Missing in Action

Chapter 009

Brendon kept his mouth shut at this because, how could he know? Spencer wasn't talking and neither was Jon, who looked mildly guilty. Finally, Spencer nodded slowly. "It's true," he said, turning to Jon and looking at him sadly. "Sure, people might say that it doesn't mean much, but they know that, deep down, it does."

Jon looked away, and ate some more so that he wouldn't have to talk. Spencer smiled softly at him and patted his hand. "Well, then!" Brendon exclaimed. "This was a lovely conversation! Shall we go out to the garden?"

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, biting his lip slightly as a pensive look spread over his face. He was relieved the conversation was over, but at the same time he didn't want everyone to stop talking. He didn't want to have to face all the thoughts and feelings lurking in his mind right then. He hated the way they made him feel; worthless and guilty and like utter filth. He wasn't a bad guy, really, he was just doing his job. But he couldn't help but wonder how many people who were actually honest enough to call themselves prostitutes had used that line to reassure themselves. Finally he turned to Spencer with a small smile. "Hey, you've known Brendon at least since you guys started at Francis', and your father works here, so how come you've never seen it before?"

Spencer shrugged. "I was never invited, for one thing. The castle really doesn't mean much to Brendon, and my father didn't really want me lurking around. I have seen Grace Cottage, though, which is named after Brendon's mother, since it was a gift to her from the King. Brendon loves it there more than anywhere," he smiled wistfully, remembering the cozy cottage he'd seen many times when he'd been much younger.

"Sounds nice," Ryan stated, nodding along slightly as he turned to look over the garden. "The yard almost looks English," he observed with a slight chuckle, looking over the perfectly trimmed bushes and straight hedges and artfully situated and kept flowerbeds. He couldn't help but also pick up on the barbed wire surrounding the area and the small watchtowers with armed guards, not to mention the suited men subtly following them at a respectful distance, and he had to forcibly hold back a slight shudder. He didn't like the security at all, but right now he was - hopefully - on their good side and would have to calm down for things to stay that way.

Brendon nodded absently, smiling when Spencer remembered Grace Cottage. They hadn't been there together in far too long, but Brendon's father was rather reluctant to allow Brendon's friends into that private place. Teenagers had more of a chance of betraying him than anyone else, supposedly. Brendon didn't believe that for a minute. He looked around and saw Jon standing a few feet away, petting a big, grey cat. Brendon grinned, walking back the few steps and picking the cat up, much to Jon's dismay. "Sapphire knows she shouldn't be outside," he said, pretending to scold the cat. It mewled in his arms, but otherwise looked rather comfortable. Jon looked at him quizzically. Brendon cleared his throat, shifting uneasily. "One of my mother's cats... she has about ten, but they usually stay in the west wing where her rooms are... Don't know how this one got out," he shrugged, narrowing his eyes when Jon laughed at him, shaking his head.

"Jeez, Brendon. Mommy's boy, much?" he asked, smirking.

"There are worse things to be," Ryan said with a slight shrug before Brendon could retaliate and another argument could begin. "It's pretty," he added, looking at the cat with a small smile. But still, while he could appreciate the elegance and beauty in felines from afar, he'd never really been comfortable getting close to them. He had always been more of a dog person. He remembered that his biggest regret when moving away from his childhood home was the fact that he'd had to give his dog to the neighbours. Things had been too rocky between his parents for them to take care of it. "My neighbour had one back before I went away for school. It always got into fights with my dog. That thing was vicious; my dog was perpetually afraid of it."