Recuperation 3/3

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Recuperation
By T.L. Odell
Part 3/3
See Part 0 for disclaimers

***

On the ride back from the cabin, Duncan tried to find the words
to thank Methos for what he had done.  How could he repay him for
being a friend who ignored rejection, for seeing through his
fears, for outlasting his anger, for not judging, but simply
being there?  For not telling him what to do, for waiting until
he found out for himself?  For accepting him unconditionally?

Methos dropped Duncan off in front of the dojo.  As Duncan lifted
his bags from the back of the car, he looked at his friend.  The
old Immortal was staring straight ahead, tapping his fingers on
the steering wheel.  "Methos?"

He turned his head to look at Duncan.  "Yes?"

"Thanks.  And your next month's tab at Joe's is on me."

"I'll make sure it's a good one, then."

Duncan turned and walked into the dojo, and heard Methos drive
away.

He crossed the room to his office and picked up the pile of his
personal mail from the desk.  Riding up in the elevator, he
flipped through the assorted correspondence and solicitations
until he came to a square, ivory-colored envelope addressed in
Anne Lindsey's familiar hand.  His heart rate quickened.  He
opened the elevator, dropped his bag on the floor near the door
and took the envelope to the couch, where he sat down before
opening it.  "Please join Anne, Mary, and Jared on Saturday
October 12 for a barbecue" was printed on the card, along with
time and address.  Added in bright blue ink was a note from Anne.
"Duncan, please come."  And on the left side of the card was a
crayoned picture of a little girl with a huge smile on her face,
with "Love, Mary" printed carefully below in pink.

He certainly wanted to see Anne and Mary again.  He had even
accepted the fact that they were leaving so Anne could take on a
better job.  It was meeting Jared that got his stomach churning.
He'd never even asked what Jared did for a living.  Probably a
sleazy lawyer or nerdy accountant.  But Anne would never fall in
love with a man like that, would she?  He inhaled deeply, forcing
himself to relax, and picked up the phone to accept the
invitation.

***

The drive to Anne's was reminiscent of the last time he'd gone to
visit.  Many of the deciduous trees had begun to shed their
leaves, but there was still enough color interspersed with the
greens of the pines to brighten the ride.  As he neared the
house, the street was lined with parked cars stretching out for
about a hundred yards.  Duncan pulled in behind the last car, put
the top up, removed his coat from the back seat and began walking
the rest of the distance.  As he approached, his senses were
filled with the smells of outdoor grilling and the sounds of live
music and laughter. There was a large catering van proclaiming
"The Best Bar-B-Q in Seacover" in foot high letters painted to
resemble flames.  He permitted himself a smile as he realized
that the guests would not have to rely on Anne's limited cooking
repertoire for sustenance.

The Buzz of another Immortal cut through the crowd.  Duncan
adjusted the grasp of his coat, providing himself quick access to
his sword if necessary.  Looking around carefully, he was
relieved and even happy, he admitted to himself, to see Methos
heading toward him, dressed in his standard oversized sweater,
two beers in hand.

"Hello, Mac.  You're looking good," said Methos, handing Duncan
one of the beers.

"Thanks.  I'm getting there."  He heard a squealing laugh and saw
six year-old Mary, pigtails flying in the breeze, hurtling toward
him.  He quickly handed his coat to Methos as the youngster
tackled him around the knees.

"Hi, Uncle Duncle!"

"Hi, yourself, Mary Berry," he said, picking her up and swinging
her around.

"Are you all all better now?  Not just mostly all better?"

"I think I'm almost all all better.  All I need is a kiss from a
special six year-old girl named Mary who's wearing red pants and
a polka dot t-shirt.  Do you know where I can find someone like
that?"

"Right here, silly," said Mary, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"This is for you," she said, handing him a small origami crane.
"My teacher showed us how to make them.  They're for good luck.
Do you want her to show you how to make them?  She's over there."
The youngster pointed to a table across the yard where a petite
young woman was folding paper with a group of children; Mary's
classmates, he guessed.

"Sure, Mary.  That would be fun."  *Any excuse to put off the
inevitable,* thought Duncan. He deposited the girl back on the
ground, and she took him by the hand and tugged him toward the
table.  He glanced back at Methos, who smiled and followed a few
paces behind, beer and coat in hand.

"I'll put your coat in the house, Mac.  I don't think you'll be
needing it."

"Mrs. Denton.  This is Uncle Duncan.  He wants to make a crane."

The woman, her thick wavy hair only partially contained by a
leather barrette, looked up from the table and smiled, holding a
red square of paper out to the Immortal.  "Glad to meet you.
Mary's mentioned you on more than one occasion."

"I hope she's not said anything I'll have to live down."  He
smiled at the blue-eyed woman.  "If you're responsible for
teaching Mary, I have to say I'm very impressed with the person
she's becoming."

"Thank you.  I do enjoy trying to open doors to the world for
them.  Mary's one of those children who will learn no matter
what.  And you can call me Lynne.  Would you like to join us
making cranes?"

Duncan took the paper and began folding the paper into a perfect
crane.  "I seem to remember learning this a while back."

"I can see that.  Very good."

Mary tugged at Duncan's sleeve.  "Uncle Duncan, there's Mommy and
Jared.  Come say hi."  She grabbed his arm once again.

"Nice to meet you, Lynne.  Looks like I'm needed elsewhere," he
said as he let himself be pulled across the yard once more.

Mary was chattering away, but Duncan caught only a word here and
there.  She seemed perfectly satisfied with his occasional,
'good,' or, 'oh, really.'  He was bracing himself, forcing a
pleasant expression on his face.  He would be cordial and polite.
He could do that.

"Mommy!  Here's Uncle Duncan."

Anne turned and gave him one of her 'light up the darkness'
smiles, and made her excuses to the group.  She walked toward
him.  "Hi, Duncan.  You're looking well."  She reached up, and he
lowered his head enough to accept a kiss on the cheek.

"You're gorgeous, as always."

Anne was wearing jeans and a charcoal gray sweater, her hair
windblown.  She held a glass of wine in one hand.  "Jared,
Duncan.  Duncan, Jared.  I'm sure you two will find something to
talk about.  I'll check back in a little while," she said with a
broad grin, and left them to join a group of her colleagues.

"I've heard a lot about you," both men said at once.  Duncan
assessed Anne's lover, fully aware that Jared was doing the same
to him.  He felt himself stand just a little straighter.  Jared
was a little shorter than he was, and not as muscular.  Sandy
brown hair worn just a little longer than was stylish, eyes that
were neither blue or gray, but something in between.  Like Anne,
he was wearing jeans.  He had on a black turtleneck with a blue
plaid flannel shirt buttoned over it.

"Actually, that's not exactly true," continued Duncan with a
laugh.  "I'm afraid I wasn't my usual self the last time I was
here."

"I did hear about that.  I trust you're all right now?"

"Yes, with thanks to Anne's expert medical attention."

"Look, I know this can be awkward for both of us," said Jared.
"I want you to know that Anne and Mary are the first two
priorities in my life, and I will do everything in my power to
keep them both happy.  They're two very special ladies."

"That they are,"  said Duncan with a nod.

"You were with Anne when Mary was born, right?  I think I'll
always envy you that.  It must have been an amazing experience."

"That's not the half of it," replied Duncan, remembering being
trapped in the subway and trying not to let Anne know he wasn't
sure if they'd be rescued in time.  "But I didn't deliver Mary; a
wonderful experienced mother did that.  I'm not sure I would have
been able to pull it off."

"From what Anne tells me, there's very little you can't do.  You
renovated this house, too, right?"

"I enjoyed it.  I like working with my hands once in a while."

"Well, you did a great job.  I like the color scheme, by the
way."

"Thanks," said Duncan.  It was getting harder and harder to
dislike this guy.  He should have known Anne would have good
taste in men.

Jared took a beer from a tray passed by the caterers.  "I'm sure
you have lots more questions.  Why don't we take our drinks and
you can give me the third degree?  You know, ask me how I intend
to support your goddaughter and her mother - the whole nine
yards."

Duncan shook his head and grinned.  It really was going to be
impossible to hate this fellow.  Unless he turned out to be a
sleazy lawyer.  "What is it you do?  Like I said, I wasn't
exactly coherent before."

"I work for the Earth Reborn Foundation, for the branch that
tries to buy up land to keep developers from getting their hands
on it.  We like to preserve wilderness areas, or set up limited
use recreation facilities.  Maybe you've heard of it.  We've got
some activity going on here in the Seacouver area right now, as a
matter of fact."

"I've not only heard of it, I've made a few donations myself."
That was it. There was definitely no way now that he could do
anything but like Jared.  "What is it you're working on?"

"How are you two getting along?" asked Anne as she came up to the
two men, putting her hands on Jared's shoulders.  "I hope you're
not sharing dirty little secrets."

"Actually, sweetheart, I was just going to try to hit Duncan up
for some sweat equity in our Wilderness Camp project.  And you
don't have to worry about us; we're getting along just fine.  You
can enjoy your party."

"He'd be great, Jared.  Duncan, I really think you might enjoy
this one."  She smiled, and then she went back to circulating
among the guests.

"It looks like Anne has decided that I'm doing something for
you," said Duncan.

"She's good at that, isn't she?"

Duncan smiled and nodded.  "Let me have it.  What does she think
I'm 'great' for?"

Jared put down his beer and looked directly at Duncan.  "The
Foundation has purchased some land not too far outside of
Seacouver that used to be a church camp.  The church wasn't using
it, and we thought it would be better put to use as a place where
inner city kids could escape the drive-bys for a while.  It's
amazing what a week away from the city can do for these kids.
Exposing them to nature gives them a better feel for the big
picture, that there's more to the planet than concrete and guns."

"I'm not a camp counselor, Jared."

"No, we're nowhere near ready for that phase.  We have donations
of materials for the renovations:  lumber, paint, hardware, and
tools.  We have several teams of volunteers who will come out one
weekend day to clear land, repair roofs, paint … do the fix-up so
that the existing buildings are habitable, and add anything new
we need.  My last task before I leave is to find a foreman.  What
we need is someone to oversee the volunteers, someone who knows
his way around a construction project.  From what Anne's told me,
and what I've seen, you know what you're doing.  I think 'Boy
Scout' was one of the terms she used."

Duncan hoped he wasn't visibly blushing.  He didn't mention the
term didn't really refer to his woodsmanship abilities.  As a
matter of fact, if he never heard the term again, it would be
fine with him.  But the project had merit, and it did seem
enticing.  "Tell me more," he said.

Jared grinned as if he knew he had set the hook, and told Duncan
that he'd go over all the plans, blueprints and schedules after
dinner.  Duncan was somehow not surprised he'd agreed to help.

The background music made its way into Duncan's consciousness,
and he realized without looking up that Joe Dawson was taking a
turn.  "Excuse me, Jared," he said, getting up, "but I hear an
old friend, and I'd like to pay my respects."

"Dawson?" said Jared.  "I like the man, but I've never really
been able to get into the blues."

"No?  What about opera?"

"Nope.  I prefer 'Queen.'"

At last, a flaw in Anne's perfect man.  Duncan made a mental note
to make sure Anne, not Jared, would be in charge of Mary's
musical education.

The two men walked back into the crowd and went their separate
ways.  Duncan watched as Jared zeroed in on Anne, seemingly
without looking for her.  He approved of the way their faces lit
up when they saw each other, and the way that the two fit
together as Jared put his arm around her shoulder.

Duncan picked up two beers and went to find Methos.

"She'll be fine, you know," said the ancient Immortal, as the two
men settled on the ground near the band.

"I know."

"How's the new fellow?"

"Almost perfect."

"Almost?"

"Lousy taste in music."

"Ahh.  A genuine flaw."  Methos raised his bottle of beer.  "To
new beginnings."

Duncan's gaze returned to Anne and Jared.  Jared was nuzzling her
neck.  Anne reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
Mary ran up and squirmed her way between them; Jared scooped her
up to his shoulders and jogged around the yard.  Anne watched
them, a smile on her face.  A smile Duncan used to think was for
him alone.  But Jared could give Anne the life she needed, one of
peace and contentment, unfettered by violence and beheadings.
She was wise to know what she needed, and strong enough to have
walked out of his life when she had to.  And Mary.  She was the
real winner here.

"Mac?"

Methos's voice broke through his reverie.  Duncan raised his
beer.  "To new beginnings."

The End

Feedback welcome:  tlco777@juno.com

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