Christopher sat down awkwardly in the so called “band room” in one of the cottages that at one point were to be holiday lets.
“No one would want to stay here” he thought to himself as Two was picking up papers and magazines from around the room. The air lay dank in this dimly lit room. The furniture found from friends and family but the room was sparsely furnished due to the large set of drums and cymbals dominating the room. Wires dangerously snaked across a wooden floor and clung precariously to the 4 way gang extension lead. Christopher looked around and felt a twinge of guilt as he spent so much time with Junior he felt he hardly knew his second son. Yet Anita expected him to have one of those awkward talks with him. It wasn’t often Anita asked for help with the children and he had been grateful for that but talks about emotions with Anita were difficult at times but teenage boys? Apart from once being one himself Christopher wasn’t really prepared for this “little talk” as Anita called it.
It was Anita that suggested they talk in the band room as it would show an interest in what his son was doing and make Two feel more comfortable for what was to come. Yet it was still Christopher who felt awkward. He tried to find something witty or funny to soothe his nerves-
“Those the porn magazines you are hiding from me?” he tried to joke.
“… because maybe I’d like to see them”
It was the last thing he wanted to see and just prayed they weren’t magazines with inappropriately clad nubile women that had been pawed over by claggy fisted teenage hands.
Two didn’t answer but stuffed the papers into a nearby bin. He didn’t want to share their content. Not because they hid naked women but because there were lyrics of love songs expressing their hidden feelings through the twang of a guitar or the heartbeat of drum. No, he didn’t want his father to see the lyrics to his latest ballad. He wasn’t sure if he wanted his mother to see them and she was always very open and honest about his work.Two just wanted whatever his father had come to say to be said and then gone. This felt vey strange to both of them.
Finally Two come over and sat on the arm of an old and sagging leather settee that had a collection of dull knitted garments spread across one end. His father gave him a look as if to say “Don’t sit there!”
So before he could say it, Two slid down in the worn cushions of the settee.He slouched against the back cushions hoping that at least was acceptable.
He looked up at his father.
“What world catastrophe has brought you to this part of the family empire? Another pandemic? Or has mum sent you?”
Anita had sent him but he didn’t want to start on that as it would diminish what he was about to say.
“I often wonder what goes on in here and why the curtains are never opened “ The curtains had been pulled open by Christopher as he first walked in. He wanted to see what was causing the smell emanating from somewhere in that room. He saw nothing except a heap of instruments on top of each other at one end of the room, drum set at the other end and this old settee that looked like it contained a garden full of creepy crawlies. No guitars could be seen but other instruments tambourines, harmonicas and maracas spread around the room.He couldn’t see where the smell came from. Perhaps it was decaying food or some gassed out rat! Putting the smell aside as best he could Christopher sat on a plain wooden kitchen chair and started on his well rehearsed discourse.
“Kristoff, “ he started, aware it was unusual to call him by his name.
“Kristoff, we are concerned about the amount of time you spend here and who is spending it with you. Your mother has noticed…” ‘Christopher was aware of Two’s eyes rolling at the sound of his mother being mentioned, “… well she’s noticed that you”ve been covered in what we called “love bites” more often than not and we are concerned about what’s going on here.”
Kristoff took the opportunity to make the most of his father’s unfamiliar talk. He could see his father felt uncomfortable.
“Well what do you think goes on here?” He paused before emphasising the unusual word, “Dad”.
Kristoff grinned knowing where this was going and unsure yet whether to be honest or not. It all depended on how his father reacted. If it had been his mother there would be an almighty row followed by threats on both sides and then a sort of making up as mum recognised he was growing up and needed his space whereas his father was so, so clinically sensible.
Christopher instantly recognised he was losing the battle before it even started and wished Anita was doing this talk.
“Kristoff, we love you very much …”
Kristoff scoffed,
“I’m surprised you even know my name! Is that why mum called us all Chris, so you couldn’t get it wrong?”
Kristoff was aware he was airing greviences that he wasn’t even aware he had. He quite liked flying under the radar as far as his father was concerned. He couldn’t think of anything worse than that sterile laboratory and office. Junior was welcome to it.
But Kristoff had to be careful as he loved the fact he could escape to the band room to play his drums as loud as possible but he also loved the fact that he had already lost his virginity here- several times. He smirked to himself knowing that they all liked to think they were his first. Oh how they gave it out as they thought he was a virgin, which he was once but long time lost to an older woman and so called friend of his mother.
No, Kristoff loved the girls and they certainly loved him. So Kristoff was prepared for this talk even if his father wasn’t
Christopher continued…
“We love you very much but worry you are letting yourself down with these rather ugly marks on your neck.”
He started so he continued “We let you use this place as a place for music for you and your friends, not as a place to bring young ladies and quite frankly it’s not exactly a nice place to bring them- it’s dirty, untidy and-what is that smell?”
Kristoff was actually affronted by this attack on the premises rather than his actions. He could defend his actions with the ladies but he couldn’t defend the mess he had allowed the flat to get into. His father had a genuine point.
“Well, no one comes to clean it” he offered up unapologetically.
“And who should clean it?” Christopher replied, happier to be on a slightly different tangent.
Kristoff shrugged his shoulders
“Well, me I suppose”
“Yes, you! And if you want to continue to use this place clean it up and while you are at it clean up your act! Show some restraint. You don’t want to be caught out at your age,”
As soon as he said it Christopher knew what would follow.
“Like you and mum you mean?”
Kristoff snapped but as soon as he said it he knew he should have held back as now he knew he was going to feel the wrath of his father but furthermore he knew it would hurt his mother.
Christopher was taken aback by this and he knew he shouldn’t be. Kristoff was right to question him on the double standards but Christopher had been two years older not that that should change anything.
Instead Christopher said
“To a certain extent you’re right but I can say with hand on my heart, the moment your mother’s eyes looked at me I knew she was for me. No one else ever came close. I wanted her and no one else.“
Christopher now shrugged ,
“The very fact she looked away instantly to carry on a conversation with a friend showed how shrewd she was. But for me aged 15 she was going to be mine.
Now – have any of these biters…”
Christopher waved his hands towards Kristoff’s neck “… have they made you feel like that? Have they?”
He asked.
“No” Kristoff replied sheepishly
“Well listen to me and your mother and learn from us. We never considered any of you a mistake but would admit that life would have been easier…”
Christopher actually felt he had handled the situation well.
Kristoff felt he had misjudged his father.
Christopher got up and looked over to his sulking son.
“Come on – this time I will help you out. We”ll both give this place a clean. But don’t let it get this bad again and don’t tell your mother how bad it was!”
Kristoff looked at his father from under his precious fringe and saw him in a new light. He wasn’t the boring scientist he supposed him to be. His father was like any other dad, just wanting the best for his son. Kristoff was not only beginning to understand him he was beginning to like him.
o
