Page 19 of Drink Up, Darling
“So, Godwin. How did you find yourself living in a place like this?” Athens asked after a mouthful. He’d tied his hair back to keep it out of his face. Even from the distance he was sitting, Dariel noticed how fine Athens’ bone structure was. Sharp cheekbones but a soft brow and jaw,the best of bothhe found himself thinking.
Godwin straightened his back and his lips disappeared behind his moustache. A brief glimmer of melancholypassed over his face before he turned to Athens with a smile. “I’m afraidto admit the answer is rather dull. It’s in the family, this was passed to me many years ago.”
“Impressive, so you’ve always lived in wealth then?” Athens continued casually.
Godwin cleared his throat again. “That's all I’ve known. Though…” he paused, perhaps considering the wording of his answer, “I wouldn’t say wealth equates to happiness, I hope you understand.”
Not the reply Dariel was expecting, but it was the most they’d gotten out of the man thus far.
“What do you mean by that? If you don’t mind me asking?” Athens was not letting down. It was rather like an interrogation now, Dariel observed.
Godwin’s brow furrowed a little and he dropped his miniature fork to the table. “Well, you know. Money doesn’t buy happiness, it’s a common phrase, I’m sure you’ve heard…” Godwin trailed off, adjusting his chair.
“I understand what you mean, Godwin,” Dariel said, garnering the attention of both men as he spoke. “I came into quite a bit of money about ten years ago with my work, and you think at a time when you don’t have it, it will sort everything out in your life. It is the cure to everything that could possibly ail you, both mentally and physically. But you find out rather fast that actually, it changes nothing.”
Athens kept looking at Dariel, gaze softening.
“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly it.” Godwin relaxed again and picked his fork back up, pointing it towards Dariel as a prop of expression. “It is quite sad, really.”
“A fact of life,” Athens bluntly stated, leaning back into his chair, and knitting his fingers together over his stomach. He’d finished already.
“I actually began to give most of it away to charities. It was only right, since I hadn’t really earned a penny myself,” Godwin continued.
That pleasantly surprised Dariel, but Athens cut in with his next question before Dariel could dwell. “What sort of charities do you support?” he said.‘Here we go.’
“Well, quite a few.” Godwin dabbed his mouth with his napkin. “Mainly ones for, erm. LBGT… erm… sorry.” Godwin’s eyes rolled up as he mouthed his mind calculations. “L.G.B.T sorry. I’m terrible with acronyms, forgive me.”
Dariel watched Athens’ eyes widen as his own did the same.
‘Never mind. Let the man speak… that was entirely unexpected.’
The three of them sat in silence for a moment, Dariel clanging his fork to his plate before the air choked him.
“You’re…” Athens started. It was clear he really had been thrown off guard.
Godwin nodded to himself, sitting back. “I’ve been donating for years. I, well, it means a lot to me.”
Dariel sat still, his mind whirring with memories and all the struggles he watched people go through. All the hate and lies thrown at him and everyone else over the decades.Dirty queers. It’s unnatural. You’re going to hell.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Godwin suddenly stood, scraping his chair back over the polished floor and lifting his plate. “Are we erm, are you both finished?”
Dariel wasn’t quite done, though he could never force himself to eat too much solid food, especially when he was nervous, so he politely accepted as Godwin reached for his and Athens’ plates then hastily disappeared out of the room.
Athens shot up the moment the door swung closed and strode straight up to Dariel, placing his right hand on Dariel’sshoulder; eyes wandering around the room as he spoke. “Okay, we’ve definitely misjudged him, big time. I’m…”
“Lost for words?” Dariel looked up to the other man, whose bare, elegant fingers were still pressing into his shoulder. The fluttering in his stomach returned.
Athens finally planted his eyes on Dariel, but his gaze was still distant, his mind too active. “Yeah, I’m…” he bent down and lowered his voice. “Do you think he’s like us?”
“Queer or dead?” Dariel tried to joke, it was the best he could do.
Athens’ shoulders loosened again, and he dropped his hand, face wandering back to the door behind Dariel’s chair. “We made him uncomfortable. Well,Idid. I really am a little full on sometimes.”
“It’s okay.” Dariel remained as calm as he could in his chair. “We’ll change the subject, quiz him about the invitations, and work out if he really does still have staff.” He shut his mouth.‘Keep the conversation light and humorous and he’s bound to let it slip without us having to do a great deal.’
‘I could convince him to tell us everything.’Athens’ tone came across slightly skittish still.
“No. We don’t need to… it’s not right. He doesn’t deserve that.” Dariel made sure his voice sounded confident and assertive as he spoke aloud once more.It wouldn’t be fair.
