Tess looked up at the imposing stone building, with its white columns and numerous steps. Seems all they had done that day was walk up and down stairs—no wonder no one in the city seemed to be overweight. “It reminds me of the Met,” Tess said as she began to climb the steps.
Sebastian took her arm and pulled her back. “Well, then I guess I have to kiss you,” he said with a devilish grin before his lips touched hers.
“If you’re going to kiss me on every set of stairs we take today, you’d better get out your Chapstick.”
They walked into the marble atrium. “Welcome to the Tate. Here you’ll find the world’s most extensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings in the world.” He ushered Tess to the right and continued. “Today you will see works by William Holman Hunt, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.”
“Why do English painters always have three names?” Tess wondered aloud.
“I have no idea. I never really thought about it.”
The art lesson continued as Sebastian enthralled Tess with stories of the artists and their muses. He was happy to share his passion with her and she seemed eager to learn.
“You’re really good at this. Did you ever think of working in a museum?” she finally chimed in during a break in his lecture.
“No, this is just something I love. I never thought about it as a job.”
“That’s exactly why you should do it for a living—you love it and it doesn’t feel like a job. I bet any museum in New York would love to have you on staff.”
He gently caressed her cheek, beaming. “I love you.”
“Come on, I want to look in the gift shop.”
They split up; Sebastian headed for the art books and Tess walked over to the posters. She flipped through the large metal rack until she stumbled onto one of Sebastian’s favorites. Tess grabbed the rolled poster tube from the corresponding slot below and paid the cashier. When she was finished, she found Sebastian.
“What do you have there?”
“A present for you,” she replied, handing him the tube. “It’s a poster of Edward Burne-Jones’ The Golden Stairs. And before you complain, it only cost five pounds—and the real painting is not for sale, so the copy will have to do. You need something to hang in that condo of yours.”
He was touched by her simple gift and gave her a hug. “Our condo,” he whispered before releasing her from his embrace. “Thank you, Tess.”
For the next few days, Sebastian acted as Tess’ personal tour guide. They visited The National Gallery at Trafalgar Square and took a cruise along the Thames. They even had a fun outing at the London Zoo—it had been a favorite of Sebastian’s since he was a child. They walked through Hyde Park and lingered in front of Buckingham Palace with the tourists who were hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen or the changing of the guard. Sebastian never really appreciated his hometown until he saw it through Tess’ eyes. She was filled with excitement, wonder, and awe. This was the least he could do for her, since she had become his constant companion since Nanny’s passing.
They sat together on a bench along the Thames overlooking Parliament and Big Ben. The sun was bright and the clouds were few. It was a perfect day—a rare occurrence in London.
“I can’t believe how beautiful this is,” Tess commented. “I wish we could stay here forever.”
Sebastian had passed this spot many times, but until Tess drew it to his attention, he had never really noticed. He had a fresh perspective, and he realized there were many wonderful things about his country that he took for granted. Too bad he wouldn’t be back for a very long time, he reflected. His future was in America. He took her hand and turned her to face him. “Tess, I have no idea what I did to deserve you. Marry me and I swear I will adore you every day for the rest of our lives.”
“Yes,” she simply replied, without hesitation.
Sebastian looked at her quizzically. It was the first time since he’d met her that she had no doubts or trepidation. He couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “What?” he asked, needing to hear the simple word again.
Tess sat on Sebastian’s lap and placed her hands on his face. “I said, yes.”
“Yes!” Pulling her closer, he kissed her. Then panic set in. “I don’t have a ring!” he gasped.
“I don’t need a ring, Sebastian. I said yes because you didn’t plan some grand event or fairytale moment to propose to me. It was spur-of-the-moment, sincere, and from the heart.” She let out a melancholy sigh. “We’ve lost so much already. I don’t want to wait any longer. Life’s too short. I’ll marry you. I’ll move into the condo with you.”
Chapter 18 - Time For A Change
The plane touched down in Philadelphia Friday evening. Henry and Alice were waiting for Sebastian and Tess at the baggage claim carousels as planned. Henry snatched their bags and they all walked out to the parking garage.
“How bad is it?” Sebastian inquired.
“It’s not good,” Henry responded, confirming Sebastian’s fears.
“Well, go on,” he encouraged.
“Edgewood is for sale. Lady Irons has allowed Alice and me to stay there for the next four weeks until we can find new employment or a new place to live.”
“That was generous of her,” Sebastian muttered.
“She’s had all the locks changed and has forbidden you access. She’s hired a live- in groundskeeper to keep tabs on us and make sure we don’t let you on the premises. Your car has been returned to the dealer and she terminated the lease.”
“She’s an evil woman,” Alice chimed in with contempt.
“Alice and I found an efficiency apartment a few blocks from St. Alexander’s for two hundred and fifty dollars a month. This way you won’t need a car. You’ll be moving into the condo after you graduate, so hopefully you can deal with the apartment for a few months. It’s nothing fancy, but it will be a roof over your head,” Henry conceded.
Sebastian was astounded by their care and concern. They had no idea Nanny had left him a substantial amount of money, even if most of it was tied up in investments. The fact that they used their own money to make sure he would be okay showed a loyalty that he would never forget.
“I’m so sorry,” Sebastian apologized. “I selfishly put myself before you. I never stopped to consider you would be residual fallout.”
“It’s done,” Henry said.
They set off from the airport in silence.
Henry pulled up to apartment complex half an hour later thanks to relatively light traffic. He reached into his front pocket and pulled out a key. “Here you go,” he said, and handed Sebastian the key.
They walked up the cobbled pathway, and Sebastian opened the door with caution and slowly entered his new home. He flipped on the nearest light switch. Alice, Henry, and Tess followed a few paces behind him. The walls were a dingy white. The single room had a slightly worn tan carpet and one small window looking out onto the street. Alice and Henry had moved his bed, night stand, TV, and stereo into the room. There was barely enough room to walk with his belongings furnishing the space.
Sebastian took in his surroundings. There was a small galley kitchen to the right of the entrance. The floor was yellow vinyl, dull and grimy from age. The walls were painted an off-putting shade of avocado green. The cabinets were made of white metal and it was all topped off with a Formica green speckled countertop, circa 1970.
On the other side of the kitchen wall was a narrow hallway that contained a tiny clothes closet and the bathroom. The bathroom walls were adorned in pink tile. The floor was covered in small black and white hexagonal tiles. There was a standard white toilet and tub. Suspended from the ceiling was a silver metal bar, which held a clean plastic shower curtain.
Although the unit was definitely dated, it was immaculate and clean; Alice and Henry had done a great job turning it from a bland space into a home. Sebastian turned and hugged them both simultaneously. “Thank you so much. I love you both.” He knew that these
two people had ceased being employees to him and had become family a long time ago, and he was grateful more than words could describe.
Alice kissed him on the cheek. “That woman has been a real witch. If you look in the kitchen cabinets you’ll find the china, crystal, and silver from Edgewood. I’ve tried to make your stay here as comfortable as possible. Oh, and there are two cases of champagne under the sink, that were left over from the New Year’s party.”
“Alice, you’re magnificent.”
“There’s still a lot to sort out, Sebastian. We’ll come over tomorrow morning to make plans,” Henry said.
“I’ll make breakfast,” Alice piped in. “Nine o’clock?”
“Perfect,” Sebastian agreed.
“Tess, are you ready to go?”
Tess glanced at Sebastian.
“Please stay one more night. It’s late. I don’t want you driving home alone.” Her car was still at Edgewood, so it would be a long night of driving back and forth. She nodded in agreement.
“We’ll bring your car over tomorrow morning, Tess,” Henry reassured her.
“Thank you, Henry.”
Sebastian locked the door after Henry and Alice departed. Tess was already on the phone calling her mom. The answering machine picked up, so she left a quick message and hung up the receiver. Sebastian sat next to her on the bed—there was nowhere else to sit. “So here we are.”
“I can’t believe Henry and Alice did all this over the span of three days,” Tess commented in utter amazement. “You’re so lucky to have them.”
“I know. I can’t lose them, too. Do you think I can persuade them to move to New Jersey?”
“Maybe.” Tess yawned. “I’m tired and hungry and I’m dying for a hot shower.”
“You go have a shower and I’ll see what Alice left in the refrigerator.”
“You could come with me,” Tess invited, taking his hand.
“If I come with you, we won’t get to eat or sleep,” Sebastian reasoned as he tried to back away.
“I know.” She gave him a sly smile and pulled him down the hallway toward the bathroom. He didn’t need much convincing.
They lay in bed naked under the ivory sheets, Sebastian holding Tess in his arms. “I don’t want to let you go. I don’t want to be alone,” he whispered in her ear, taking in the scent of shampoo from her damp hair.
“I’m going to miss waking up with you in the morning,” Tess admitted. “When do you make settlement on the condo?”
“June. Are you willing to move with me then? Won’t your mom be expecting you to spend the summer at home?”
“I don’t know. We have a lot to talk about. Come to dinner tomorrow night. We’ll talk to her together. We can tell her about the engagement.”
“Really?”
She nodded.
“Can we set a wedding date? You can have whatever you want—money is no object. I’ll rent St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We’ll get you a couture wedding dress.” He was so excited, he squeezed her in his arms.
“I want to wait until we graduate NYU,” she slowly responded, hoping not to upset him.
“That’s four years away!”
“Yeah, but we’re going to have to get used to living together. Adjusting to college is something else we have to worry about. You can’t go spending all the money Nanny left you. We can’t have an extravagant wedding,” Tess explained, trying to illustrate her point.
“So you never dreamed of your wedding day: the dress, the church, and the flowers? Every girl dreams about that, don’t they?”
“I’m not every girl, Sebastian.” She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “I love you and I will marry you, but first I need to focus on college. I want to graduate and begin my career.”
“Then tell me your plans for world domination,” he prodded, deciding to drop the subject of the wedding for now.
“I want a journalist position that will let me travel. I want to see the world and write about it.” She looked up at his face. “What are your plans? Have you given any more thought to working for a museum?”
“I’ll raise the children and be a house husband, like John Lennon.”
She raised her eyebrows with great curiosity. “Oh, really? And how many children will I be having?”
“Two: a boy and a girl. We’ll name the girl Martha, after Nanny. We can call her Mattie for short—that way she won’t be ostracized by the children at school.”
“And the boy?”
“What was your father’s name?”
“William—his name was William.”
“Then William it is,” he agreed with pride. “Let’s forget the wedding. Let’s go to the justice of the peace. We can keep it simple and very inexpensive,” he suggested.
“Stop! I want the wedding! But I want to plan. I want to do it right. I only expect to do this once in my lifetime.”
“What about next summer? I want to marry you now and you want to wait four years, so maybe we can meet somewhere in the middle,” he suggested. “We’ll have three months off. We can plan a small wedding and then we can spend two months traipsing through Europe for our honeymoon. We can even get a Euro rail pass and stay in budget hotels if you’re worried about expense.”
She smiled at the thought of his grand plan. It was certainly appealing. “Maybe. Let’s see how things go over the next year,” was all she could manage.
It appeared they had reached some sort of compromise as they drifted off to sleep.
The alarm sounded at 8:00 a.m. Sebastian reached over and hit the top of the clock with the palm of his hand. Tess nuzzled into his chest. “Good morning,” he muttered. “We should get up. Henry and Alice will be here in an hour.”
“All right.”
“I need caffeine. Do you think Alice nicked the coffee pot, too?”
“You go start the shower. I’ll start the coffee.”
He sighed with relief. “Good—I don’t know how to make coffee. I have a lot to learn, don’t I?” He slowly got out of bed. Tess chuckled as she watched his naked ass saunter down the hall.
They showered and washed away the morning haze under a trickling stream of hot water. Padding back to the bedroom wrapped in soft Egyptian cotton towels kindly proffered by Alice, they dried off and dressed for the day. Tess slipped into her jeans and cardigan; Sebastian wore his jeans and a navy plaid shirt, which was uncharacteristically untucked.
He walked into the kitchen, barefoot, and poured himself a cup of hot coffee. He inhaled its rich aroma and took a sip. “This is delicious.” He placed an arm around Tess waist and gave her a squeeze. “You’re the official coffee preparer. I bow to your perfection and complete competence.”
“It’s not rocket science. It’s just coffee. If you read the directions on the package, you can make it too,” she reminded him, holding the metal coffee can up to his eyes with one hand.
Alice and Henry knocked on the door, jarring them from their chatter. Sebastian unlocked the dead bolt and let them enter. Alice was carrying an overflowing bag of groceries and Henry was holding the metal bistro table from the greenhouse. Sebastian slipped on his shoes and helped Henry bring the table inside.
Alice joined Tess in the kitchen. “I put some coffee on,” Tess told her. “Want a cup?”
“Thank you, Tess.” Alice unpacked the bag and placed the items on the small counter. One by one she pulled out a dozen eggs, a pound of butter, a variety of cheeses, a loaf of bread, a bottle of orange juice, and finally one very expensive French copper omelet pan. “Lady Irons won’t be needing this either,” she remarked with a smile.
In the other room, Henry and Sebastian unfolded the table and set up the four chairs. It took up the only remaining floor space in the small room.
“How did you sleep last night?” Henry inquired with a knowing smile.
“Well, thank you.” Sebastian hesitated, then said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do tonight when Tess has to go home and I’m left alone. I’ve never been al
one before, Henry.”
“Sebastian, I wanted to tell your mother off so badly, but Alice stopped me. She said we could help you more if we stayed on Lady Irons’ good side instead of alienating her,” Henry tried to explain.
“You did the right thing. You need time to figure out where you’ll go next. Do you have any idea?” He sat down at the table and placed his coffee cup on top of it.
“You know, Manhattan is a big place with a lot of rich people. We thought we might try our luck in the Big Apple. I hear they have these great condos in Lincoln Harbor.”
Sebastian couldn’t believe they would do that for him. “I would love that. You and Alice are my family now. I am going to need you both to teach me how to have a normal life. How to cook, clean, balance a budget, be a good husband.” He rattled off the list of things and waited for what he said to sink into Henry’s brain.
Henry sat there and processed it item by item. It took perhaps a minute or two, but slowly a smile broke out on Henry’s lips. “You asked Tess to marry you?”
Sebastian nodded. “She said yes, Henry.”
“Congratulations!” Henry slapped him on the back. He stood and squeezed into the narrow busy kitchen. Henry took a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator and plucked four crystal flutes from the cabinet above the stove. “Ladies, I need you in the other room now, please.”
They put down their breakfast preparations and Tess and Alice followed in Henry’s wake. He stripped the foil and popped the cork and poured a glass for each of them. “To Sebastian and Tess—may you have a beautiful life together.” They raised their glasses to toast the pending nuptials.
Tess left the apartment a few hours later to go home and fill her mother in on everything that had transpired since Nanny Jones’ death. Henry and Alice remained behind with Sebastian to discuss the future.
Taking control of his life for the first time felt good. Sebastian began by arranging to repay Henry and Alice the money they’d put out for the apartment, the movers, and the storage space. They set up a budget for him to follow and then went over a list of things at Edgewood that he might need. Lily might have kicked him out of the house, but Henry and Alice would make sure he had all the things necessary to live on his own and in as much comfort as possible.
Life's What You Make It: Love's Great Adventure Book 1 Page 25