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Kingsport #54

“Thank you for meeting me off-site, Dylan.” Meredith McCarthy, the CEO of Davenport Technology, sat on the edge of a sofa in Dylan’s sitting room. She surveyed the man for whom she technically worked for as she cleared her throat. “The board and I are concerned…”

Dylan Davenport nodded slowly. “I don’t think Nicholas will be a terrible board member. Despite what people think about him, he’s very smart. Don’t let the guileless demeanor fool you.”

“I haven’t come here to discuss Nicholas.” Meredith leaned into Dylan with grave concern. “My sources on Wall Street have told me that someone is buying up Davenport Technology’s debt.”

“Excuse me?”

“My friends in the bond market tell me that entities from Hong Kong, Sydney, and Geneva are making very attractive offers to buy our bonds from our existing bondholders.” Meredith took a deep breath before saying, “Who’s to say why they’re doing it and what for.”

Dylan listened to Meredith carefully. While he didn’t always agree with how she ran his family’s company, she hadn’t run it into the ground. She was beyond competent and furthermore, she wasn’t one to let a battle stand in the way of her vision. “Who have you talked to, Meredith?”

“I can’t reveal my sources…”

“Fair enough, but I don’t think now is the right time to employ diplomatic immunity. If shadowy entities are buying up our bonds, I want to know why.”

“I think we both know the reason why,” muttered Meredith.

“No,” Dylan said after a brief moment. “No. If someone wanted to take over the company, they could do it through our publicly traded stock.”

“Could they? Dylan, you and your family own the biggest share of stock.”

“I’m aware of that, Meredith!”

“Don’t snap at me! Dylan, look… Why on earth would someone want to buy our bonds? We’re a reliable player in the tech world, but we’re not setting the world on fire. Davenport Technology is solid and steady. Our bonds yield a nice return, but the stock is a better play.”

Dylan eyed Meredith carefully. In that instant, he could feel the wheels begin to spin and turn in his brain. Dylan knew that Meredith’s point was salient. Why buy up the bonds of a company like Davenport when the stock was a better play. “How many people know about this, Meredith?”

“So far, it’s just me and my sources. It’s only a matter of time before the financial papers find out. They’ll have a field day humiliating us in the business press.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“You’re not the CEO anymore,” corrected Meredith.

“I’m not your adversary, Meredith. I need you to trust me. One hundred percent.”

She eyed Dylan carefully. “Dylan, I don’t know…”

“I know. That’s exactly why you need to trust me. When you get home today contact your sources and get the names or any relevant information concerning the entities buying up our bonds.”

“What good will that do?”

“If the Panama Papers have taught us anything it’s that all roads usually lead back to one source…a single point of origin.”

“Dylan, I don’t understand…”

“You will,” he assured her. “However, I need you to trust me. We will keep this out of the press for as long as we can, but whatever you do, do not tell the board. Do not tell your husband. Do not discuss this on your business cell phone or while you’re in the office. Is that understood?”

Meredith eyed Dylan carefully before saying, “If you’re sure…”

“I am. No one buys corporate bonds just because. These entities are up to something. Give me some time and I’ll find out who’s behind it.”

“How can you be so self-assured that you’ll be able to figure it out?”
Dylan never answered Meredith’s question because he knew in his heart of hearts that something was amiss. And if it took him six years and ten million dollars, he would find out who or what was behind this assault on his company. Nothing ever happened in a vacuum. Sooner or later, the whole thing would blow wide open…

“Are you surprised?” Lisa Davenport bit into a club sandwich in the kitchen of her well-appointed mansion. “She’s always been that way.”

Nicholas Davenport took a sip of iced tea before saying, “I don’t like being accused of something that isn’t my fault, Lisa. You should have seen how smug and accusatory she was to me. She treated me like some interloper when I’m a denizen of this world as much as she is!”

Lisa surveyed Nicholas carefully. “Nicky, I’m going to ask you something and I don’t want you to get upset with me.”

“What?” he asked carefully.

“Could it be possible that you and Will have unfinished business and that’s what Alison picked up on the other day at the country club?”

“No! God, Lisa! What is it with people in this town? In all of the times I’ve come back to Kingsport, I haven’t seen Will. We were together from eighteen until I broke up with him when we were twenty-two. I moved to Los Angeles and he moved to Amsterdam. The end. No more. At this point, we’re barely even friends.”

Lisa studied her baby brother carefully. “If that’s true, then why are you so annoyed with Alison? She loves to rile people up which is why I don’t bother talking to her.”

“It was more than her trying to rile me up, Lisa. She…she accused me of being the reason behind Connor not showing up to their wedding. I told Will…”

Lisa sat up with a shot. “What did you tell Will?”

Nicholas averted his sister’s inquisitive gaze. He knew he’d said too much. “I told Monty…Will, sorry, that if he didn’t want to marry Connor, then he shouldn’t.”

“Nicky!”

“I also told him that I didn’t want to get sucked into his orbit again and here I am!” Nicholas pushed his plate away from him. “I know it was a mistake even thinking about coming back to Kingsport.”

“This isn’t a Kingsport problem, it’s a you and Will problem!”

“No, it isn’t, Lisa. I’m not the reason Connor ditched Will at the altar. Whatever happened to make Connor run off has nothing to do with me.”

Lisa deftly arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Are you sure about that, Nicky?”

“Lisa…”

“Hear me out: If Will expressed these feelings and urges to you, what’s to say he didn’t express them to Connor? Let’s say Connor realized that you and Will had been spending time together and, well, maybe their wedding being a bust is kind of your fault…by proxy.”

“No. I will not be held responsible for other people’s actions. Not again!” Nicholas rose from the kitchen table as he said, “I knew I should’ve stayed in Manhattan. The minute I step foot into this incestuous town, everything comes down on me like acid rain.”

Lisa tried to stop her brother as he began to storm out of her house. “Where are you going? Nicky!”

With that, her front door slammed shut. As Lisa tried to understand what had just happened, only one thing made sense for sure: Whether he wanted to admit it or not, her brother still had feelings for Will Montgomery…and that scared her more than anything else in the world…

 

In our next installment, Nicholas confronts Will as Alison’s suspicions are confirmed…

 

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Kingsport #53

Barbara Wilkes sat in the waiting room of the emergency room when Dr. Brooks came up to her with a woeful look. “Is he all right, doctor?” asked Barbara in a soft, hushed tone. “He seemed fine last night…”

Dr. Brooks glanced at the chart in her hands. “Mr. Wilkes seems to have Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome. It’s either that or abdominal pain brought on by a hernia.”

“Oh.” Barbara wiped away a few stray tears. “I didn’t know what do when he collapsed.”

“It’s good you brought him in when you did. It could be an intestinal issue as well, but if the stomach cramps continue, bring him back. He should be all right in a couple of days.”

Barbara thanked the doctor for her help as a dark cloud covered her tear streaked face. She had done everything in her power to ensure Kenny would be out of her life forever and now the doctor was sending him home. Maybe she hadn’t used enough pills or used them quickly enough, but in that moment, Barbara knew she would have to alter her plan to rid Kenny from her life. Screwing up all of the false compassion inside of her, Barbara walked through the thin curtain to find Kenny on a gurney.

“Still feel like crap,” groaned Kenny. “Why’re they sendin’ me home?”

“You don’t have insurance and I can’t pay for you to stay here for six weeks.” Barbara drummed her fingers against her purse. “If you went back home, I’m sure someone would…”

“This is my home now,” sneered Kenny. “Can’t believe my gut’s betrayin’ me.”

“You’re not healthy. You spend my money on beer and pork rinds. Enough to make me sick just be watching you.”

Kenny reached out for Barbara’s hand, but she ignored him. “I’m sick. I need ya, girlie.”

Barbara took a sharp breath. “I have to pay the bill. You’re lucky I make decent money.” With that, Barbara spun around and left Kenny on the gurney. As she quickly walked into the restroom, Barbara knew she had to rid herself of his man once and for all. If the pills didn’t work, what would? As she racked her brains for an answer, she had a brilliant thought: If everyone thinks he’s incompetent or crazy, then she could assume total control of his life…and get rid of Kenny Wilkes once and for all…

“We should drop by the estate to check on Billy before I leave for Los Angeles.” Warren Montgomery finished his second martini of the night as he relaxed into his favorite leather chair.

Jill Stanhope Montgomery bit her lip with quiet resignation. “I don’t see why we should check on Billy. He’s fine.”

“He’s been humiliated,” corrected Warren. “I could kill Connor.”

“Warren, I know Connor is supposed to be your best friend, but…”

“But what, Jill? After Connor’s little stunt, he’s no friend of mine.”

Jill could feel her blood begin to boil at the mention of Connor’s name. She had been a fool to have sex with him days before his wedding to Will, but it wasn’t her fault because she needed to have a real man inside of her. To Jill’s surprise, the guilt she should have felt had yet to surface. “I don’t think it’s worth throwing away your friendship with Connor because of what happened to Will.”

Warren shook his head with grave resignation. “I wouldn’t expect to you have any compassion for my brother, Jill. I know you hate him because he’s gay.”

“That’s not true,” Jill protested hollowly. “It’s just…”

Warren raised a defiant hand. “Don’t even brother.” He rose from his chair, closed the large French doors, and said, “No one deserves that kind of public humiliation.”

Jill let out a frustrated sigh. “Have you talked to your parents?”

“I talked to my dad. He said that Billy is still locked away in his bedroom suite, but he’s eating and will leave the estate to ride Sir Galahad, but that’s it. Billy won’t speak to anyone right now.”

“Then us going over there won’t do any good. Warren, if you want to see Will, then go without me. Me being there will only make matters worse.”

“I suppose you’re right,” reasoned Warren. “Anyway, it’s late. I should get to bed. Good night, Jill.”

Jill watched her husband walk upstairs before she let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t been subjected to Will and Connor’s wedding, her daughters hadn’t been in their wedding party, she’d been able to sleep with Connor, and he’d left town. Everything was working out in Jill’s world. A small smile crossed her lips as Jill realized she could get away with anything… Little did she know, but her world was close to imploding in a way she never could have dreamed…

 

In our next installment, Dylan sounds the alarm…

 

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Kingsport #52

 

Due to the fact that the summer season had officially ended, the Kingsport Country Club went through its usual rounds of draining the outdoor swimming pools, putting the pool chairs into storage, and preparing for autumnal festivities. As Nicholas Davenport watched the ground crews work from the comfort of his table in the dining room, he couldn’t stop thinking about Will. No matter what had happened between them years ago, Nicholas never would have wished that sort of sheer humiliation on him. Nicholas didn’t know Connor at all, but he knew Will and Will wasn’t the sort of person to be callous that he deserved to be left at the altar.

“May I join you?”

Nicholas was startled from his reverie to find Alison Farrell Montgomery standing across from him. He sat up straight before saying, “Of course.” Nicholas eyed Alison carefully as she sat down, waved over a waiter, and ordered a vodka martini. “How’s Will?”

Alison let out a defeated sigh. “He was much better before you came back to Kingsport,” charged Alison. “I want to know what went on between you and Billy.”

“Hold on, Mrs. Montgomery! What happened on Will and Connor’s wedding day has nothing to do with me.”

“How can you be so vapid? It has everything to do with you,” spat Alison. She took a deep breath as the waiter dropped off her martini and vanished. “You know how much Billy loves you!”

Nicholas avoided eye contact with Alison. He’d known this woman his entire life. She was his mother’s best friend. He was Will’s mother. However, despite those two things, Nicholas couldn’t stand Alison Farrell Montgomery. He found her to be cold, aloof, entitled, and without any genuine feeling. Furthermore, she valued her life in Paris over the lives of her children, which she’d proved time and time again. “Mrs. Montgomery, I haven’t seen or spoken to Will in years. He and Connor have been together for, what? Two years? Whatever happened to cause Connor to walk out on Will has absolutely nothing to do with me! The fact that you would even suggest I’m to blame is insulting.”

“I know how my son feel about you.”

“How? It’s not as if you’ve ever taken an active role in his life.”

“How dare you!”

“How dare I? Come off it, Mrs. Montgomery. I dated Will for four years. I know how toxic you are to your children, especially Will. The games you play with them to gain your affection… How you drift in and out of their lives when it’s convenient for you! It’s a wonder Will is as well-adjusted as he is. It’s a shame the same can’t be said about India.”

“You leave my daughter out of this!”

“I will as long as you leave me out of the detritus that is Will and Connor’s relationship.”

“They were happy before you came back to town, Nicholas. Can’t you see that something must have shifted?”

Nicholas instantly remembered the kiss he shared with Will on Labor Day. It felt like old times. It felt right and wrong at the same time. Even though Nicholas had pulled away seconds after it happened, he would have been a liar to say he didn’t enjoy every minute of it. “I can’t see how anything has shifted because I haven’t been here to witness it.”

“Then talk to Billy…”

“What? No!”

“If you two are supposed to be friends…”

“I’ve already talked to Will.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I talked to him before the wedding and on Labor Day.” Nicholas stopped himself before adding, “Mrs. Montgomery, Will and Connor were already having problems. Other than that, you need to talk to Will.”

“Billy won’t talk to any of us. He won’t even talk to Warren.”

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

“I think there is. Nicholas, according to my son, you were his first love. That kind of love leaves a lasting imprint on one’s heart. Maybe seeing you stirred up those old feelings which made Billy uncertain about his future with Connor.”

Nicholas let out an exasperated sigh as he finished his beer. “You’re clutching at straws.”

“I want my son to be happy.”

“He will be. One day. Who’s to say he didn’t dodge a bullet by not marrying Connor?”

Alison chewed on this for a moment. Yes, she’d voiced her own concerns about Will’s marriage to Connor, but she never thought their relationship would end up like this. “I suppose we’ll never know,” she replied stoically.

“Look, if you want my opinion, give Will space. From what I know about him, he needs time to process everything. Once he does, he’ll open up. Until then, just leave him alone.”

“I can’t!”

“You’ll have to!” Nicholas opened his wallet, dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table, and stood up. “If you want to be there for Will, then be there for him. Don’t try to blame me or anyone else for Connor’s actions. Your son is a wonderful man and, one day, he will find his soulmate. Until then, I can’t help you, Mrs. Montgomery. Have a good day.”

As Alison watched Nicholas Davenport walk out of the country club’s dining room, she pondered his words. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Nicholas knew Will better than most people in the world. With the demise of Will and Connor’s relationship on her mind, Alison couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Nicholas was the one to blame because, little did anyone else know, she’d witnessed the kiss Will and Nicholas shared two days before the wedding…

 

In our next installment, Barbara deals with an emergency…

 

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Kingsport #51

In the days following the non-wedding of Will Montgomery and Dr. Connor Windsor, everyone in Kingsport wondered what had actually happened to make Connor run off into the abyss. Were things as bad as the leaked story in the Kingsport Press intoned? Was it true that Will was a spoiled, over privileged monster? Could it be that Connor had been kidnapped by an organized crime syndicate? No one knew for sure, but everyone had theory. The Montgomery family wasn’t speaking to the press while the Windsors were hounded day and night for comment. It was in this moment that Raquel Windsor decided that she had to speak to Alison and Charles in order to clear the air. Although Alistair Windsor advised his wife against her impulsive decision, he accompanied her to the Montgomery Estate as a throng of photographers chased them through the quiet lanes of Kingsport.

“I have nothing to say to either of you,” snapped Alison Farrell Montgomery. She stood near the window of the Smoking Room as Charles Montgomery, IV surveyed their errant guests over a glass of whisky. “I always knew your son was an egomaniac, but for him to abandon my son at the altar on their wedding day…! It’s exceedingly cruel!”

Raquel could feel sweating pouring down her body. “We didn’t know Connor wasn’t going to show up, Alison! You have to believe us!”

“I don’t have to believe anything you say, Raquel!” roared Alison.

“Alistair, we’ve been trying to console Billy for days, but it’s impossible. We both know you and Raquel are not wholly responsible for Connor’s actions, yet I don’t think it’s best for us to meet in this manner when emotions are so raw,” intoned Charles. He scanned Alistair and Raquel before adding, “What’s done is done. We’ll have to find a way to move on.”

“And to think we gave Connor a second chance after everything he did to India,” growled Alison.

“Hold on, Alison,” interrupted Alistair. “Nothing was ever proven. We all know your daughter lives in a reality of her own.”

“I won’t…” began Alison.

Alistair took Raquel by the arm and led her towards the door of the Smoking Room. “We’ll never know what really happened between Will and Connor. Something made Connor decide that he couldn’t go through with the wedding. I’m sorry for the shame it’s brought to your family and the scandal it’s brought to mine.”

Charles watched Alistair and Raquel leave the Smoking Room as he released a heavy sigh. “You needn’t’ve been so forcefully with Alistair and Raquel.”

Alison rolled her eyes. “The Windsors are not my concern; Billy is my concern, Charles.” She collapsed into an overstuffed chair and buried her head in her hands. “I can’t believe we let this happen to our little boy.”

“He’s not a little boy anymore, Alison. Billy will recover. Actually, Alistair had a point: Neither of us know what happened in Billy and Connor’s relationship which caused Connor to run off.”

“I can’t believe you’re taking their side!”

“Alison, I’m not. However, you and I both know that relationships are complicated. Connor may have had a very good reason to leave Billy at the altar. We’ll never know for sure. In the meantime, we have to be there for our son. We can’t abandon him now.”

“Go away. I don’t want to see anybody.”

India Montgomery closed the door to Will’s bedroom before she said, “I told you Connor is a very bad man. You should have believed me.”

Will wiped his eyes as he turned to his sister with stunned irritation. “Not everything is about you, India! God! I don’t even know why you’re here. Just go away.”

“You need to listen to me, Billy!”

“Get out of my room,” hissed Will.

“Billy, Connor is a bad man. What he did to you is…unforgiveable…but, you will forgive him because that’s who you are, Billy. You forgive bad people all the time.”

“I’ve never forgiven you for making my entire life a living hell.”

“I only tried to love you,” simpered India. “When you took Connor from me, I didn’t hurt you. I…I didn’t hurt Connor, either. I let you have him…now it looks like karma has done the rest for me.”

“How can you say that to me?”

“Because your feelings don’t matter to me. Billy, you need to wake up! Connor never loved you. He’s said he’s loved me for years…”

“Get out of my room, India!!!!”

“And no matter how much Connor says he loves you, it will never be true! He humiliated you! If I were you, I wouldn’t be sitting in my room crying over that man. I’d thank my lucky stars I avoided a lifetime of misery with that man.”

Will’s eyes narrowed on his sister. His sister. How he hated this woman. His first conscious memory of India was of her trying to push him down the grand staircase. It only got worse from there. And now, at his lowest moment, his sister was trying to insist that he move on from Connor when she was the one who was obsessed with him. “India, I know exactly what you’re doing. You are one of the most selfish people I know!”

“I’m not selfish,” gasped India. “Billy…”

“Enough! God, I hate you. You’ve been obsessed with Connor for years. He’s never returned your sick obsession with him and now you’re trying to get me out of the picture so you can – what? – get him to love you all over again? You are twisted, India! Quite frankly, if I never spoke to you again, I’d be the happiest man alive. Now get out of my room before I do something I won’t regret!”

India stood in stunned silence that her usually meek mannered and easy to manipulate brother had bared his claws. She quietly left her brother’s bedroom suite, started down the corridor, and stopped. Maybe, just maybe, she could use this situation to her advantage. Connor was gone, but it didn’t mean he didn’t love her; it meant he didn’t love Will. And, in that moment of clarity, India knew that one day she would have the man she loved because he had shown her that Will wasn’t the Montgomery he wanted; it was her.

 

In our next installment, Alison places the blame on Nicholas…

 

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Kingsport #50

“All of Kingsport, Manhattan, London, Paris, and Hong Kong are a twitter with the news of today’s wedding of Montgomery scion, William Harrison Montgomery to Dr. Connor Lorenzo Windsor, both of Kingsport, Connecticut. The wedding ceremony will take place at a private chapel on the Montgomery Estate for close family and invited guests before the reception which is rumored to be hosted in the grand ballroom on the estate for three hundred and fifty people,” explained the Kingsport Press in breathless detail. “William Montgomery, the youngest child of Charles Montgomery, IV and Alison Farrell Montgomery, is the owner of the Kingsport Polo Club as well as the captain for the King’s Polo team. Dr. Connor Windsor, the eldest child of Alistair and Raquel Windsor, is a surgeon at Fairfield County Hospital…”

Jill Stanhope Montgomery tossed the newspaper aside as she took a deep, cleansing breath. Although she tried to block out the events of the other from her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about her moment of passion with Connor. Her body ached for him. He still knew everything that made her quiver, cry, moan, and melt. Warren hadn’t had sex with her in three months. To have a man inside of her…on top of her…and ravaging her made Jill want nothing more than to run off with the man who was due to marry her brother-in-law at eleven o’clock this morning.

“Are you ready?” Warren Montgomery walked into his wife’s dressing room as he fastened his nineteenth century cuff links.

“DeShawn will be here to do my hair in a few minutes. We won’t be late.”

Warren eyed Jill carefully. “We can’t be late for my brother’s wedding,” stressed Warren. “I’m his best man.”

Jill fastened an emerald and sapphire bracelet around her wrist. “We’ll be early,” smiled Jill, lightly.

“We should’ve stayed at the estate last night,” muttered Warren. “With all of the out of town guests coming in today, there may be traffic.”

“We’ll be fine,” sighed Jill. “Warren, I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

“Everything. I know I haven’t been myself recently and I am sorry. I should have put my personal beliefs and feelings aside when it came to Will’s wedding.”

Touched by his wife’s sudden about face, Warren kissed her forehead. “That means a lot. Thank you, Jill.”

Just then, the doorbell rang as Jill’s phone bleated to life. “That’s DeShawn. Showtime,” tittered Jill.

            “I don’t think we should be talking right now,” Nicholas said into his cell phone as he waited to climb into an idling black town car. “What we did the other night…”
“We didn’t do anything wrong. It was just a kiss,” whispered Will.

“You’re getting married today. I knew it was a bad idea letting myself get sucked into your orbit again,” snapped Nicholas.

“Please don’t be mad at me, Nicholas. I… I was in a weak state and I should’ve known better,” stammered Will. “I just… Help me make sense of what to do, Nicholas.”

“I can’t, Monty. You’re on your own.”

“Nicholas…”

“Monty, I can’t be your talk-to. If you want to marry Connor, marry him. If you don’t, call it off. Either way, the decision is yours. I can’t… No, I won’t be your consolation prize or back-up plan. Whatever you do next, you have to do it on your own.”

The chapel on the Montgomery Estate was last used on the occasion of Warren’s wedding to Jill. Outside of that, the chapel sat dormant except of weekly cleanings and the off times when the Montgomery family would use it to repent for sins of the past, present, and future. Sheila Davenport, Dylan Davenport, Lisa Davenport Collins, Jackson Collins, Oliver Collins, Elijah Davenport, Faren Davenport, and Nicholas Davenport made

their way into the chapel past the assembled press dressed in their finest wedding couture. Eli led Faren towards the holding area where she joined her cousins, Hannah and Kate Montgomery, the other flower girls in the wedding party.

“How tastefully done,” Sheila said to Dylan, who walked by her side.

“I suppose,” muttered Dylan. “I’m surprised Charles allowed the press to attend.”

Sheila pursed her lips. “Raquel Windsor begged for press coverage. People like Raquel think the Montgomerys are a royal family.”

“Aren’t they?” mused Dylan.

“Royalty doesn’t have this much money,” tutted Sheila.

“I didn’t think you’d come to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding,” Lisa whispered to Nicholas as they made their way to their pew.

Nicholas lowered his eyes before saying, “If I didn’t come, people would talk. I’m happy for them.”

Lisa gave Nicholas a curious stare. “All right. If that’s the story you want to tell…”

“Drop it,” Nicholas ordered his sister. “Let’s enjoy the wedding.”

In a small sun drenched waiting room, Will waited calmly as Warren finished tying his bow tie. “Is everyone here?” worried Will.

“Yes,” said Warren, calmly. “Uncle Walton and his brood just showed up.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“Jill texted me. Everything is going to be fine, Billy.”

Will forced a smile onto his face. Despite everything that had happened, he could feel the clouds lift. He was getting married today to the man he loved! Will couldn’t think of anything more wonderful. A second later, the clock stuck eleven. Without a word, Will drew a deep breath before leaving the room and walking towards the altar.

It had been agreed that Will would begin the processional with Alison and Charles followed by Connor and his parents. After what seemed like years of stress and worry, Will cast a confidant eye over the his wedding guests. They were dressed in their finest morning clothes just for the occasion. Even his sister, India, and his sister-in-law, Jill, looked good. Will smiled confidently at Nicholas Davenport because he knew his future was with Connor. As Will took his place at the altar with Warren by his side, they faced up the aisle to await Connor’s entrance. The music swelled and…

Nothing.

Silence.

Three seconds (which felt like six years) ticked by.

More silence.

Someone coughed.

Silence.

People looked at each other with mounting concern coupled with polite society smiles.

More people coughed.

Will turned to Warren with pensive dread in his eyes.

Alison grabbed Charles’ hand with a heavy squeeze. Their eyes locked ever so briefly before they both cast them to the stone floor.

Suddenly, the door to the chapel opened.

Everyone turned around with eager anticipation.

Alistair Windsor stepped into the chapel with a worn look on his face. “We… He’s gone. We don’t know where he is. Will…I’m so sorry.”

Will let out a scream so deafening, it sounded primal. His blood ran cold before he collapsed into Warren’s arms in front of the entire congregation. A second later, everything went black.

 

In our next installment, questions abound in Kingsport…

 

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Kingsport #49

“Lisa, I have to talk to you!” Jill Stanhope Montgomery grabbed her best friend by the hand as they marched across the overly manicured lawns of the Kingsport Country Club towards a secluded gazebo. “Oh, Lisa, I’ve done…the worst thing possible.”

Lisa Davenport Collins straightened the cuff on her end of summer pant suit while balancing a glass of wine in the other hand. She always loved the annual Labor Day at the Kingsport Country Club because it signaled the end of summer and the winding down of the year at hand. “Jill, what on earth…?”

“I… I went to see Connor the other day…”

Lisa heaved a heavy sigh. “Jill! You have to stay away from him. Connor is bad news.”

“I couldn’t help myself. I went to his house to ask him to cancel his wedding to Will.”

“I can’t believe you thought that was a good idea. If Warren finds out…”

“He won’t!”

“He’s good friends with Connor! What’s to stop Connor from telling Warren what you did? Jill, with all of the problems you’ve told me about your marriage, it’s really insipid of you to try to interfere with your brother-in-law’s marriage.”

Jill took a deep breath as she added, “It’s…”

Lisa raised a deft hand. “Stop. Jill, I don’t care what happened with Connor because you shouldn’t’ve gone to see him. We’ve been friends since college, but when it comes to Connor, you lose all sense of yourself. That man has brought nothing but misery to your door.”

“Lisa…”

“No. Forget whatever happened with Connor. Forget that you tried to ruin Will’s wedding day. Focus on Warren, Hannah, and Kate. Everything else doesn’t matter… Not in the least…”

“Billy, Connor. I have a little surprise for you.” Alison Farrell Montgomery waved her son and future son-in-law to her table at the Kingsport Country Club. While she loathed dining in public, Alison always liked the club’s annual Labor Day extravaganza. No expense was spared, which made the ridiculously high price of annual admission somewhat justifiable. “I’ve found the perfect house as my wedding present to you.”

Connor turned his gaze to Will, who did everything in his power to hide behind his aviator sunglasses. “Alison, that’s sweet…”

“It’s the old Havermeyer Estate,” interjected Alison with great excitement. “It turns out Bitsy and Joanie have finally decided to unload it after letting it sit empty for almost a quarter of a century!”

“Alison, that’s…” Connor cleared his throat before saying, “Will and I would like to graciously decline your gift.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Alison glared at Connor before turning to Will. “Billy, what’s this all about?”

“We think,” began Connor.

“I was speaking to my son,” snapped Alison, briskly. “William Harrison Montgomery, what is the meaning of all of this?”

Will shifted uneasily in his deck shoes as he said, “Connor…we…think we’re going to live at Connor’s house.”

“It’s far too small,” exclaimed Alison. “It’s practically a guest house on his parents’ estate! No gardens, a shared pool…there isn’t even a chef’s kitchen!”

“I’ve lived there for years and it’s served me just fine,” sniffed Connor.

Alison narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the smug doctor. “I’m sure it has, Connor. However, you’re marrying my son. He’s been raised in a very specific way that he’s grown accustomed to despite what he may tell you when you’re having sex.”

“Mom!”

“Billy, please. The Havermeyer Estate is the right home for you and Connor. If you want to live at Connor’s while the house is being renovated, then that should be fine. Have your honeymoon period. I’ll pay for all of the renovations and upgrades, so the matter is settled. I won’t hear another word about it!”

“This isn’t your decision to make,” Connor said through clenched teeth. “You don’t even live in America. Don’t you have a broom or something to whisk you back to Paris.”

Without a word, Alison stood up, gave Connor a contemptuous scowl, and disappeared into the country club.

“She’s a bit much today,” sniffed Connor.

“Don’t you ever speak to my mother like that ever again.”

“Will, I…”

Without a word, Will pushed past Connor and into the throng of revelers. He didn’t know what to do or where to go when he looked up to see Nicholas Davenport eating a hamburger at a table with their old friends, Eileen Owens, Journey Adams-Woole, and Ryan Mansky. A surge of nostalgia washed over Will as he surveyed the happy scene. He and Nicholas had been happy together. They were the same people from the same world who both sneered at microwave meals and loved Russian caviar on Ritz crackers. In that moment, Will wondered what his life would have been like had he and Nicholas worked through their issues as young men in their twenties rather than breaking up in search of something better. Will thought Connor was his something better, but they kept fighting. He and Connor were very different people who couldn’t agree on where to live, let alone on how to approach the differences between them. With Nicholas, Will knew they would have moved into the Havermeyer Estate without a question. Alison and Sheila would’ve paid for it and put it in trust for them without a second thought. No guilt. No arguments…just a thank you. In that moment, Will made himself stop thinking such ludicrous thoughts because he and Nicholas were no more…and he was going to marry Dr. Connor Windsor the day after tomorrow.

“Don’t just stand there! Come and join us,” Nicholas shouted to Will. When Will remained frozen in the grass, Nicholas put down his burger to check on his old friend and ex-boyfriend. “Are you all right, Monty?”

“I… I don’t know, Nicholas.”

Before Will could say another word, Nicholas led him into the country club where they found the Red Parlor to be empty. Nicholas sat Will in a chair as he closed the door and surveyed him. “Talk.”

“I… Nicholas, I don’t think I can go through with this wedding.”

“Monty, you… You told me you love Connor.”

“I do! It’s… God, Nicholas, it’s everything else. The way he talked to my mother… Whatever his past is with India… Nicholas, I…I can’t do it. I…just can’t.”

“Then call it off. Get out of town.”

Will looked up at Nicholas and gazed into his soft brown eyes. “I’m being stupid. Everything will be fine once we’re married. I’m just…in my feels… That’s all.”

Nicholas sat next to Will with grave concern. “Monty, don’t deflect because you’re trying to make everyone else happy.”

“I don’t…”

“You do. You do it all the time. Whether it’s your father, your brother, your mother, and now, Connor, you’re always trying to make someone else happy. If marrying Connor won’t make you happy, then don’t do it! For God’s sake, Monty, put your happiness first for once.”

And in that moment, Will put his happiness first as his lips met Nicholas’ and the first kiss they shared in over fifteen years seemed to last an eternity…

 

In our next installment, it’s Will and Connor’s wedding day…

 

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