Summer of Love [cyrodilicbrandy & Agnes]

[Agnes]

[ summer of love ]
​

Siward, California, USA. Summer of Love, 1967.

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​

The faint hum of the Aston Martin DB5 signalled the arrival of Teddy Vartan to the quaint little town of Siward. The 20-year-old felt as if he had entered a place frozen in time; there were scarcely any vehicles other than his own, the air felt strangely clear and uncongested, and the buildings were all small and understated - a far cry from the architectural behemoths that dotted San Francisco. Back there, he had blended in perfectly with his greased hair and leather jacket and shaded aviators, but here, he stood out like a sore thumb. To make matters worse, the locals seemed to be eyeing up his car with looks that were far from friendly - seems they were not particularly fond of strangers. Teddy could not comprehend why anyone would want to live here, but perhaps his grandparents liked the quietness and were sentimental about this place. They'd lived here all their lives, after all. Still, Siward was vastly different to the beautiful, romantic place his mother had told him about in his bedtime stories. Would she be disappointed if she was still alive to see him wrinkling his nose at her beloved hometown?

It was a good thing the town wasn't too large - Teddy soon rolled into a neighbourhood that branched off from the lone main road, eyes flicking every now and then to the address he'd written on his palm. No. (5), Amber Drive. There was 9... 7... there it is. The last time he was here was when he was five years old, and it seems little has changed in the last fifteen years. Thomas and Catherine Adorno's home was as quaint and unassuming as the ones that surrounded it, and Teddy actually had to double-check to see if he was at the right place, as the houses were so similar. He remembered the little back garden his grandmother tended to, though, and nodding to himself as a final confirmation, he parked on the sidewalk and killed the engine. He'd move the car into the garage after he'd greeted his grandparents.

teddy and bevvie

With a deep breath, he checked his reflection in the mirror and practised his smile - the friendly one used to greet family and elders. The reason for his visit weighed heavily at the back of his mind, and it showed in his troubled face. His grandmother was dying. Lung cancer. He was used to putting on a smile on command when he lived with his father, but two years away at college had chipped made him a little loose and expressive. Not a bad thing by any means, but still, he couldn't just barge into the home of his terminally ill grandmother looking sour. After a few seconds, he resigned to the fact that he was unable to put on a convincing smile, and exited the car with a sigh, the beeping from his locking of the doors echoing out through the empty street and prompting a few annoyed looks from the locals. Teddy pursed his lips and cringed.

With sluggish steps, he walked up to the porch, swiping his aviators off and hanging them carelessly on the collar of his shirt, revealing the deep brown colours of his eyes, matching his shiny, meticulously combed brunet hair. In retrospect, it wasn't really a surprise people thought he was an asshole. Sliding a hand into his jeans, he knocked on the door, one, two, three times. He didn't expect his grandparents to come to greet him - they were both over seventy now, after all - probably their caretaker. If the locals were anything to go by, probably a frazzled old woman who'd squint at him like he was a particularly ugly dog. He chuckled a little to himself at that, just as the front door swung open. Instantly, the laugh morphed into wide-eyed surprise as he was greeted by not some overweight middle-aged woman, but a young, beautiful girl that had him inadvertently going red at the ears. It must've been a few moments before he responded, and when he did, it came out disjointed and awkward - the usually suave Teddy was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh... uhm, I seem to have gotten the wrong house. Err... can you point me to Tom and Cat Adorno's place, please? I swear they said it was number 5..."

 

[cyrodilicbrandy]

Beverly Howard had just put the pasta shells in the boiling water when someone knocked on the door, once, twice, three times. She put the lid on the pot and brushed her hands, calling out into the small house with her melodic voice: 'I'll get it!'. Tom and Cat were excited to see their grandson, but she could hardly expect them to be getting up every time someone came to visit - that was why she was here, after all. Bevvie worked for the Adornos full-time, their carer since Cat had been diagnosed with lung cancer. In their seventies now, they had seen the turn of the century as children and several wars, which made for interesting and educational discussions. They had lived in Siward for as long as they could remember, like Bev herself. Siward was one of those places that was slow to catch up with the big, fancy cities. Many people never even visited the city, but even so news, culture and fashion still filtered down eventually.

Bevvie was, at the heart of her being, a hippie, a flower child, an idealistic young woman who loved easily and gave freely, an attitude fostered in her by her mother, Barbara. Her father, Bob, was one of those gruff but soft-hearted hard workers, who accepted Bev's grass smoking and late nights because she worked hard during the days for the privilege to hang loose in the evenings - unlike many of Bev's friends. It meant that she had just as much to teach Tom and Cat about all the hip new things, and she would have loved to have looked after them, even if they weren't paying her a decent amount. As she left the kitchen and passed through the living room where the elderly couple were sitting, Cat's feet resting on top of a pouffe, Frankie Valli crooning 'I can't take my eyes off of you' playing quietly over the small, dinged-up stereo player, Tom looked up and grinned his toothy grin at her. 'That must be Theodore!'

'It must be!' Bev said, grinning back - the Adornos didn't get many impromptu visitors, and they had been talking of little else between them after they found out their grandson was coming to stay over his summer break. It was sad that it wasn't for a happier reason, especially as she understood it had been many years since they'd seen him, that he would be all grown up now; the few pictures they had of him showed a kid that could have been pretty much any little boy. So she had no real expectations when she opened the door, and had the young man not explicitly asked for Tom and Cat, Bev wouldn't have known she was the grandson they were waiting for.

Firstly, she noticed how taller than he she was, even with her standing on the doorstep several inches higher up than where his feet were. Then, the practically pristine threads - he was someone who didn't have to scavenge old clothes that didn't fit anymore and patch up the ones that did, that was for sure. And then, his face - what a hunk. A hunk who seemed embarrassed for some reason, though when he spoke, she understood he thought he'd gotten the wrong house. Bev was usually pretty cool-headed, and when at the Adorno's, was as professional as she could possibly be, but the truth was that she'd never seen someone quite as attractive as Theodore Vartan.

'Ah...' she started, blinking rapidly as she brought herself back to the present. 'No, this is definitely Tom and Cat's place! I'm Bev - their carer.' Here she thrust out a small hand, ostensibly to shake his own. 'They've been so, so excited for you to get here!'

 

[Agnes]

Teddy actually had to crane his neck down to look at the girl properly, such was the difference in their statures, but it still didn't help him feeling rather small and lost. There was a small worry at the back of his mind that he'd accidentally stumbled into some hippie haven, judging from the well-worn and outdated clothes she wore, and the blank expression on her face that mirrored his. She was beautiful, there was absolutely no question about that. Soft brown waves that fell on top of her neck, lush full cheeks and pretty blue eyes that seemed hand-made to allure and captivate. Teddy wouldn't have blinked twice if someone told him she was some pin-up model, if not for her clothes.

A model did not exactly dress like a hippie now, does she? Though, he did see quite the resurgence of the style back in San Francisco - people wearing flowers in their hairs, preaching free love and advocating peace over war. He didn't pay them much attention back then, too wrapped up in his studies, and he distinctly remembers his father turning his nose at them during that one visit. How is it that the other side of his family has been living here all this time?

Her voice cut through his thoughts like a hot knife through butter, and the young man also quickly blinked himself back to the present. Bev. Carer. "Oh, um, nice to meet you, Bev - for Beverly, I assume?" he asked with a small smile as he shook her hand, completely enclosed in his much larger one, lingering perhaps a bit longer than he needed to. Can anyone blame him, though? The smile he wore was the one reserved for talking to the pretty girls at college - the ones that bumped into him in the hallways, the ones that smiled at him from across the room at parties. More lively and genuine than the demure one he'd practised earlier. "Sorry, I assumed the carer would be... a little bit older." And a lot uglier. "I'm Teddy. For Theodore."

An awkward beat later, he glanced inside to see both his grandparents in the living room, and with a nod towards the very pretty girl that had greeted him, Beverly, he entered the quaint little home. He was as out of place here as he was out on the streets, the black of his leather jacket clashing with the soft browns and beige and baby blue of the living room. The little banged up stereo filled the air with Frankie Valli's voice, and Teddy quickly recognised it as the song that was released just before the summer. Seemed his grandparents were quite up-to-date on their musical tastes.

"Theodore!" gasped Cat, taking her feet off the pouffe with some considerable effort, holding her hands out for her grandson, and Teddy obliged without any hesitation. For a woman who was suffering from failing lungs, Catherine Adorno was one lively woman. Teddy hugged her tightly, the scent of her perfume strangely familiar despite their many years apart. "Hey, grandma," he greeted with a smile after he broke away from the embrace, finding himself smiling genuinely at seeing their excitement at meeting him. His grandfather was next, and Teddy offered the old man a handshake, which was ignored as Tom pulled him into an embrace as well. Funny how a man's demeanour changes between fifty-five and seventy.

For the next few minutes, the grandson and grandparents caught up on years' worth of memories with interest, Teddy telling them about college and his major - business, obviously, as he intended to take over his fathers' realtor firm, Vartan Estates - and (repeatedly) reassuring his grandmother that he did not, in fact, have a girl he was seeing. Cat told him about the little garden he loved to play in as a kid, and how she'd managed to maintain it with Beverly's help. Tom, whom Teddy remembered as this gruff, hardened old soldier (the only thing he and his son-in-law agreed about was naming Teddy after Roosevelt), was a far cry from his old self and readily talked to his grandson about life in Siward, and invited Beverly into the conversation, saying how helpful she has been.

Teddy smiled at her thankfully. He had always felt guilty about how he drifted apart from them after his mother passed away, and that it took his grandmother being diagnosed with a terminal illness to bring him here, but knowing they had someone eased his mind and guilt somewhat. And for a moment, between the laughter and the anecdotes, he almost forgot about the depressing reality of his visit. Thinking he should help out in some way, his eyes flicked over to the little kitchen, where he spotted a pot on the stove. "Are you making something?" he asked Beverly, or Bev, as she introduced herself, and stood up so he could offer his assistance. "Can I help?"

Tom glanced between Teddy and Cat, and the old couple chuckled quietly. Kids these days.

 

[cyrodilicbrandy]

The two stared at each other for a beat longer than perhaps they had meant to - Teddy looking a touch embarrassed, whereas Bev's lips couldn't help but quirk up slightly at the corners. Of course, Bev had heard a fair amount about young Theodore from Cat and Tom; even if they hadn't seen him for so long, letters, and more rarely, phone calls were exchanged at birthdays and Christmas, and she had celebrated with them their excitement that their grandson had gotten into college. Tom had playfully grumbled to the ladies once or twice that of course Theodore was going to college - he had to follow in Tim's footsteps, after all. But even so, Bev hadn't really formed an idea of Teddy in her head - just some rather generic, well-off college boy, someone who wears polo shirts and tennis sweaters and slacks. So although it was clear that Teddy was a well-off college boy, she was pleasant surprised to see his outfit was a little less clean-cut than she had expected. He still stood out like a sore thumb, though, and it wasn't just the car - Siward's older inhabitants were generally stuck in the 40's and 50's, and Siward was one of those places that young people typically want to leave as soon as they can. The ones that stayed were mostly in Beverly's friend group - hippies, for lack of a better word.

Teddy stepped inside the small yet cosy house, having seen his grandparents waiting in the living room eagerly, and Beverly closed the door before stepping into the room behind him. She kept back a little, simply allowing the distant family to reconnect for the first time in over a decade. It wasn't particularly her business - her main duties were specifically for Cat and Tom (when he wasn't being stubborn about needing assistance) - but it was very pleasing to see that Teddy actually seemed to perk up as he hugged his grandmother and in turn his grandfather. He might have ostensibly come to visit after feeling duty-bound to do so, and Bev wouldn't have been surprised if there'd been some awkwardness between the three of them; but to Beverly, it didn't feel that way.

As the family made small-talk, Beverly plumped a few cushions here and there, although the place was pretty much spotless. Her own home was a rickety, run-down mess, but the Adornos were old and needed the comfort and safety of a well-kept home. She looked up at the mention of her name, to Teddy smiling at her with a touch of gratitude - of course, Cat loved her garden, but the woman could barely get off her knees without having a coughing fit most days. Bev helped - and by helped, Cat meant that Bevvie did most of the green thumb work whilst Cat dictated what needed to be done, but there was no bossiness to the older lady.

For a moment, Beverly had forgotten that she'd been in the middle of lunch, and blinked rapidly before she remembered. She was usually good at remembering that sort of thing - she had to be, for although Tom liked to think sometimes that he was the sharp soldier he had once been, he sometimes forgot simple things. 'Oh!' she exclaimed, putting down the cushion she had been holding and swishing over to the kitchen. In the doorway, she turned to look at him over her shoulder, a smile in her eyes. 'If you'd like! It's only a simple lunch - do you like pasta?'

 

[Agnes]

With a small nod, Teddy followed Beverly into the kitchen with a hint of a smile. Ostensibly, it was to help her with the pasta, but he would be lying if he wasn't looking forward to talking to her a little more. Most girls at his college wouldn't hold a candle to her, and there was a strange allure to the wave she moved. She wasn't dressed in the latest trends, but there was a charming simplicity to her jeans and sweater, and the colours seemed to pop around her, give her a little glow that trailed up to her warm smile. He couldn't be faulted for wanting to look at a pretty girl, right?

"Yes, pasta sounds great." Any homecooked meal sounded great to him, being so used to eating outside and filling his gut with ready-made food as it were.

His eyes swivelled all around as he walked into the well-kept kitchen, noting how pristine everything looked. He doubted his grandmother would be able to clean things as thoroughly at this age, and old Tom probably never even set foot in here once except to eat and perhaps take a peek at the fridge. Through the window, he could see the little garden his grandma (or rather, Beverly) maintained, little flowers arranged neatly in pots around the perimeter, and herbs, plants and shrubs dotting the main field in rows. Grandfather's old service rifle was hung above the doorway, his dog tag on a little hook right beside it. Teddy remembered how much he wanted to play with them when he was young.

Turning his attention back to Beverly, he walked over to the kitchen counter, stopping by the fridge to check for anything he could grab, and smiling triumphantly when he discovered an unopened bottle of whiskey. He didn't know what grandpa was even doing drinking at this age, but he wasn't about to question him any time soon. Popping the cork open, he took a small swig just as he came to a stop near Beverly, and set it down gently on the counter. "Don't tell anyone," he whispered with a wink.

Sliding the bottle a bit further back, he fished his pockets for his pack of cigarettes and his lighter, his eyes curiously trained on the girl. "Have you been working for them long? They seem to really love you," he said, no small amount of admiration in his tone. Tapping the cigarette roll on the metal container, he brought it up to his lips and lit it, taking a drag before he palmed it away between his fingers. Another vice he'd picked up at college. "Smoke?" he offered as he held out another roll, lighter still in hand.

 

[cyrodilicbrandy]

'Great,' she said. 'Pasta's nice and simple, and it's easy for them to chew.' Beverly explained, going to the stove-top and stirring the pasta shells, which were thankfully not getting stuck of the bottom of the pan. 'I like to add things like peas, and sometimes bacon, if it's cut up real small and not too chewy.' It seemed like Teddy was perhaps only half listening, which was fine with her - he hadn't been here in fifteen years, and nearly everything might seem different to him, especially as the perspectives between a five and twenty year old were varied. And Beverly was used to cooking alone most of the time, humming songs or just lost in her own thoughts as auto-pilot took over. His eyes scanned the kitchen, as neat and tidy as it ever was, the garden through the kitchen window that was the product of hours and hours of work, and then lastly Tom's service rifle. Beverly wasn't a fan of the gun hanging above the door like that, but for the most part she kept her own distaste for war to herself. And Tom had reassured her it didn't even work now.

Teddy opened the fridge, bending down has he looked through it, Beverly turning from the stove for a moment to grab a can of peas. It was the last can. and she made a mental note to get more on her next shopping trip. She had to do them quite often - not because the Adornos necessarily ate all that much, but as Beverly only rode a bicycle, she had to prioritise what was needed on each journey. She was generally a sturdy girl, but she'd carried a dozen tinned goods on her bike before, plus other groceries, and nearly fell of the bike several times; safer to just do more than one journey a week. As she had found the peas, it seemed Teddy too had found something - Tom's whiskey. It had been in there for at long as Bev could remember, and Tom had said it was for a 'special occasion', though birthdays and holidays had passed since she started working for them and the bottle remained unopened. Until today, that was.

Beverly grinned lightly at his cheekiness, knowing that Tom and Cat probably wouldn't mind - if their grandson returning home after over a decade wasn't a special occasion, Bev didn't know what would be, in their eyes. She brought a finger to her lips in a silent 'shhh' motion, before she pulled open a drawer for the can-opener. Opening the peas, she heard the familiar flick of a lighter, and Beverly looked over, her brows high. For a moment, she'd thought he had the temerity to light some grass in his grandparent's house, but he was just a normal cigarette smoker. Internally she shook her head - now that would have made him even more interesting. Still, no one in the house smoked any more, as Cat's doctor had been adamant that she quit after her diagnosis - the damage, so to speak, had already been done... but wouldn't she rather spend what time she could with her family and friends, instead of accelerating the inevitable? Bev stood on her toes to lean over the sink, opening the small window there for some fresh air, before tipping the peas into the pasta pot.

Beverly couldn't help but wrinkle her nose a little as Teddy offered her the cigarette. 'Oh. Oh, no, thanks. I don't smoke cigarettes,' she said, stirring the pasta and peas together well. They're so bad for you, she thought. But Bev wasn't his mother, grandmother, or even some close friend, so she wasn't about to scold him, however playfully, on the many evils of tobacco. 'Hm, let's see...' she murmured, almost to herself, as she thought about when she had first met Tom and Cat. 'Well, my mama used to help out a little bit when I was a kid, but to tell you the truth I only wanted to spend time in the garden. Cat could still look after it then, you see. And then... I guess when I was in high school, after I got my bike, I was able to come visit when I wanted.' Bev paused, eyes scanning the countertop for where the salt and pepper shakers had been put last, and upon seeing them, continued. 'My mom got a different job, and with daddy being away so often, I offered to help out after school. After I finished school, well... Tom and Cat offered to pay me an actual wage to stay on full-time during the week, and sometimes at weekends, too. I was... never really going to go to college, anyway.' The Adornos had been adamant that they pay Beverly to look after them, and Bev would have liked to have stayed to help regardless - but she also wasn't a stupid girl, and to have a full-time, decent caring job, with people who were nice and warm, helped her family immensely. The Howards were dirt poor. They might have owned the cottage and the several acres around it for generations, but when it came down to it, they struggled at the best of times. But it had always been this way - her daddy had gone without his usual after dinner beers for a whole six weeks just to buy Bev her own bicycle when she was fourteen, and although that bike was nearly a wreck today, she cherished it anyway.

The pasta was soft enough for Tom and Cat to chew now, and Beverly turned the stove to the lowest setting as she bend to pull out the colander. 'Oh, could you.. please get out the cheesy sauce from the fridge? It's in...' she paused, trying to remember. '...a blue Tupperware, and has bits of bacon on it. Middle shelf, to the left, I think?'