Lucky wiped the happy tears from his eyes. “What dad? What do you have
to tell me?”
Luke took a deep breath. “Lucky, I… I did not try to kill myself.”
Lucky pulled back in shock. “What? How? I?”
Luke laughed. “SHHH. Just listen Cowboy. I was very drunk, and very
upset… but I would never kill myself. How could you not know that? You
know me, don’t get sad, get even.”
“But, Dad, you… you slit your wrists.”
“No, no, I didn’t”
“Well, then what the hell DID happen?” Lucky asked, very confused.
“I told you. I was drunk, I guess I just passed out, maybe knocked
over the bottle and cut myself when I fell. All I remember is that I got
up to go to the bathroom. Next thing I know, I can’t see, I can’t talk,
I can’t move, and I hear you, screaming. I was so afraid. I thought I WAS
dead, or you were in trouble, and I couldn’t help you.” Luke let his tears
fall freely.
Lucky sobbed and gripped his dad’s hands. “Dad, I thought you had tried
to kill yourself. I thought I’d die then and there when I walked into your
office and you.. you were laying there. So much blood Dad, there was so
much blood.”
“I’m so sorry Cowboy. It must have been so terrible. But I could always
hear you. I could hear everything. I heard you, Barbara Jean, Emily. Even
Liz.” Lucky backed up. He made a face. “Son, forgive her. She’s SO heartbroken.
She’s right ya know, Laura had a right to know. Even if just to think it
was her fault.”
“But…”
“No, really. She’s lost without you. You should have heard her. She
broke my heart. That girl has been through enough, and now to lose you…no,
don’t make her go through that too. Not without at least talking to her.”
Luke held onto Lucky’s hand as he said this, looking him in the eye.
“Dad, I don’t know. She… she betrayed me.” Lucky said.
“No, son, she didn’t betray you. She did what she thought was right.
I can’t force you to do anything, but, I think you should give her a chance.
Talk to her.”
“Maybe. Maybe okay?”
“Allright. Now, go get my sister!” Luke smiled.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The next night, around 7:00)
Emily walked over to Ned’s house, floating on air. Her and Nicholas
had been up ALL night, talking. She told him about the letter. Lucky had
never given it to him. Not that she blamed him, with the timing and everything.
She had slept late that day. It had been a long time since she had slept
til 5:00! Grandfather had asked her if she was using again even. She’d
laughed at him. So what if he thought that. She did feel as if she were
high. She got to the door of Ned’s and paused. She heard laughter within.
She slowly opened the door. “Lucky!”
Lucky turned. He looked happier than she had seen him in a long time.
So did Nicholas. He looked like he would burst with happiness. Lucky rushed
over. “Hey, Em!” He gave her a big, tight hug. He held her at arm’s length.
“Guess what! Dad’s AWAKE!!!”
Emily gasped and smiled. “He is? He’s okay? Really?”
“Yeah. AND, he didn’t try to kill himself. He just fell on glass when
he passed out. Isn’t that great?!” He was practically bouncing with joy.
“Well,” Emily began, confused.
“Well, not great that he fell on glass, but that he didn’t try to kill
himself.” Lucky sat back down on the couch next to Nicholas, wearing his
trademark smirk. Nicholas looked amused at Emily, making a crazy face at
Lucky.
Emily laughed. “That’s great, now you can talk to Liz…”
“Em… Don’t go there.” Lucky warned her.
“But…” Emily pleaded.
“No, I’m not ready to face her yet. I’m still kinda mad. But I will,
eventually. I will. Just… not yet.” Lucky got up. “Come on ya’ll. Let’s
go walk by the docks.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The blond girl sat on a bench overlooking Windemere. Ofcourse, she
didn’t know it was Windemere. ‘How queer. It looks so beautiful, yet menacing!’
She sat back and took a drag off her cigarette. She had gotten here, finally.
She had even gone to their house, but no-one had been home. ‘Oh well, I’ve
waited three days, I can wait a couple a more hours.’ Suddenly she heard
laughter. It startled her.
She quickly stood up and turned around to face three teens. “Oh, hey,
sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Emily apologized.
The girl shrugged and smiled. “No problem babe.” She smiled warmly
at all three of them.
Her smile was contagious. Nicholas found himself smiling at her too.
Lucky was captivated. There was something about this girl. Something… familiar.
“So, are you new in town.” Emily asked her.
“Man, am I new! Just got here in fact. Girl, I haven’t slept in three
days. Just drove straight here. You could say I was a little delirious.”
She said, laughing at herself.
Lucky stared hard at her. Suddenly it came to him. “Destiny?”
The girl looked at him, surprised to the core. Then she slowly smiled.
“Spencer?”
Lucky smiled broadly. “Jenkins!” He ran forward and hugged her. She
hugged back, and he swung her in a circle.
