Destiny

“Father! How can you behave this way? This is supposed to be the Grand Reunion!” Valerie yelled at her father.

“But not a reunion between you and Micky Jr.,” Peter calmly said.

“I love him!” Valerie protested.

“He’s not for you,” Peter firmly said.

“Why?” Petra asked on the verge of tears.

“Trust me,” Peter answered.

“You just don’t or won’t understand! I hate you!” Valerie cried as she ran from the room.

Peter stood in the front room alone. He was at odds with Micky and now his daughter was upset with him. This was the Grand Reunion of “The Monkees,” but he had not counted on his daughter and Micky’s son getting together as a couple. Peter was very protective of Valerie. He had endured so much since the days at the pad.

His beloved sister, Petra, had died in a freak car accident. She had just left the pad and was crossing the street. A car, which seemingly appeared out of nowhere, raced down the street and hit her, killing her instantly. Three months later, his wife Valerie died during childbirth. Within months, Peter had lost two very special women in his life, but he also gained an infant daughter. He named her Valerie Petra Tork. She was the joy of his life.

Peter was a good father and though he did let Valerie get away with a few things, he did discipline her as well. Thus, Valerie grew to be a kind and loving person much like her father and her mother and aunt whom she only knew through her father’s stories.

Now, at the age of 18, she claimed she was in love with his band mate’s son. Peter just could not see the connection. Maybe it was because he would think of Micky, Sr. whenever he saw Micky Jr. Micky, Jr. had inherited his father’s love for jokes and wild antics. No, this was not the young man for his daughter.

Since the group had once again assembled at the pad, Peter thought it was best to walk along the beach to clear his thoughts of the tension between himself, his band mate, and his daughter. He walked along the familiar pathway and when he reached the rocks he knew from so long ago, he sat down and stared at the ocean.

“She didn’t mean it, you know,” a voice said. Peter looked around. No one was there except him.

“Who said that?” he asked.

“Me,” the voice simply said.

“Well, who is ‘me’?” Peter asked.

A bright glowing light appeared. Peter shielded his eyes from it because it was so bright. A figure appeared shrouded in a dim light. It was Petra, Peter’s sister who had long ago died.

“Petra? Is this really you or am I dreaming?” Peter gasped.

“It’s me,” she smiled. When he saw her smile that “Tork” smile with a “hint of devilment” he knew she truly was his sister.

“Petra! How?” Peter asked.

“I’ve always been with you. Valerie too. She wants you to know she’s OK,” Petra said as she sat beside her brother.

“Is she really?” Peter asked.

“Yes. She told me to tell you she loves you and she always will. She’s also proud of the job you’ve done raising Valerie Petra,” Petra smiled.

“Oh,” Peter said. “I tried, but look at the mess I’m in now. Micky and Petra hate me.”

“They don’t hate you. They’re just disappointed at the way you’ve been acting toward this. Peter, you must let her go. She truly loves Micky, Jr. They’ll be alright.” Petra said.

“No! That boy is not stable!” Peter almost shouted.

“Are you thinking of the son or the father? Look Peter; remember when Micky and I were always at odds? Well, we weren’t always. I—I really liked Micky and there was a time he really liked me,” Petra confessed.

“What are you saying?” Peter asked.

“We loved each other. We really loved each other, but we didn’t know how to tell you. We didn’t want any friction between you guys and the band,” Petra continued.

“But you could have told me,” Peter insisted.

“We chose not to disrupt the band, so we parted as friends. Best friends. After all, I had the best big brother in the world, plus three. So we came out OK. Peter, those two are in love, like Micky and I were. You’ve got to let Valerie go. She’ll be alright. Trust me. I’m still your sister. I love you, Peter. That will never change. Not even in death,” Petra said.

“Petra, I’ve missed you. I tried to protect you, but I---,” Peter’s voice cracked.

“It was my time, but I have always been close by you,” Petra said.

“Can I touch you? Can I at least hug you?” Peter asked with tearful eyes.

Petra’s form cast a golden glow, and then dimmed. She stood and she was in live human form. “Brother,” she said as she held her arms open.

Peter rushed into his sister’s arms. “I’ve lost so much, I don’t want to lose her too,” Peter cried as he hugged his sister.

“Then let her go,” Petra said returning the hug. “Give her your blessings and she’ll always be with you.”

When Peter realized he was hugging himself, he knew what he had to do. He looked up at the night sky and saw two bright, twinkling stars.

“OK Petra and Valerie, I know what I gotta do. I know,” he said as he walked back to the pad.

The next morning...

“Uh, Micky, can I talk to you?” Peter asked as Micky sat at the table.

“What do you want, Tork? More grief about my son and your daughter?” Micky scornfully asked.

“No. Peace. I know now that I was wrong. Your son is a good kid. I hold no regrets,” Peter simply said.

Micky was stunned by the change in Peter’s attitude toward his son and Valerie’s relationship.

“I mean it, man. I know about you and my sister. Since we didn’t become brothers-in-law, can you stand me being a father-in-law to your son? I mean, if it comes to that,” Peter asked.

“Man, I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Micky said as he stood and embraced Peter.

“Well, I see the feud is over,” Mike observed as he came down the stairs.

“Yeah. You guys have finally come full circle,” Davy added following Mike.

“I know. Maybe we can get it right this time,” Peter smiled.

The reunion was a success. Micky, Jr. and Valerie became engaged. The last set was dedicated to the upcoming marriage between George Michael Dolenz, Jr. and Valerie Petra Tork. The happy couple danced the last dance to “Sometime in the Morning.” Peter looked out into the crowd as he played and he saw a vision of Valerie and Petra. They were smiling. He knew it would all work out. The Tork and Dolenz families would be joined at last.

THE END