“Cassidy sweetheart.” She said, he looked up, smiling then accepting the kisses on his cheeks that Mum gave him. “You look gorgeous.”
“Me? Who is this beauty?” he asked as he gestured towards her dress, it was red, long, sparkly – that was pretty much all I could say on it.
“Jenny Packham.” She said, Cassidy gasped happily. “Not too much?”
“Not at all Mrs Bradford.” Cassidy said, I laughed because he was such a kiss up. She smiled at Harrison, stroking his cheek.
“How’s Dom?” she asked, Harrison nodded, “and my grandbabies?” she asked, Harrison laughed.
“They’re all fine. I think Dom has taken them to the cinema tonight.”
“Lucky.” I muttered, then snapped back to attention as her eyes landed on me.
“My baby what did you do?”
“I fell off a bike.” I said, Mum cooed as she stroked my cheek.
“Are you okay?” she asked, I nodded because yeah, sure it hurt to move my arm, and I couldn’t take my jacket off at any point, or pee without assistance, but all things considered, I was fine.
“A bike?” Father repeated, he sounded so very unimpressed. “How common.” He tutted, I laughed, “that’s how this looks, don’t you agree?” he asked Mum, she rose an eyebrow. “We need to improve on this before we go in.” He stated.
“No, we don’t.” Harrison stated, “no one is going to give a fuck about his arm.” He said, Father wasn’t impressed, but that was at the swearing. Cassidy however was laughing. “We don’t have to be here, and if we left, who’d that be worse for?”
“Harrison.” Mum said, but she said it without much force because she wasn’t his mother, and he was thirty, she couldn’t actually do much.
“Are you threatening me?” Father asked, I sighed as Cassidy shook his head,
“Nope, nope, nope. I’m out.” Cassidy said walking around us, straightening his jacket as he did. I extended my not broken arm to our Mum. She nodded to me, linking her arm with mine and tapping my hand.
“Good boy.” She said softly before walking with Cassidy and I through the door, leaving Harrison and Father as they bickered.
There was always a good turn out for these things. Very high-profile turn outs, with people in attendance that would be noticed if they weren’t.
It was much like school, if my Father didn’t turn up to these things, there’d be an outcry. If his Vice President didn’t turn up, there’d be rumours flying pretty much instantly. If neither of them did, well, was the event even worth going too.
Mum, took being on my arm as an opportunity to give me the downlow and the dirty gossip on everyone and I somewhat relished on it, whilst also relishing on the coos over my arm.
“Is that the Prime Minister?” I asked, Mum nodded as she followed my gaze.
“It most certainly is Kennedy.” She said, we examined her together.
I didn’t hear many bad things about her, not really, and it appeared Mum didn’t have anything bad to say either. She’d come in after all the commotion with whether we were going to Leave or Remain, or collapse all together. She came in like a Superhero, put a giant plaster over the United Kingdom, making us all a cup of tea and telling us it’d be okay.
She rose the wage, making my already cushy lifestyle, even more luscious. She made sure anyone who wanted to could get married, or gay married or, I suppose not married. She did a whole lot of good, and the press recognised that, I hadn’t seen a slandering comment, there were no scandals.
She was a fine upstanding citizen, her husband was normal, a scholar with a good repetition, her children, presumably were all grown up now, but they’d been kept out of the limelight. I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with her.
“Mrs Bradford.” She said, Mum took her offered hand, both of them bowing their heads in greeting, “I presume this is your son.” She said, I took her hand, kissing the back of it. “One of the twins, yes?” she asked, Mum nodded as she laughed, not helping at all.
It was one of Mum’s more favourable games as a mother of identical twins. She enjoyed watching other people try and figure out which or us was which, some days. Other days she’d just act surprised that there was two of us. ‘I only brought one out with me’.
“Kennedy?” the Prime Minster asked, I smiled.
“That’s me.” I said, impressed.
“What did you do to your arm sweetheart?” she asked almost amused, I looked down at it as if acting surprised that my arm was in a splint – maybe I was more like my mother than I liked to let on -.
“I fell off a bike.” I said then almost gasped. “It was all the hills fault.” I added, she laughed it was joyous and loud.
“Oh dear.” She said shaking her head, I joined her in shaking my head. “What were you riding a bike for?”
“Sponsored bike ride.” I said, she looked impressed, I didn’t let that get too far. “I don’t deserve the recognition for it, or any compliments. I didn’t arrange it, I didn’t do any of the work, in fact, I kind of gate crashed, and…”
“Crashed.” Mum said dryly, I rose my eyebrow at her, she smiled, it was devious, it was such a Cassidy smile.
“What a lovely young man you’ve raised.” She complimented my Mum, my Mum preened.
“In fact, I raised two of them.” she said, I laughed because talk about talking yourself up. We looked around the room together, searching out Cassidy, I found him first.
He was stood, flirting definitely flirting with one of the servers. He was cute, granted, my God he was cute. In his white waiter jacket, and black slacks, holding a tray with champagne flutes on.
I shook Mum’s arm. She stopped searching because she understood what I was telling her.
“Don’t you have three sons?” She asked, Mum nodded.
“I do, Harrison.” She said, then she smiled when Harrison and Father came into the room. Neither looked disgruntled, not a hair out of place – thank God. “He’s a man now, doesn’t need a Mum anymore.” She said with a laugh and it wasn’t sad, nor was it looking for sympathy. I think she quite liked not having to mother Harrison.
We turned towards the sound of the gong that indicated it was time to make our way into the dining room. We held back, because Father was to be the last to enter the room, and we really, should enter with him. Cassidy appeared the other side of Mum, passing a champagne flute to the both of us.
“Cheers.” I whispered knocking the lips together, he nodded.
“Gods speed.” He said, I laughed, as Mum moved us forward, walking into the room where everyone was stood behind their seats await the guest of honour.
Thankfully, Cassidy and I were sat next to each other, Cassidy nearer to Father as he was at the head of the table. Mum and Harrison were on the opposite side of the table. Mum sat beside Father.
He welcomed everyone in an overly gracious speech about how proud he was, how he wouldn’t be here today without his esteemed colleagues, without his beautiful wife, without his faithful friends. He wanted to ensure everyone felt appreciated by him, and wanted everyone to have a great night. To drink, and be merry.
Then, he finally sat down, so we could, and the entire severing staff came out, placing a cloche down in front of everyone. There was silence, and then, all the cloches were rose together, revealing the first of the seven courses.
I looked at Cassidy as he looked at me, scrunching his nose at me as I did because, ew oysters.
As it was inevitable. We ended up in the bathroom. Cassidy and I, and Harrison. I’d asked Cassidy for help, and he seemed thankful of the escape, although he was mildly tipsy and definitely within minutes of jumping inside said cute waiters’ pants.
Harrison had overheard us and followed us in, because he wanted to escape too, and very possibly laugh at a tipsy Cassidy attempting the elaborate flies on my slacks before I wet myself.
“Somehow, I think you’ve had enough to drink.” Harrison commented when my pants were finally unbuttoned. Cassidy muttered
darkly under his breath, although he was probably muttering nothings.
“Don’t worry.” I said as I really focused on my aim. “I think his mouth will be too occupied for the rest of the evening for him to slip more champagne.” I said, Cassidy giggled.
“He’s right.” He said nodding, “I like the champagne waiter. He’s pretty.”
“He is pretty.” I agreed.
“Very.” Harrison sighed; I turned my head to look at him laughing as he shook his head. “Shut up.” He said quickly., “At least the races will start soon.” Harrison sighed, as I backed away from the urinal. I managed my zip with one hand, then turned towards them. Cassidy refastened my button with far more ease.
“I’ll walk around with your Mum.” Harrison said, I nodded to him. “Take her to watch the races.”
“Me too.” I said softly, “might even put a few bets on.” I added, Cassidy laughed.
“Feeling lucky?” he whispered, I rose my arm.
“What else could happen to me?” I asked, he smiled, stroking down my arm then turned to Harrison and biting his tongue.
“I’m going to go entertain the champagne waiter.” He said, he sounded giddy. Harrison laughed as he came towards us. Standing closer to Cassidy.
“Don’t bring him in here. Too much traffic, if you leave the room and turn left, there’s a pretty cosy room, that no-one will bat an eyelid at.”
“That sounds like advice from someone who knows.” Cassidy whispered; Harrison smirked.
“I’ve had my fair share of waiters at these things.” He laughed. “Even brought Dom to one.” He said as he walked around us towards the door. He pushed it open then frowned at me. “Don’t forget to wash your hands.” he said, then left.
I turned to look at Cassidy as he choked out a laugh.
♕
Chapter Nine
Stephen’s fingers stroked over the splint, carefully, softly attempting not to hurt me in anyway, and he wasn’t. If anything, it was comforting. His eyes were trailing around my room. They landed on Cassidy’s unmade bed. Multiple objects of clothing lying on top of the bed, still on their hangers. It had practically been a massacre watching as Cassidy chose what to wear, and I hadn’t dare ask him whether he was going to put all his clothes away, as I was rather attached to my balls, and I wanted them to stay attached to my body.
He frowned as he looked at the two dry cleaning bags hung from our wardrobes.
“State dinner.” I said quietly, Stephen’s frown got more intense then he looked at me.
“You actually go to them?” he asked, I wobbled my head.
“Not a lot, but this one was for our father and Mum thought it’d be sweet if their strapping sons were there to celebrate.” I rolled my eyes, Stephen almost laughed.
“Was it fun?”
“No.” I said lightly, he smiled, “but there were some races, which were somewhat intriguing and I’m pretty sure Cassidy had sex.”
“Hence the dry cleaned.” He smirked. I laughed as he lightly touched my fingers, he almost seemed wary, worrying that it might hurt. I shook my head, because it didn’t. “How did they take your arm being in a splint?” he asked, I shook my head.
“Mum coddled me, her baby. Father was unimpressed he said it looked common. I didn’t get to retort; my brother ate him alive for me.” I smiled, “Cassidy got bored of it all pretty quickly. Walked away whilst Harrison and father had the most civilised argument, I think I’ve ever seen.” I said, he laughed. “The Prime Minster wished me well though, she was amused by how I’d done it, and simply wished it’d heal well.”
“The Prime Minster?” he repeated, I nodded as our eyes met.
“Yeah, she goes to these things I guess.”
“She does.” He agreed nodding slowly, “was she alone?”
“It appeared that way. I don’t think her husband was there.”
“Her kids?”
“Plural?” I repeated, he shrugged, “I don’t know. I’ve never met her child… I think she has a daughter, doesn’t she?” I said, he sighed.
“She wishes.” He muttered, I shook his arm so he looked back at me, he examined my perplexed expression then sighed.
“She had a daughter… once.” He said nodding, “I guess. She had a kid she could force into frilly dresses and bows and uncomfortably uncomfortable shoes.” He said frowning, I frowned back at him, so he waved at me. “Hi, I’m the Prime Minister’s daughter.” He said drolly, my eyebrows rose. “Except not, because I’m definitely a boy.”
“Definitely.” I repeated,
“She’s pretty embarrassed of the entire thing.” He said rolling his eyes at me, “always has been in fact.”
“I… I don’t understand.” I said shaking my head. “You’re in a boy’s school.”
“Yeah, because I got to choose my boarding school and I chose here. She willing paid to shut me up.” He shook his head then he sighed. “It’s simple. We’re quite rich, and she doesn’t want me going shouting to anyone who could cause her trouble.”
“Would you?” I whispered, he shrugged as he played with my fingers.
“I guess so.” He muttered then sighed, “I came out when I was a kid. A lot. I told her, and Dad again and again and they just kept brushing it off. She was too busy working her way through parliament, he didn’t really want to talk about things like that. When she was running for Prime Minster, I threatened to cause hell.”
“You were?”
“Eleven.” He said scrunching his nose at me, “I threatened to talk, and talk and because I was so young, I’d talk to anyone and everyone. She asked me what I wanted so I told her. I wanted to transition, I wanted to be Stephen, be acknowledged as a boy. I wanted all of that.
She reluctantly agreed, allowing me to socially transition so I wouldn’t ruin her campaign and then she chose to silence me further.” He paused, he almost looked amused. “She said she’d pay for me to have top surgery, bottom surgery…”
“Wait, wait…” I stopped him; his eyebrow rose. “Top and bottom surgery?”
“Top… to make my chest flatter.” He said sliding his hand down his chest. “Bottom, to give me a penis.”
“Cool.” I said, he laughed softly.
“The surgeries are either really expensive or in such high demand that you have to wait years. She told me; our deal was simple. I’d stay silent, she’d pay for my surgeries once I was eighteen. I kind of agreed. She didn’t trust me very much, so she told me to choose a school.”
“You chose here?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged, “it’s a prestige school, highly thought of and well, an all-boys school, just to piss her off. She wanted to argue but knew it wouldn’t really go well, so she enrolled me.”
“She tried to buy you, so you blackmailed her.” I said, he rolled his eyes.
“No.” he drew out, “She tried to buy me, so I took advantage. She’s my mother.”
“She’s the Prime Minster.” I stressed, he shrugged.
“I’m not surprised she doesn’t mention me. I think she’d happily put me up for adoption if she could.” He shrugged. “She was pissed the summer just gone. She refused to acknowledge a bill that’d allow transgender people to change their gender. I protested.” He smirked lightly, “and my God it pissed her off. She literally couldn’t do anything because she allegedly had a daughter and she didn’t want anyone to know about me.
She let me spend an entire night in a cell. I got arrested for protesting and she refused to bail me out. I believe the reason was, if you’re going to be a dickhead, I’m not going to bail you out.”
“How was the cell?” I asked, he smirked.
“I’ve stayed at better hotels.”
“You’re a delinquent.” I said, he laughed, it sounded cheerful as he widened his eyes at me.
“Starting to think that maybe those rumours are true.” He said, I wobbled my head at him, because apparently, I had a kink for people doing naughty things – who’d have thought it.
I wanted to move us so we were lying down. I wanted to make the kiss deeper, see just how far I could get.
Then he stopped. His head turning as he frowned, resting his hand on my chest. I frowned at him too until I heard what he could. The sound of keys.
“Wardrobe.” I said, his head whipped around to look at me,
“What.” He said flatly, not even a question more a statement, I shrugged.
“What if they’re coming in to go the bathroom.” I whisper shouted at him, he rolled his eyes, as he stood from my bed.
“I hope you see the irony in this, because my God it’s blatant.” He said as he opened the nearest cupboard, luckily mine, and stepped into it. I stood from my bed, slowly and carefully pushing the doors shut as the door to my room opened.
“Cody?” I said, frowning at him, he smiled back.
“Bringing my cello back.” he said as he rested it against the wall near to his bed. “Missed you in rehearsal.” He said as I sat back on my bed. “Otis is devastated.” He sighed then shrugged, I shrugged back. “I heard Myles is hosting Halloween this year?”
“Really?” I said, I must’ve sounded intrigued, he nodded quite dramatically.
“I know, we were quite shocked too, but he said his parents are on a cruise somewhere warm, he’ll have the house, so he’s hosting it this year. Better start looking for good costumes to do with a broken arm.” He said. I laughed.
“Where are you going, now?” I asked trying to be nonchalant, and probably missing by a mile.
“For a coffee.” He said thoughtfully, I smiled because that meant he was making up his plans on the spot. “Yeah, yeah coffee, oh a latte. Want anything?”
“No, thanks.” I shook my head, he seemed content with that.
“See you for tea.”
“Yeah.” I said, he smiled, then kissed his hand blowing it towards me. I did it back.
Kennedy is King Page 7