Disclaimer: I own nothing. There's nothing to take except a fat cat.
Coming Together
Chapter one
Father,
I ask a great favor from you. I know its been a long time since I have contacted you and I am sorry. Could you please send Devin to JFK on Tuesday May 16. My children are arriving there alone. The flight number is DL 8045. Their names are Cortez and Jimmy Wells. Please watch over them. I will be there as soon as I can. Thank you so very much. Catherine
Devin stood in front of gate 68 clutching the telegram he received a week prior. His heart pounded in his chest. His stomach in knots. The shock was still fresh in his body. He never knew.
She was alive.
How could this be?
Seven years of pain and grief.
Why didn't she tell us?
Kids? Whose kids?
What about Vincent, Jacob?
Why didn't she tell us?
Did Father know she was alive?
Catherine's alive!
Devin watched as the airplane started to empty. People rushed by him quickly. As the area started to clear he worried that he might have missed them. He didn't know what they looked like or how old they were.
"Excuse me." he said walking over to the ticket counter where a stewardess stood.
"Yes sir." she said pleasantly.
"I'm here to pick you two children that were traveling by themselves." Devin told her watching a stewardess walk off the plane.
"Their names please."
"Cortez and Jimmy Wells."
"Ahh.. yes our quiet ones. They will be out in a couple minutes." she replied.
Devin stood by the gate and waited. He watched as two Hispanic boys walked through the gate led by a stewardess. He waited for their family to claim them. The stewardess pointed towards him and he looked behind him to see their family. He didn't see anybody so turned to look at the stewardess again. She looked at him and smiled. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
They were Cortez and Jimmy.
The boys walked up to him holding hands. The younger one was holding a stuffed bear tightly in his arms. The older boy looked to be nine or ten. He was a stocky boy with short black hair. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt with black cargo pants and black sneakers. The younger was maybe six, he was small with shaggy black hair that covered his eyes. He was wearing a blue shirt with a superhero on it and blue jeans. The older one looked at him with cold eyes. The younger one stared at the ground.
"Hi guys, I'm Devin." Devin said neither of them answered him. Noticing the yellow bags around the boy's necks. He knelt down and looked at the older one's bag.
"Cortez Wells?" Devin asked reading the name. He still couldn't understand why they had the Wells name.
"Tez, Senor." Tez said his expression not changing. Devin tried to smile and pointing to the younger boy.
"Jimmy?"
"Si Senor." Tez answered.
"Do you speak English?" Devin asked him.
Shaking his head Tez said, "No." his voice wavering.
"Do you have bags?" Devin asked pointing to the baggage sign.
"Si." Tez said holding up one finger. Walking to the baggage belt Devin watched as Tez looked for their bag. Jimmy held the boy's hand tightly. Looking at each boy Devin couldn't see any resemblance between them and Catherine. Maybe the younger one Jimmy could be hers but he couldn't see it. Both of them looked to be Hispanic.
What was going on?
Why does she have two boys?
Where was she?
A few minutes later the boys came back dragging a duffel bag. Smiling at them Devin grabbed the bag and led them out of the airport.
Jimmy held on tightly to his brother. There was so many people here. He had never seen so many people. He held on tightly to Buddy his teddy bear. His Mama had given Buddy to him on his third birthday.
Tez stepped outside the door and realized that he was in New York where his Mama grew up. He looked around wanting to soak in the noise and warmth. His Mama told him so many stories of this wonderful place.
Devin flagged down a cab and put the boys in the back seat. Climbing into the front he quickly tried to think what he should do. Where should he go? He made his decision and told the driver.
The boys whispered to each other as the cab drove through the down town area. They stared at the tall skyscrapers fascinated.
When they reached their destination Devin paid the driver and led the boys up the stairs of a Brownstone. He rung the bell and they waited. Moments later it opened to show an older gentleman.
"Hello Peter." Devin said giving Dr. Peter Alcott a hug.
"Hello Devin. What brings you to this part of the city?" Peter asked looking at the boys behind Devin. He wondered who they were. Opening the door wider he led them in. Devin walked in with the boys following.
"Come sit down." Peter said leading them into the living room. There was a long brown sofa and two leather recliners. Tez chose the sofa and took off his backpack. Jimmy sat down close to him clutching Buddy close to him.
"Hi guys, I'm Peter." Peter said sitting in a recliner beside the couch. Jimmy stared at the ground and Tez didn't say anything.
"That's Cortez, that's Jimmy." Devin said pointing to each one.
"Where did they come from?" Peter asked.
"I just picked them up from the airport."
"Wow, you both flew here. How was the flight?" Peter asked looking at them. Neither responded to him. He wondered why they were so quiet and why the younger one looked so scared.
Devin walked over to Peter's recliner and kneeled down.
"Peter I'm not sure how to tell you this." Devin said quietly.
"What?" Peter asked apprehension filling him.
"I believe these are Catherine Chandler's children." Devin said slowly.
"What...How...she's dead." Peter whispered remembering the day they buried her. The pain of seeing her coffin dropping into the ground sweeping through his body. She was like a daughter to him. God...how he missed her.
"I don't know how or why. But I received this telegram in the mail." Devin said pulling it out of his pocket and handed the telegram to Peter. Peter's hands were shaking has he read it.
"How can this be? Why didn't she tell us? It's been seven years. Where is she? Did you know?" Peter asked questions falling out of his mouth faster than he could think.
"I didn't know until this telegram arrived." Devin answered. He watched has Peter tried to understand what was going on. How could she keep this quiet. How could she not tell them any of them. He loved her so much. He had been there since the moment she was born. Her Father and him had gone to school together. Got married and had children together. She would come to him when there was a problem her Father couldn't solve. Why didn't she come to him this time? Why?
"Do you think Vincent knew?" Peter asked looking at Devin. Peter felt betrayed but so happy. He was happy she was alive.
"No, he still grieves for her." Devin said sadly.
"Cortez, where is your Mother?" Peter asked looking at Tez.
Tez shook his head. He knew where she went but he wouldn't tell. He missed her. He didn't want to be in charge. He didn't know these men. Mama promised him that he could trust them. She said that Devin was their Uncle. He was still uncertain of them.
"Why did she send you here?" Devin asked them.
Tez shook his head. Mama wanted to keep them safe but he wasn't telling them that. Jimmy promised him that he would only speak Spanish. Tez didn't want them to know that they knew a little English. He knew that it would help them if they pretended.
"Maybe she's in trouble." Peter said answering Devin's question himself.
"I hope not. I hope she gets here soon." Devin replied staring at the two boys.
"Where are they going to stay?" Peter asked.
"They are my nephews. I'll take them home, to the tunnels." Devin said smiling at them.
