Innocence Lost, Paradise Found Ch 04
Post War Reunion
This story is set near the end of the Age of American Innocence. —it is obviously a later chapter in the series. It would be very helpful if you at least skimmed the first chapters for character development and a feel for the times. It really is hard to imagine that gay sex has moved so quickly to where it is today. Open gay sex is relatively new—and still has uneven toleration, let alone acceptance. The notion of a prostate as a sexual organ was known to very few only a few years ago. The idea of same sex union is only a decade old. And almost no families (particularly Catholic and Fundamental Christian families) talked about any aspect of sex at all. All characters engaging in sexual activity are over 18. BD
The war changed many things in America. It was the beginning of the liberation of women from the home (they had "manned" the factories while the men went off to war); the dawn of the consumer era; the triumph of Exceptionalism (the idea that Americans were special—they had won the Great War, after all); the first use of an atomic weapon; the beginning of the cold war. But, one thing that did not change was America's continued self-delusion that sex was all about romance between and man and a woman—and the family they would create. Puritanical and Evangelical ideas about sexuality survived the war—were perhaps even strengthened by it.
Two young men, gay, but perhaps not entirely sure that a gay lifestyle was possible, returned from the war. They were battle scarred, had seen the terrible things that men could do to each other, and certainly they had lost their innocence. But, the war had also liberated them from their families—and the old ideas of those families.
The story of Finn, the Boston Irish "Celtic Viking," disguised as a poor farmhand/stonemason who had distinguished himself as one of the finest and most creative restoration builders in Europe and Andre, the rakish son of a large farm-owning family of French /Canadian stock continues after a three year interruption—after their burgeoningsecret and forbidden affair had been halted by war.....
The war ended with Germany's unconditional surrender. The first evidence of their atrocities against humankind were just coming to light—particularly their attempt to extinguish all Jews from the face of the earth. The US had brought an out-of-control military dictatorship in Japan to its knees with the most horrific bomb that the world had ever witnessed. American GIs were coming home—and most were very different people. Some like Andre were heroes—paratrooper/behind the scenes saboteurs s who had risked life and limb to stop the Nazi threat. Others like Finn had learned to flourish in keeping a society moving under the greatest aerial attack that the world had ever seen. But they all shared something: a desire to start a new life and be happy. To put the horror behind them. To set out to remake the world.
Back home, Andre's mother had died of an undiagnosed disease about a year before the war had ended. And Andre's father seemed to have given up the will to live with his wife's death. Brother-in-law Jacques had taken over the farm in all but name. He had not seen military service—no explanations were given. The farm was booming, producing "Food to Win the War." Suzanne had married. And after he mustered out, Andre discovered that his grandfather had left him some money—not a fortune, but enough to start again.
Both Andre and Finn were headed back home. But, things had changed. Finn was now qualified and confident—he had taken a job supervising the construction of some of the millions of new houses that the returning GIs wanted for a new life. The construction project was just west of Boston.
Andre was a decorated Captain with a shoulder full of medals and ribbons from France and the US. He was a genuine hero. He was immediately offered a "trophy" position in a Boston bank—due to his decorated service, his outstanding handsomeness and his Harvard pedigree. He accepted it rather than taking a role in the newly-forming intelligence service In Washington. He wanted time to think about his life—and continued intelligence service would doubtless condemn him to a life of anonymity. It would definitely preclude "blackmail-able" homosexuality in the notoriously homophobic world of Wild Bill Donovan. Maybe in a year or so, but he wanted to try a normal civilian life first. And he wondered whether there might still be a spark with Finn.
They had maintained some contact during the war, but it was minimal: A few letters without language that would tip the censors to their prior lives. Andre was in the war zone where every word was scrutinized and censored. They knew they were arriving in Boston within a week or two of each other. They had agreed to meet, but neither expected too much. Three years of war and experience had changed both.
Andre first had to check in at home. Early in the war, before his mother had died and the farm was booming, Coogan's place had come on the market. Raymond stretched, used all the nest egg and bought the adjacent farm, tripling his acreage. Jacques had moved to foreman on the farm as Raymond had faded. He and Andre's sister had moved to the homestead. Irene had taken over the house and had reported to Andre that Raymond was fading fast. But, that the farm was thriving.
Andre went to visit, stepping back in time. He was greeted with a small parade around the town green, listened to his praises sung by the mayor and been presented with the honorary key to the village. Ray was in in last days. So Andre stayed. A few days later, Ray handed over his last will. "You get everything, Andre. I'm leaving you a wonderful future." Andre thanked and embraced him.
"Thank you, papa. But you're going to get well. This won't happen for years. You're only 60. You've got many more years in front of you."
Ray smiled and his eyes closed. Two days later he passed away quietly in his sleep. Andre's second sister arrived with her family while Irene made all the arrangements. But there was tension all around about the impending changes. All of their lives were about to be changed. So Andre did not wait. After the funeral, he called everyone together in the formal parlor of the homestead.
"You are all aware of the will and its contents. He wasn't secret about his plans. Papa, bless his immortal soul, was an old-fashioned kind of guy. He never listened to what any of us were saying to him. But, God forgive me, I'm not going to respect his wishes. Here is what I propose. I will keep ownership of the farm as he wished. But, Irene and Jacques will stay in this house for so long as they are together. Jacques will manage the farm as he sees fit. He will be given a generous salary— a regular expense of operations. At the end of each year, if anything is left, I will get half—and Irene and Marie will each get a quarter. I'm going to have a lawyer write this up. I'm going back to Boston tomorrow. I trust you, Jacques, to do what is best for all of us. I hope that you and Irene can be happy here. Any questions?"
There was silence. Jacques was the first to stand and embrace Andre. Then his two sisters joined in with thank you's. Finally Irene said, "This is not a time for celebration. But we are nevertheless grateful, Andre. You have done the right thing—again. You will be welcome here anytime. We'll keep your room open for you. May God bless you with every happiness and success. May you live your dreams."
*******
Finally, the twice-postponed rendezvous was set for a Friday night in late summer after Andre returned to Boston from Noubois. With the war over, many Bostonians began again to escape to their unused "camps" on the Cape, the North Shore or even Maine. Downtown was deserted, this being the last official weekend of the summer. Finn arrived at the Union Street Oyster House and parked his "new"—used—car across the street. Andre had walked from his nearby apartment. He arrived first and commandeered a window booth. A few minutes later, Finn walked in and scanned the room. He almost didn't recognize his old friend.
Andre was not so surprised at Finn's appearance. He looked very much the same—the rosy blonde hair (just growing out of the military buzz), the wide intoxicating smile, the penetrating green eyes, the wide shoulders and the slim waist. All heads turned. He was a Boston Irish Adonis—every bit at home in the watering hole. Gone were his tattered farm and mason's clothes. He wore sharp black slacks, a pressed pale green linen button up shirt and a black leather Eisenhower with epaulets and the SeaBee patch he had earned in the war. Only out of place was the ancient soft mason's hat, worn well back on his head.
Andre stood and Finn's jaw dropped, then opened into the familiar wall-to-wall smile. Andre had changed. His hair was medium length with a nice wave—and slicked back; his chiseled, tanned face was now artfully manscaped with short black stubble covering his cheeks, upper lip and chin. He was definitely wider in the face and shoulder. And he too was dressed in an office shirt and a wool suit. He was a commanding presence, confident of his appearance, and perhaps just a little vain. He resembled, perhaps through careful grooming, a French film star, France's newest sex idol. Finn's cock stirred and chubbed.
