Dave and Kate - Secrets Shared
Jul. 8th, 2005 02:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rohansonDinner had gone well, Kate thought. The chatter during the four courses that had been overseen by Jason got louder and louder as the wine flowed and there had been cat calls for her poor embarrassed husband to rise and give a speech. As it happened, he was in a talkative mood, and had kept them all laughing with anecdotes about the perpetrators of the party. He managed to make both of his sons roll their eyes and hide their faces with tales oftheir childhood, a feat she could see he was quite proud of. Steve had earlier insisted that Paris be the one to make the toast, and since he could be as shy as his father sometimes, he had been a nice shade of pink under that tan as he spoke. She was happy to see her two sons together again, and back to that friendship they had always shared growing up with only two years between them. After the cheering had died down, Paris had also raised a toast to prodigal children, that they all return safely to the fold, and most people present knew that this time, it was Helen that was uppermost in the family’s mind.
Kate sighed. Her youngest children took after her sister, and of course her mother. That was the only way to explain this necessity they both seemed to have to head off and disappear for years at a time. At least Paris was settled now, or so she hoped.
After the dinner had broken up, people had wandered off into the bar, or through to the room where a band was playing, a traditional Scottish band at Eileen’s request, and by now her sister was no doubt leading the party through the Gay Gordon’s or Strip the Willow. She smiled as she ordered another glass of wine from the bar. She had seen Paris being pulled in that direction too by a couple of his younger cousins, and noticed David slipping out onto the deserted balcony. She smiled at the though of what he must have gone through meeting everyone this weekend, but he had taken it all in his stride, and apparently had a new friend in the form of Eileen. She took a sip from the long stemmed glass and wandered out through the balcony doors, the slight breeze moving the silk of her slim fitting ankle length dress. It was a warm evening, and there was no need for a jacket to cover her shoulders. She slipped off her sandals, leaving them by the door and wiggled her toes.
David was leaning on the railing gazing out towards the sea. The sun had left the sky a while ago, but the soft lights from the hotel lit the sand all the way down to the water’s edge. She walked towards him, coughing quietly to get his attention back from wherever it was it had wandered to, and extended her hand towards him. “David. We met briefly earlier, and I think I was introduced as “Mom”. I’m Katelyn, but you may call me Kate … and never Mom.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Despite your relationship with my son.”
If Danny was as easygoing as the sea, then Kate must be the shoreline. Graceful and beautiful, but definitely in control – drawing the line between open waters and solid ground. She’d caught Dave daydreaming, and he tried to shake those odd thoughts off quickly. From all he’d seen of Paris’ mother this evening, he knew that he needed to have his wits about him right now. “Kate’s a beautiful name, I’d like calling you that, thank you. And please, call me Dave. I’m not used to being called David unless I’m in trouble.”
She smiled at him. "Dave it is then, because as far as I know, you're not in trouble right now." She looked at him properly for the first time. Took in his kind blue eyes, the little crinkles around them meaning a man who smiled a lot. That's a good start. And this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get to know this man better, this man who meant so much to her son. And she would rather do that without interruption. "Would you care to walk with me? I like the feel of sand under my feet."
At the mention of sand under feet, Dave glanced down and saw that Kate had lost her shoes between the party and the balcony. It was a small thing, but it made him smile and relax. Dave nodded. “That sounds nice.” The dress shoes he’d worn tonight wouldn’t do at all for this. Taking a seat, he got his shoes and socks off and tucked them under the bench. It did feel good to get out of them. Kate and Dave took the short set of stairs that led down to the sand, and both smiled as they dug their toes into the warm grains. It was indeed a wonderful feeling.
They walked in silence for a while, both enjoying the peace after the bustle of the party. "So Dave, Danny tells me you're a sound man, Steve tells me you're a decent bloke, and my sister assured me most enthusiastically that you don't have plans to drag Paris off to America to live the high life in Hollywood, which I have to say had never crossed my mind." She glanced at him with a smile. "But I know he's been through so much in his life so far, most of which I'm not supposed to know about, and even though I would never try and rule his life, now I've got him back, I can't help feeling protective of him." She slowed to a stop, waiting until Dave stopped and looked her in the eyes before asking. "Do you love him, Dave?"
Dave smiled gently, understanding her concerns. And he blushed a little when he realized Kate had already gathered in the rest of the family’s assessment of him. “Yes, I do love him. And I know it’s not the same as how a mother feels about a son, but I understand how it feels to lose him, and then get him back. I don’t want to lose him again. I can’t imagine my future without Paris being a part of it.”
She nodded. "Thank you for telling me that." They continued their slow walk down to the water's edge, turning to follow it when they got there. "He seems settled, and I'm glad." She took a moment to decide whether to say what was on her mind. "The few times I saw him when he was living on the road, there was a haunted look in his eyes, and he would never talk about it ..." It had made her heart ache to know that there had been nothing she could do to help him when he refused to confide in her. "But it's gone now, and I can see the boy I raised again. I think that has a lot to do with you." She looked out over the sea. "However you helped him find himself again, I'm grateful you did."
Dave couldn’t help shaking his head, a beaming expression on his face. “I can’t take the credit. He found himself. I know he’s had a troubled past, and to be honest with you, I wasn’t in the best moment of my life when we met. I liked him right away, but it took a while to realize I loved him, and by that point… well, let’s just say I probably didn’t deserve a second chance. But he gave me one. I won’t ever forget that. So, really, he helped me find myself, too.” Dave paused, and gulped. He’d said a lot and hoped she understood. Dave dug a toe in the wet sand, and added softly. “I’m so proud of what he’s doing with his life now.”
Kate took in what Dave said. He confirmed what she had already guessed from Steve being so disgruntled on his return from a trip to Wellington last year. But if their closeness now and the way they talked about each other was anything to go by, they had come through that stronger and closer. “You’re good for each other, that’s plain to see.” And she smiled at the pride in his voice, the same tone she heard in Danny’s voice when he talked about Paris’ business. “I’m proud of him too. I knew he’d make something of his life once he discovered what he wanted to do with it.” She stood and let the water lap at the tips of her toes. “Gives me a little peace of mind, knowing that he’s looking to his own future now.”
"Thank you, Kate. I'd like to think I'm good for him, and it means a lot to me that his family knows I'm not just toying around with a handsome younger man." Dave pursed his lips, he tended to be a little frustrated by this side of his success. "My career makes me a target for assumptions like that, just one of the pitfalls of the profession."
The look on Kate's face was a curious one, and it occurred to Dave that she hadn’t asked the same sort of questions Auntie Eileen did. She's not a fangirl. She's a mom who just wants to be sure the son she loves is safe and happy and secure. "Kate... there's something I'd like to tell you, and it's a little awkward. It's something I haven't told Paris, but I think you should know. In fact, someone needs to know in case something happens to me and I can't tell him myself." A cropping of rocks was just ahead, and Dave paused to lean back against the largest of them and think about how to say what was on his mind.
She nodded at Dave’s mention of the drawbacks of being an actor in the spotlight. She liked that he felt he could be candid about this with her, and she had been pleased when he had accepted the invitation to join them for the party, wiling to throw himself headfirst into Paris’ family. But her brow furrowed at Dave’s serious tone, and she was curious. “In case something happens to you?”
“It's not as ominous as it sounds, truly. I've... well, I've made some provisions for Paris. His future means a lot to me, too. I plan on being a part of that future, but just in case, I've made him my beneficiary, and I've set up an investment portfolio in his name. His business is a good one, and should keep growing, he'll do fine for himself no matter what. But..." And this is where Dave got tongue-tied. It was a tricky subject for him to talk about. "I want Paris to have every benefit of marriage, to be honest. But I don't want him to live with the stigma of being a regular guy married to a celebrity. I want him to be taken seriously in his business, and I'm afraid my status could do him more harm than good in the eyes of the public."
Kate was taken aback. She knew this was a serious relationship for Paris, and having seen the two of them together this weekend and after talking to Dave she knew he felt the same, but this was unexpected. Pleasantly unexpected. “I don’t know quite what to say. Paris did tell me specifically not to ask what your prospects were, which I wouldn’t have done anyway because you’re right, he will be able to take care of himself, but to know that you’ve done that for him … thank you for telling me.” It warmed her heart to understand that this was a lifetime commitment for Dave.
“I can see how marriage to you might affect him, and to be honest, the idea had never crossed my mind. I know it’s possible for two men get married these days, but I have to admit that he’s never seemed the type to do that with anyone. Years ago, when he was dating girls, I think I assumed that one day he would be dragged down the aisle by whoever he ended up with so she could have her day in church all dressed in white.” She sat down beside him on the rock and smiled. “And I don’t think you need that, even though you look very fetching in a wedding dress.” She smiled at him and reached over, taking his hand and squeezing it. “He needs to know what you’ve done for him, when you feel ready to tell him. He needs to hear what you told me.”
Dave laughed quietly at the white wedding dress reference. So she's seen “Better Than Sex”. Wonderful. My partner's mother has seen my arse. But she breezed pass that small mention and got right back to what mattered, much to his relief.
"I want him to know how I feel about who we are together. The financial side... it's there if he needs it, but that's not what I'd really like to make clear to him." Dave gave Paris' mom a helpless, hopeful look.
"How do I tell him that he's my entire world? And that I'd marry him in an instant, but I love and respect him for who he is and who he's going to become, and so I choose not to take that public stance?"
Kate smiled. “Just like that. You’ll know when the right moment comes along … although … it’s really a non-proposal isn’t it? You’re asking him to make a commitment to staying with you for the rest of your lives. Maybe you should make it a little more formal.” She looked out over the dark water. This was the last conversation she had expected to be having with this man, yet it felt right.
“You probably know him better than me by now, know his tastes. Make it something he’ll always remember.” She glanced back at the hotel, recognising the familiar silhouette outlined on the balcony. “And speaking of my son …” Dave glanced past her. “I think he would be amazed to find out I wasn’t the one who brought up your prospects! But don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”
Dave smiled at the sight of the lean figure on the balcony. He thought about all that Kate had said. She was right. Dave was serious about his commitment. The plans he'd made attested to that. He'd been quiet about this for too long. Maybe he still held onto a shred of worry that Paris' former wanderlust might take hold of him again one day, and off he'd go. But as he stood here with the woman who'd raised the man he loved, he felt that family bond and knew he'd been accepted. It was time to let those small doubts go, for once and for all.
"Thank you, Kate - for everything. I'll find that right moment, I promise. Think we should head back? He's probably noticed us out here, and thinks we're talking about him." Dave chuckled. "And he'd be right, wouldn't he?"
Kate sighed. Her youngest children took after her sister, and of course her mother. That was the only way to explain this necessity they both seemed to have to head off and disappear for years at a time. At least Paris was settled now, or so she hoped.
After the dinner had broken up, people had wandered off into the bar, or through to the room where a band was playing, a traditional Scottish band at Eileen’s request, and by now her sister was no doubt leading the party through the Gay Gordon’s or Strip the Willow. She smiled as she ordered another glass of wine from the bar. She had seen Paris being pulled in that direction too by a couple of his younger cousins, and noticed David slipping out onto the deserted balcony. She smiled at the though of what he must have gone through meeting everyone this weekend, but he had taken it all in his stride, and apparently had a new friend in the form of Eileen. She took a sip from the long stemmed glass and wandered out through the balcony doors, the slight breeze moving the silk of her slim fitting ankle length dress. It was a warm evening, and there was no need for a jacket to cover her shoulders. She slipped off her sandals, leaving them by the door and wiggled her toes.
David was leaning on the railing gazing out towards the sea. The sun had left the sky a while ago, but the soft lights from the hotel lit the sand all the way down to the water’s edge. She walked towards him, coughing quietly to get his attention back from wherever it was it had wandered to, and extended her hand towards him. “David. We met briefly earlier, and I think I was introduced as “Mom”. I’m Katelyn, but you may call me Kate … and never Mom.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Despite your relationship with my son.”
If Danny was as easygoing as the sea, then Kate must be the shoreline. Graceful and beautiful, but definitely in control – drawing the line between open waters and solid ground. She’d caught Dave daydreaming, and he tried to shake those odd thoughts off quickly. From all he’d seen of Paris’ mother this evening, he knew that he needed to have his wits about him right now. “Kate’s a beautiful name, I’d like calling you that, thank you. And please, call me Dave. I’m not used to being called David unless I’m in trouble.”
She smiled at him. "Dave it is then, because as far as I know, you're not in trouble right now." She looked at him properly for the first time. Took in his kind blue eyes, the little crinkles around them meaning a man who smiled a lot. That's a good start. And this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get to know this man better, this man who meant so much to her son. And she would rather do that without interruption. "Would you care to walk with me? I like the feel of sand under my feet."
At the mention of sand under feet, Dave glanced down and saw that Kate had lost her shoes between the party and the balcony. It was a small thing, but it made him smile and relax. Dave nodded. “That sounds nice.” The dress shoes he’d worn tonight wouldn’t do at all for this. Taking a seat, he got his shoes and socks off and tucked them under the bench. It did feel good to get out of them. Kate and Dave took the short set of stairs that led down to the sand, and both smiled as they dug their toes into the warm grains. It was indeed a wonderful feeling.
They walked in silence for a while, both enjoying the peace after the bustle of the party. "So Dave, Danny tells me you're a sound man, Steve tells me you're a decent bloke, and my sister assured me most enthusiastically that you don't have plans to drag Paris off to America to live the high life in Hollywood, which I have to say had never crossed my mind." She glanced at him with a smile. "But I know he's been through so much in his life so far, most of which I'm not supposed to know about, and even though I would never try and rule his life, now I've got him back, I can't help feeling protective of him." She slowed to a stop, waiting until Dave stopped and looked her in the eyes before asking. "Do you love him, Dave?"
Dave smiled gently, understanding her concerns. And he blushed a little when he realized Kate had already gathered in the rest of the family’s assessment of him. “Yes, I do love him. And I know it’s not the same as how a mother feels about a son, but I understand how it feels to lose him, and then get him back. I don’t want to lose him again. I can’t imagine my future without Paris being a part of it.”
She nodded. "Thank you for telling me that." They continued their slow walk down to the water's edge, turning to follow it when they got there. "He seems settled, and I'm glad." She took a moment to decide whether to say what was on her mind. "The few times I saw him when he was living on the road, there was a haunted look in his eyes, and he would never talk about it ..." It had made her heart ache to know that there had been nothing she could do to help him when he refused to confide in her. "But it's gone now, and I can see the boy I raised again. I think that has a lot to do with you." She looked out over the sea. "However you helped him find himself again, I'm grateful you did."
Dave couldn’t help shaking his head, a beaming expression on his face. “I can’t take the credit. He found himself. I know he’s had a troubled past, and to be honest with you, I wasn’t in the best moment of my life when we met. I liked him right away, but it took a while to realize I loved him, and by that point… well, let’s just say I probably didn’t deserve a second chance. But he gave me one. I won’t ever forget that. So, really, he helped me find myself, too.” Dave paused, and gulped. He’d said a lot and hoped she understood. Dave dug a toe in the wet sand, and added softly. “I’m so proud of what he’s doing with his life now.”
Kate took in what Dave said. He confirmed what she had already guessed from Steve being so disgruntled on his return from a trip to Wellington last year. But if their closeness now and the way they talked about each other was anything to go by, they had come through that stronger and closer. “You’re good for each other, that’s plain to see.” And she smiled at the pride in his voice, the same tone she heard in Danny’s voice when he talked about Paris’ business. “I’m proud of him too. I knew he’d make something of his life once he discovered what he wanted to do with it.” She stood and let the water lap at the tips of her toes. “Gives me a little peace of mind, knowing that he’s looking to his own future now.”
"Thank you, Kate. I'd like to think I'm good for him, and it means a lot to me that his family knows I'm not just toying around with a handsome younger man." Dave pursed his lips, he tended to be a little frustrated by this side of his success. "My career makes me a target for assumptions like that, just one of the pitfalls of the profession."
The look on Kate's face was a curious one, and it occurred to Dave that she hadn’t asked the same sort of questions Auntie Eileen did. She's not a fangirl. She's a mom who just wants to be sure the son she loves is safe and happy and secure. "Kate... there's something I'd like to tell you, and it's a little awkward. It's something I haven't told Paris, but I think you should know. In fact, someone needs to know in case something happens to me and I can't tell him myself." A cropping of rocks was just ahead, and Dave paused to lean back against the largest of them and think about how to say what was on his mind.
She nodded at Dave’s mention of the drawbacks of being an actor in the spotlight. She liked that he felt he could be candid about this with her, and she had been pleased when he had accepted the invitation to join them for the party, wiling to throw himself headfirst into Paris’ family. But her brow furrowed at Dave’s serious tone, and she was curious. “In case something happens to you?”
“It's not as ominous as it sounds, truly. I've... well, I've made some provisions for Paris. His future means a lot to me, too. I plan on being a part of that future, but just in case, I've made him my beneficiary, and I've set up an investment portfolio in his name. His business is a good one, and should keep growing, he'll do fine for himself no matter what. But..." And this is where Dave got tongue-tied. It was a tricky subject for him to talk about. "I want Paris to have every benefit of marriage, to be honest. But I don't want him to live with the stigma of being a regular guy married to a celebrity. I want him to be taken seriously in his business, and I'm afraid my status could do him more harm than good in the eyes of the public."
Kate was taken aback. She knew this was a serious relationship for Paris, and having seen the two of them together this weekend and after talking to Dave she knew he felt the same, but this was unexpected. Pleasantly unexpected. “I don’t know quite what to say. Paris did tell me specifically not to ask what your prospects were, which I wouldn’t have done anyway because you’re right, he will be able to take care of himself, but to know that you’ve done that for him … thank you for telling me.” It warmed her heart to understand that this was a lifetime commitment for Dave.
“I can see how marriage to you might affect him, and to be honest, the idea had never crossed my mind. I know it’s possible for two men get married these days, but I have to admit that he’s never seemed the type to do that with anyone. Years ago, when he was dating girls, I think I assumed that one day he would be dragged down the aisle by whoever he ended up with so she could have her day in church all dressed in white.” She sat down beside him on the rock and smiled. “And I don’t think you need that, even though you look very fetching in a wedding dress.” She smiled at him and reached over, taking his hand and squeezing it. “He needs to know what you’ve done for him, when you feel ready to tell him. He needs to hear what you told me.”
Dave laughed quietly at the white wedding dress reference. So she's seen “Better Than Sex”. Wonderful. My partner's mother has seen my arse. But she breezed pass that small mention and got right back to what mattered, much to his relief.
"I want him to know how I feel about who we are together. The financial side... it's there if he needs it, but that's not what I'd really like to make clear to him." Dave gave Paris' mom a helpless, hopeful look.
"How do I tell him that he's my entire world? And that I'd marry him in an instant, but I love and respect him for who he is and who he's going to become, and so I choose not to take that public stance?"
Kate smiled. “Just like that. You’ll know when the right moment comes along … although … it’s really a non-proposal isn’t it? You’re asking him to make a commitment to staying with you for the rest of your lives. Maybe you should make it a little more formal.” She looked out over the dark water. This was the last conversation she had expected to be having with this man, yet it felt right.
“You probably know him better than me by now, know his tastes. Make it something he’ll always remember.” She glanced back at the hotel, recognising the familiar silhouette outlined on the balcony. “And speaking of my son …” Dave glanced past her. “I think he would be amazed to find out I wasn’t the one who brought up your prospects! But don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”
Dave smiled at the sight of the lean figure on the balcony. He thought about all that Kate had said. She was right. Dave was serious about his commitment. The plans he'd made attested to that. He'd been quiet about this for too long. Maybe he still held onto a shred of worry that Paris' former wanderlust might take hold of him again one day, and off he'd go. But as he stood here with the woman who'd raised the man he loved, he felt that family bond and knew he'd been accepted. It was time to let those small doubts go, for once and for all.
"Thank you, Kate - for everything. I'll find that right moment, I promise. Think we should head back? He's probably noticed us out here, and thinks we're talking about him." Dave chuckled. "And he'd be right, wouldn't he?"
