Falling For You

by Nicole Taylor

  Gabriel reflected that this really had not been the case. Barry had provided him with material things, but the values his grandparents had taught him had been more advantageous in the end. Knowing that it would be ungracious to say that now, Gabriel held his tongue.

  “I knew that it was a transition,” Barry said, watching Gabriel. “Leaving the only parents you knew.” He shook his head. “Lily gave me her promise that she would take care of you even though it was clear that I got Mary impregnated while she and I were engaged…” He gave Gabriel a sidelong glance. “I know she treated you a little differently to Patrick. I was to blame for that. I felt more affection for you than Patrick. Whenever I looked into your eyes, they reminded me of Mary. I couldn’t bring her back, but I felt that I could at least take care of our son to the best of my ability. You know I really tried.” He looked at Gabriel earnestly.

  Gabriel nodded truthfully. “I know.”

  Barry had ensured that he lacked nothing. He was promptly enrolled in a prestigious private all-boys’ school to complete his elementary and high school education. He took him everywhere he took Patrick, introduced him with pride as his son, ensured that everything Patrick had he received as well.

  “That was why when you chose to leave Princeton and return to Ireland to study, I supported it even though I hated to see you leave my alma mater. When you went away, I changed my will to make you my heir. Not even Lily knew. Even though Patrick is only four years younger than you, the differences in maturity level when compared to you at the same age were vast. Patrick is a follower, easily led by others. He is disorganized and generally undisciplined. I knew it wouldn’t sit well with Lily, but I couldn’t put him in charge of the empire I had so carefully constructed.” He shook his head. “Things had gone so well those first two years. You were such a quick study, very sharp and analytical. I considered you an asset. That’s why during your third year, I promoted you to senior management level as an associate.”

  “Was that why you began introducing me to these clients that were previously unknown to me?”

  “Yes. I felt I could trust you with the more sensitive, non-traditional, and mainstream clientele.”

  Gabriel laughed grimly. “I like how you apply the word trust as you speak about criminals.”

  Barry flinched then sighed. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple of years, and I question whether it was wise of me to involve you in that aspect of things.”

  “It wouldn’t have made a difference. I would’ve still found myself knee-deep in the muck when you decided to flee here rather than own up to your responsibilities.”

  Barry went silent.

  Gabriel continued. “I remember when I asked you about these people’s dealings, you told me that it was not our concern. You said we could not involve ourselves in the affairs of our clients. That it would be morally wrong and grossly inappropriate.”

  “I did say that didn’t I,” Barry said. He ran a hand up and down his arm as though it were aching.

  Gabriel glanced at him, curiously. “Have you had a change of heart?”

  “Perhaps. I heard what Lebedev made you repay for that loan. I’m sorry.”

  “Who told you? Patrick?”

  Barry nodded. “He came to visit me a few weeks ago. He was quite upset about what happened. He said you roughed him up quite a bit. He told me that Lebedev is a very dangerous man. He said that Lebedev double-crossed him, that he had never told him about all these penalties. He had apparently made it seem like easy money.”

  “Lebedev’s character couldn’t have been news to you.”

  Barry shrugged and looked slightly sheepish.

  “I can’t get over how you could do business with such a man. He told me that you were a close associate of his. I almost retched in front of him. Imagine my own father...” Gabriel stopped and shook his head in disgust, unable to finish the sentence. Nostrils flaring, he turned on Barry. “You have yet to explain to me why you did business with him. You were hugely successful. You didn’t need to do this.”

  “How would you know what I needed to do!” Barry burst out angrily. “You were a child! Life is never so simple. I didn’t start out trading with these people. I was dealing with established business people. But one day, I was asked a question: would I trade with a particular regime that the government had issues with. When I was told the money I would receive, it wasn’t so clear to me why I shouldn’t do it. I reasoned that if I didn’t, then someone else would. Besides, I genuinely didn’t think their political leanings were my business. I felt I was simply providing a service the client needed. I’m a trader, not a politician. I was not interested in who was at war with whom or why. My focus was to make as much money as I could. Not simply for myself but for you and Patrick and future generations of the Walsh family.”

  He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. He suddenly looked old, tired, haggard.

  “When you resigned and told me that what we were doing was not sitting well with your conscience, I was furious. I couldn’t believe your nerve in telling me how to do business. Sitting in judgment of me. I was sorely disappointed. I had put so much hope and confidence in you and for you to turn on me like that.” He shook his head, and his eyes took on a far off look as though he was reliving the moment. “I said some hard things. I later reflected that maybe my words were a bit harsh. But I had been hurt to the core.”

  “You called me an ungrateful little bastard and said you should have left me suffering in Dublin where you had found me,” Gabriel said quietly. He hadn’t meant to rehash things, but he was hurting too. Still. Closure was needed here.

  “I regret those words,” Barry said softly. “I went too far. I just wanted to teach you a lesson, but you seemed to take it to heart. You moved out the same day. Do you know I hired a P.I. to find out how you were doing?”

  Gabriel shook his head in surprise. “No. I did not know that.”

  “I learned that you had gotten a job at an electronics firm, JJ Inc. I was relieved but not really surprised. I always knew you were a survivor.”

  “Why did you invite me to take over the company rather than Patrick?”

  “Because you were always the more responsible one.”

  “Perhaps. But did you know that it hurt him deeply? I think that this was why he decided to go to Lebedev. He knew I resented the man, and it was way of getting back at me.”

  “He was always spiteful like that. Do you remember, when you were young, if you ever offended him, your toys would go missing, and it would be discovered that he hid or damaged them just to get back at you.”

  Gabriel now remembered. He hadn’t thought about that before.

  “Listen, we had a talk the other day. Just this week, in fact. We’ve reconciled with each other. He’s made some life-changing decisions too.”

  His father looked at him, curiously. “Like what?”

  “He accepted Christ as his Savior.”

  Barry raised a brow. “Your doing?”

  “I’d say it was the Holy Spirit’s.”

  Barry nodded. “So, you’re going to give him back his job.”

  A corner of Gabriel’s mouth lifted. “One day at a time, dad. Anyway, you were explaining why you left me in charge.”

  “The reason I left everything to you was because radical prostatectomy isn’t exactly a walk in the park. The doctor told me to put my business affairs in order. When a medical professional tells you that you tend to think the worse. I decided that it was time to mend fences with you. I told you I wanted you back at the helm. I remember you were hesitant. I guess you hadn’t quite forgiven me.”

  “I was hesitant because the reason I had left in the first place still existed.”

  “Yes, and I promised you that I would discontinue dealing with the people you had a problem with once their contracts expired.”

  “Then, several months later, you got wind from an inside source that plans were afoot to serve a warrant for your arrest.”<
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  “Yes.”

  “It was worse than I could have imagined,” Gabriel ticked off his fingers. “Tax evasion, racketeering, money laundering. And you left me holding the bag.” He turned to stare at his father.

  “Yes, I did,” Barry said softly. Gabriel had expected him to deny it, so his head jerked back a little in response.

  “What did you just say?”

  “I did leave you holding the bag. And I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” he said quietly, looking Gabriel in the eyes with sincerity.

  Gabriel sat forward eagerly. It seemed to him that this was the moment he had been waiting for. “If you’re sincerely sorry, dad, you need to repent. It’s God you have really sinned against. It’s His forgiveness you need to seek.”

  Barry was pensive for a while. Eventually, he turned to watch him. “I suppose I should. What do I have to lose?”

  “Are you ready to give your life to God, dad.”

  “Yes. Yes, I am.”

  Gabriel held out his hand to his father. “Then, let’s pray.”

  ~*~*~*~

  “How do you feel this morning?” Gabriel asked, pouring pancake syrup liberally on the waffles his father’s maid had just placed before them.

  “Light,” Barry answered, taking a huge sip of coffee. He paused, cup in hand, and looked out through the window contemplating. “Really light and at peace for the first time in my life.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Gabriel, paused there was something that he had been playing on his mind until he finally fell asleep. “Dad, I was thinking that you need to do more than accept Jesus in your heart, though.”

  A strange expression covered Barry’s face. It was almost as though he knew where Gabriel was going and was bracing himself.

  “If you’re truly repentant, you need to turn yourself in to the authorities. You need to confess what you have done. Furthermore, you need to testify against Lebedev. He is a mercenary, an extortionist, and a criminal! Rick Baranski from the FBI believes that you know about his dealings, and if you testify against him, it can put him away for good. Is that true?”

  Barry stayed silent.

  “Dad?”

  “I’m not answering that question. That’s a dangerous question. Liable to get someone killed.”

  “The FBI would protect you.”

  “I’m sure. Like they protected all those poor schmucks who wound up dead. I don’t think so, Gabriel. There’s a line I’m not willing to cross here.”

  “He threatened my fiancée and me,” Gabriel said.

  “Gabriel, take my advice and let it go. Be grateful that you only got off short a few million. It could have been much worse.” Barry exhaled deeply, and his shoulders slumped. “I’m prepared to confess to what I’ve done, Gabriel, but I’m not willing to testify against Lebedev. I’m sorry.”

  Chapter 25

  G abriel and Barry had been expecting that as Barry was on the FBI watch list, he would be arrested on sight at La Guardia airport. What happened, in reality, was quite startling.

  Lily was there to greet Barry.

  He was surprised because she hadn’t told him she was coming. The last thing she had done was tried to discourage Barry from returning to the States, so this welcome was quite unexpected.

  Nonetheless, Barry returned her embrace, though he was a little preoccupied. He knew that at any moment, a police officer would arrest him once it was revealed via the Advance Passenger Information System that he was in the country.

  After they parted, Lily gave Gabriel a polite nod then returned her attention to Barry.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were dead set against my return.”

  She nodded, still looking very excited about something. It seemed to be entirely in contrast with her outburst over the phone that Gabriel couldn’t help but overhear.

  “Yes, darling. I was shocked that you were determined to come home even though they would arrest you on sight. But after I put down the phone, I knew it meant that I would have to work quickly.”

  Barry watched her with a confused expression.

  She leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

  Gabriel watched in curiosity as Barry’s jaw dropped open, and his eyes widened.

  “You’re joking,”

  She shook her head and beamed. “He owes me. I reminded him of how much money we contributed to his campaign.”

  Barry continued to stare at her in disbelief then seemed to remember that Gabriel was beside him.

  He turned to Gabriel. “Lily just told me the president pardoned me two hours ago.”

  Gabriel’s lips parted in surprise. He was silent as Lily laughed and embraced Barry. She seemed very excited. Perhaps, triumphant was a better word.

  She turned away and began gesturing to someone nearby and instructing them.

  Gabriel and Barry were alone once more. Gabriel forced a smile and patted his father’s shoulder, “Congratulations, dad.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say, but if God had ordained that his father be pardoned, who was he to belittle it.

  Barry met his eyes and shook his head. “I hope you don’t think this changes my resolve.”

  “What do you mea—?” before Gabriel could finish his sentence, Lily returned with two other people in tow. She quickly introduced them as members of a PR firm she had hired.

  “What’s going on?” Barry asked.

  “Let’s go,” Lily said mysteriously, she looped her arm through his and led him towards the exit. When the doors slid open, she said, “I invited the press.”

  “Why?” Barry asked sharply.

  “It’s time for our family to exonerate ourselves.”

  Tightening her hold on Barry’s arm, Lily turned a shining face towards the flashing cameras.

  She announced that her husband had been innocent all along, and she thanked the president for doing the right thing and pardoning him of trumped up charges.

  Gabriel felt sick to his stomach. He was glad his father wasn’t going to jail. But this façade. These lies. It was too much. He turned his face away from the spectacle, hoping that Lily didn’t address him or invite him to speak because he didn’t know what would come out of his mouth.

  He backed away and stood off a little to the side.

  Then someone invited Barry to speak. Gabriel looked down at his shoes. He couldn’t believe after the freedom his father had found that he was going to give it all away. It was too much to bear.

  “I’m quite astounded to see you all here right now,” he heard Barry say with his usual confidence. “I was only just informed of the presidential pardon by my beautiful wife moments ago.” Barry paused here for a moment, and Gabriel raised his head to slant a glance at him. He was gazing at Lily. “Thank you, Lily, for being a tower of strength for our family during my period of exile, for lack of a better word. I love you, and I hope you will be able to forgive me.”

  Lily gave a quick shake of her head as though brushing off Barry’s need to be forgiven anything.

  But Barry wasn’t finished. He turned back to face the cameras. “Because, you see, the reason I returned home was not that I knew I would be pardoned – like I told you I only became aware of that moments ago - it was to confess to all the crimes of which I was accused.”

  Shock waves went through the press. Cameras went off, and questions were fired by the excited throng of reporters. They surged forward, pushing microphones and recorders into Barry’s face, hungry for more.

  Barry held up his hands for silence, and eventually, it came. The crowd stood in eager anticipation.

  Gabriel was stunned. Lily was horrified. She held on to Barry, tugging on his arm as subtly as possible. Her face looked like it had been set in stone, and her smile was pasted on with such effort, it looked as though it would crack. Her eyes screamed at Barry to be silent, to retreat.

  Gabriel was bemused, unable to tear his eyes from the scene even if his very lif
e depended on it.

  Barry ignored Lily. In fact, it didn’t even seem as though he felt her tugging at his jacket from behind. Then Barry’s face took on a strength, a peace, a serenity that could only be divine. Between the drama of the press and the searing anger of his wife, he was convicted of the right of what he had to say, and no devil in hell would stop him from saying it.

  “I love my wife, but I cannot join with her in saying that the Walshes are exonerated or even that I had done nothing wrong. That lie I perpetuated was just a tip of the iceberg of all the other wrongs I committed in my life. The only thing I haven’t done is murder – not directly anyway. But crimes like fraud, money laundering, racketeering, are not victimless crimes. God only knows how many lives I destroyed because of them. What I can say with certainty is that Gabriel and Patrick were not involved with that part of my business. Gabriel chose to confess because he felt it was the only way he could pay for what I had done, seeing that, like the coward I was, I wasn’t willing to face the due penalty myself.” He turned and held out a hand to him. “Gabriel, son, I am truly sorry. Thank you for repaying the fines. For taking on my shame. It reminds me of what my Savior did for me. I am only able to stand here today and confess because of Him. I speak of Jesus. I have accepted him as my Savior. So I was free before the president pardoned me. Though I am grateful to the president for what he has done, I know that I would never be a free man if I didn’t confess my crimes publicly. I am sorry for anyone I may have hurt, and I plan to work with the law enforcement agencies in stemming this type of criminal activity.”