Long Night; Part 8

YAY!  

Since I was in too much of a cleaning-whirlwind yestreday to post, I've decided to make it up to you by double-dipping today!

Here's the next installment in the LONG NIGHT business.

I've been wanting to post this one for, um, months.  Not that it;s great, just... I like it and have liked it since the day I wrote it.  It was one of the first LONG NIGHT vignettes that I wrote.

Did you catch that the last one didn't end with  'long night' line?  Whoops.  A few of them don't, but I liked the common thread and tried to keep it going through most of them.

This is CALEB, who we don't see too often, but I heart him.  Of course, I also know secrets about him, shhhhh!

But he's a sweetie!

So enjoy part 8!!

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Caleb hadn’t told Jonah and Velvet about Gideon yet.  The invite to this family dinner had come addressed to both of them.  As had the marriage announcement. 

When Velvet had called to gossip with Caleb about Grey’s sudden marriage he hadn’t the heart to tell her about Gideon.  Why ruin her soaring high spirits with his own tale of woe?

He’d cried his eyes out to his best friend, then he’d finally sat down with Nolan and cried on his shoulder too.  Now it was just fact.  He was single.  Again.  For the first time in years.  Alone.

And he was going to show up at Jonah and Velvet’s sans partner, and he wasn’t going to lie about it anymore.  Nolan had made him promise as much.

“But, Nole, I don’t want to be a drama queen at this party for Grey and the new bride!”  He’d argued reasonably.

Nolan had shaken his head firmly.  “There’s nothing to be ashamed of.  You did the right thing.  You’ll be among family.  No more pretending.”

Ugh.  But he really didn’t want to have to explain to another person why he and the man he’d been about to propose to were finished.  And he knew his adorable sister-in-law would be tenacious.  Wouldn’t rest until she knew everything.

The worst part of it was the family had all been crazy about Gideon.  He’d fit right in.  Like it was meant to be.  Because Caleb had dated some real jerks, guys that made both his brothers’ respective hackles rise, guys that Velvet and Zahra had slammed and roundly dismissed as ‘not good enough’ for him.  Losers.  Always losers with killer bodies, but still, not marriage material.  Hell, not always even live-together material.

But with Gideon it had been different. 

Why the fuck had he cheated?  Caleb had racked his brain up and down, over and over, and tried to figure out what in hell he’d done wrong, what he lacked that had made the love of his life turn to another man.  A younger man.  Christ, that kid was closer to Grey’s age than to his own.

Whatever.

Caleb strode purposefully up to Jonah’s door and took a deep breath before ringing the bell.  He would live through this.  He’d survive it, and endure it, and he’d put on a smile and meet the newest addition to the Delaney clan. 

He forced himself to remain calm at the fact that his 24 year old nephew had just up and married someone, who, if gossip and rumor were to be believed, he hardly knew at all, when he, Caleb, couldn’t seem to pin down a marriageable man after more than a decade of serious effort.  Whatever.  Maybe he’d up and elope with the next guy he fucked.  Maybe that was the secret.

He was being hasty.  He’d see how Grey and this girl behaved together tonight and reserve his judgment till then.

“Uncle Caleb!”  His eldest niece opened the door with a false smile, which he hoped wasn’t because of him, and gave him a perfunctory hug and kiss on the cheeks.

“Hey gorgeous—you helping play hostess this evening?”  Avalon had moved to the campus but was still home often enough to still be considered ‘in residence’ at the Delaney mansion. 

“Guess so.”  She said as he moved into the foyer.  “Where’s Gideon?”

“He’s not coming.”  Caleb answered resolutely.  It was beginning.  “Where’s that dashing fiancé of yours?”  He dodged preemptively.

Caleb heard chatter and laughter from the direction of the living room and the kitchen both.  He’d spied Zahra’s van when he pulled up because he’d parked beside it, but hadn’t taken special note of any of the other cars.  He supposed he was running a tad behind.  It was taking him forever to get dressed and ready lately.  Everything he owned felt old and frumpy and unflattering.  And his hair was just plain rebellious since the break up.  He imagined it was sulking about Gideon’s absence. 

“He’s driving Aunt Grace over, so he should be here soon.”

“Oh good.”  Caleb loved Grace like an older sister.  “Holden?”

Avalon shook her head.  Holden Sinclair was a real sonofabitch.  Caleb doubted the man had ever gone more than a month without some form of infidelity to his gorgeous, brilliant, queen of a wife.  Everyone in Cedar Falls wondered why such an intelligent, self-assured woman stayed with a husband like that. 

Caleb was beginning to empathize with her.  There had been too many nights since he’d found Gideon in their bed with that young man, too many nights when he had considered accepting the convincing apology, considered calling him, considered relenting and finding a way to ‘work through it’.  He was beginning to understand how Grace could have stayed with Holden all these years.  Love does funny things to the best of us, he supposed.

And of course people close enough to the situation knew that while Grace Sinclair’s husband wasn’t exactly unwelcome at Jonah and Velvet Delaney’s, he wasn’t precisely welcomed with open arms either.  They were her friends first, his only by default.  Hell, Jonah had been somewhat leery when Avalon and Ben had started getting close. Even though they all knew and loved Ben like their own, Jonah was terribly worried that his father’s tendencies might have rubbed off of the boy.  It had taken him a while to finally relax and trust that the kid was perfectly decent and upright and definitely worthy of his daughter.

Caleb smiled thinking about it.  Everybody else had seen immediately that the old adage about girls and their fathers had come true with Avalon; she’d gone out and chosen herself a boy that was so much like Jonah it was almost hilarious.  He might look like Grace and Holden Sinclair, but Ben may as well have been raised by Jonah Delaney, so alike was he in demeanor and temperament.  He was kind and gentle and considerate and polite, he was helpful and affable and on the quiet side, he was smart and even-tempered and mature beyond his years. 

All growing up the boy had followed ‘Uncle’ Jonah around whenever the families got together for vacations or outings, while Grey was always sneaking off and causing mischief.  Ben had stuck with boyscouts years after Grey had quit, and Jonah had stayed on as a troop leader.  Ben volunteered at the hospital, just like Jonah had done at that age, he was an after-school tutor like Jonah had been, and he was, from all accounts, a bit of a romantic sap too.  His proposal to Avalon was something right out of a romance novel, or a girl’s diary it was so damned perfect.

And his rigid sense of decency, of gentlemanly conduct and honor, seemed to be taken right from the Jonah Delaney handbook.  There was no way that young man would ever fool around behind Ava’s back.   And Jonah was gaining one hell of a great son-in-law.

“You pick your colors yet?”  Caleb asked, slipping out of his winter coat and moving to the hall closet.  “At poker night Ben said something about lavender and lilac?”

Avalon made a ferocious growl and Caleb jumped a bit at the vehemence of it.  “Hey, straight boys don’t know colors, I assumed he was talking out of his ass.”  He soothed.

“Lavender and lilac are Mum’s fantasy.  Because of my eyes. If I hear her utter those colors again I’m going to lose it.” 

Caleb chuckled at her truculent tone of voice.  “Next time she tries to force purple on you—“  He lowered his voice conspiratorially as he hung his coat, “You just ask her how she felt about her mother always forcing her to wear velvet all the time.”

His niece’s eyes got wide.  “Whaaaat?”

Caleb laughed.  “Oh god yes.  That crazy old bat insisted that girl wear velvet at every event and special occasion—haven’t you noticed that your mother doesn’t own a single piece of velvet clothing?  Or drapes?  Or anything?”

Avalon’s face broke out into a wide grin.  “You’re kidding.”

“Swear to God.  She told me all about it one time when my dad was trying to get me to try out for football.”

“Leave it to Mum to talk about clothes when you’re having an identity crisis.”  Avalon commented wryly.

“Honey, there is almost never an inappropriate time to make fashion analogies with me.”

She laughed appreciatively.  “The old bat is here, by the way, so watch your tongue.” Avalon cautioned and began to move toward the living room.  “And she’s in rare form tonight too.”

Aw shit.  Velvet’s mother was a frigid old c-bag, and she made her distaste for his open lifestyle known every single time he was in her presence.  Caleb tried not to take her animosity personally.  Rumor was her husband had died in the arms of a whore, but the seedier truth of it, he’d learned from this ancient fag who ran the hair salon downtown, was that he’d died in the arms of a male lover—and he’d been deep into some pretty kinky shit too, from what he’d heard.

Caleb was about to comment on the delightful news of her wretched grandmother’s presence, when his youngest niece hopped into the foyer, looking mischievous and adorable.  “Uncle Caleb!”  She shrieked on sight, and ran full force into him with her arms spread wide. 

Caleb laughed with delight and lifted her high above his head.  She was light as a feather.  She’d be a peanut like Viola, he predicted.  “Princess Lola the all-magical!”  He declared with grandeur, spinning her as he lowered her back to her feet.

She bounced with delight, her exotic little face stretched in an over-wide grin, her eyes scrunched and giddy.  Nolan’s kids were absolutely gorgeous.  With that buttery-chocolaty skin, the rich, jet-black hair and the striking Indian aesthetic?  His girls were going to be knock-outs like their mother, only more mainstream friendly because of their white father, and Ajay was going to absolutely break hearts.  He’d probably be as handsome as his father, only he’d be more mysterious and alluring because he was bi-racial.  The younger two had Zahra’s hypnotizing midnight-black eyes, but Keer had somehow managed to get her dad’s blue-gray stormclouds, which stood out in her face in such a captivating way the girl almost took your breath away.

“Guess what?  I’m getting a baby unicorn for my birthday!”  Lola asked and answered before he’d so much as drawn a breath to respond.

“Oh my goodness, for real?”

The little munchkin nodded regally.  “Because I’m a princess and princesses need unicorns.”  She explained reasonably.

Caleb caught Avalon’s eyes and they shared a smile.  Lola was the cutest little thing alive.  “Well, yeah, obviously.  I figured it was only a matter of time.”  He responded seriously.

“Show Uncle Caleb your shoes.”  Prompted Avalon with an indulgent smile.

Lola was wearing a long peasant-style skirt in Bollywood colors, probably because it made her feel like a princess to have long skirts on.  He doubted very much that Zahra had had any say in the choosing of this crazy outfit.  The girl’s top was some kid-show graphic tee with sparkly stylized cartoon horses on it, with a long sleeved shirt underneath that had stars and hearts and rainbows all over it.  In her thick raven hair she wore a headband with rhinestones, which, he imagined, was close enough to a tiara to pass.  The peasant skirt looked like a pride parade had gotten hold of a band of gypsies—it was richly colored in Bollywood yellows and magentas and fuchsias and lime greens and turquoise and was threaded through with silver and even had little bells and reflective thingies sewn onto it.  Who the hell had bought her this skirt?  ‘Loud’ was putting it mildly.

She did her best elegant twirl as she spun, and Caleb saw Jonah arrive in the archway just in time to witness her display.  His older brother paused, an amused little smile on his lips, politely waiting for Lola to do her thing before he’d come greet his little brother.

Lola lifted her skirt to her knees and held one foot out to Caleb, saying ‘ta-da!’ as she revealed a pair of glittering ruby-red slippers.

Caleb made an exaggerated gasp and put his hand to his heart.  “Those are spectacular!” he enthused.  “Every princess needs a pair of those.” 

“Wonderful.”  Said a dry, sarcastic voice from the other side of the Foyer.  “Rainbows and ruby slippers.  I guess she’s well on her way to joining your community.”

Caleb clenched his teeth and stretched his lips into the best smile he could manage.  In the center of the foyer little Lola put her foot back down, and though she didn’t understand the comment she reacted to the obviously disparaging tone of it by frowning and furrowing her precious little brow.

“Oh hello again Celia, It’s been far too long.”  Caleb said pleasantly, turning toward his brother’s frosty mother in law.

She laughed shortly.  “I heard from Adele Ward that your roommate left you for a younger model.  I guess men are all the same, no matter which side their bread is buttered on.”

Caleb’s false smile became one of open-mouthed astonishment.  Wow.  There was so much offensive about that greeting that he couldn’t even begin to process it just then. 

There was a moment of awkward silence in the foyer.  Even Lola was quiet for once in her little life.  Then several voices overlapped one another.  Jonah began to say something curt to his mother in law while Lola wondered aloud about why it mattered which side of the bread butter had to go on, and Avalon moved quickly and with an easy grace that comes from years of practice, to steer her grandmother back toward the kitchen.

“Lola, sweetie, can you run and tell mummy Uncle Caleb needs to know where she bought you that skirt?”

Lola nodded, though she still looked puzzled and maybe a little unhappy—who could blame her when there was a scary old crone in the house?

Lola wandered off with a lot less bounce in her step and Caleb turned to Jonah.

“Yeah.”  He said to the question in his brother’s face.  He put his hands in his pockets to keep from fidgeting.

“No.”

Caleb nodded.  “Yup.  Few weeks ago.  Just before New Year’s.  Walked in on him in bed with someone else.”

Jonah took a sharp breath in and looked miserable.  “I’m so sorry.”  He said quietly, folding one arm across his chest and reaching up with the other to adjust his glasses.  “God.”

Caleb swallowed and looked at the beautiful stone floor between them.  “Kicked him out of the townhouse.”

“Good for you.”

“Yeah.”

“God.”

“Mm.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

Caleb shrugged.  How do you explain to your big brother that everytime a relationship doesn’t work out it feels like a failure next to Jonah’s incredible marriage to Velvet, or Nolan and Zahra’s?  How do you call your family and explain that the life you thought you were living, the life you believed you were building, was nothing more than a lie?  A mistake?  A waste of years of your life.

“I’m glad you ended it—if he was doing that, then you know he doesn’t deserve you—“  Jonah seemed to choke up.

Caleb nodded and pulled his mouth to the side.  He loved his brothers more than anything in the world.  “Still hurts like a bitch.”

Jonah grunted and finally moved forward to embrace him.  They clasped in a firm hug, Jonah patted him solidly on the back, and then kissed his cheek almost forcefully.  “You’ll find the right one.  I promise.”

Caleb had told Jonah that he wanted to settle down with Gideon, get married, start a family.  He felt like he’d lost more than a lover.  He felt like he’d been robbed of an entire future.  And he could tell Jonah guessed as much.

“Sorry about Celia.”  Jonah added sourly as they pulled apart.

“Yeah.  Wonderful.”  Caleb responded sardonically.  “This is going to a long goddamn night, huh?”