porter_inc | Inez, Will and Orlando

Entry tags:

mom,
orlando

Inez, Will and Orlando

[For

orlandomuse]

Inez sighs and takes a sip of her coffee. She can't believe what she's reading. She may have banished all the trashy papers and magazines she could from her home on Will's behalf, but that doesn't mean she won't read something if Peter points her towards it. Sometimes her friends mention things to her, too. They'd seen Will grow up and are appalled by the things being said both about him and his new...

She frowns. Orlando is a lovely young man, she can't deny. It's just difficult for her to accept him the way Will wants her to, even if it isn't really his fault. After Talia and after Kevin, Inez is feeling particularly protective of her son. Add to it the solemn circumstances surrounding Orlando's previous relationship and Inez feels justified in her stance. She knows Will is upset with her about it, but that's part of being a mother; making sacrifices and risking your children disliking you or your decisions. He'll come around. Or, if she's wrong, she'll be very willing to admit it.

"Morning, Mom." Will smiles as he walks over to the coffee maker to pour himself a cup.

Inez quickly closes the magazine and gets up to throw it away. "Morning, baby," she says, giving her son a kiss on the cheek on her way to the garbage can. "How'd you sleep?"

"It's almost eleven," Will grins at her. "I'd say I slept late."

"Uh huh, smarty," Inez laughs. "But did you sleep well? I know you've been having a hard time."

Will nods. "It was okay. But lately I can't really sleep unless Orli's next to me."

Inez clears her throat and returns to her seat at the kitchen table. "Sweetheart, I'm sure half a Tylenol PM will be just as effective."

"Sorry, Ma, but I need stronger stuff than that." Will's smiling, but when he sees the concerned expression on Inez's face, he sobers a little. "What's wrong?"

"Baby, I'm sorry," she says softly. "I know I told you that I understand, but... I don't. I wish you weren't moving so quickly with him."

"Mom..."

"Honey, you have to understand where I'm coming from," she says before he can start arguing with her. "What if he's only with you because he's sad? Or he's lonely?" She winces, waiting for Will's angry rebuttal. When nothing happens, she looks at him, curious as to why he's suddenly smiling so sweetly.

"Mom, I know that you worry, and I'm sorry for getting onto you about this before." He walks over to her and bends down to give her a hug.

"You're not mad?"

"I'm not mad."

"How come?"

"Do you want me to be mad?"

"No..."

Will smiles. "I know he loves me, Mom. I was mad before because I let myself believe what you and Pete were saying to me. I couldn't admit I was insecure before but now I know differently." His smile widens. "He really loves me."

"Baby..."

"Tell you what," he whispers into her ear, hugging her around her shoulders, "why don't you ask him."

Inez looks up at him. "What?"

"You're worried, right? Call him and ask him what his intentions are."

"I..." Inez stops. She'd been about to say that she can't do that, but why can't she? Her son's right. Why shouldn't she voice her concerns? She's the mother, damn it! "Okay," she says with a firm nod. "I will."

"Just remember that you like him, okay?" Will laughs and goes to get the phone for her. "He's still the same man you dote on when he comes up here."

"Oh, that reminds me," she says. "I should find out how he's doing, too. I've been meaning to check on him, you know."

Will chuckles and dials Orlando's number before handing her the phone. "I love you, Mom," he says, kissing her on the cheek.

"I love you, baby," Inez smiles, putting the phone to her ear. "Now, go away. I want some privacy."

Giving her a mock salute, Will grabs his cup of coffee and heads out of the kitchen. He's not worried at all.

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Orlando grins when he sees his caller ID, and he answers quickly. "Couldn't wait to talk to me today, huh?"

Inez hadn't considered the caller ID when she called, so she laughs in surprise at the greeting.

"Excuse me?"

Orlando blushes, then answers, "Um, Inez?"

"Yes, dear," Inez says, smiling. "I was just calling to see how you're doing. Sorry to disappoint you, though."

"Actually, I'm glad you called! I have an idea for Thanksgiving, and I want to include you!"

That's the last thing Inez expects to hear, so she's a little taken back. She's not even sure she heard him correctly.

"You... What did you have in mind, dear?" she asks carefully.

Orlando dives in. "Well, I'd really love for you to come to my house for Thanksgiving. I'd like to have my friends and family here, and maybe you could help me cook!"

"I..." She has to stop and clear her throat, touched by his enthusiasm and the fact that he thought about including her for the holiday. "I would love that, sweetie," she says softly. "But are you sure you'd want me there?"

"Of course I do! You're Will's mother! I want Peter to come too, and I thought maybe your friends, um... I can't remember their names, but Will calls them the lesbians!" He laughs. "I just want to be surrounded with friends."

"Well, honey, you are a real sweetheart," Inez says with a pleased giggle. "I don't know what to say. Besides Peter, you're the first..." She'd almost said 'boyfriend of Will's,' but she just can't bring herself to do that yet. "No one Will has been seeing has done this, so thank you."

Orlando smiles to himself. "Well, I admit that it's not entirely unselfish. I want to spend that holiday with Will, and he loves you so much, I wouldn't dare ask him to choose between us! But, you called me. Is there something I can do for you?"

Inez has to smile at that. She really does like Orlando, but she does have to tend to the business of why she called.

"Orlando, you're a very thoughtful young man," she says, "and that's why I'm happy that you're friends with my son. I'm just sorry that you've gone through so much lately. How are you holding up, baby?"

Orlando hadn't really expected her to ask that, and he hesitates for a moment. "I'm... I'm okay. I went back to Boston and got my pets, packed up some things." He's not sure what to say, and his hand instinctively starts playing with his necklaces. "I guess I'm all right."

"I know everyone says it'll take time, but that's exactly what you need to make it possible to live with the loss," Inez says softly. "I lost... I know what you're going through, sweetheart. And I'm glad that Will can be there for you while you're going through it." She hesitates, feeling as if she's about to be unnecessarily cruel to him. "I...just want to be sure that you're not going to hurt my son once you no longer need him."

Oh.

Orlando thinks for a few seconds, trying to decide how to answer.

"You're right, I do need your son. I love him, very much. More than that even, I like him. He's funny and sweet and so incredibly thoughtful, and I promise you, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep him in my life forever."

He takes a breath. "He's the one I wish I'd found years ago. Cordelia and I were married, but it was a mistake from the very beginning. I wasn't straight. I knew that. She knew that. But it was easier to pretend and stay with her than to be alone. I just wanted someone like Will in my life, and I thought he was impossible to find."

Inez wasn't sure what she had expected Orlando to say in response. She just knows it wasn't that.

"I'm er..." She laughs self-consciously. "Orlando, to be honest, I hadn't expected you to be so forthright. I've been under the impression that you're a nice young man letting Will comfort you until you come out of your fog. The fact that you're so serious about him..." Taking a deep breath, she shakes her head. "I'm a little stunned, sweetheart."

Orlando feels relieved. "I am very serious about him." He chuckles. "I know, everyone thinks it's too fast, or too soon, and maybe it is, but... he's just amazing. Honestly, just days before I met him, I was telling friends that I would never be in a relationship again, because frankly, I didn't want to be. Then Will came along, and he's turned my whole world upside down. In a good way!"

"Oh, honey, I feel horrible. I'm relieved that's how you feel," she quickly says to clarify. "I just mean... Will's been telling me how much he loves you and how much you mean to him and..." She covers her eyes with her hand. "I've basically been telling him you'll leave him as soon as you come to your senses. He must hate me."

"He adores you. He definitely doesn't hate you." Orlando smiles. "It's what a mum is for, after all. My mum was fiercely protective of me, as well."

"Baby, you're so sweet," Inez says, feeling relieved and a little guilty that she'd misjudged Orlando's intentions.

"You know, Will told me that you lost your family a few years ago," she says, lowering her voice a little. "He was very hush hush, so I won't pry, but you know, you always have a home here if you need it. I know nothing can ever replace your own, but..." She sighs. "Honey, I'm so sorry that you've had such a hard go of things."

Orlando chokes up a little at that. "Thank you. I'd really like to be part of your family."

Inez smiles, then notices that Will's been listening just outside the doorway. She can't be mad, though, since she knows he wants her to be all right with his relationship.

"I'd like that very much, too," she says firmly. "Just don't be mad at me if I start nagging you boys to get married after a while. I think it's my duty as a mother to make that happen."

"Whoa," Will says, blowing his cover at that. "Mom, don't scare him away!"

"Sorry, Orlando," Inez laughs softly, "Will was spying on my conversation with you. I had to flush him out."

Orlando starts laughing at that. "Good plan!"

Will blushes and goes over to the coffee pot. "I was just coming in to top off my cup and you sounded like you were getting kind of serious, that's all. So I was waiting."

"That's okay, baby," Inez smiles. "But I'm still on the phone."

"Okay, tell Orli I love him," Will says, heading out of the kitchen, again, "and don't scare him!"

Inez laughs softly. "Did you hear that?" she says into the phone.

Orlando beams. "I did, and I love him, too. Oh God, I've got a ton of shopping to do for Thanksgiving!" he realizes suddenly. "You have to send me a shopping list if there's anything in particular you want!"

"Nope, I'm good with all the usual things," Inez smiles. "But let me know if I can do some of the shopping here and just bring stuff down, all right? I don't mind at all." She giggles suddenly. "You know, you're going to be the closest thing to a daughter-in-law..., er... I mean son-in-law? Hmm... Well, whatever it is. I just know that Talia never wanted me around so you're the closest thing I've ever had to what she should have been, and I couldn't be happier."

"I didn't have a mother in law with Cordelia, so this is new for me. So far, I love it! I don't know why the comedians all say it's bad!"

"I'm guessing we're easy punchlines," Inez laughs. "But, thank you, sweetie. And I promise not to interfere with you two as long as I get to see the both of you for dinner more than once a year, all right?"

"Without a doubt!" Orlando promises. "I want you to bring the photo albums too so I can see how adorable he was as a baby!"

"Oh my god, you'll die!" Inez gushes. "He hates it when I show people his baby pictures, but he was the most beautiful baby, Orlando. I don't know what I would have ever done without my beautiful boy."

"I can only imagine. Those huge blue eyes must have been amazing," Orlando says with a big grin.

"He got those eyes from his uncle, you know. My brother." Inez lowers her voice again. "He was gay and Will's father absolutely hated him. He couldn't stand the fact that his own son actually resembled my side of the family more than his. What can I say? We've got strong genes."

Orlando feels sad for this sweet woman and what all she must have gone through. "Maybe I could meet his uncle sometime."

"He died when Will was ten, honey," Inez says, a little wistful. "We were told it was cancer, but I don't think that's what it was. Not knowing everything we do now..." She clears her throat. "But I know he would have loved you for his nephew!"

"I'm sorry," Orlando says sincerely. "I'd like to hear more about him when you come down."

Inez smiles. She's touched and relieved that Orlando really is as sweet as she'd thought and she doesn't have to worry about how he'll treat her son.

"I'd love to spend some time talking to you about both of our families, Orlando," she says. "If you wouldn't mind me stealing you away from Will every now and then, I'd love to get to know you better."

"I think that can be arranged," Orlando says with a laugh. "Especially since I'm probably going to need help finding a perfect Christmas present for him!"

"Sweetie!" Inez giggles. "Let me tell you, Will is one of those boys who genuinely thinks it's the thought that counts and would adore anything you get him. Though I'll be happy to give you some ideas when I can be sure he's not within earshot," she adds in a whisper.

"Then you and I will have a date without him," Orlando says with a giggle.

At that very moment, Inez can't even remember what she'd been worried about.

"That sounds like a great plan, baby," she says, smiling brightly. "I can tell you stories about him without him stopping me, too," she adds with a laugh. "But, listen, sweetheart, don't let me keep you any longer than I have. I'm sure you're busy, or you want to talk to Will."

Orlando laughs. "I'd love to talk to him. You know, if he's not too difficult to find!"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I can track him down," Inez says, laughing as she gets up and heads for the living room. "Orlando, it really has been a pleasure talking to you, sweetheart, and you just know that you are welcome here any time. This is your home, too." She winks at Will as he looks up from the sofa. "And I'll even make sure to clear out of the house before you get here so you boys can have some privacy for all that smooching you--"

"Okay, Mom!" Will laughs, grabbing the phone from her. "My turn. Go."

"I really like him, baby," she whispers. "I have an appointment now, but you and I will talk later, okay?" She leans down to kiss his cheek. "See you later, sweetheart."

"Yeah, okay, bye, Mom," Will says quickly.

The second Inez leaves the room, Will puts the phone to his ear. "She loves you, right?"

"I think so! I know I love her. She's a wonderful person. How's my love doing today?" he asks.

"Better now that I'm getting some phone time with my baby," Will grins, settling on the couch. "How're you doing? Other than recovering from Hurricane Inez?"

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Inez, Will and Orlando

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