The Bertie Mansion

XVII

Will guided Alexander down the front stairs. They waited by the door, under the limited awning that stretched out from the house. Rain pattered down around them to fill the awkward silence. With the front door closed behind them they couldn't hear much of the events inside anymore.

Alexander leaned against the mansion and grumbled about old age. He seemed to be huge on complaining, be it about the weather or people. If he had more tact, perhaps he would be great at debate, one of Will's favorite verbal activities.

"That brother of yours," Alexander began as a subject change, "He likes men, does he? Keeps a boyfriend on him?"

"Caleb isn't his boyfriend. They're just friends," Will replied, avoiding the rest of the question. He jokes about it now but Jeremy's possible interest in boys had been a shock, though it was more implied by his lack of girlfriends and attachment to Caleb than a formal announcement. It was the one thing that didn't fit with the rest of his century old attitude, and that's how Will knew he couldn't help it. If Jeremy could have completely conformed to that weird way of thinking, he would have.

Alexander frowned. "Wasn't accepted in my day. Women or nothing. In fact, just women. Nothing let you know something was up. What is the world coming to?"

"It's okay now, you know," Will defended for his brother. "We've changed since you were a boy. What was that, two centuries ago?"

"I'm not that old, you little Slicko! No respect for the elders!" the old man cried in outrage.

Will let out a patronizing sigh. "You really need to work on your vocabulary. Is that the only insult you've got, you self-righteous ignoramus? This is my brother you're talking about and for better or for worse I love him. I will not stand for you trying to constantly bring him and his friend down for being up with the modern times, unlike your caveman self."

"I'll have you know that I was respected for my opinion when you younguns weren't around to share your sick ideas about peace for everyone, and made the next generation a bunch of spineless chickens," Alexander shot back as their fight heated up.

"Jeremy is as far from spineless as any human can be. It's the old generation who run around like chickens with their heads cut off, no brains left to comprehend the advances the world has made, left at the bottom of the pecking order for a reason." Will drew in a deep breath, particularly proud of that quip.

Alexander waved his finger back and forth. Then he pointed it at him. "You don't even have a beak to peck with. You're all soft like a baby chick. I wouldn't miss you if you were gone."

"I don't have to put up with this," Will said. "My brother is in danger right now because of your past mistakes. We're cleaning up the mess. I think I'll go see what's keeping them, and if the ghost comes for you, then good luck."

He reached for the front door and pretended he was about to open it. The door wouldn't budge like it was locked from the inside but Alexander didn't know that. The old man frantically blocked him.

"Please don't leave me," he begged, having a change of heart. Facing a ghost alone wasn't on the top of his list of experiences to have.

Will shrugged and pulled on the door some more. "I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's locked."

"Locked?" Alexander looked him deep in the eye and then tugged on the handle himself. His remaining family was left in there and there was nothing either of them could do to help. A shrill noise followed shortly after that made the hairs stand up on the back of their necks. Caleb.