmm yum…want a drink?”
“In a while…how was your day?” Buffy asked, while sifting through the mail
“Busy…hmm, this is yummy! – Oh is there one for me there?” William asked through a mouthful of pastry.
“Three for you…what flavour have you got there?” Buffy handed him three envelopes
William looked at the pasty in his hand and bit again
“Steak and mushroom…it’s really nice!”
“Leave some for Benny!”
“I will… there’s a couple of others coming tonight too”
“Okay, well there’s a book I want to read, so I’ll stay in the bedroom – just make sure they tell you what they think of the food”
“Sure!” William opened the first letter and found it identical to the one Benny had had that morning, from the Institute for the Disabled, the second one he opened was a complete surprise to him, it read,
“Dear sir,
Your half term thesis has been shown to us by your head tutor, Prof Wendle, for our advice, and we would formally like to invite you to a special primary one-to-one intensive course for twelve weeks in Brightman College, Boston. If you accept, this will count as a distinction star on your results, of which we have high hopes. Please fill in the enclosed form, and return to us before the end of January. If you decide that this course is not for you, or you are unable to take up our offer at this time, please phone Marion Fleming at the above number and further arrangements can be made, yours sincerely, Prof Deiter Oppenheimer, Senior Lecturer at Brightman college.
This set William thinking – his head in a spin, he glanced at the third letter, just junk mail.
********************
At just a little before seven o’ clock, Benny rang the doorbell and Buffy got up off the sofa
“I’ll get it, then I’ll be in our room, I’ll come and make a drink about half past eight okay?”
“Thanks love” William was sitting at his computer typing away
“Hi Benny, go on through” Buffy was just about to close the door behind Benny when she heard a loud whistle, and two lads came bounding up the steps two at a time. Buffy opened the door again and Benny turned and looked
“Oh this is Jeff and David, they’ll be working with us tonight”
Buffy smiled pleasantly enough and the one guy, Jeff positively leered at her
“Not surprised old William’s kept quiet about you………” Buffy felt herself blush and she said to Benny,
“See you later”, and went into the bedroom and firmly closed the door
“Oh, not joining us then gorgeous?” Jeff asked grinning
“Jeff, shut up, don’t embarrass her!” Benny said carrying on through to the lounge, the other two following him.
**
Good as her word, at 8.30pm Buffy went on through to the lounge and asked who wanted a drink.
“Gotta empty out before I fill up again sweet-cheeks, where’s the bathroom?” Jeff asked grinning
“End of the hall, first right” Buffy said, frowning slightly at the too-much-information he given her, and going into the kitchen she put on the teakettle.
She took out mugs and milk and busied herself while the kettle boiled, until she was aware of somebody leaning against the kitchen doorjamb, grinning inanely at her.
“Tell you what Will my boy, I’ll look after this one here for you while you’re away for three months in Boston and it’ll be a pleasure!”
Buffy turned to say something to him, and then her brain finished processing the words he’d spoken, she blurted out
“Boston, three – wha-what?” her eyes immediately filled with tears and she saw William’s face looking like thunder at Jeff, she pushed passed him and ran into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her
“What did you want to go and say THAT for – of for fuck’s sake – Jeff, just GO will you, you’ve been neither use nor ornament here tonight, piss-balling around, eating the food, we haven’t got half the amount of work we usually cover have we Benny – and on top of all that, you upset Buffy!”
Slightly embarrassed Jeff picked up his bag, not knowing what Buffy and William’s relationship was he said,
“Looks like you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight mate!”
“I said GO before I REALLY loose my temper!” William shouted angrily.
“Alright, alright, keep your hair on…Jeez…come on Dave, we know where we’re not wanted!” Dave too stood up and a shower of pastry crumbs hit the floor, he followed his friend through the door.
“I better be going too” Benny said, starting to pack up his things
“You needn’t go Ben” William said, running a hand through his hair
“I think I do, you and Buffy need to talk” William nodded
“Look, mate, are you sure you don’t mind if I don’t –“ William began, Benny held up his hand
“It’s fine, honestly - I would not be able to go either, so you’re not holding me back” Benny reassured him.
“Thanks mate, see you tomorrow” Benny left
“Buffy…Buffy open the door love, please”
He heard Buffy sniff and the bolt draw back.
Turning away from him she lay back down on the bed, her back to him.
William came over and sat on the bed, his hand on her shoulder.
“When were you going to tell me?” Buffy asked in a small voice
“Tell you about what?”
“About going away, about leaving me, about Boston?”
“I wasn’t - there’s nothing to tell”
Buffy turned over and propped herself up on her elbow
“But Jeff said-“
“Jeff said, Jeff said! Jeff’s got a bloody big mouth he should learn to keep shut until he knows what he’s talking about”
“So what made him think that you were going to Boston then?” William got up off the bed, went into the lounge and appeared two seconds later, sitting back down handing her the letter. Buffy sat up properly taking the letter off him
“This – Benny had one too, but it must have come second post, I’ve no interest in going to Boston, and Benny can’t go anyway because of work, they can’t spare him – anyway we can get the lectures taped, not that I think they’ll be much use to us, but there you go”
“So you’re not leaving me then?”
“Course not you Muppet, come here!” Buffy snuggled into the hug he gave her and she suddenly decided it was now or never – she turned her head and kissed him on the lips, but instead of a peck, she began to kiss him with mounting passion. She felt his whole body stiffen at first, his mouth hard and unyielding, but she continued and the she felt him respond in kind, his mouth softened and responded, he pulled her closer - her tongue swept into his mouth and Will let out a surprised little noise. When Breathing became an issue, he broke off the kiss and stared at her wide eyed
“Buffy – I – “
“Please Will…I love you” she looked at him with huge watery eyes
“I love you, you know that!”
“So why can’t we be together properly?” Buffy asked shifting and holding him by the shoulders
“I don’t know why either” William said, pulling her close and kissing her this time not holding back at all………………………
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Well folks...it's what you keep asking for...