Fanfic: Winter Romance 2/?
Winter Romance Part 2/?
By Marea67
About: Kevin/Scotty
Rate: Don't know yet,
Disclaimer: Written with love, not for money.
Summary: AU - Kevin/Scotty - Scotty is the manager in a hotel in a ski-resort. Kevin just got divorced. The Walkers think that he needs a 'nice family holiday'. He doesn't.
*******
Kevin enters the bar of the hotel. He is in desperate need of a drink before he has to meet up with his family. So far, he has managed to escape their 'fun' idea for a long walk in the snow to 'get the appetite started'. There's nothing wrong with his appetite that some food can't fix. and it doesn't need 'starting up', his hunger is already present.
The bar is almost empty as people flock to the dinner-areas to eat. And because he has just been informed through the family-app that everyone is getting dressed for dinner, Kevin considers himself safe for the moment. He sits down on one of the barstools and a head pops up from behind the bar.
"How can help you?" Scotty asks. Kevin stares at him about five seconds longer than would be considered polite.
"Are you the twin-brother of the guy I met this afternoon at reception or...?"
"Nope. Same guy. No matter how much my boss would like to clone me." Scotty laughs.
"I see. I'll have a scotch. I need to create a line of defence to protect me from my family."
"That bad?" Scotty asks, then he remembers his first impressioin of the others Walkers and he can imagine that Kevin might not want to have them around 24/7.
"No. I'm just being an ungrateful piece of shit." Kevin admits."They are worried about me. I know. I think that many people would absolute love to have safety net like my family, and usually I'm pretty happy with them too. It's just... sometimes you need to do things on your own. And right now, I'd like a little space...."
"And would I be far off if I think that that is not going to happen?"
"Nope, you'd be right on target." Kevin takes the scotch and gulps it down and indicates he wants another one. Scotty is two seconds too late to hide his annoyance. The last thing he needs is a drunk at his bar.
"Don't worry. I'll stick to water after this one." Kevin smirks. At least Scotty shows just the right level of embarrassment at being caught. "Don't worry. You're right. Getting drunk will only get me in more trouble with my family, because it would confirm to them that I am obviously falling apart."
"There is that." Scotty agrees.
"Okay, let's move away from my miserable life. Why are you running from one point to the other? Not enough staff right now?... If you don't mind me asking?" Kevin quickly adds not to appear too nosy.
"Oh, I'm afraid that..." Scotty starts to deflect.
"Oh come on, humor me, please." Kevin begs. "I need to hear that I'm not the only one feeling miserable." Scotty looks at him. He's somehow fairly sure that Kevin is not feeling as miserable as he pretends.
"Sorry, can't help you there." Scotty can't help but laugh softly and he explains: "The girl who was supposed to be here tonight called in sick. First time in three years and she already looked half-dead yesterday, so I don't think she's lying. Her two other colleagues don't start until eight, so, I have to hold the ford until then."
Scotty is pleased to see that Kevin hasn't touched his drink yet.
"Does being short staffed happen often?" Kevin now asks, with Chad's request in mind.
"No, not really. We're usually quite good, but there is this domino-effect where if one gets sick the others follow." Scotty shrugs.
Kevin nods that he gets the principle. He can see the same thing happening at his office. He picks up his drink and is about to take a sip, when the doors slam open and a group of about 15 persons come in, obviously already 'in a good spirit' as they are loud, many and apparently celebrating that one of them has a birthday.
"Drinks for everybody!" One of the guys in the party yells. Kevin watches them drop down in the corner. He can also see the quick look of distress on Scotty's face and he figures out correctly that Scotty hadn't anticipated a loud crowd at this time. In a fraction of second he could see the distress and then the professional smile is back on.
Scotty walks over to the group and takes the orders for the drinks. He remains polite while the men and women talk over each other and keep changing their orders. Kevin feels sorry for Scotty and he slides off his stool before moving to the other side of the bar to have a look.
"You can't be here." Scotty says, when he sees Kevin behind the bar.
"I know. But you need an extra pair of hands. A friend of mine owns a bar and I sometimes help him on a Saturday-night. If you do the cocktails, which I suck at, I'll take care of the beer, because I figure that we will need a lot more beer than cocktails?"
Deep down Scotty knows that this is unheard of. You can't let the guests at your hotel do your job! But he could sure use some help and Kevin seems determined. Scotty can also see that he still hasn't touched his drink. Maybe helping Scotty will keep Kevin from getting drunk. That would be a double blessing.
"Yes. I need 11 beer." Scotty therefore says.
"I'll take care of it." Kevin replies. Scotty wants to protest, but when he sees how easily Kevin takes over, he's glad to see that he has someone willing to help him. After a deep breath he starts to mix the cocktails.
With the ease of someone who used to be a waiter, Scotty brings the drinks to the table, where the drinks are greeted like long lost relatives and Scotty fears that these people will not be gone after one drink. When he gets back behind the bar he can see that Kevin has already cleaned up every drop that had been spilled.
"Thank you." Scotty says quietly, appreciating that someone has the same ethic regarding a clean bar as he has.
"You're welcome. Forgive me for saying so, but you look exhausted." Kevin replies.
"I am." Scotty admits. Kevin's friendliness makes him confess:
"Been up on my feet since 6 this morning. On days like these anything can happen. I'm not complaining. It's my job and I get handsomely paid for it, but this week it's been one thing after another and I can't seem to recharge." Scotty speaks in a soft voice. He doesn't want anyone to hear him.
He doesn't even really want Kevin to hear him, but the weird kindness feels good to him.
"I don't mind helping out. I was feeling kinda useless anyway." Kevin says. The group loudly waves for more drinks and Kevin returns to serving beer. More people start to come in.
Scotty had really hoped for some quiet time until eight o'clock, but it's obviously not meant to be. His body aches because he's that tired and he'd give anything if he could just go home, take a warm bath and have a good night's sleep, but the way things look, he'll probably sleep in the hotel tonight, instead of at his own place.
*****
"Oh, no!" Kevin exclaims and he dives under the bar. Scotty looks down. He has a questioning look on his face. "My family is looking for me. I should have been in the restaurant at 8." Scotty quickly scans the room and indeed he can see the Walkers come up.
"I sincerely thought he would be here." Nora says.
"Who are you looking for?" Scotty asks, ignoring Kevin, who sits on the floor.
"My son Kevin. We had agreed to meet at the restaurant at 8. We were sure he'd be here drinking away his sorrow."
"I'm sorry, you just missed him. He was here, but left about 5 minutes ago. And he had not been drinking anything alcoholic, not while I was here anyway."
"Oh." Nora seems pleasantly surprised by his words. "Well, we'd better be looking for him at the restaurant then."
Scotty watches them walk away and helps Kevin up.
"Great, now they expect me to be there..."
"And you will be." Scotty grins. "Shortcut through the kitchen. Come on." He winks and he motions Kevin to follow him.
Guiding Kevin from the bar through the kitchen, Scotty explains:
"Our kitchen is in the centre of the building and has 4 doors. One for the breakfast-room, we then work in that part of the kitchen. The other door leads to the restaurant, for dinner. One for the bar, just in case. That one leads to the outside and it's also an emergency exit.
While your family is taking the longer route, we've taken the short-cut... Ta-da!" He opens the door that leads to the restaurant. "Your family has that table, over there." He points at the large table to the right. "Names are next to the dishes. Your mother wanted it that way. I helped set up the table this afternoon."
Kevin shoots him a grateful look and quickly searches for his chair. Scotty can see that he has just found it, when the family enters. By the time they see Kevin, he's seated on his chair and apparently waiting for them. Scotty smiles. He's beyond exhausted by now, but this is also the most fun he has had in days.
*******
Slowly Kevin sits down in the bath-tub. The water is incredibly hot and he lets his body get used to the heat.
"So good." He sighs, once he's finally almost under water. He closes his eyes and he lets the events of the day pass once more in his head.
He had not exactly been looking forward to this holiday. With his divorce finally gone through and all assets divided, Kevin would have preferred some alone time to lick his wounds. Of course he could have known that his family wouldn't give him any. But now he's glad he came here.
For one, that Scotty was a nice guy and Kevin hopes that he will see him again. It had been of course too ridiculous to get behind the bar and help Scotty, but for the first time in weeks Kevin hadn't felt like a complete loser. He had actually felt as if he had something to contribute.
And then the way Scotty had 'saved' him. It had been funny to sit at that table at the restaurant when his family came in. They had all been visibly surprised that he had been there before they got there and that he was sober. His evening had been enjoyable after that. He hadn't talked much, but he had spent time listening to all the stories.
Not for the first time he realizes that his family's lives are different from his. They are all happy to be where they are, happy with their jobs, their lives. Of course, there's room for improvement, but they don't feel like Kevin does. Kevin has found out that he no longer likes his work, his home, his friends, ... his life in general.
He sits up and soaps up his arms, his chest. He carefully washes away his day. Or so he imagines... The problem is that he has no idea what he does want. He can't imagine being anything other than a lawyer.... He leans back in the hot water and rinses himself off.
He had thought that his discontent came from what he had been through the last months, but on the way up here, alone on the train and the bus, he had had time to think. He seems stuck in a rud. He doesn't really want to stay here , but he has nowhere else to go.
The thought of having to spend 2 weeks with his family suffocates him, but he cannot imagine being anywhere else. He is in limbo. Refusing to go back to the past, unable to move forward. Not wanting to stay, but no alternative place to go either.
"Enough!" He tells himself and he gets up. He enters the shower-cubicle and washes everything off him. The water is hot and while he's still fuzzy from the heat, Kevin goes to bed, pulling the duvet tightly around him. He doesn't want to read, so he turns off the light.
This means that he's now alone in the dark and after the hot bath and shower, the bed is slowly cooling him down. He shivers. He wonders if he should get up and get another blanket, but he's too tired to move. Think happy thoughts! Think beach. Think nice drink. Think palm-trees... Think hammock between them... Think... Scotty?....
*****
TWO DAYS LATER:
*****
"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." Kevin starts to apologize to the person he practically ran into while turning the corner. He manages to catch one of the presents the person was carrying before it hits the ground.
"No, my fault. I had too many gifts stacked and ..."
"Scotty?"
"Mr Walker! ... I'm so sorry." Scotty grabs for the gifts around him. Why had he bought so many gifts? Of course, he knows the answer. It's because he loved to give little things to his colleagues. He loves Christmas, it's his favorite time of the year.
As usual he had bought too much, he could barely carry them all and it's still a long way to the hotel.
"Do you need a hand with those? I'm here in my brother's car, it is parked right over there." Kevin asks. For a few seconds Scotty seems to want to say yes, but then he changes his mind.
"I don't want to inconvenience you."
"No inconvenience. Here, let me help you." Kevin takes over a few of the gifts and helps Scotty carry them across the street where he opens the trunk of his car.
"My gifts are on the back-seat. Better not get the mixed up with yours." He informs Scotty.
"No. You're right."
"You look even more exhausted than a few days ago." Kevin can't help but notice.
Then, realizing it may have been a bit offensive he quickly adds: "Not that you look bad or anything, just..." Yeah, talk your way out of this one, smooth talker.
"It's alright." Scotty laughs. "You're probably right. I didn't get much sleep this week. Too much going on and today is my day off and there's just too much to do... And, yes, I am exhausted."
Scotty admits to it with a shrug. Kevin nods that he has heard him. He hesitates, but then Kevin suggests:
"I was about to get myself something to eat, perhaps something warm to drink, some cake or something. Care to join me? I'm buying."
"I'd like that. If you're sure...?"
"Yes. Any suggestions where we can eat?"
"Café 429." Scotty immediately replies.
"Show me the way." Kevin follows Scotty to a restaurant further down the street.
It's a little restaurant where Scotty is obviously a known customer because he's pointed to a table in the corner and he takes his seat there as if it's his usual place. They order hot chocolate and apple pie and once it's delivered at their table, for a few moments they quietly enjoy the food, until Kevin gathers up the courage to ask the question that's on his mind.
"Scotty, be honest with me. How bad was my behavior last night? Was I rude to you or your staff? Did I make a big idiot of myself?" Scotty hesitates before answering. He remembers how drunk Kevin had been last evening and how the Walkers had disrupted dinner by having this huge fight in the restaurant.
It had been so bad that it had prompted one of the customers to complain 'Wow, dinner and a side-show, not bad.'. Scotty carefully places his fork next to his apple pie.
"I've seen worse... The fight remained within your family and, no, none of you were rude to either me or my staff. When I walked up to you to tell you that you should perhaps calm down and cool off in your room or someplace else, you seemed to disagree with me for just about two seconds.
Then you straightened up, nodded and walked out with about as much dignity as you could muster. I followed you, just to make sure that you wouldn't cause a fight someplace else, but you went straight for the elevator and I assume that you went to your room after that, because I didn't receive any complaints about you." His answers seems to satisfy Kevin to some extend.
Kevin breaks off another piece of his apple pie, but only ends up playing with it, shoving it around with his fork.
"I must apologize. I had too much to drink and I had heard a few things from my family and ... it was like it was pain upon insult upon betrayal and ... I lost it. And I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to explain or apologize to me." Scotty smiles. "No harm done. It may have been annoying for the others in the restaurant, but I think that, in general, people simply moved on with their dinner and they didn't pay much attention. It helped, I assumed, that I stepped in quickly and you left without causing further trouble."
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Plus, your family immediately went on their best behavior too, so it was calm very quickly." Kevin slowly agrees, before a little smile lights up his face. "At least, I can walk back into the restaurant tonight with my head held high."
Scotty feels that he should, if only to wipe those smug grins from his bothers' faces, but he doesn't mention this, not wanting to be responsible for another fight between the Walker-brothers.
"I would do that if I were you, but preferably stick to drinking water tonight."
"Yes, sir." Kevin salutes and Scotty laughs.
*********
End of Chapter 2
/
By Marea67
About: Kevin/Scotty
Rate: Don't know yet,
Disclaimer: Written with love, not for money.
Summary: AU - Kevin/Scotty - Scotty is the manager in a hotel in a ski-resort. Kevin just got divorced. The Walkers think that he needs a 'nice family holiday'. He doesn't.
*******
Kevin enters the bar of the hotel. He is in desperate need of a drink before he has to meet up with his family. So far, he has managed to escape their 'fun' idea for a long walk in the snow to 'get the appetite started'. There's nothing wrong with his appetite that some food can't fix. and it doesn't need 'starting up', his hunger is already present.
The bar is almost empty as people flock to the dinner-areas to eat. And because he has just been informed through the family-app that everyone is getting dressed for dinner, Kevin considers himself safe for the moment. He sits down on one of the barstools and a head pops up from behind the bar.
"How can help you?" Scotty asks. Kevin stares at him about five seconds longer than would be considered polite.
"Are you the twin-brother of the guy I met this afternoon at reception or...?"
"Nope. Same guy. No matter how much my boss would like to clone me." Scotty laughs.
"I see. I'll have a scotch. I need to create a line of defence to protect me from my family."
"That bad?" Scotty asks, then he remembers his first impressioin of the others Walkers and he can imagine that Kevin might not want to have them around 24/7.
"No. I'm just being an ungrateful piece of shit." Kevin admits."They are worried about me. I know. I think that many people would absolute love to have safety net like my family, and usually I'm pretty happy with them too. It's just... sometimes you need to do things on your own. And right now, I'd like a little space...."
"And would I be far off if I think that that is not going to happen?"
"Nope, you'd be right on target." Kevin takes the scotch and gulps it down and indicates he wants another one. Scotty is two seconds too late to hide his annoyance. The last thing he needs is a drunk at his bar.
"Don't worry. I'll stick to water after this one." Kevin smirks. At least Scotty shows just the right level of embarrassment at being caught. "Don't worry. You're right. Getting drunk will only get me in more trouble with my family, because it would confirm to them that I am obviously falling apart."
"There is that." Scotty agrees.
"Okay, let's move away from my miserable life. Why are you running from one point to the other? Not enough staff right now?... If you don't mind me asking?" Kevin quickly adds not to appear too nosy.
"Oh, I'm afraid that..." Scotty starts to deflect.
"Oh come on, humor me, please." Kevin begs. "I need to hear that I'm not the only one feeling miserable." Scotty looks at him. He's somehow fairly sure that Kevin is not feeling as miserable as he pretends.
"Sorry, can't help you there." Scotty can't help but laugh softly and he explains: "The girl who was supposed to be here tonight called in sick. First time in three years and she already looked half-dead yesterday, so I don't think she's lying. Her two other colleagues don't start until eight, so, I have to hold the ford until then."
Scotty is pleased to see that Kevin hasn't touched his drink yet.
"Does being short staffed happen often?" Kevin now asks, with Chad's request in mind.
"No, not really. We're usually quite good, but there is this domino-effect where if one gets sick the others follow." Scotty shrugs.
Kevin nods that he gets the principle. He can see the same thing happening at his office. He picks up his drink and is about to take a sip, when the doors slam open and a group of about 15 persons come in, obviously already 'in a good spirit' as they are loud, many and apparently celebrating that one of them has a birthday.
"Drinks for everybody!" One of the guys in the party yells. Kevin watches them drop down in the corner. He can also see the quick look of distress on Scotty's face and he figures out correctly that Scotty hadn't anticipated a loud crowd at this time. In a fraction of second he could see the distress and then the professional smile is back on.
Scotty walks over to the group and takes the orders for the drinks. He remains polite while the men and women talk over each other and keep changing their orders. Kevin feels sorry for Scotty and he slides off his stool before moving to the other side of the bar to have a look.
"You can't be here." Scotty says, when he sees Kevin behind the bar.
"I know. But you need an extra pair of hands. A friend of mine owns a bar and I sometimes help him on a Saturday-night. If you do the cocktails, which I suck at, I'll take care of the beer, because I figure that we will need a lot more beer than cocktails?"
Deep down Scotty knows that this is unheard of. You can't let the guests at your hotel do your job! But he could sure use some help and Kevin seems determined. Scotty can also see that he still hasn't touched his drink. Maybe helping Scotty will keep Kevin from getting drunk. That would be a double blessing.
"Yes. I need 11 beer." Scotty therefore says.
"I'll take care of it." Kevin replies. Scotty wants to protest, but when he sees how easily Kevin takes over, he's glad to see that he has someone willing to help him. After a deep breath he starts to mix the cocktails.
With the ease of someone who used to be a waiter, Scotty brings the drinks to the table, where the drinks are greeted like long lost relatives and Scotty fears that these people will not be gone after one drink. When he gets back behind the bar he can see that Kevin has already cleaned up every drop that had been spilled.
"Thank you." Scotty says quietly, appreciating that someone has the same ethic regarding a clean bar as he has.
"You're welcome. Forgive me for saying so, but you look exhausted." Kevin replies.
"I am." Scotty admits. Kevin's friendliness makes him confess:
"Been up on my feet since 6 this morning. On days like these anything can happen. I'm not complaining. It's my job and I get handsomely paid for it, but this week it's been one thing after another and I can't seem to recharge." Scotty speaks in a soft voice. He doesn't want anyone to hear him.
He doesn't even really want Kevin to hear him, but the weird kindness feels good to him.
"I don't mind helping out. I was feeling kinda useless anyway." Kevin says. The group loudly waves for more drinks and Kevin returns to serving beer. More people start to come in.
Scotty had really hoped for some quiet time until eight o'clock, but it's obviously not meant to be. His body aches because he's that tired and he'd give anything if he could just go home, take a warm bath and have a good night's sleep, but the way things look, he'll probably sleep in the hotel tonight, instead of at his own place.
*****
"Oh, no!" Kevin exclaims and he dives under the bar. Scotty looks down. He has a questioning look on his face. "My family is looking for me. I should have been in the restaurant at 8." Scotty quickly scans the room and indeed he can see the Walkers come up.
"I sincerely thought he would be here." Nora says.
"Who are you looking for?" Scotty asks, ignoring Kevin, who sits on the floor.
"My son Kevin. We had agreed to meet at the restaurant at 8. We were sure he'd be here drinking away his sorrow."
"I'm sorry, you just missed him. He was here, but left about 5 minutes ago. And he had not been drinking anything alcoholic, not while I was here anyway."
"Oh." Nora seems pleasantly surprised by his words. "Well, we'd better be looking for him at the restaurant then."
Scotty watches them walk away and helps Kevin up.
"Great, now they expect me to be there..."
"And you will be." Scotty grins. "Shortcut through the kitchen. Come on." He winks and he motions Kevin to follow him.
Guiding Kevin from the bar through the kitchen, Scotty explains:
"Our kitchen is in the centre of the building and has 4 doors. One for the breakfast-room, we then work in that part of the kitchen. The other door leads to the restaurant, for dinner. One for the bar, just in case. That one leads to the outside and it's also an emergency exit.
While your family is taking the longer route, we've taken the short-cut... Ta-da!" He opens the door that leads to the restaurant. "Your family has that table, over there." He points at the large table to the right. "Names are next to the dishes. Your mother wanted it that way. I helped set up the table this afternoon."
Kevin shoots him a grateful look and quickly searches for his chair. Scotty can see that he has just found it, when the family enters. By the time they see Kevin, he's seated on his chair and apparently waiting for them. Scotty smiles. He's beyond exhausted by now, but this is also the most fun he has had in days.
*******
Slowly Kevin sits down in the bath-tub. The water is incredibly hot and he lets his body get used to the heat.
"So good." He sighs, once he's finally almost under water. He closes his eyes and he lets the events of the day pass once more in his head.
He had not exactly been looking forward to this holiday. With his divorce finally gone through and all assets divided, Kevin would have preferred some alone time to lick his wounds. Of course he could have known that his family wouldn't give him any. But now he's glad he came here.
For one, that Scotty was a nice guy and Kevin hopes that he will see him again. It had been of course too ridiculous to get behind the bar and help Scotty, but for the first time in weeks Kevin hadn't felt like a complete loser. He had actually felt as if he had something to contribute.
And then the way Scotty had 'saved' him. It had been funny to sit at that table at the restaurant when his family came in. They had all been visibly surprised that he had been there before they got there and that he was sober. His evening had been enjoyable after that. He hadn't talked much, but he had spent time listening to all the stories.
Not for the first time he realizes that his family's lives are different from his. They are all happy to be where they are, happy with their jobs, their lives. Of course, there's room for improvement, but they don't feel like Kevin does. Kevin has found out that he no longer likes his work, his home, his friends, ... his life in general.
He sits up and soaps up his arms, his chest. He carefully washes away his day. Or so he imagines... The problem is that he has no idea what he does want. He can't imagine being anything other than a lawyer.... He leans back in the hot water and rinses himself off.
He had thought that his discontent came from what he had been through the last months, but on the way up here, alone on the train and the bus, he had had time to think. He seems stuck in a rud. He doesn't really want to stay here , but he has nowhere else to go.
The thought of having to spend 2 weeks with his family suffocates him, but he cannot imagine being anywhere else. He is in limbo. Refusing to go back to the past, unable to move forward. Not wanting to stay, but no alternative place to go either.
"Enough!" He tells himself and he gets up. He enters the shower-cubicle and washes everything off him. The water is hot and while he's still fuzzy from the heat, Kevin goes to bed, pulling the duvet tightly around him. He doesn't want to read, so he turns off the light.
This means that he's now alone in the dark and after the hot bath and shower, the bed is slowly cooling him down. He shivers. He wonders if he should get up and get another blanket, but he's too tired to move. Think happy thoughts! Think beach. Think nice drink. Think palm-trees... Think hammock between them... Think... Scotty?....
*****
TWO DAYS LATER:
*****
"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." Kevin starts to apologize to the person he practically ran into while turning the corner. He manages to catch one of the presents the person was carrying before it hits the ground.
"No, my fault. I had too many gifts stacked and ..."
"Scotty?"
"Mr Walker! ... I'm so sorry." Scotty grabs for the gifts around him. Why had he bought so many gifts? Of course, he knows the answer. It's because he loved to give little things to his colleagues. He loves Christmas, it's his favorite time of the year.
As usual he had bought too much, he could barely carry them all and it's still a long way to the hotel.
"Do you need a hand with those? I'm here in my brother's car, it is parked right over there." Kevin asks. For a few seconds Scotty seems to want to say yes, but then he changes his mind.
"I don't want to inconvenience you."
"No inconvenience. Here, let me help you." Kevin takes over a few of the gifts and helps Scotty carry them across the street where he opens the trunk of his car.
"My gifts are on the back-seat. Better not get the mixed up with yours." He informs Scotty.
"No. You're right."
"You look even more exhausted than a few days ago." Kevin can't help but notice.
Then, realizing it may have been a bit offensive he quickly adds: "Not that you look bad or anything, just..." Yeah, talk your way out of this one, smooth talker.
"It's alright." Scotty laughs. "You're probably right. I didn't get much sleep this week. Too much going on and today is my day off and there's just too much to do... And, yes, I am exhausted."
Scotty admits to it with a shrug. Kevin nods that he has heard him. He hesitates, but then Kevin suggests:
"I was about to get myself something to eat, perhaps something warm to drink, some cake or something. Care to join me? I'm buying."
"I'd like that. If you're sure...?"
"Yes. Any suggestions where we can eat?"
"Café 429." Scotty immediately replies.
"Show me the way." Kevin follows Scotty to a restaurant further down the street.
It's a little restaurant where Scotty is obviously a known customer because he's pointed to a table in the corner and he takes his seat there as if it's his usual place. They order hot chocolate and apple pie and once it's delivered at their table, for a few moments they quietly enjoy the food, until Kevin gathers up the courage to ask the question that's on his mind.
"Scotty, be honest with me. How bad was my behavior last night? Was I rude to you or your staff? Did I make a big idiot of myself?" Scotty hesitates before answering. He remembers how drunk Kevin had been last evening and how the Walkers had disrupted dinner by having this huge fight in the restaurant.
It had been so bad that it had prompted one of the customers to complain 'Wow, dinner and a side-show, not bad.'. Scotty carefully places his fork next to his apple pie.
"I've seen worse... The fight remained within your family and, no, none of you were rude to either me or my staff. When I walked up to you to tell you that you should perhaps calm down and cool off in your room or someplace else, you seemed to disagree with me for just about two seconds.
Then you straightened up, nodded and walked out with about as much dignity as you could muster. I followed you, just to make sure that you wouldn't cause a fight someplace else, but you went straight for the elevator and I assume that you went to your room after that, because I didn't receive any complaints about you." His answers seems to satisfy Kevin to some extend.
Kevin breaks off another piece of his apple pie, but only ends up playing with it, shoving it around with his fork.
"I must apologize. I had too much to drink and I had heard a few things from my family and ... it was like it was pain upon insult upon betrayal and ... I lost it. And I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to explain or apologize to me." Scotty smiles. "No harm done. It may have been annoying for the others in the restaurant, but I think that, in general, people simply moved on with their dinner and they didn't pay much attention. It helped, I assumed, that I stepped in quickly and you left without causing further trouble."
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Plus, your family immediately went on their best behavior too, so it was calm very quickly." Kevin slowly agrees, before a little smile lights up his face. "At least, I can walk back into the restaurant tonight with my head held high."
Scotty feels that he should, if only to wipe those smug grins from his bothers' faces, but he doesn't mention this, not wanting to be responsible for another fight between the Walker-brothers.
"I would do that if I were you, but preferably stick to drinking water tonight."
"Yes, sir." Kevin salutes and Scotty laughs.
*********
End of Chapter 2
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