Virgil

“Fuck off, Stafford!”

“Yeah, well, that’s the problem isn’t it? I am going.”

“I’m not very fucking happy about this!”

“I kind of got that impression, yeah.”

“Well I’m not. I’m not happy at all. Six weeks! What the hell am I supposed to do while you’re swanning around in Wellington for six weeks? Am I supposed to live like a fucking monk or something?”

“I don’t think monks did a lot of that really.”

“Shut the fuck up! You’re not funny. There’s nothing funny about this at all. Tell them you’re not going.”

“I can’t do that, Virgil. You know I can’t. I’m not that happy about this either, but I’ve got no choice. I have to go.”

“No you don’t. Tell them to fuck off! What could they do? If you broke a leg or something you wouldn’t be going.”

“Probably not. But then I’d just have to go and do it next year and it would put another year on my apprenticeship.”

“Go next year then. Fuck ‘em!”

“I’m not doing that. That would mean we’d have the same problem next year, if we’re still together.”

“WHAT??? What do you mean IF we’re still together? You planning on dumping me?”

“No I’m not planning on dumping you. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You’re the one that said ‘if’ we’re still together.”

“Yeah, I did. Sorry. Bad choice of words. Of course we’ll be together next year, and the year after and every year after that. I’m not ever letting you go. I love you, now and always.”

“You’d bloody better! I love you, Joel Stafford. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved and the only one I ever will.”

“Oh? What about the lovely Len then?”

“I never loved Crowe. He was a prick and you know it. He just used me and abused me. I was young, lonely and stupid and I let him.”

“Yeah, he was a prick. What about Graeme then? He was your cousin, wasn’t he? You liked him.”

“Graeme was almost my cousin. Yes, I did like him. I didn’t love him though, no more than you loved your cousin. What is this anyway, a re-run of my sex life?

Those guys were just learning experiences. You’re the one I love, I totally love you. How am I going to live without you?”

“You don’t have to live without me. I’m only going for 6 weeks, I’ll be back”

“You bloody better be! Six weeks without my Joel! I’m gong to hate every minute of it.”

“Yeah, me too, but it’s gotta be done. We’ll get through it. I guess we’ve just got to make the most of the time we’ve got.”

“We do. Come over to the back-seat and I’ll make sure you don’t forget me.”

“That is not going to happen.”

“You’re not coming over to the back?”

“Oh, I’m doing that, of course I am, but there is no way I could ever forget about you. Not in this life.”

“Not in the next one either. Come on, Joel.”

It was just as well Joel hadn’t told him sooner. He knew how Virgil would react to the news of their separation. As it was, he told him on Friday that he was leaving Sunday afternoon and he was all-but exhausted by then. The boy could wear him out! Much more of this and he’d be an old man before his time. (It was fun though).

He left his car with Gary who promised to take very good care of it, and he’d better! Gary said that he didn’t plan on using it much anyway, but he and Lachlan might try the back-seat out. That looked interesting.

Joel told him that he didn’t want to think about that and they’d better not make a mess! It was time that Gary got his own car anyway.

“Yeah, one day.”

So, after lunch on Sunday, Joel drove with Virgil, Gary and Lachlan, down to the Adelphi Lodge on the main street and got on the bus to Picton, from where he’d get on the ferry to Wellington.

He could’ve flown there in a fraction of the time, but that cost too much. The ferry was a pretty cool trip anyway.

He got on the bus and settled in a window-seat near the back. The other 3 dorks stood outside, blowing kisses, waving tissues and carrying on like a pack of weepy drama queens.

As soon as the bus started they jumped into the car and raced up the road ahead of it to stop and stand waving again when the bus went past them at the northern edge of town.

After the bus had gone past them, they did it again. They leapt back into the car, overtook the bus and raced up the road to stand and wave again when it went through Hapuku. They did it again at Rakautara, and again at Clarence.

By then the other passengers on the bus were laughing and waving back and the driver blasted them with the horn as he passed them. Joel laughed along at their roadside pantomime, but he was glad when the lovable idiots gave up and went home. Much more of that and they’d be waving to the ferry in Picton.

He was sure that Gary would take good care of the car, but even more, he hoped that they’d take care of his boy. Virgil could be a fiery little thing; it was good that he was leaving him with good friends. It’d be better if he didn’t have to leave him at all, but he did. It was going to be a long 6 weeks, but it would pass.

He was SO tired! He lay back in his seat and went to sleep.

Gary and Lachlan dropped Virgil off at home. They were in a hurry to get back to the caravan which was all theirs now that Joel had gone. Choice!

Actually, it should only be a few days at the most before Gary could take possession of the shop on the main street, if Mrs. Woods would just pull her finger out and get the rest of her junk out of there. Gary couldn’t wait.

Joel was a good guy and they got on well, but life would be easier when they had separate bedrooms. A guy needs privacy sometimes, especially in the bedroom. The flat above the shop had three, which would be great. He and Joel would have one each and the other, smaller, room would be good for visitors, if they had any apart from Lachlan and Virgil.

One person who would not be a welcome visitor was Joel’s pervy uncle and boss, Doug. Gary’d be glad to get away from him. He was friendly enough, but he was creepy the way he undressed them with his eyes and some of his smutty jokes were way over the top. He was a husband and father but he was a pervert if ever there was one – a repressed closet-queen, most likely.

Virgil went into his room, slammed the door and flopped on the bed. He was tired too, but he was not going to sleep, that was not happening.

He’d put on a brave face and hidden his true feelings while they farewelled Joel, but now that he was alone he could let go and feel what he was really feeling – which was seriously pissed-off.

Joel was always so dammed reasonable and mature about everything. Of course he was right when he said that he had to go and do this damm course, of course he was. But, fuck-it! He didn’t want to be responsible, he wanted his Joel!

He was missing him already and the bus wouldn’t even be halfway to Picton yet. It was going to be a long, long 6 weeks. Dammit! He was not a bit tired, he was way too busy being pissed-off at his life, so, of course, he went to sleep.

Natasha left him sleeping there and didn’t disturb him. She felt sorry for him but didn’t know what she could do to help. It was just something he was going to have to deal with. Poor kid. He was being way over-the-top and melodramatic, as usual, but he was genuinely distressed at being separated from Joel.

Like her mum said, life’s a bitch sometimes.