LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Fourteen
Rose and Jack were the first to
come home. Jack unlocked the door and ushered Rose inside. "I’ll be back,
Rose. I’m going to make sure the shed is locked."
"Hurry back." Rose
smiled, watching Jack disappear into the garden. She turned around and entered
the kitchen for a glass of water. She didn’t see the dark figure slipping down
the stairs and up behind her. She turned on the water and took down a glass.
She turned around and screamed when she came face-to-face with a strange man.
Even though he looked slightly familiar, she had never seen him before in her
life.
"Who are you?"
"The question is, who are
you and why are you in my house?" the stranger asked, crossing his arms.
"Your house?"
"Everything’s fine."
Jack entered the room and stopped when he saw the man. "I can’t believe
it’s you."
The man turned around and his
eyes widened. "Jackie? Is that you? Why, look at you…you’re all grown up.
The last time I saw you, you were still a little boy."
"That was twelve years ago,
Richie." Jack crossed his arms. "I was eight years old then. I’m
twenty now."
"I thought that was how old
you were." The stranger laughs. "I was just asking this stranger what
she was doing in our house…"
"That’s no stranger. She’s
my wife. Rose. Rose, this is my long lost brother, Richard. But we all call him
Richie."
"Wife? Why Jack…you really
have grown up." The man laughs. "And I must say you have great taste
in women."
"Does Dad know you’re
here?" Jack asked, coming over to Rose’s side and taking her hand.
"Are you kidding? The old
man wouldn’t let me in the house if he knew I was coming." Richie replied.
"True." Jack nods. From
what I remember, you two didn’t part on good terms. "Why did you come back
Richie? Why now?"
"Because I want to be with
my family. Near my brother and sister. Near my mother. Father…I don’t care what
he wants or says. I’m staying."
"Like hell you are!"
Charles Dawson stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Hello father." Richard
grins. "It’s good to see you after all these years."
"Get out Richard. You’re not
wanted here." Charles Dawson pointed to the door.
"Rose, you must be tired.
Why don’t we go on up to our room." Jack took Rose’s hand.
"Richie?" Nancy and
Jacquelyn appeared in the doorway. "Is that really you?"
"Hey mom. And Jacquelyn!
Jack’s not the only one who grew up!" Richard dashed past his steaming
father and embraced his mother and sister.
"Jack, why did you let your
good-for-nothing brother into this house?" Charles turned to his youngest
son.
"I didn’t. He was here when
we arrived." Jack defended himself. "Mom and Jacquelyn are happy to
see him."
"That’s besides the point. I
do not want him in my house."
"Well, Pa, it looks as if
you’re overruled." Jack nodded at the small reunion.
"No I’m not. You two will
side with me right?"
"Rose and I are staying out
of it." Jack squeezed his wife’s hand. "You’re on your own
here."
"It’s been so long since
we’d seen you last, we were starting to think we’d lost you forever!"
Jacquelyn hugged her big brother tightly. She and Jack had been only eight
years old. She had loved her oldest brother dearly and it broke her heart when
he had left. "Now I have both my brothers back!"
"This is a happy day."
Nancy laughed.
"Jack, you left?"
Richard looked over at Jack and Rose. "When did that happen?"
"Five years ago. I took
off." Jack said. "Rose and I had just returned last week."
"Man, out seeing the world
too huh."
Jack only smiled and nodded.
"It’s good to be home."
"You can share my room,
Richie, since Jack and Rose have your old room. Just as well, because they’re
doing all that newlywed stuff, and I think they'd rather be alone for
that."
"Jacquelyn!" Nancy warns.
"Sorry." Jacquelyn
cleared her throat. "Besides, Mother, Jack knows I’m teasing."
"He’s not staying,"
Charles spoke up, and cleared his throat.
Nancy turned around, her blue
eyes spitting fire, her voice cold. "Oh, yes he is staying, too, Charles
Dawson. We lost our first son because of your blasted pride, then our second,
thanks to the Smiths. We have them both back now, and I’m not letting you ruin
this. Now, will you and Jack please help move his bags to Jacquelyn’s room? And
that wasn’t a request."
Charles opened his mouth to
protest, but the fire in his wife’s eyes told him to think better of crossing
her. "Come along Jack."
"I’ll be back, Rose."
Jack turned to his wife and joined his father in grabbing some bags.
"Wow. I didn’t know Jack had
a older brother." Rose blinks.
"The things you find out,
huh, Rose? Don’t worry. You’re going to love Richie. He is so much fun."
"You really love him don’t
you?"
"Don’t tell Jack, but he’s
my favorite brother. I mean, Jack’s fun, but when I needed someone to really
talk to…Richie was always there…up until he left, of course. Then I only had
Jack then he left…"
"Losing two brothers. I was
an only child, but just observing you three, it must have been
devastating."
"It was."
"But why did he leave and
why doesn’t your father want him here?" Rose was curious.
"Richie didn’t want to
follow in Dad’s footsteps. Plus, he began hanging out with a bad crowd and
doing bad things. Dad had enough and told him to pack his things. He didn’t
want him to be a bad influence on Jack and me."
"All done!" Richie
bounced down the stairs, Jack right behind him. "Now, let me get to know
my family."
"We have time tomorrow to
catch up." Jack grabbed Rose’s hand and pulled her to the stairs.
"It’s been a long day for both Rose and me. I think we’ll be getting to
bed now."
"Ok then. I’ll just catch up
with my little sister. See you tomorrow Jack."
Jack only smiled and led Rose up
to their room.
"He seemed nice." Rose
sighed as Jack turned on the light.
"I guess." Jack
shrugged, taking her in his arms and undoing the sash on her dress.
"Jack, what are you doing?
Really, this can wait…"
"I’ve been wanting to do
this all day, Rose." Jack whispered seductively in her ear. It was useless
for Rose to resist, so she just melted into his embrace and let Jack take her
on a return visit to the stars.