Chapter 13

Julian and Leslie’s engagement party was an interesting evening. As Andrew had predicted weeks earlier, it was an occasion for the parents more than for them. It was held in a function suite at the clubhouse of Murrayfield Golf Club, where Julian senior was a member. This was where he had always been trying to drag Julian, instead of ‘playing’ on his computer. There were lots of friends of Julian’s parents present that evening, fellow members many of them.

Andrew had attended private school in Edinburgh, was at Cambridge University, knew many important people and was rich, but evenings such as that one were still uncomfortable. He was a huge mass of contradictions, happy to be anonymous and in the background yet 6’5” and also happy to be filmed naked in commercials and adverts. But parties with 70 or 80 people milling around, everyone showing off, they were his worst nightmare, and this time Andrew had no one to hold his hand, keep him calm. This was when he missed Suzanne the most. Andrew was also keeping an eye on Nikki and Fran, making sure they were okay. They didn’t need him watching them, and they had not asked him to watch them, but protective Andrew was out in force that night. You know you have a fucked up life at 19 when you are happy to see an MP’s wife, who you have met several times, all at big fancy parties.

“Having fun Andrew?”

“At occasions such as this, fun is definitely not expected. And so far, my expectations are being met. How are you Edith?”

Edith Rifkind looked taken aback at Andrew’s dismissive tone but moved past it.

“Very well thank you. I am so pleased to see Brian and Mary looking so happy. It has been a tough time over the years. I never knew what to say, I don’t know that any of their friends really did. There we were, two young children of our own, just four and two years old, what can you possibly say to parents confronting that most terrible of realities. Mary always credits you with helping a lot, especially that first year. Yes, I know, I know, you hate being praised but what you did should never be dismissed or downplayed. We were at a party two weeks ago and Mary mentioned that you made the first donation in Faith’s name to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Congratulations, that is an amazing achievement in six years.”

“Thank you. It did happen a lot quicker than any of us ever envisioned. I have been thinking about it a lot over this holiday. Trying to find an appropriate goal now. We have the funding in place and will make grants every year but what is the next step. It is not as if we can direct the research or anything like that. It feels very passive so I have been thinking about a goal that is more, active is not the right word, involved maybe, something like that.”

“I have never thought of it that way. If you achieve a life goal before you are 20, and one as substantial as this, then what is next? Look at Salinger.”

That wasn’t the most optimistic of comments or comparisons but Andrew shrugged and changed the subject.

“How do you deal with these parties all the time? There is a, oh I don’t know, a preening that is going on, I am uncomfortable and bored at the same time.”

“I tend to find that I get out what I put into them, but I am not sure that is the same for you. I also have a responsibility, it would not just be me people would be judging but Malcolm too. Part of it is that very few people know what the three of you achieved. Trust me, if it was widely known then you would be surrounded by people so it cuts both ways. So careful what you wish for. By the way who is that man that keeps scowling at you?”

Andrew looked over to where she was discretely indicating and there was Stuart McBride. He spent ten minutes telling Edith the tale of his first foray into dealings with Scottish lawyers.

“No, really? You charged them double?”

“I did. Now with a different set of circumstances it would not have been so bad but I had been on the wrong end of several run-ins with teachers and parents for a lot of that term, which culminated in being treated like a 14 year old school boy by him on December 24^th. When we returned to Mhairi’s office I was so angry. Parents and teachers I couldn’t lash out at, so Mr. Strong’s firm took the hit. 3^rd and 4^th year at school were the apex of my angry young man phase.”

Andrew shook his head at the memory.

“Hey, you have all that to look forward to. If they were four and two that means they are now, what, ten and eight?”

“Yes, thanks for the reminder. It is tough enough for them, father an MP.”

The remainder of the evening passed without too much fuss. Leslie’s friends from university stuck together as did Julian’s, and Andrew was made to feel like an outsider by both groups. He talked mainly to the people he knew and survived the night. Yeah, his best friends were having an engagement party and all he could say was he survived. He would see the Campbells at dinner the following evening so did not drag out the farewells. Finally the three of them were on their way back to the flat.

“You seemed tense, Andrew. Like you weren’t having any fun.”

“I only knew a few people, Leslie and Julian are in the same situation as me, quite isolated from their peers, at least as far as being truthful about their life. You saw the crowd, it was quite like that wedding reception, a lot of 40 and 50 somethings. And their two groups of friends were hard work.”

“Yes, but we also saw you keeping an eye on us as well. Can’t stop being the protector, can you?”

“Guilty as charged, I really can’t help myself.”

The following morning when he returned from the pool Andrew sat at the dining table drinking coffee as first Fran and then Nikki wandered through.

“We could get used to someone making coffee for us every morning, a nice treat. Will we see you before the wedding?”

“I doubt it. I might be up once this term but unless something drastic changes with Suzanne I don’t think I will be in Glasgow.”

An hour later with hugs and kisses Andrew was alone again in the flat. For 10 minutes. Leslie and Julian arrived and they went out for lunch.

“I know I am supposed to enjoy my own engagement party but that was a chore of an evening.”

Andrew was surprised at Leslie’s blunt assessment.

“Don’t look so surprised Andrew. We are not that much different than you in that respect. We deal with too many older people and not enough people of our own age. Add into it that Doug and Creighton were both unable to attend. My parents were happy, Julian’s parents were happy so it fulfilled its purpose but we didn’t get to spend enough time with you or Nikki and Fran. Mhairi was surrounded all night and Doug and Creighton were not there. Plus there is the whole Suzanne issue which is stressing me out. She is my maid of honour, well she will be if I can ever talk to her. How did you get on?”

“I spent a long time talking to Edith Rifkind and then doing the small talk circuit, Julian’s dad and his cronies, although I managed to not talk to Stuart McBride. Your dad and one or two people that he introduced me to, actually I spoke to both Rifkinds. That made me wonder when I can talk to an MP and his wife and be grateful for it. What about your classmates?”

“At least Leslie has graduated, so getting engaged is not a huge surprise or a big deal, but mine all think I am mad, nobody gets married while at university. When they find out I am getting married before Finals then it will be the last straw. Anyway, enough about the party. Both parents are happy and it was them that pushed for it. I don’t think they realise that the wedding is going to be much smaller. 30 people at most I think, maybe even a little smaller.

“I can guess from the bag in the hall that you are off. You not even staying for New Year?”

“I got spoiled last year with having Suzanne around all the time. Other than Pete and you two, I don’t really hang out with any people my own age. I have made no effort to get in touch with, or keep in touch with, people from school, although I did run into one old classmate. I have done a better job of getting a larger circle of friends at Cambridge. That is where I am off to, Barnstaple of all places, New Year with Matt, the guy from my course.”

There was several minutes explaining where Barnstaple was. He told them he would see them at Leslie’s folks later and headed back to the flat.

It wasn’t that Andrew was glad that Leslie and Julian were as disconnected to their peers as he was but it did make him understand that he was not alone. The success with the companies and all the money had allowed them to do many great things, with multiples more of it to come in the future but there was no doubt that it had made them suspicious and remote from classmates. As far as he could see only Suzanne really knew the whole picture, together with Pete. Don, June and Mary had attended the party 15 months earlier, but had left before the amounts were talked about. But other than them, to everyone else they were normal students. Cambridge was not better or worse than his life in Edinburgh but what it was to Andrew was a clean slate, a chance to be himself. Sure there were a large number of secrets but he was just a keener engineering student, who liked to show off. He used the time before going over to the Campbells to call France, first Manon and then Heloise. Again Andrew got a chance to have a brief word with Phillippe before he passed the phone to Manon.

“How are you Andrew?”

“Good thanks Manon. I had an engagement party last night for my friends but other than that it has been a quiet break.”

They did the whole Christmas with their families chat for 10 minutes, including Manon thanking him for the gift which they both loved.

“I was in the office last week and Beatrice is very excited. Even the rough cuts of the commercials look good, before they are fine-tuned and polished. It is going to be a big campaign for Hermès in 1985. Your agent will get lots of calls I think.”

His agent?

“Em, Manon I don’t have an agent.”

“Oh, I thought you hired that lawyer as your agent. Well she will get lots of calls.”

Andrew could just imagine Mhairi’s reaction. He would never hear the end of it.

“Have you spoken to Heloise or any of the other models? Both her and Chiara hoped to speak to you over the holidays.”

“I am going to call Heloise next but I had not thought of calling Chiara. She gave me a piece of paper with her number but I didn’t think she meant anything by it.”

“Andrew!”

Oh good, another scolding in French.

“I think these are the commercials that Beatrice is most excited about, and the most scared about. I truly think she is looking to use that crazy lift at the end. This is being talked about on the top floor.”

The top floor was where Hermès overall senior management were located.

“Anyway Andrew, she wants to talk to you, at least according to what I have heard. If you have her number you should call her.”

They finished up the call and Andrew promised to keep in touch, although he had no plans to be in Paris any time soon. Then it was Heloise, which was quick and easy, he got her answering machine, left a short message and then headed over to the Campbells. After all the issues with Chiara he decided not to bother giving her a call. The evening was a recap of the night before, and wasn’t particularly exciting for Andrew. What he did notice, again, was how quiet Mary was, how many times she was out the room. Andrew parked his new car outside the flat and Julian drove him down to Waverly.

“You going to be back this term?”

“Probably only once this term, too many OTC weekends away. You doing any thinking about computing or are you just focusing on finishing your degree.”

“I would like to be doing more but I don’t want to cock up my degree this close to the end so it is mostly on the back burner until July. What we do need to work on is the stag. Any realistic ideas?”

“Who’s invited. According to your missus we have to invite both dads. Who else?”

“Three, maybe four blokes from class and one guy from my year at school. They were all there last night, but they don’t know the whole story. Always ends up being the same problem. So 10 people I guess.”

“What are they like? Heavy boozers?”

“Yeah, a couple.”

“What about inviting Doug, Neil and Creighton as well. That evens the ages up and should stop any stupidity. The hard chargers can hard charge on their own but nobody is going to put you on the train to who knows where. What do you reckon to a stripper or strippers?”

The blushing virgin bridegroom made an appearance.

“Do you think we should. Brian will be there.”

“It is not a hooker, it is some overweight ratty middle-aged floozy who will shake her tits and arse at you for 10 minutes and then shove off.”

“Charming picture you paint, you dick.”

“I have no idea how you book a stripper anyway so it is all a bit moot at the moment but think about it and let me know. I may suss Brian out when I am up and see how he reacts. Best man’s job and all that and you can just keep your head down.”

Stag weekends to Prague or Barcelona were not even a dream at that point, Prague was still on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Frankly, life would be simpler if Brian was against the whole thing.

By mid-afternoon the following day Andrew was finally at Matt’s place after the train to London, a train to Bristol and a two and a half hour bus journey down to Barnstaple. As they drove out of Barnstaple Matt finally confessed that he lived in Upper Muddiford, next to Muddipuddle Farm. The jokes rather wrote themselves. Pedro and the Spanish Armada, Nigel lived in Palestine, Hampshire, and Matt lived beside Muddipuddle Farm. His home was a big old farmhouse which was full of children of all ages. Matt was the oldest of four and when Andrew got there all three of his siblings had friends over. It took Andrew until the next day to finally figure out which one was Matt’s youngest brother.

HIs entrance did cause an interesting reaction. When Matt parked the car there were lots of eyes on him and when he climbed out more than a few eyes widened. After saying hi to Mrs. Tunney they retreated to the pub, just too many questions as well as giggles from Matt’s sister and her friends. It was good to chat to Matt, just as it had been good to spend some time with Pedro before the break. They chatted in the pub over a leisurely couple of pints and caught up on the news over the holiday.