PART 4
Jo found Nick in the back room of Laurie's office, buttoning his sleeve.
"There you are. I've been looking all over for you. There is somebody waiting outside that wants to meet you." Nick looked at her questioningly. "The little boy you saved earlier, his father, Mr. Jenkins, wants to thank you," Jo said, eagerly watching for his happy reaction.
"Don't know what yer talkin' 'bout," he replied, surprising Jo.
"His mother described you perfectly. A handsome man with blue eyes, named Nick."
Nick put his hat on. "Weren't me." He started walking towards the back door.
She grabbed him by the right arm and he winced. "And he injured his right arm." She paused, looking at him, but he wasn't budging.
"Look Nick," Jo said, releasing his arm and touching his shoulder tenderly. She was thankful they were in the privacy of Laurie's office. "I don't know who Luke Jenkins is or what he means to you, but he is waiting to see you. And you have been waiting all week to see him. This is obviously about a lot more than what happened today."
"Did you say Luke Jenkins? Not Bruce?" Nick asked.
"Yes, I said Luke."
Suddenly Nick smiled. "Actually Jo, I've been waitin' to see 'im since I was 13.
"What do you mean?"
"I had two younger brothers that went to my uncle and aunt with me. Luke was 3 and Brett was 5."
"You never told me."
"Never told nobody."
"So Luke is your brother?"
"S'pose so. Jenkins is our uncle's last name. Luke must be the son in "Jenkins and Son". Guess I'm the only Riley left," he sighed.
"What about Brett?"
Nick squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and shook his head, the memory too painful. He took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair. "He died when he was six."
They were both silent for a moment. Nick's mind was swirling with thoughts and memories. He desperately wanted to see his brother but definitely did not want to see his uncle ever again.
He looked at Jo. "Is Luke alone?"
"No," Jo answered. Nick turned to the back door again. "His wife and son are with him," she added.
Nick smiled, relieved. "Wanta stay with me?"
"Of course."
Nick's heart was pounding as they neared the waiting room. He stopped outside the door and listened for a moment. He could hear Meg as she offered them tea and cinnamon biscuits. He could hear the happy responses. Seems Luke liked those biscuits as much as he did. He could hear how impressed Harrison and Laurie were when they heard that Luke had graduated from Princeton University. Nick had never even heard of it.
He reached into his pocket and touched the crystal. Jo put her hand on his chest and smiled, encouraging him to go in.
The voices fell silent as he entered the room. He stood still, unable to move. Across the room, Luke had the same response.
"Luke!" Nick called out finally, tears filling his eyes.
"Nicky?" Luke replied. They met in the middle of the room and gave each other a strong embrace.
Jo and Meg smiled. Their mission accomplished. Laurie and Harrison looked at each other, very confused.
Luke pulled back and turned to his wife. "Anne, I want you to meet Nicky."
"After all these years," she said as she shook Nick's hand. He had never been so happy.
"The baby is due in 3 months," Luke said, referring to his wife's condition. "And this is our son Brett."
Nick knelt down on one knee. He happily tussled his newly found nephew's hair, smiling at him. "Nice to meet ya Brett. That's a great name ya got."
"Thank you, sir. It was my uncle's name. I never knew him, though. Too bad, because he was my only uncle."
Nick's face fell. He looked up at Luke who turned away. Jo noticed Nick stiffen and she felt tears come to her eyes.
"That's too bad, Brett. I wish ya had more uncles, too," Nick said. He cleared his throat and stood up. He looked at Jo. He needed her right now. She looked at him and she gave him strength.
"So, uh, what ya been doin' all these years, Luke? You look real good, nice family, fancy suit and everythin'. Just wish Ma and Pa could see ya all grown up like this."
"Just saw them a few days ago, before we came here," Luke said quickly, glancing at Brett. Nick stiffened again. This is not what he had expected. Luke continued, "Anne, will you bring Brett outside?"
"I could bring him to play with my twins," Meg offered, realizing they did not want the boy to hear any more. "My house is nearby and I need to go check on them anyway." They agreed.
"And I should be getting back to work," Laurie said as he headed for the door, realizing that this was a personal situation for Nick.
Nick looked at Harrison.
"I should get back to work, as well," Harrison said, clearing his throat. "May I interview you later Mr. Riley?" Nick stared at him. He turned quickly, bumping into the table and knocking a small figurine onto the floor. He fumbled as he tried to put it back. Nick took it from his hands. He nodded a good-bye and left.
When he was finally gone, Luke spoke up, tension filling the air. "I don't want to confuse Brett."
"Seems to me you've already done that," Nick replied.
"I do not need you judging me, Nicky. You of all people."
Nick took a deep breath. He didn't know exactly what he meant by that. But he knew this is not how he wanted this meeting to be. He resolved not to let a statement like that ruin this long awaited reunion.
"I ain't judgin' ya, Luke. He's a fine boy. So, how's Aunt Grace?"
"Mother is doing poorly. She is bed ridden, now."
"Sorry to hear that," Nick answered. "She was always so strong."
"It was an accident," Luke told him.
Nick clenched his jaw, remembering all of the "accidents" that his uncle would cause. He looked at Jo. Her look helped him remain calm.
"So why Concord, Luke? What's so special about this bank that ya come all the way from Maryland to buy it?"
"We have not bought it yet, Nicky," Luke said with a laugh. "I have to look over this bank and then three others in different cities. Then I will go home and discuss it with Father. He makes all of the decisions." He paused. "But Concord was my idea. I saw your name in the newspaper when I was in Boston a couple months ago, about that lawsuit against the school. I had to see if it was you."
"Does he know I'm here?" Nick asked nervously.
"Father? No. I thought it best not to tell him. He would not be very happy reading what they had to say about you. I do not want to put him through that."
Nick looked at the floor and shoved his hands in his pockets, fingering the crystal. He felt like he was dying inside. He tried to collect himself.
"Why don't ya tell me 'bout yerself, Luke?" Nick said, changing the subject. Jo showed Luke and Anne to one sofa and then sat next to Nick on the other one.
He spoke lovingly of his uncle and aunt who, to Nick's dismay, he referred to as his father and mother. But, as Luke spoke, the tension eased. He told stories of school and dances, family and friends.
The conversation got very lively when he told of his fun filled trip to Europe. As he spoke, the brothers rose from their seats and ended up standing next to each other. "I had always wanted to sail on a ship. I remember listening to the story of Noah's ark and being enchanted by it. I used to play with a toy one all the time."
Nick smiled. "I remember it, too," he said, not telling him that he had made it.
Time flew as they spoke. Luke looked at his pocket watch. Nick recognized the watch and he cringed at the sight of it. Luke said, "I really must be leaving. I have a meeting to attend and Father would be very upset if he found out that I was late."
They planned to meet again the next day at Plumfield where they could share more memories and stories.
They left Laurie's office together and began walking towards Meg's house to get Brett. Jo and Anne followed, chatting comfortably about Nick and Luke.
Nick looked at Luke. "I've been doin' some thinkin' and it seems like we were in Marseille at the same time."
"You have been to France?" Luke asked, surprised.
"Nick has been all around the world. There is hardly a place he has not seen," Jo happily answered for him. Nick laughed at her enthusiasm.
"I love Marseille," Nick said, happily. "Sailin' in to the Old Harbor at Marseilles and seein' Mary settin' there on top of the Cathedral of Notre Dame De-La-Garde, was always special. It was like I had somebody waitin' and watchin' for me. Never had that nowhere else." He looked off, smiling at the memory. Jo wished that she could see it, too, someday.
"That was a beautiful sight, Nicky. Did you ever go to a restaurant called "La Belle Fleur" in Marseille? It is wonderful." Luke asked.
"Nah, not my kind of place," Nick laughed.
"No, I guess it would not be," Luke said with a slightly disdainful look.
"But the "L'ancien Taverne De Port" is excellent. The oysters are delicious and the wine, well, it's the best I ever had anywhere."
"It sounds like you enjoyed yourself, traveling around the world." Luke responded.
"I ain't complainin". There's a lot to see out there."
"Was it worth it?" Luke asked, beginning to sound angry.
"What d'ya mean?"
"Was it worth all the pain you caused us?" They stopped walking. Nick looked at Luke, confused. "You hurt them, Nicky. You walked out on all of us. Father would sit up drinking at night worried sick about you. Mother would just cry all the time. You ruined everything. They loved you so much and you hurt them," Luke accused, moving face to face with his brother.
"Luke!" Anne said "Not now."
"He's not our Pa and he never loved me." Nick replied. "He don't know how ta love."
Luke reached back and punched Nick in the face. Nick was knocked off balance and fell back over the sidewalk railing into the dirty street.
"Nick!" Jo cried. She went to him and tried to help him up but he pulled his arm away.
"Luke!" Anne scolded. She tried to hold him back but he pulled away.
Nick was stunned, but did nothing but pick his hat up and dust himself off.
There were snickers and stares from the townsmen who found it humorous to see the convicted criminal knocked flat on his back in the street by the gentleman in the fine suit.
"Do not talk about my father like that," Luke ordered as he confronted Nick in the street, punching him again.
Nick took the blow stoically. The brothers stood face-to-face, oblivious to the audience that was forming.
Nick wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. "Did he ever hit you Luke?"
"No!" Luke answered emphatically.
Nick was relieved at the answer. "He gave ya food and clothes, a home and schoolin'. Ya went to a big university and traveled to Europe. He gave ya a career to build on. He loved ya. Ya had everythin' "
"Not everything."
"What more did ya want, Luke?"
"I wanted you, Nicky," Luke replied pointedly, "and you were not there. I lost everybody and then you left."
"I never stopped lovin' ya, Luke," Nick said softly to his little brother.
"I hate you, Nicky," Luke shouted back, pushing his big brother in the chest with both hands, his voice filled with venom. Jo gasped.
"Luke, stop!" Anne shouted.
"I have hated you from the day you left," he went on, shoving Nick again.
Nick stood there shocked, speechless, unable even to move. His head hurt. His chest was tight. He could barely breathe. His heart was breaking. All the years of pain and anger, doubt and regret came rushing back to him at once.
Luke was not about to stop. He poked his finger into Nick's chest. His voice was so loud that all could hear. "You are nothing but a worthless, selfish quitter. I was just four years old and you walked out on me. You did not even care."
"Luke, I…"
"Shut up, Nicky. I do not want to hear any excuses. Father said you always had a million excuses, a million lies."
Nick looked around. He saw Luke and Anne looking at him. He saw Jo with tears in her eyes. Harrison Bridger was watching from in front of his office. Captain Hoffman and Eli McBride were staring with smiles on their faces. The whole town was staring, too, finding it quite amusing.
He could not take it anymore. He turned and started walking away.
"Look at you running away again," Luke accused. Nick stopped in his tracks.
"Is that what you think happened?" Nick asked, turning back.
"That is what I know. Father told me how you killed Brett in that fire and then ran away."
Nick's face turned white as he reeled. "That's not what happened, Luke," Nick tried to explain.
Luke kept yelling at him. "I lost two brothers that day because of you. Ma and Pa and Susanna, they are all your fault, too. You deserve every rotten thing that has ever happened to you, Nicky. Father is right. You are pathetic."
Nick stared at him, stunned. Jo fought back the tears. Luke turned to his wife. "It is time for us to go."
Anne went to Nick. "Thank you for saving our Brett." Nick just nodded, swallowing hard.
Then Luke stopped in front of him, his eyes filled with disgust "I appreciate what you did for Brett but I never want to see you again."
Jo looked at Nick. She had never seen him so crushed, so defeated. Minutes before he had been so happy.
She wanted to go to him, but she couldn't, not there in town. She felt like her heart was breaking. She wiped the tears from her eyes.
She left with Luke and Anne to bring them to Meg's house for Brett.
Nick turned and walked away alone. The whole town was watching him, compounding the pain and humiliation. He jumped on his horse and rode off at a gallop.
PART 5
