Chapter 50

After a week like that getting ready for school was a decided anti-climax, Andrew laughed at his terrible pun. School started on the Thursday so Andrew and his mum had to hit the school outfitters for another new uniform. Andrew had grown again and was now a fraction under 5’11’’ and showing no sign of stopping. She had held off buying the clothes until the last minute to try and get as much use out of them as possible. She still insisted on getting him clothes that drowned him but it made sense. Last year he had started the year like that and the trousers barely made it until Christmas.

It was one of the few times where the two of them spent any length of time together. His mother was an enigma to Andrew in a lot of ways. Partly this was his own doing, Andrew tended to wander off when Rowan started making a fuss. She also still had the annoying habit of wanting the last word. This past year it seemed like his father had done most of the driving him around and had spent all the time with Mar as well, while his mum dealt with Scott. He looked back on it and wondered if they were afraid to parent him. How do you discipline a child that is disciplined to a fault already and is making more money than either of the parents? Plus there was his relationship with Brian Campbell who was fulfilling a father role more clearly every day. And they knew about that relationship; they had no idea that he was getting further guidance from Tony Brown as well. Andrew didn’t know where it started to go wrong. It was in place before he ever developed cancer and was the one thing that remained stubbornly old Andrew. The arrival of Scott solidified the structure and the bonds of family frayed rather than strengthened. Andrew vowed to not make things worse and at least try to talk to them and get their advice as often as he did from others. But that was dependent on them taking an interest, something they had not done much of in the last year.

4^th year at Heriot’s started and there were a bunch of changes. Lyle had moved to another school so that issue was dead. Andrew had finally dropped Biology so was down to seven academic studies at school. He had to choose between Biology and Geography and so chose Geography. He hoped to get to drop Latin at the end of this year. Kearns approached him and quietly offered to restart the 7.30 swimming sessions. Andrew was taken aback and although he thanked him for the offer, told him he had been at Warrender since Christmas and knew the people there. Although it was not Kearns’ fault, the access to the pool could be used as leverage or punishment and Andrew did not want to have to go through with all that again. The school would be way more convenient but Warrender kept everything separate, so he declined.

One unpleasant surprise was that Paula Rae had left. Her father had been transferred south due to his job and she had not returned. Andrew was sorry to see her go, especially as she never got a chance to say goodbye to anybody. Suzanne seemed lost when school started. He knew they would be talking about this after school. He waited at the library on that first day even although there was nothing to study yet. Sure enough Suzanne came along and smiled wanly at him.

“Come on there is no need to sit here. Let’s go round the corner and sit and talk in that café.”

They made desultory chit chat as they walked. Suzanne had been away with her family for a month in Europe and had tales of Vienna and Munich. Andrew was jealous. Working on his computer and milking cows did not have the same interest level when it came his turn to talk of the summer. At the same time he didn’t talk about the house, or the Ferrari, or the fantastic sex so self-censorship worked against him.

“I knew you would wait for me when I saw you during crossover. I just need to talk to a friend.”

Once she had started it all came tumbling out. She was lonely and worried.

“It almost feels worse than last year Andrew. Paula and I met on that first morning and we did everything together. Now what do I do? Bobbie and Diana have the same kind of relationship that Paula and I did”

These were two of the other girls that had been in her class. He knew them to say hi to from hockey but nothing else.

“Margaret is a bit weird.”

The final member of their class.

“She is nice and friendly but in a superficial way. She hangs out with a couple of guys two years ahead of us. I can pair up for classes and the crossovers but she has always done her own thing at lunchtime and after school.”

“Okay that all makes sense. So it is the friend at lunchtime that is the big problem. Everyone else is already part of a group and suddenly you are the spare wheel. Hang on though there are five girls in my class, I mean last year’s class, how do they deal with the odd number.”

When you spend all your time in the library you tend to miss all these dynamics.

“Hannah is the odd person out. She moves between the two pairs and gets on fine but she definitely is the spare wheel. She has an odd vibe about her.”

What the hell did that mean?

“Odd vibe? What do you mean?”

Andrew asked looking confused.

“She is just a bit odd Andrew. Nice enough and everyone likes her but tough to get close to.”

“Okay, let’s get back to you and your situation. I have been talking like the classes were going to be the same as last year which is idiotic because we all move tomorrow to whatever we picked as our seventh academic subject. Do you know what everyone picked?”

“No. Paula and I picked Geography but I don’t think any other girls selected that option.”

Andrew burst out laughing.

“We have been worrying about nothing, at least for part of it. I selected Geography as well. You will have a friend at form room and Assembly and Geography at least.”

“What? The ‘A’s’ all pick biology. Why did you pick Geography?”

“I am a squeamish. I hate all the dissection and have no interest in any kind of medical career.”

The biology class was full of wannabe doctors.

“That solves a lot of the problems. Margaret often sat with Paula and I last year so it will not seem false or weird to sit with her again. You are there for the start of school every day. I will figure out how to deal with lunchtime. As usual, you have calmed me down and helped.”

She looked a lot more cheerful.

“Nice segue. I am going to study after school most days as usual. If you want to come and study with me I would like the company and always enjoy the brief chats on the way out. But I am not going to tutor you this year. You do not need it. There were a couple of times last term near the end where you were helping Paula not me. You need to start believing in yourself. Of course I will help you if you are stuck on something but you do not need hours of tutoring. You are too smart. So save your money. Okay?”

“You are my biggest supporter. Thanks Andrew. You are turning down a fair bit of money though.”

“Doing the right thing is way more important. When I stop and think about it I was presumptuous even thinking you were going to carry on the arrangement. Are you still going to study after school?”

“Yes I know that if I study for two hours after school I get through all my homework and I stay on top of the work. That is key for me. I panic when I fall behind and things get worse from there. When is Sports this year? Thursday?” He nodded. “Then you have a study buddy for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

They left and walked along George IV Bridge, Suzanne to get the bus home, Andrew to head to the Library. As they got there Julian was coming out, saw them and stopped.

“Hey, we on for Saturday?”

Julian nodded.

“Sorry, I am being rude. Suzanne, this is my friend Julian Strong. He is a 6^th year and we do some computer programming together. We meet most Saturdays. Julian, this is my new classmate Suzanne Jenner. We studied together after school for a lot of last year. Look I want to check out a couple of things. I will see you tomorrow Suzanne and I’ll be over around 10.00 as usual on Saturday. See you.”

Julian and Suzanne were walking the same way to catch their buses and as Andrew left them they were struggling to talk to each other. He smiled, a matchmaker he was not. He was in and out of the library in no time so decided to pay an overdue visit. When he opened the door of Tony’s camera shop Andrew met an old friend.

“Andrew!”

Having grown substantially since he had last seen Monica Andrew was not pulled into her substantial bosom, but he was engulfed in a hug.

“Cor, haven’t you grown. How are you? You look well.”

Tony had shared his guess that someone close to Monica had died from cancer so Andrew knew her concern was genuine.

“I am doing really well, thank you. Growing like a weed, to my mother’s despair, but other than that I am well. How about you?”

She laughed.

“Oh, same old, same old. I am still here once or twice a month posing for these dirty old men. And still at the council, dealing with the same bitchy comments, from the same ugly old shrews.”

“The council?”

“Oh, I don’t know that I ever told you. I am a typist at the City Chambers for the Edinburgh City Council. I only moonlight here.”

Andrew didn’t know what to think. He had never really thought of any of the models as people with normal lives. But what Monica said made sense. He doubted that there were many full time models in Edinburgh.”

“Talking of which, when is your 16^th birthday?”

Andrew might be more comfortable around women but such blatant teasing was only going to end one way. He stood there, traffic light red with Monica while Tony laughed.

“Not until June next year. It will probably take me that long to stop blushing.”

All three of them laughed and Monica gave him another hug on her way out the shop.

“Don’t think that she is joking. She has a soft spot for you. She won’t let you forget.”

“I think I need to wake up from this dream Tony. That walking wet dream insists that I come to a photo shoot with her right after my 16^th birthday. Good lord, I could sell tickets at school for a tenner a ticket.”

“And she would make every single one of them blush like a tomato.”

“True. I never really thought about how the models had other jobs, real jobs.”

“Yes, it is hardly something that people talk about it, is it? Monica gets paid well for three hours on a Friday night, but it is only once or twice a month. Not enough to live on, not even close. All joking aside, will you be okay coming to one of the sessions?”

“It will take me a while for the blush to fade but sure. Obviously seeing Monica topless or naked will be fantastic but you know what a nerd I am. I will find the whole process, the whole experience fascinating. Even simple things like the dynamic of the guys. I have met them all I think, at least individually but it will be interesting to see how the six or eight of you react. I have never worked with a model before, other than a few family shots, so I have no idea how to deal with her. I can’t imagine me telling her to turn this way or that and stick her bum out.”

Tony laughed again.

“Often it is exactly like that. You will see it when you come to the shoot. In fact, closer to your birthday you should do a shoot with Monica. She will keep her clothes on and you can get used to posing the model. I will ask Danny and a couple of the others and you can be part of the group. Not all eight of us, but a smaller group. But it will be good practice for you. If she is wearing tight jeans then there will still be requests to stick her arse out. It will at least partially prepare you.”

Andrew had not considered this. Monica filled a pair of jeans very nicely so the prospect was appealing.

“I think that would help. Nothing is going to prepare me for June, but it would be good to get some experience of dealing with a model. Monica will still eat me alive.”

“You wish!”

On that enlightened note they parted. But again, Tony was acting like an older brother, or an uncle, helping Andrew mature. Although Monica was definitely going to help as well. On Sunday at dinner with the Campbells Brian brought up the Ferrari for the first time.

“Andrew, you recognised the Ferrari as soon as we pulled the cover off it.”

Andrew smiled and nodded.

“Do you know how rare the car is?”

“It is a Ferrari so it is pretty rare, but in terms of numbers I have no idea.”

He answered with his ubiquitous shrug.

“There are only about 1,500 and of them only 10% are right hand drive. I did some looking up, I have been hanging out with you too much, I am always stopping off at the library on the way home now. Anyway, I think you should get it restored and then figure out where to keep it.”

Brian seemed oddly insistent.

“Why the rush Brian? I want to grow my money not spend it. I can’t apply for a license for nearly two years. What, my first car is a 170 mile an hour Ferrari? I would be dead within a month.”

“Andrew, even in its current condition the house was probably worth close to what you paid for it, maybe even a little more. You got that Ferrari for close to nothing. The seller was very poorly advised by her lawyers. They were like me and didn’t realise what the car was. They are selling for north of £25,000 at the moment. About three times what they cost 10 years ago when new. You got that one for under £2,000. Maybe even less than that depending on what you value the house at. We need to find out what it will cost to fix the car but if you spend another £2,000 you would have something worth six or eight times what you paid for it.”

Andrew should have known that Brian would have thought this through.

“I agree about driving it though. We will have to figure that out when you get older. I am thinking of it as an investment at the moment, not a car to be driven. The final thing is that at some point you will have to remove the car. They took down the stairs and the back wall of the garage to get it in there. It will have to be carefully extracted just to get it out of there. I think that you should do it sooner rather than later. Once the car is out then all the garage equipment can be collected up, sorted and then either sold or disposed of. When you bring in the architect or designer you will want it to be ready to build.”

Everything Brian said made sense. Over the coming weeks Andrew started to look at the car magazines as well as the computer ones at the library. It was through that reading he saw the advert for DK Engineering. While he was trying to figure out what to do with the car, life was carrying on. He and Julian were sitting around in Andrew’s room trying to figure out what to do next.

“I keep coming back to developing a game. We have been doing that on and off for more than a year. Now with everything else it has mainly been off but I still have a hankering to try and make a great game. The thing is though we make so much money on the business stuff which is easier. We are seeing software having a limited life though. Think about all those games we coded last year. They seem antiquated now. The Americans seem to be well ahead of us with this stuff. Would we just be wasting our time?”

“I think so. If we do some coding on our game then it should be to try out techniques from the course rather than for developing the game. I am okay with that. Kyle has been good to us with all of these variations to the original software. Should we get Leslie to set up a meeting with him and see if there is something else that we can try and develop? We have solved problems for him and made him a ton of money. In addition to selling the modems he sells those licenses for £25. We get £10. Good business to be in. No harm in trying?”

That seemed like the perfect solution. Code for fun and see if ComputerCom had a business idea. They then changed topic completely.

“There are a bunch of gigs coming up. I am going to try and get tickets. Do you want to come to any of them? Dire Straits will be here in December at the Playhouse?”

“I don’t really know a lot of their stuff. Do you think I would enjoy them?”

Julian thought for a second.

“Yeah, I think you would. Why don’t you give it a go?”

“Okay, what the hell.”

“What about Rod Stewart, he’s in Glasgow in November?”

“Definitely not. Never got into him at all. Sorry.”

“AC/DC are up here in November as well. Also in Glasgow. The Apollo gets some great bands that don’t play here. They have a new album out.”

“Sure. It will have to be Friday or Saturday night though. The folks are pretty easy going but they are not going to let me go to a gig in Glasgow on a school night.”

Julian said he would find out. Andrew used the phone and called Leslie to see if she wanted to go as well. She was lukewarm and said she would pass.

So life quickly settled into his usual nerdy routine. School was fine other than Geography. They had the head of department as the teacher for the next two years. He was new to Andrew and he knew him only by reputation. What Andrew didn’t realise was that he played favourites. He had been the ‘B’ stream form teacher for the last three years, just like Mrs. Hall had been for Andrew. There were a lot of former ‘B’ students in the class and very few students from the ‘A’ class, only Andrew and two others. Mr. Cousins was one of those teachers that liked to put you down if you made a wrong answer, and the three of them were his favourite targets, not a great way to encourage participation. Andrew sat with Suzanne and would roll his eyes whenever Cousins was being an ass. The former ‘B’s thought he was hilarious. After two years with Ford, plus Lyle the previous year, Andrew was used to teachers abusing their position. He ignored it and focused on the work. The class lost some of its appeal with all that crap.

He had dropped music, finally. At the end of third year they had to choose between Music, Art or Technical Drawing. If Ford had not been there he would have stuck with music but Andrew chose Techie Drawing instead. With his thoughts leaning towards Engineering as a career he figured this would help. It was a dry class but that was more the teacher than anything else. This was a basic introduction class and was good in that it didn’t have homework as they used the school’s drafting tables. Andrew learned something new and enjoyed it. It was a very solitary class, lots of time spent working away at your designs on your own. For him, perfect.

His relationship with Suzanne deepened and morphed into a ‘better as friends’ stage. They never explicitly mentioned it but recognised that they valued the other too much as a friend to risk screwing it up. They saw each other every day in the morning, studied after school and sat next to each other in Geography. They were good friends. Suzanne started to ask him questions about different boys. Here his nerdy status did not help her out.

“I have not got a clue about the guys in the two years ahead of us Suzanne, other than Julian and I only see him outside school. It is not like we hang out. When I think about it, you are the closest person that I hang out with at school. Pete and Don are doing biology so I only see them in some of the other classes now and during the crossovers. I hide in here at lunch and after school. Hell, I barely know some of the guys at attendance in the morning.”

She looked at him quizzically.

“Do you not feel that you miss out Andrew? You don’t make much of an effort to know people do you? That sounds too mean but you know what I mean.”

“I think it goes back to before I had cancer. Primary school and even 1^st year were spent trying to fit in. Play footie at lunchtime, hang out with ‘cooler’ people hoping they would notice me. As if anyone at that age is cool. The reality was I was very immature. When I finally came back after missing the first two terms of 2^nd year I was different. You’ve heard me talk about old Andrew and new Andrew. I just didn’t care about stuff like that anymore. It is all about the academics. When I was lying in the hospital bed with nobody but the family visiting I knew that I had some acquaintances but no friends. Whatever I was doing wasn’t working and so I decided to change. Talking to the girls during the first week last year was part of it. Just letting friendships happen and develop as opposed to being desperate for anyone to talk to me. It’s part of growing up. Becoming comfortable in your skin. I am who I am. A shy, bookish nerd happier studying than playing suck up out in the playground. So I try to help people in my own way. I have six good friends plus the same number of people who are friends but not to the same degree. I try to get on with everyone else but don’t stress about it.”

Suzanne looked at him shyly.

“Am I one of your six friends Andrew?”

“Of course you are.”

Andrew smiled at her happy reaction.

“It is does not solve your dilemma about the boys in the years ahead. Can none of the other women help?”

Andrew asked completely unaware of the dynamics of the group.

“We are going through a catty phase at the moment. I would not get an honest answer from them.”

“Why?”

“You are part of it. All five of the women from your class last year are bent out of shape that you and I arrive to Assembly together every day.”

“What on earth for? Oh never mind, I will never understand women.”

“You are the safe one Andrew. Look, you and I are never going to date, are we? We have moved beyond that.”

He nodded, the unspoken assumption out in the open.

“So we can be friends without pretence. How many women ask a guy in their class about potential boyfriends? They are jealous of the time we spend together. They have accused me of faking needing help to spend time with you, not even realising that we just study now.”

“I see. Being a woman seems very complicated sometimes. Alright, there is one avenue where I can probably find out something for you, the CCF. I can ask the older guys in the platoon but they already give me a lot of stick for hanging out with you all the time. They will know who I am asking for even if I don’t tell them.”

“Don’t care at this point. It would probably help if word got back to either of them.”

So Andrew’s relationship with Suzanne evolved to the stage where he was helping her get dates. Hmmm.

The last change at school was Moira. Moira Barnes was a 6^th year who had just started. Starting a year after all the other girls had arrived and in her final year to boot, meant that she struggled to settle in. It was Suzanne who noticed her first, in the library. She spent most afternoons there the same as him and Suzanne. She, however, gave off an air of frustration and looked to be on the verge of crying a couple of times. Finally, Suzanne walked over to her and asked if she was okay. The girl, they did not know her name then, snapped back at Suzanne but immediately closed her eyes for a second before looking up and apologising. Suzanne sat down next to her and they talked for five minutes. Moira looked over at Andrew a couple of times. Suzanne came back and sat down beside him.

“I think you have a new pupil to tutor.”

She announced without preamble.

“Her name is Moira and she is new here. She is a 6^th year but struggling with Higher Maths. I said that you could help her given that you are so sharp at maths. She is dubious given you are only in 4^th year but she is desperate and willing to listen to you at least this afternoon.”

“All that in five minutes. Bloody hell Suzanne, are you sure?”

“That you can help her? Oh yeah. She just needs some of the ‘Andrew building up her confidence’ that you do so well. She reminded me of myself. Feels like she is drowning and has given up already. Go on.”

Feeling more than a little forced into this Andrew went over and sat down next to Moira.

“Hi, I am Andrew. Suzanne has sent me over because she thinks I can help you with your maths.”

It wasn’t much of an introduction.

“My name is Moira Barnes. Yes Suzanne was insistent you could help. I am not sure how though given your stage at school.”

They fell into conversation. Because of the Open University maths course he had learned the majority of the Higher Maths syllabus already, although for a different purpose, and had passed the course with straight As. Once he had proven to her that he knew what he was talking about Moira started to relax. Relatively. She was wound up pretty tight and was still prone to snapping.

“Relax, what are you afraid of? Being seen being tutored? Tutored by a 4^th year? Tutored by a boy? All of them? I am a patient tutor and have had some success. I worked with Suzanne last year but am not tutoring anyone right now. I charge £25 a week. You need to decide if you want me to help you. You will also need to commit to studying to make sure that you get this. I can’t do your exam and I won’t do your homework. Think about it and let me know tomorrow. I will be here as usual.”

Andrew left her to think about it and went back to trying to understand the pluperfect tense in Latin. No really. He and Suzanne talked as usual on the way out.

“Something else is bothering her. She shouldn’t be that wound up about Higher Maths.”

This was Suzanne.

“You never know. Your dad gets on your case pretty hard for your results. Why do you think they let you study with me again last year? Not because they want a horn dog teenage boy hanging out with their pretty daughter.”

Andrew failed to hide his smile at the characterisation.

“Yes, my mother just does not understand our relationship now. She thinks that we think about sex all the time and do no studying. What I haven’t told her is that I do think about sex all the time just not with you.”

Andrew gave her his puppy-eye sad face and got a whack as a reward.

“You know what I mean. The concept of having a boy as a friend confuses her.”

Andrew smiled, him and Leslie all over again.

“Getting back on track, I will see if she wants me to help her. I cannot tell If she is going to take me up on the offer or not. The whole 6^th year being tutored by a 4^th year really bothers her I think. Who knows?”

Well Moira decided that she needed the help. And she made him work for the money. She was bright, caustic and opinionated about everything and did exceptionally well in all her classes. All except Maths. She was accepted to Oxford subject to getting good grades that year in her Sixth Year Studies and passing Higher Maths. She had totally bombed it the previous year, a complete fail. That was the source of the tension. She wanted to study Law at Oxford and if she passed this Maths exam would never have to study Maths ever again and instead could focus on all the subjects that she enjoyed and excelled at. So no pressure then. It was just her future life and happiness on the line!

So September passed into October and the routine continued. Andrew was tutoring harder now and his own pace of progress at the computer course slowed. He had completed the second module and was waiting for it to be returned. He had started the theory module that followed and figured he would get through five of the modules this term. Depending on how busy he was over Christmas he could be close to being finished by January. He was allowed to start the first course of the second block of classes but he would not get a final grade on this current course until he completed the week long residential block. The earliest Andrew could do that was Easter break. But then those plans had to change.

Moira had a double Maths class first thing on a Friday morning. Given that Sports was on Thursday for the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th years it meant she had no tutoring from Wednesday on. So she asked if Andrew could come to school early and study on a Friday morning. Wow. Suddenly he had to make a choice. Continue his fitness routine of more than a year or help Moira. Karma, putting others first. Time for him to step up. So Andrew stopped swimming on a Friday morning and came to school for 7.30. Moira sweet talked one of the janitors to open a classroom early every week for her and they sat and studied. At least a third of his time was spent building up Moira’s confidence. He had never seen someone who got down on themselves as much as she did. But there was gradual improvement. Glacial at first but they were making progress.

To make up for missing swimming on Friday morning Andrew brought his swim gear with him and instead, after CCF, headed over to the Commonwealth to swim over the longer lanes. It was the only 50m pool in the city and he loved it. Andrew was a distance swimmer, he had stopped all the interval training and just liked to swim hard for 40 minutes every morning. That term he had started to work on his butterfly stroke and had received a few pointers from the guys at Warrender. He was a creature of routine, it was obvious by the way his life was organised and it was odd to change his morning and afternoon routines on a Friday.