Unfair Expectations

Chapter II: We Meet Again Old Friends

Hattie was due to arrive at precisely at ten thirty that morning, Sadie and Mike an hour later, and finally, Ed and Diana with the little ones would arrive at one thirty. It was like it was all planned so he could get used to his guests one or two at a time. Jasper hadn't been alone so long that he didn't know how to interact with other human beings, so he thought his Agnes' plans were, quite frankly, crap.

Jasper sat in his armchair. It was ten o'clock, half an hour until Hattie arived. He both anticipated and dreaded her arrival. He couldn't wait to see his best friend again, to tell her everything that had been troubling him all these years. But, he didn't want to tell her. It would be too embarrassing to recall the night he left. He didn't want to be reminded of the promise he had made his mother. The whole situation was awkward and confusing.

Ten thirty came around slowly and painfully; slow torture. Jasper sat there, looking at the clock, counting each minute that past from that evil time until ten thirty-three. He heard to doorbell wring and then thirty seconds later, the new doorman, Matt, he had employed scurry to the door. He could hear them striking up some smalltalk and Hattie being instructed on where to find 'the young master'.

Hattie walked slowly into the living room and grinned at Jasper. "Hello, old friend," she said. Jasper let himself give her a nervous smile. "How have you been?" she asked. She knew something was up, just by looking at him she knew he was anxious.

"Hattie, has Mike told anyone why I left? Or specualted?" he asked slowly.

"That man knows when to keep mum. He hasn't made any speculation or asked anyone anything, even on your whereabouts," she told him. "Why do you ask?"

"The last time we spoke, you were right," Jasper mumbled.

"Oh... Did you...?"

"No! It was just after the fucking wedding? Do you really think either of us would stoop so low?" he snapped. He had risen out of his seat and was waving his arms about at a rather amused Hattie.

"You, no. Mike...possibly. It wouldn't surprise me if he tried anything on anyone," she mumbled.

"What?! So I was just some experiment," he exclaimed.

"Jasper Edward Bristow, sit down and listen to me!" Hattie shouted, scolding him like a child. She pointed at his chair and he begrudgingly sat back down, glaring at her. "Mike has had several affairs with both men and women. Obviously the men had to be a secret and he never approached you until Ed let slip. Mike then spoke to me - because according to everyone I know everything - to make sure he was telling the truth and I confirmed it."

Jasper slouched forward in his chair and held his head in his hands. "Kill me now," he muttered.

"Jasp, you're being stupid. Just talk to the man when he gets back. I'm assuming that he's the reason that you left," she said. "You can't run away for ever. Especially from love."

"Like you'd know anything about that," he snapped. Hattie looked at him sadly and pursed her lips. Jasper sighed and disappeared up into his study to write an angry note about everything that had just happened before the next guests arrived.

Sadie and Mike arrived. Matt opened the door and Jasper heard them greet Hattie. He sighed and rested his elbows on the desk, placing his chin in the cradle of his hands. He closed my eyes and groaned. He was only twenty six and could feel the years on him as if he were fourty.

Jasper could hear someone walk up the stairs and across the landing to the study. He thought about hiding under the desk but remembered grown adults do not do such things. "Hello," a familiar voice said. He swiveled in his chair to look at Mike. "Hattie said you'd be here."