The Apprentice

by and © N Fourbois

Chapter 26

"Thank you, Headmaster," said Dean Williams as the interview at the College came to a close. "We found that very instructive. I think we can come to a decision today, but first we'd like to talk privately, if we may."

"If you have no more questions, I'll leave you in the hands of Mr Anderson, our Registrar. He will offer you any further guidance you may need and will be at your disposal throughout the rest of your visit." The Headmaster pressed a buzzer button on his desk and his PA appeared, a businesslike, but sympathetic lady in her forties.

"Mr Anderson is in my office, Headmaster."

"If you would ask him to have a swift word with me before I go and teach, I shall release Mr and Mrs Williams and Kieran into his tender care."

When Mr Anderson caught up with the Williams family again, he said

"The Head tells me that you are close to a decision, but would like to discuss it privately with Kieran."

"That's right," said Dean. "May we walk round the fields rather than sit in a room?"

"Yes, of course. You are displaying your visitor's badges, aren't you? When you're ready, come back to Reception and I'll take care of any necessary business."

Once on the sports fields they walked towards the cricket pavilion and sat on the benches there.

"What a difference from the other place," remarked Colleen. "Well, Kieran, what do you think?"

"I loved it from the moment I walked through the gates and the boys I had lunch with looked after me very well. The unofficial tour was great. The boy who took me round, Alexis somebody or the other, didn't hold anything back, but there weren't any bad things really. Do you know they still have a form of fagging here? I thought that went out in the seventies."

"What do you think about repeating the Lower Sixth again?" asked his mother.

"With new subjects I'm okay with it. I couldn't have done the same subjects again. I'd have been bored to tears. It'll be funny being the oldest in the year rather than the youngest."

"That's the problem with an August birthday," said his father.

"Well, it's not a problem, is it? The other thing was that they seemed gay friendly, even when they asked why I was leaving St Sergius's. I thought that would be the real problem. Also, there was another gay boy on my lunch table and there was no problem with him."

"So the answer's yes, Kieran?"

"Yes, Mum."

"Dean?"

"Yes, Colleen."

"And it's a yes from me."

"We've had the verbal offer of a place, subject to references. I don't see that as a difficulty now," said Dean. "We'll find Mr Anderson and get the papers signed up. By the way, Kieran, did you pay those cheques in this morning?"

"First thing I did after leaving home," he answered.

Driving out of the College gates, Kieran said

"Will you drop me in town, please, Dad? I've got to meet Orlando at five." Dean glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

"How about we drive back to the office, finish off there, then we can all go home together and pick up Orlando on the way?"

"Fine by us. With one thing and another the work week has been so disrupted, it'll be nice to make a clean start on Monday." He pulled into a lay-by. "Do you mind driving, Colleen? I want to talk to Kieran and not have to concentrate on the traffic at the same time. This Friday rush hour seems to get earlier every week." Colleen climbed into the driving seat, while Dean got into the back with his son. 'OMG, what have I done now?' thought Kieran. Colleen moved out into the traffic.

"Son, I don't want you to think that your mother and father are a pair of old fuddy duddies out of touch with the world. Your mother looked after Uncle Eric when he was growing up and still does. We're fully aware of what being 'out' means and at your age we too had hormones pumping round our bodies at high speed. We also have a pretty good idea of what Eric gets up to in his spare time. That's none of our business. The upshot of this is that we realise that you and Orlando will probably want to sleep together. We also realise that you probably did when we were away, especially if Eric was involved. What we are saying is this. You're both over sixteen and therefore legal, but all we ask is that what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom. Your mother and I don't want to know anything about it in the same way as what happens in our room is none of your business. If you want the privileges of being adults, you must be prepared to behave like adults. Do you understand what I am saying, Kieran?" He was surprised that his father had been so open with him, and in front of his mother.

"Yes, Dad, I understand. Is that a bargain?"

"I don't want to call it a bargain. That sounds frivolous. Let's say it's just what it is - an understanding." Dean put his arm round Kieran, pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "You know, your mother and I have both noticed how much you've grown up over the few weeks since we left on that business trip. Adversity can be a good thing in that respect. We realise you must have been put through the mill a bit over the last few weeks and we're just sorry we weren't there to give you support when you needed it most."

"That's okay. It's been quite an experience, and not all bad. I've learnt a lot of good things. And I wouldn't have met Orlando... and I wouldn't be going to an ace new school."

At that moment Colleen pulled into the works compound and parked in the boss's reserved parking slot.

Kieran went up to the offices with his parents and found things to amuse himself while they did what they had to do. He sharpened his mother's shorthand pencils, changed the paper in the blotters on the desks. He re-arranged the spare coloured pins on the notice board in Colleen's office to read 'luv you', then covered them up with a notice. He filled the photocopier and the printers with paper ready for the new week. Finally his father came out of his office with a letter in his hand.

"Kieran, how does this sound? ‹Dear Mr Hambrook, thank you for your letter and the time and effort you personally put in to dealing with our difficulty.› I refuse to say 'issue'. ‹While we are disappointed that the true miscreants in this case may never be brought to account, we accept all the points you made in your letter.

"‹We acknowledge the receipt of the cheque from the bursarial department as a refund of this term's fees.

"‹Kieran will not be returning to school on Monday and we hereby give formal notice that we are withdrawing him from the school with immediate effect. Under the circumstances we do not expect the school to request a term's fees in lieu of notice. We also expect the school's full cooperation in placing Kieran in another school. Please arrange for an itemised invoice to cover any incidental expenses to be sent to us.› They won't have the cheek to do that and the administration will cost them more money than the sum on the invoice.

"‹We should be interested in any further outcome to your enquiries. Yours sincerely, etc› and it will be signed by both me and Mum. Content?"

"Sounds good to me," replied Kieran. "It's to the point."

"They'll get that in tomorrow's post ready to be read first thing Monday morning," said Colleen.

"It's ten to five. We'd better get going if Orlando's not going to be stood up," said Dean.

They were a minute late picking up Orlando, who was astonished to see that he was getting a lift to the Williams's house. In the car on the way back Colleen said

"Orlando, when we get back, you can take those trousers off..." 'What sort of family am I staying with?' he wondered, especially when Kieran dug him in the ribs. "...and we'll get them into the dry cleaner's and back in time for Monday." During a quiet moment together Kieran explained the 'understanding' he had formed with his parents over his relationship with Orlando.