Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 18:53:14 +0000
From: Jonah
Subject: Of sea and sand  chapter 1

Of Sea and Sand
by Jonah

Simon and Garret are here again, looking after their young family.  If you
are unfamiliar with this family, we first met Simon in 'A Letter from
America' back in 2019.  He was a teenager then, now he is well into
adulthood.  Garret originated in another author's story.  I want to thank
Jacob Lion, in the USA for his permission to use his characters in my
story.  That's one of the things i want to make plain, all the characters
in this, and all my other stories are wholly fictitious.  They aren't based
on real people.  The other thing I want to make plain is that, while Simon
and Garret are both gay, as are some other characters, this is a story
about love - not sex, lust, or any other substitute, but real Christian
love.  If it's pornography you want, you'll have to find it somewhere else.
Lastly, this story is brought to you by Nifty, free of charge.  Nifty
doesn't charge me to publish it, nor you to read it, but it does cost money
to bring it to you.  Please consider donating to Nifty at
https://donate.nifty.org/ so that these stories continue to be available
for all to read.

Chapter 1

Grev Kennedy sank into the spare armchair.

"Only two more weeks to go, thank God," he remarked.

I was surprised.

"You said that almost as if you didn't love your job," I responded.

"Oh, it's the best job in the world, if you like batting your head on a
brick wall," he said, with little enthusiasm, "but the other thing it has
in common with doing that is that it's nice when you stop."

"And, as principal, you're the one who's supposed to encourage us when we
get world-weary," I reminded him.

"That's just the point" he grumbled.  "When I've finished shouldering all
your worries and troubles, who is there to shoulder mine?"

I was not used to seeing my boss in this frame of mind.  In fact, I was not
used to seeing him in the staff room at all.  He had his own office and,
usually, used it.  It was rare for him to slum it with we ordinary
mortals. That he had chosen to do it, not at break time, but during one of
my free periods, suggested that he had wanted to talk to me.

"Only two more weeks to go," I reminded him, hoping to lift his spirits.

"Two weeks to what?" he grunted.  "Eilene's left.  I don't even know where.
She left a letter that says next to nothing.  She thinks we'd both be
better going our separate ways, but doesn't mention why, or what we're
supposed to do now.  Twenty-six years and now, it might as well have never
happened."

"Oh mate, I'm so sorry," I said.  Whatever I had been expecting, it wasn't
this.

"Look Grev, if there's anything I can do....."

"I don't think there's anything anyone can do Simon, but thanks anyway," he
said.  "You hear of it happening to other people, but you never think it
will be you one day.  Two weeks of school then six weeks of going stir
crazy.  I don't know how to cope with that."

"You need a cuppa," I said as I switched on the kettle.

I'm English so that is my go-to solution to everything.  We just had time
for a brew before it was time for me to head to my classroom and Grev to
return to his office.

4TKH were waiting patiently outside my door when I got there.

"In you go and sit down 4TKH," I told them.  "English books at the
ready. How's your mother coping Ross?"

"Much better now sir, " replied the boy stepping out of the line.

"Good.  In you go then."

A double period of fourth year English language would take me up to dinner
time.  I had a sixth form RE lesson to take after dinner and then would be
in the metalwork shop until going-home time.  As usual, it flew by.

For once, I was home before Garret and the boys.  It was my turn to cook
anyway, and I had a chicken and gravy pie to serve up with mash, peas and
carrots.

"Dad says I can have ice cream for afters,"Philip informed me.

"You can Philip?" I enquired just for confirmation.

"Yes, Dad said," he replied.

"You really want all the ice cream?"

"That isn't what I said anyway Philip," Garret said, "because it isn't what
you asked me."

Philip stood for a minute looking from me to Garret.  I'm sure he knew what
he had said that was wrong.  He just didn't know what to say to put it
right.

"We're all having ice cream anyway," I said finally.

All three boys cheered so Philip was off the hook.

With dessert eaten and the washing up done all three boys were up in their
room.

"What sort of day has my lover been having?" Garret asked as he settled
back into his armchair.

"Unexpectedly good," I replied as I handed him a shot of whisky, "but there
is one blot on the landscape."

"Oh?"

I picked up my own glass .

"My principal's marriage has just broken down.  I'm afraid it's hitting him
hard."

Garret raised an eyebrow.

"Erratic behavior hard?" he queried.  "Withdrawn and sulking hard?  Feeling
sorry for himself hard?  Mental breakdown hard?"

"Good God, I hope not the last one," I replied.  "So far it's just looking
for a shoulder to cry on."

"When did it happen?"

"This morning, from what I can gather.  She just upped and left him a
letter."

"Hmmm!  Anything could happen then.  We can only pray for him and be there
for him."

It crossed my mind that Grev's marital problems were not really ours but, a
split second later, I felt ashamed of the thought.  I, after all, was the
churchgoer in our relationship.

"Amen to that," I commented.

"Train tickets," said Garret.  "Came this morning.  I've sent the deposit
off."

The first week of the school holidays, we intended to spend taking the boys
to Margate.  We had booked a B&B in Cliftonville, and the boys were already
excited about it.  Not that the seaside would be that much of a novelty,
given the number of times each year they were taken to Sheringham, but the
change of scenery was bound to be exciting. The decision to go on the train
had been mine.  We could easily have taken Garret's 4x4 and had a vehicle
with us for the week, but I would not countenance my partner being expected
to drive that distance.  We can, I told him, hire a vehicle if we need one.

"Deposit?"  I queried.

 We had already paid up front for the B&B, so what had he paid a deposit
on?

"You didn't think I was going to spend all week without a vehicle."

"Oddly enough, I thought exactly that but never mind."

"You did say we could hire one."

"I actually said if we need one, but that doesn't matter now."

"Good, because I've paid the deposit.  It means we can explore the area."

"We could have done that by train.  Not to worry."

"Does Grev have any kids?"

That was an abrupt change of subject.

"He's never mentioned any," I told him.  "Of course they could be grown
up."

 "It's always worse when there's kids," he said solemnly.

I was to remember that conversation later.

On Wednesday morning the staff of our city technology college were learning
to give their principal a wide berth.

Apparently, I was the only member of staff in whom he had confided.  I
discovered that when I mentioned it to Harvey Stanton, only to encounter
shock, and have to back-pedal quickly.

"Sorry mate, shouldn't have said anything.  Please keep that to yourself
mate."

Harvey was quick to point out that, he was not brave enough to raise the
topic with Grev in his current mood.  He had a point.

Clearly having all his staff avoiding him didn't help Grev's mood either.
By dinner time a steady boil had been achieved, meaning that eruption could
take place at any moment.

At two, fifteen Mrs. Gilligan, the school secretary, took the unprecedented
step of visiting my classroom and interrupting third year English Language.
I intercepted her and led her out into the corridor.

"He thinks I've gone home.  I couldn't stay in there any longer.".

I said nothing - waiting for the rest of it.

"Four times today he's torn up letters that I've taken for him to sign.
I'm growing used to him shouting at me, but I won't stand for swearing."

"He shouldn't even shout," I commented.  "Sit with this class for a while."

I stepped back into the classroom and showed her to my seat.

"I'm just popping out for a while 3HRS.  If you finish writing up your
comprehension, read it through again and then move on to number four.  I
know I can trust you to do that."

I was not happy as I made my way to the office, but I couldn't see any
alternative.

I rapped twice on the door and entered without waiting.  Grev was slumped
in his chair, surveying the surface of his completely clear desk.  The few
things that were normally there had been swept to the floor.

"Mrs. G's gone," he commented without looking up.

"She hasn't, but I'm sure she will," I replied.

"What am I going to do?" he demanded, either of himself, or of me.

"Resign if you can't get it together," I replied anyway.  "Do the governors
know your situation?"

"It's none of their damn business!" he snapped.

I sat down and faced him across his desk, deliberately saying nothing.
Grev, like me, had dealt with unruly kids before.  He was well aware of
what I was doing but, if he was going to call me out on it, he would have
to get his thoughts together first.  There was a period of simmering and
then the fight went out of him.  His eyes dropped to the desk again.

"Will you tell them for me Simon?"

  "Of course.  Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Like what?"  The irritability had resurfaced.

Suddenly I felt irritable myself.

"Grev, what do you want to happen now?" I demanded.  "I know you want your
life to go back to how it was before Eilene left, but you're a grown-up.
You know that isn't going to happen.  If I just go to the governors and
tell them how things have been here today, they'll simply relieve you of
your duties.  Is that what you want?  If I told them you're speaking to
Eric, that might help.  It wouldn't be a bad idea anyway.  You can
apologise to Mrs. G. and try to get this place functioning again.  If you
need your staff to help you over it, tell them about it.  You're a bloody
good headmaster and they'd do anything for you.  Even the kids would want
to help you if they could."

Tears sprung.  He cried openly for a while and then;

"I'm sorry Simon," he sobbed.  "I don't think I can."

"It's only for just over a week," I pointed out.  "Charles could take over
the admin work for that week, and then we can think about what you want to
do next."

"What do I do Simon," he asked, hopelessly.

My first thought was that we could do with him off the premises.  It would
be easy to get Charles Wright, as deputy principal, to take over for now,
but in my heart of hearts, I didn't like the idea of Grev going home to an
empty house in his present frame of mind."

"I'm going next door to make a phone call," I told him.  "We need to notify
the chair of governors.  I'm also going to put the kettle on.  At least one
of us needs a cup of tea.  We also need to speak to Charles, but it might
be an idea to see what Sir Philip says first."

"Coffee for me," he said, as if in a dream.  I'd have preferred to make tea
for him as its soothing properties are greater, but I wouldn't press the
point.  I'd thrown my weight about enough already.

"What is Mrs. G. doing sat in your classroom Simon?"

The deputy principal stepped into the room.  I turned to Grev.

"Grev, have a word with Charles.  I'm just about to put the kettle on."

I passed into the outer office.  I heard a panicked, "Simon!" from Grev,
but I firmly closed the door behind me.  I put on the kettle, sorted out
three mugs, then sat at Mrs. G.'s desk and picked up the telephone.

"Berkeley!" said a brusque tone.

"Good afternoon Sir Philip.  It's Simon Ito," I said.  "I'm sorry to
disturb you but we have a bit of a situation at the CTC."

I explained as best I could and, to his credit, he never hesitated.

"I'll be there in ten minutes.  Is someone staying with Grev?"

"Charles is with him now and I'm just boiling the kettle."

"Milk and one sugar in mine," was his parting word.