Beyond the end

Take me away

Brandon was sitting on chairs in the school garden along with Dylan and Brenda, among the other parents. All proud and excited. He was holding little Grace close to her nap. It was evidently tense. Kelly hadn't arrived yet, the phone not reachable. Lately it had become a feat to be able to talk to her. As the days had passed he saw her farther, and at the bottom of his heart some cracks in resistance began to make room. He was afraid that some kind of distance would form. He didn't want to lose Kelly. Perhaps it was the first time he clearly owed it.
Next to him the empty chair reserved for Kelly. She had promised to arrive on time. Brandon breathed a sigh. There was also the problem in the office. Claudia had scored a small blow, Senator Wilkinson's sexual scandal. He didn't even know where she got the news. Damn that girl was good. Maybe she deserved the management post. Maybe she would have done that job better than he did.
The kids entered a neat line. Sammy was dressed as an American Indian and smiled at his extended family. The face stretched out, a quick greeting with the hand.
Brandon felt a quick presence sit next to him. He smelled her. He turned around and smiled as soon as he saw her face. He was glad she had made it in time. He was glad to have her there. Beautiful with her light dress.
"Did I miss anything?" She asked softly, taking Grace in her arms.
"No," Brandon whispered, "it's just starting," he told her as she grabbed his hand. How she missed him. She had been tormented in those hectic weeks. She was happy with the blizzard of things that were happening to her, but in the evening when she got home she felt the terrible lack of everyday life with her family. She first knew the lack of a parent. It was repeated that it was still for a short time, that it was a great opportunity, she prayed that Brandon would resist. She watched him sleep next to her. She understood the sacrifice. And as she looked at him in a second her face caught fire and she couldn't hold back her tears.
Kelly gave a quick greeting to Dylan and Brenda who smiled back.
The play went on with songs and dances by the little representatives of the U.S. Army and the Indians.
Dances and songs were improvised. Sammy had only one joke 'freedom is in the hearts of men' . He had tried it for days with Brandon and Aunt Brenda who was an actress and therefore better than anyone. Brandon had told Kelly about it, the night after she came back and lay down next to him and Kelly absorbed all of Brandon's stories. All things Sammy would normally have done with her.
"Freedom is in the hearts of men!" Starred the little Indian Sammy. He said it a little screaming for everyone to feel good. Maybe too much.
Kelly was moved. Grace woke up with applause.
"I'll take care of her," Kelly told Brandon and moved to the bottom of the garden to calm her crying.
she saw Dylan pass by and out and got up quickly to answer the phone.
A short phone call that gave him a smile. Kelly watched him as Grace fell asleep again on the shoulder of her mother who swayed her in a litany that only the two of them could hear.
When the play was over they all walked together towards the exit.
"How did it go with the McDonald's offer?" Brandon asked.
"I refused," Dylan replied sure that it would please everyone "but I just got an interesting phone call, it seems that there is finally a serious offer from a private individual to buy the Peach."
"Really?" Kelly asked "what and who is it?"
"They didn't say that," Dylan replied, shaking his head, "I have an appointment tomorrow morning."
They approached their respective cars.
"What if we go out to eat together? I finally have Kelly at home for dinner," he said, squeezing her.
"Actually ," Brenda said as she approached her brother and took little Grace from Kelly's arms, "I know you have a commitment this evening."
"Really?" Brandon asked, snooping his forehead.
"yeah," Brenda laughed as she walked away with Sammy, Dylan and Grace, "I assure you that everything will be fine. See you tomorrow morning."
Brandon and Kelly were left alone. In the middle of the car lawn.
"What's going on?" He asked looking at her surprised.
Kelly put her hands around his neck and brought him close to herself.
"It's been tough weeks and more will come, I thought we deserved a break. So" she said, squeezing a little more and kissing him on the lips, "I rented a boat to take a ride in Catalina. We will spend the night there. Without delay. Without interruptions. No children trying to break through the door. Just you and me. We can take a bath. We can eat. We can do whatever we want," she reiterated more deeply, " let's go back tomorrow afternoon and try to move forward. What do you think?"
Brandon felt his reason to smile, he clearly perceived her to live. To burn. Pull it in the middle. That unexpected journey was exactly what he needed. To take away every thought. He closed his eyes. He would Hold on to her. Feel her skin. Just him and her. To find each other. Recovering the time and sacrifice to which they were subjecting that 'us' who in the middle of the sea resisted in the promise of a better time. Of air in the lungs.
Kelly took him by the hand, turned and smiled at him as the afternoon sun lit up her blonde hair. Brandon thought that image would probably bring him to her memory forever.
The Peach Pit door bell had announced Valerie's arrival. She was wearing a cotton dress that highlighted her generous shapes, squeezed by a fairly lived denim vest, with a few fronds coming down from the lower end. Claire thought the weather had been very lenient with Malone, who seemed at her 19.
"Steve?"
"I haven't seen him yet"
"Typical; did you tell him what it is?"
"It didn't seem appropriate to me; he was so happy with this date that I didn't want to come by for an interested meeting"
"Isn't it?"
"Not quite"
"Does he know I am there too?"
"Did you tell him?"
"No," Clare laughed. I sent him an email saying that there was a surprise for him at the Peach, he thinks i'm in London."
" we are a surprise! Relax"
"I'm relaxed; you rather, did you start preparing the boxes for the move?"
"You can also move tomorrow, if it's possible, I'll join you. I don't like to do things in a hurry," Clare replied, "and then I'm excited."
"For Sanders?"
"What I can do about him, he always excites me. In any case, my rent share is guaranteed right away"
"I want to file the house thing and start focusing on work."
"Like what do you have in mind?"
"I called the agency," Valerie smiled, "I want to buy the Peach Pit"
"are you kidding me?"
"I have an appointment with Dylan tomorrow. But Dylan doesn't know," Valerie laughs mischievously.
"He's coming a blow."
"Maybe, but they are a great opportunity for him and for this place."
"you really want the Peach...," Clare said.
"this has always been my home."
"Sanders!" Valerie caught the boy's attention as soon as she saw him come in and went to meet him, hiding an excited Clare from him.
Steve seemed shocked "Valerie, you here too?"
"Yeah "
"Get hugged"; Valerie abandoned herself in Steve's arms, who seemed genuinely happy to see her. When the hug separated he saw her. Always beautiful. It seemed like a kind of ghost that came to him from his obsessions.
"Oh my God"
"Hi Steve," Clare said.
He kissed her tenderly on the cheek "So, how much do you stop this time?"
'A little longer than the last one; I came back to stay,' a wide, spontaneous smile opened on Steve's face.
"I'm really happy."
"Good thing."
"What about you Valerie? Can't you stay away from California?"
"Apparently not; I decided to give this state another chance"
"Yes, of course. And what are you doing? Always art?"
Clare and Valerie exchanged a smile "actually, that's exactly what my roommate and I wanted to talk to you about."
"Roommate?" The boy's gaze lingered between the two.
"Roommate" Claire remarked "We took a house in Venice, together"
"I really think I'll have to sit down," Steve said.
The girls laughed.
"Listen Steve.. Is the restaurant bordering the Peach also the one for sale?"
Steve raised his eyebrow "why do you ask?"
McKay's house
Brenda stuck the keys into the front door followed by Dylan holding Sammy and Grace in his arms. Fortunately, the little girl was very familiar with them and seemed not to demand the presence of her parents.
That entrance with children in tow caused Brenda to chase an idea. It made her fall in love with the idea that image could belong to them. To Dylan and her.
It made it more chargeable to her. More desperate.
They ordered a pizza and ate in the kitchen all together. Grace was hungry and Brenda gently was taking her. Her big blue eyes smiled at her and she smiled at the little girl in that solid and formed ancestral bond.
Brenda welcomed those hours with the kids and with Dylan with a healthy fun. They took care of helping up Sammy putting on his pajamas, bathing Grace. Fall them asleep separately.
Exhausted, they threw themselves on the couch hugged.
"It's a real job. How the hell will your brother do."
"Eh you know, Brandon knows how to do everything when he is committed ."
"What would you like to say?" He asked mischievously.
Brenda laughed as he tickled her.
"I hope Brandon and Kelly have the night they deserve"
"Why?" Dylan asked "are there any problems?"
"No" she shook her head "no. But I've seen my brother very tense lately. Worried. Kelly is always so busy."
"They are a couple. Couples have to go through these stages, in order to grow. I'm sure anyway" Dylan leaned closer to her "they are having really a lot of fun."
"And how do you know?"
"They haven't called yet."
Brenda laughed. It was true.
"Dylan?" Brenda asked pulling herself up.
"Tell me," he said exhausted with his eyes closed.
"It was nice to get in here with the kids."
He looked at her with veiled eyes from a sense of sadness. Her voice talked him. Her eyes whispered to him, her silences told him, that Brenda lived in a sense of injustice for what was slow to arrive. He felt indebted to Brenda. He would have done anything to be able to go back in time. At that morning. Wake up before Brandon and Brenda came in. Slip away from that misunderstanding bed and leave Sammy and Kelly together.
Open the door for her, hug her, go to the lake with the van rented by Steve, end that wonderful summer as they had started it, together. Don't lose his love, his son and his brother for nothing in a single moment.
Sometimes he had the impression that Brenda had to endure excessive weight and feared that she would collapse at any moment. That she sent him a mute reproach for throwing her into that mess of the soul.
"I know," he replied, "you will see that the time will come for us too," he said, kissing her on the forehead, "as soon as we return from Ecuador we will start the protocol."
"I hope he/she will be as beautiful as you are," he said before falling asleep with her head on his chest.
He stroked her hair a little more. In silence.