Nick's Journey

by SUE FINEMAN

  Hearing a siren in the distance, he yelled, “Cops!”

  Snake punched Nick in the stomach, then on the jaw before running out the door after the rest of his gang.

  It took Nick a minute to catch his breath. He rubbed his sore jaw, amazed he hadn’t been hurt worse. Blood ran from Tony’s split lip, his shirt was torn, one eye looked swollen, and he held his arm against his side. Nick helped him up off the floor. “Anything busted?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Can you make it home?”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t sound so sure, but they couldn’t stay here.

  “There’s no way we can hide this from Aunt Sophia.”

  “She’ll know anyway,” said Tony. “She always knows things.”

  Nick took a deep breath and blew it out. “Let’s get out of here before they come back.”

  “Gina owes us big time for this.”

  Tony wiped his mouth with the tail of his shirt. His hands shook.

  Now that the fight was over, Nick’s hands shook, too. “They’re gonna want revenge. We spoiled their fun.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Tony wiped his mouth again. He looked a little pale.

  They made it home just before the police came. Aunt Sophia cried and fussed over Nick and Tony, especially Tony, since he was still bleeding.

  Gina told the officers what happened. Between sobs, she said, “I was s-so stupid. It-it’s my fault they beat up on N-Nick and Tony. If they ha-hadn’t come…”

  The officers took down all the names Gina knew and a couple Tony and Nick had heard during the fight, then left. Nick figured the gang would lay low for a few days, but as soon as the cops ended their investigation, Gina’s boyfriend and his gang would come after them.

  Aunt Sophia washed the blood from Tony’s face. “Maybe we should take you to the hospital, make sure nothing’s broken.”

  “No, I’ll be okay. I’m just banged up. Some ice cream should fix me up real good.”

  “Silly boy.” She turned to Nick. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah.” His jaw ached and his stomach still hurt, but he’d been in worse fights.

  Vinnie took a wet cloth and gently wiped his little sister’s tear-streaked face. “Stop crying. It’s over. You’re okay now.”

  Looking at Tony and Nick, Vinnie asked, “Why aren’t you hurt worse, Nick? You and Tony were outnumbered, weren’t you?”

  “Yeah, but I know how to fight dirty.”

  “Dear God,” Sophia whispered. She lifted her chin and stared at her frightened daughter and battered boys. There was no way around it. They had to leave. Now. Before those monsters came after her kids. “We’re not staying here so they can hurt my kids again. I won’t have it! We’re moving.”

  She caught Vinnie’s eye. “I need your help, Vinnie. I can’t handle the move by myself.”

  “Okay. Where are we going?”

  “Gig Harbor, Washington.”

  His jaw dropped. “But what about my job?”

  “Washing dishes in a restaurant?” She flapped her hand. “You can do that anywhere.”

  “But—”

  “One year. Come with us and stay one year. If you want to leave then, so be it, but I need you, Vinnie. I can’t do this on my own.”

  Vinnie glanced at his crying sister and banged-up brother and sighed. “Okay, all right. One year. Then I’m coming back to L.A.”

  Sophia nodded. She’d change his mind before the year ended.

  <>

  Days later, Sophia and the kids packed a rental truck with her piano, beds, and other essential items. If something didn’t fit in the truck, they left it behind. Sophia drove her car with Maria and the boys, while Vinnie followed in the moving truck. Gina rode with him.

  It took three days to get to Gig Harbor. Sophia drove down the hill toward the pretty little harbor. Tony said, “Whoa, look at that. Hey, Ma, can we live on the water?”

  She smiled. “I don’t think so, Tony.”

  Angelo pointed out the window. “Look at the mountain.”

  “That’s Mount Rainier,” said Maria.

  “Why is it white on top?” Alessandro asked.

  “That’s snow,” Tony said. “It’s a really tall mountain, and it’s cold on top.”

  Nick pointed at a small yacht in the harbor. “Someday I’m gonna have a boat like that.”

  Tony glanced at Nick. “Yeah? I’ll bet you could live on a boat that size.”

  Happy chattering filled the car. Sophia felt Vincent’s approval and smiled.

  <>

  The next day, Sophia saw three rental houses. The agent said, “There’s one other house you might like. It needs a little work, but the owner is offering it as a lease-purchase. That means part of your rent goes toward the purchase price every month.”

  One look at the house at the end of the cul-de-sac, and Sophia was sold. It needed paint, and the yard was a mess, but the kids could help with that. She put a deposit on the house and they moved in the next day. Like the house in L.A., it only had three bedrooms and one bathroom, but it also had a full, unfinished basement with big windows, plenty of room to add more bedrooms and a bathroom someday. The plumbing had already been roughed in for the bathroom.

  The lawn was mostly moss and weeds, the linen closet shelves were broken, and the handles were missing from the closet doors, but they were here in Gig Harbor, the kids were safe, and they’d never have to move again. She and the kids would fix up the house and yard, and someday this house would belong to them.

  In a quiet moment, she hugged Vinnie. “Thank you for coming with us.”

  He chuckled. “As if you gave me a choice.”

  Vinnie and Sophia returned the moving truck to the local rental agency, then stopped at the grocery store. The kids at home were supposed to be making their beds and putting their clothes away. So much to do, but she knew it would all get done in good time.

  Nick helped Vinnie carry in the groceries. “I asked the neighbors if they wanted someone to mow their lawns and I got three takers.”

  “Ma, did we bring the lawn mower?” Vinnie asked.

  “No, it was shot, so I left it there.”

  “That’s okay. All these people said I could use theirs to mow their lawns.” Nicky scratched his head. “The thing is, I’ve never mowed before. Can someone show me how to work the mower?”

  Vinnie laughed. “You’ve got balls, kid. We’ll do it together the first few times, and when we earn enough money, we’ll buy a mower of our own. Okay?”

  Nick grinned. “Okay.”

  <>

  In September, Nick and Tony enrolled in the middle school. They rode a school bus, and the girls on the bus always smiled at Tony, who loved to flirt and tease. Nick just shook his head. The boys were in different classes, but in the same grade.

  Vinnie bought himself an old car and took classes at the Gig Harbor branch of Tacoma Community College. He and Nick mowed lawns in the afternoons and on the weekends, bringing in enough money to fix up the house.

  Sophia started baby-sitting for the neighbors and before long she had as many kids as she could handle. Since it didn’t cost as much to live in Washington, she put a little money away each month to replenish her empty savings account. She’d spent everything she had to move her family, but moving here had undoubtedly been the right thing to do.

  Maria and Gina rode the bus to Peninsula High School. Maria was an excellent student. Gina did okay, but she was more interested in boys than her classes.

  Some kid at school called Alessandro “Alice” and he punched the kid in the nose. The next day, he asked his teachers and the kids at school to call him Al. Even though Sophia didn’t like him changing the beautiful Italian name Vincent had given him, the nickname stuck.

  Nick blended into the family as if he’d been there forever. He and Tony became best friends, and he trusted Tony with all his secrets. Seeing the ugly scar on his face in the mirror reminded him how he’d lived in New York and strengthened h
is resolve never to live that way again. If he ever had kids of his own, they’d never know that kind of life.

  He loved each member of his new family, especially Aunt Sophia. She was the source of never-ending love and encouragement. The kind of parent he hoped to be himself someday.

  <> <> <>

  I hope you enjoyed reading about Nick and his journey to a new family. If you liked the boy, you’ll love the man he’s become twenty years later, in Maxine. Turn the page to read the first chapter.

  MAXINE

  by

  Sue Fineman

  Chapter One

  The men with the cameras were gone. Cara peered out the bedroom window, looking down the street and by the corner bus stop where the photographers hung out, but there wasn’t one in sight. Had they finally given up?

  What did people see in her anyway? Cara Andrews wasn’t an actor or celebrity, and the only attractive thing about her was her long, reddish-gold hair. If those tabloid photographers knew what a dull person she was, they’d leave her alone and go take pictures of someone interesting, like Oprah.

  Wind rustled the tender new leaves on the maple tree and bright sunshine streamed through the window. With the cameras gone and Lance at work, she had the freedom to explore the city, and she couldn’t have picked a prettier day for it.

  Smiling at her newfound freedom, Cara dressed quickly and pulled her waist-length ponytail through the back of a Seattle Mariners baseball cap. Grabbing a jacket, she headed for the stairs.

  Halfway down, she heard her husband’s voice. What’s he doing home? He’s supposed to start his new job today. The study was right below the stairs, and he’d left the doors open. Curious, she stopped to listen.

  “Don’t worry, she won’t hear me,” he said. “I gave her a double dose last night. She’ll sleep most of the day.”

  Dose of what? Was he talking about her? Had he been putting something in the tea he made her every night? Was that why she’d been sleeping so much since they moved to Seattle? Why would he do that? Too stunned to move, Cara stood quietly on the stairs, listening to her husband talk on the phone.

  “I’ll take her on a weekend trip to the island to celebrate our four-month anniversary. She’ll never suspect a thing.... Yes, of course she’ll have a private room, her own nurse. It’s a nice sanitarium. Expensive, but nice. They’ll take good care of her.”

  Oh, God, no! Cara’s hand covered her mouth to hold in the mournful cry that threatened to break loose. Don’t cry, Cara. Don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry.

  “Come on, honey. She’ll end up in one anyway. Everyone knows mental illness is inherited.... No, I told you before, I can’t put her in the same one her mother lived in. It’s too risky to use one here in the states.”

  Honey? He has another woman? How long has this been going on? She took deep breaths, but couldn’t stop her body from shaking. Lance wasn’t just having an affair. He wanted to lock her away in a sanitarium.

  “The place on St. Rupert’s is private, secluded, good security. It’s the best place for her. I checked it out myself. It’s like a tropical country club.... No, it’s not like that. This place is really nice. It’ll be like a permanent vacation. They have a private beach, library, all the comforts of home and then some. She’ll be fine once she gets used to it.”

  Nice? A rat-infested hole with people screaming to get out? Cara would rather die than live in a place like that. Maybe she should send Lance and his “honey” there and see how they liked it. Had Lance ever been on St. Rupert’s Island? No, probably not, but she had. She wouldn’t put her worst enemy in that place. It was like a prison, with razor wire around the fence and armed guards to shoot those who dared to try to escape. Fresh tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back. If anyone saw her crying, they might think she really was crazy.

  “We’ll travel and see the world, maybe take a cruise around the Greek Islands. Would you like that?” His soft, deep laughter, once familiar and comforting, made her skin crawl. She wrapped her arms around her body to keep from shaking so hard. When they married, he promised to take her there.

  “Don’t worry about Cara. They won’t drug her or use restraints unless she makes trouble. She’ll be all right there. I’ll check with her doctors often and make sure she’s okay.”

  If he thought he could lock her away, he had a surprise coming. She’d give her entire estate away before she’d let that snake have it. Thank God she poured out the tea he made her last night. If she hadn’t... she couldn’t even consider what might have happened to her.

  Cara had never been a fighter, but she’d fight this with everything in her. Unshed tears burned her eyes. She’d trusted the wrong man with her love, and she had no one to blame but herself. What a gullible fool she’d been. She had a security staff, yet she didn’t bother to have Lance checked out before she married him. He’d charmed her with his handsome looks and glib lies. Until now, she’d believed every word. Until now, I thought he loved me.

  What made her think she could have a normal life with a loving husband and children of her own? After she ended her marriage and took control of the estate, she’d live the rest of her life in that luxury prison she called a home, with armed guards to protect her. Alone.

  The desk chair squeaked and Lance ended his phone call. Her heart raced. She couldn’t let him know she’d heard. Without making a sound, Cara crept back to the bedroom and crawled in bed to hide in plain sight until he left the house.

  Seconds later, Lance walked into the bedroom whistling. Without glancing at the bed, he opened her jewelry box and picked through it, putting several pieces in his pocket. She lay very still, the covers pulled up to her chin to hide her clothes. Then he closed her jewelry box, grabbed his gym bag, and left the room, whistling as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Too scared to move, she stayed in bed until she heard the kitchen door slam, then she jumped up and peeked out the window to see him driving away in her car. “Oh, no!” Of all the days to take her car, why did it have to be today? She didn’t have keys for his car. She’d have to take a taxi or the bus, anything to get away from this house before he returned.

  Lance and his ‘honey’ thought they could live the high life on her money, but she’d give it all away before she let that snake spend another dime.

  Still shaking, she quickly packed a bag. Lance would think she’d gone home to the estate in California, so she couldn’t go there. She’d have to find another place to live while she figured out how to end her marriage without giving Lance half her grandfather’s estate.

  <>

  Nick Donatelli finished hanging the kitchen cabinets, then loaded his tool box in the back of his car. Time to quit work for the day. He liked construction work, liked watching someone’s new house go up, but he couldn’t depend on a steady income. A job might last a few days or a few months, and then he’d be on unemployment until the next one came along. Someday he wanted to own a construction company, but that dream seemed out of reach. He’d lost all his savings in the divorce.

  “C’mon, Nick,” Tony called. “It’s singles night at the comedy club, and it’s time you met some people.”

  “Meaning women?”

  Tony shrugged. He was the best looking of Nick’s cousins, and he had a reputation with women. Not necessarily a good one. In spite of that, he never seemed to have any problem finding dates. Tony didn’t need to drag Nick along to find himself a woman, and he didn’t need anyone in the way if he got lucky. And he would. Tony could have any woman he wanted.

  Although Nick was single again, the bitterness lingered over his ex-wife’s treachery. And now Tony wanted him to go out and meet women? Start over with another woman who’d rip out what was left of his heart? No, thanks.

  “Take Angelo, Tony.” Without further discussion, Nick started his car and drove home to the little house his cousins had helped him build after his divorce. His beach house had a big mortgage, but he didn’t have to share it with Lisa. Didn’t
have to live there with a woman who thought only of herself and her career. She didn’t care that she’d ripped his heart out.

  After a long, hot shower, Nick sat on the deck eating his dinner. It was barely April, and there was a bite to the air, but he didn’t mind. The green hills framing the water had been washed clean from yesterday’s rain, and the late afternoon sun sparkled off the gray waters of Puget Sound. He loved living on the water. He had a long flight of stairs from the house up to the road, and it was a nuisance lugging groceries in, but that was a small sacrifice for the privilege of living in his own private paradise.

  He tossed a crust of bread on the beach for the shore birds and walked down the beach. There were only four other houses along this stretch of beach. The middle three were vacation homes owned by people from Seattle. Those places sat empty most of the year. The lights were on in old Mrs. Martin’s house at the end, but Mrs. Martin had passed away several months ago. As he walked closer, a woman with long black hair walked past the living room window. He couldn’t believe someone was living there again. Tony had talked about renting it, so he’d have a private place to take women, but after he saw it up close, he changed his mind. The land had a gentle slope down to the water and an outstanding view, but the house had termites and so much rot it wasn’t safe to live there. If Nick owned that house, he’d tear it down and start over.

  Pretty colors streaked across the sky as the sun set over the water. Nick stood quietly, gazing at the sky until the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

  He was so lonesome he couldn’t stand it.

  Maybe he should have gone with Tony.

  <>

  Cara dried her hair in front of the woodstove. In her rush to get away from the house, she’d forgotten to bring a hair dryer. She’d left a lot of things behind, and since she’d emptied their joint bank accounts before she left Seattle, Lance would probably pawn the rest of the jewelry she’d brought with her. She’d left most of the valuable things at the estate in California.

  Her guardians thought Lance was wonderful. Marrying him had been the first thing she’d ever done that pleased them. Did they know what he was planning? Did they care? They’d always hated her. If it had been up to her, they would have been gone the week they came, but at thirteen, she was considered by the trustees to be too young to make that decision.