Still reeling after everything that happened with telling Charlie and Oliver’s parents, David and Nick decided it would be best to wait a little before they had to approach their own father with the news. A couple of weeks went by and David and Nick were discussing how best to approach Stéphane.
“We could just call him up, leave a message on his voicemail telling him we’re getting married and leave it with him to approach us,” David suggested.
“He’s still our dad, we can’t just tell him in a voicemail message,” Nick scolded.
“Well it’s not like he ever answers his phone.”
“No David, you know what I mean. We should tell him in person, like we did for Mum and for Olly and Char’s parents,” Nick ever the optimist.
“And look how well that went,” David reminded Nick. Nick gave him a sympathetic smile, “How is Olly doing?”
David sighed, “Mostly ok, I guess, we talked a little about it, right after it happened, but then he clammed up and is just pretending they don’t exist.” Nick reached for David’s shoulder, “Give him time.”
“I am, I just,” David paused but Nick finished his sentence for him, “you just wish you could make everything better. Sounds familiar.” David nodded.
“We should go to Paris,” Nick suddenly announced.
“There’s still no guarantee Dad will see us. You know he’s always had better things to do than spend time with us.”
“That’s why we should go to Paris,” Nick said as if his reasoning was obvious, “then even if we don’t manage to see him, at least we get to take our fiancés to the city of love,” Nick smiled proudly as if he’d jut had the best idea ever. David thought about it, and he couldn’t deny that the thought of taking Olly away for a romantic break had its appeal.
A few weeks later, when the easter holidays arrived at Nick’s school, David and Nick were boarding the Eurostar at London’s St Pancras station to take their partners to Paris. Charlie had asked Nick if they planned to see Stéphane when they were there, but Nick had just waved him off with a “we’ll see.” Charlie knew from their previous trip to Paris when thy were still in school, that trying to meet up with Nick’s dad was a mission in itself. He hoped, for Nick’s sake, that Stéphane would make the time to see his sons. No matter what feelings he had about his own mother, at least she wanted to see her children, even if you she was awful to them when she did.
The journey to Paris was spent laughing, joking, and enjoying the onboard bar facilities. They’d decided not to drive so that if everything went badly, Nick and David could drown their sorrows safe in the knowledge that the train would get them home safely.
“Mesdames et Messieurs, nous arrivons maintenant à Paris, Gare du Nord”, was announced through the trains PA system || “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now arriving at Paris, Gare du Nord”. As their train approached the station, the boys made sure they had all their belongings for their long weekend and prepared to leave the train.
Their hotel was just a short walk from the station, when they arrived at reception David spoke to the woman behind the desk, “Bonjour, j’ai réservé deux chambres au nom de David Nelson.” || Hello, I booked two rooms in the name of David Nelson.
She typed David’s name into the computer in front of her to locate their booking, “Deux chambres doubles? Mais vous êtes tous des hommes? Nous avons quelques chambres doubles disponibles si vous préférez.” || Two double rooms? But you are all men? We have some twin rooms available if you would prefer.
Charlie felt Nick tense up at his side, but as he didn’t speak French he didn’t know what the woman had said. He placed his hand at the base of Nick’s back to try and ease his tension with his touch.
Unperturbed by the receptionists response, David calmly replied, “J’ai réservé deux chambres doubles, c’est ce que nous voulons.” || I booked two double rooms, that is what we want.
The woman gave the boys a look that Charlie could have sworn was one of disgust before she placed two sets of key cards on the desk in front of David and walked away from the counter.
“Quelle salope!” Nick muttered || What a bitch!
“In English please Frenchie,” Charlie teased his boyfriend.
“Oh, sorry, she was just really judgmental about us having double beds and erm,” Nick paused, “she tried to get us to change to two twin rooms instead.”
“What a bitch,” Charlie replied which made Nick laugh, “that’s what I said.”
As the boys rode up in the lift to their floor, Olly whispered in David’s ear, “Maybe tonight you can talk to me in French while you’re inside me,” causing David to blush.
“I heard that,” Charlie told his brother.
“Shit,” Olly said.
“Aww, it seems you’re not the only Spring sibling to like it when the Nelsons speak French mon armour,” Nick teased, now it was Charlie’s turn to blush. That night in their rooms though, the Nelson brothers did both whisper sweet affections in French while they were each inside their lovers.
The first couple of days they were in Paris they hadn’t managed to get hold of Stéphane, instead they spent their time exploring the city and having romantic dinners together reminiscent of their joint Valentine’s meal. They all went up the Eiffel Tower, but this time Nick & Charlie finally got to kiss at the top, unlike on their previous trip to Paris when Nick was still in the closet.
The day before they were due to head back to England, they finally got the call they had been waiting for, Stéphane was free to meet them today at his apartment. As they were heading across the city, Olly was starting to feel nervous. He still felt bad about what had happened to David with his own parents and now not only was David going to be telling his dad about them, but he was also actually coming out to him so that he could do that. David had tried to reassure him that it would all be ok, but it didn’t help with alleviating his thoughts.
Sensing his brother’s anxiety, Charlie came over and took Olly’s hand in his, “Listen, everything will be ok. David is doing this as much for him as he is for you. He loves you Olly and nothing is going to change that.” Olly let out the breathe that he hadn’t realise he’d been holding.
“Thanks Charlie,” Olly smiled at his big brother, “you really are a good brother.” Charlie pulled Olly in for a hug and then returned to Nick’s side.
“He’s right you know,” David leaned in, making Olly jump.
“Don’t do that.”
“It will be ok Olly, I haven’t cared what he thinks of me for years and I promise if he were to say anything nasty about you, we’ll leave and never look back,” David reassured him while holding tight to his hand.
“This is it,” Nick called when they reached Stéphane’s apartment building. As they walked inside the lobby they all looked around at the white walls with sharp black accents and modern artwork adorning them. “Fancy,” Olly said.
When they all walked into the apartment it felt more like a show home than somewhere that anyone actually lived. Everything was spotless and looked like it hadn’t been used before.
“Entrez, soyez les bienvenus, puis-je vous apporter quelque chose à boire, les garçons?” Stéphane offered.|| Come in, welcome, can I get you boys something to drink?
“Pouvons-nous parler en anglais s’il vous plaît papa, Charlie et Olly ne parlent pas français,” asked Nick. || Can we speak in English please papa, Charlie & Olly don’t speak French.
“Bien sûr, of course, my apologies, coffee?” || Of course.
The boys all nodded their acceptance of Stéphane’s offer of coffees and followed him into the kitchen. It was looking more and more like this wasn’t somewhere he spent a lot of time, as their father’s attempts to use his fancy coffee machine were a bit of a disaster. Thankfully Oliver & Charlie both spent their spare time while at university working as baristas so between them they had the machine purring in no time.
Coffees in hand, they all settled around the small table in the corner of the kitchen.
“So how are you boys?” Stéphane asked without directing his question at anyone in particular. David & Nick both replied ‘Good’ in unison in response. This was it, they had to make their announcement one last time. Nick and David had already agreed that sticking to the same order as before made sense as David had more explaining to do than Nick.
Not knowing how long they would have before work would call him away, Nick started, “Papa, so you know Charlie and I have been together for 10 years now. Well,” Nick looked to Charlie and they smiled at each other before Nick continued, “we’re getting married.”
“That’s wonderful news, congratulations boys,” Stéphane smiled as he shook first Charlie’s and then Nick’s hands forcefully.
“Thanks papa,” Nick smiled, none of them had expected that to be so simple, it gave David hope that his own news might not come as the disaster he’d been mentally preparing himself for.
“So David, do you have a girlfriend yet?” Stéphane asked causing Olly to stiffen beside him.
“Well Dad, that’s the other reason we’re here,” David started, “You see, erm,” Olly squeezed David’s leg under the table reassuring him that he was there by his side.
“You see, like Nick, I’m bisexual and I’ve been dating Olly for the last four years and well,” he looked at Olly with love his eyes before turning back to his father, “we’re engaged too.”
There was silence for a few moments, Olly was starting to panic that everything was about to go wrong like it did with his mother. Then Stéphane broke the silence, “Quatre ans?! Et tu viens juste de me le présenter maintenant?” || Four Years?! And you’re only just introducing me to him now?
David burst out laughing, that wasn’t the reaction he was expecting from his father. Oliver looked between the two men, “Erm, what’s going on?”
“Sorry, I was just so shocked that David hadn’t introduced us properly before now that I slipped back into Français,” Stéphane answered, “It’s so lovely to finally meet you properly Oliver. How did you two meet?”
Olly chuckled, “It’s a bit of a strange story really, you see Charlie is my brother.” Stéphane’s jaw dropped, now he looked at the two boys he could see the family resemblance. “Yeah, so David and I met through them and just fell in love,” Olly continued while looking at David who was blushing now.
“Wonderful, and congratulations to you both too,” Stéphane shook their hands the same as he had done for Nick & Charlie.
They stayed and chatted a little longer, Nick and David telling stories of their recent amateur rugby games, before Stéphane’s work beckoned and the boys headed back to their hotel.
“So, that went well, right?” Olly asked, confused at how easy all of that seemed to go. David surprised Oliver by picking him up and swinging him round in the air, “Yes that went well mon chéri,” David giggled as he kissed his fiancé.