Part of the Family
Chapter One
by hbwgonnabe
Seventeen-year-old Joe Hardy rapped sharply on the door of his girlfriend's at precisely seven p.m. They had been dating since her arrival in Bayport and tonight marked the six-month anniversary of their first date.
Joe's blue eyes looked around the porch as he waited and his smile faltered a bit. The porch swing had been taken down and sat against the wall; the chains in coils on the seat. The two flowerpots, which normally sat on the banister, had completely disappeared from view.
He lifted his hand to knock again but the door opened and Andrea Bender, his girlfriend's mother, stood there looking a bit frazzled.
"Is something wrong?" Joe asked at once, his blue eyes worried and his voice filled with concern. Had something happened to Vanessa?
"No, everything's fine," Andrea quickly assured the blond headed athletic youth who stood four inches taller than her own five foot eight. "Vanessa's fine," she added, seeing his hesitant look. "A bit upset, but that's to be expected."
"Huh?" Joe asked, completely baffled.
"Didn't Vanessa call you this afternoon?" Andrea asked, her own expression turning curious.
"Frank and I just got back into town about an hour ago," Joe replied with a shake of his head. "We were helping dad on a case in Bridgeport." Joe, and his year older brother, Frank, were following in the footsteps of their world famous father, a private investigator named Fenton Hardy.
"You had better come in and sit down," Andrea told him, opening the door all the way so he could enter.
Joe stepped over the threshold and into the living room. His stomach turned to lead as he saw the jungle of cardboard scattered before him. "You're moving?" he rasped then swallowed to rid himself of the lump, which had just lodged in his throat. No need to get excited, he berated himself. They are probably just moving closer to town. Or the city. New York isn't that far from Bayport.
"Mr. Yomoto called me this morning," Andrea told him as a door from upstairs was heard to open. "He offered me a position as vice-president of his anime studio," she explained in a gentle voice. "The offer was too good to pass up."
"You're moving to Japan?" Joe croaked in disbelief. He knew Andrea had met Mr. Yomoto when she and her daughter, Vanessa, had gone to Japan for an anime convention. Vanessa had told him her mother been taken not only by Mr. Yomoto's studio but also by Mr. Yomoto who had given them a personal tour.
Before Andrea could answer, a leggy blond with sad gray eyes raced down the stairs and threw her arms around Joe. Joe lifted his arms to hold her as Vanessa buried her face into his shoulder.
"Why don't you two go outside for a bit?" Andrea suggested. Joe nodded and led Vanessa through the front door.
"When are you leaving?" Joe asked as he and Vanessa sat down on the steps of the porch.
"In the morning," Vanessa replied softly. "Mr. Yomoto suggested we let him handle the moving and the sale of the house. He has someone from his office on his or her way in Mr. Yomoto's private jet. We'll be flying back on it."
Joe pulled Vanessa close and the two sat quietly as the bullfrogs began to croak loudly from their position near the river. Crickets chirped; and a rabbit scampered in front of the couple making its way from the far side of the van to the bushes along the side of the house before Vanessa pulled away and looked up into Joe's eyes. "I...I guess this is it," she whispered, her voice sad as she reached for the chain around her neck which held Joe's high school ring.
"Keep it," Joe said softly, stilling her hands and kissing her briefly but tenderly. "To remember me by," he added, giving her a sad smile.
"As if I could forget," she whispered, fresh tears appearing at the corners of her eyes. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
"The feeling is mutual," Joe returned. "You made me feel alive...whole again. I love..." he began.
"Don't," she begged, placing a finger against his lips to silence him.
Joe closed his eyes and nodded. "Write me?" he asked.
"Every day," Vanessa promised at once.
Joe gave a quiet little laugh and shook his head. "I won't hold you to that," he said. "Japan's a long way away," he continued as he saw how crushed she looked. "And we are both young. I do love you very, very much but I know we both still have some growing t do. Emotionally if nothing else," he amended with a smile. "We can't let what we have...had...keep us from living...and loving." He paused as he looked deep into her eyes. "You taught me that."
Vanessa nodded then pulled Joe close for a long, final, kiss before standing up. Joe stood as she began speaking. "I will write," she told him. "At least once a month."
"And I'll answer," Joe promised.
"You better!" she ordered, playing with the lapel of his shirt. "Or I'll have to call out the National Guard to hunt you down."
Joe looked behind Vanessa as the door opened and Andrea stood illuminated in the light. "Can I help?" he asked.
"No," Vanessa answered, touching his cheek. "Mom only wanted to pack the breakable stuff and what we're going to need until our things get there," she explained.
Joe glanced over at the swing. "Mom gave the flowers to one of our neighbors and she asked if she could have the swing too," Vanessa explained.
Joe gave Vanessa a big hug. "Take care of yourself," he said, his eyes pleading.
She nodded as Andrea came onto the porch. "Joe," Andrea said, stopping Joe as he turned to leave.
Joe stopped and looked askance at her. "I know what you and Frank do is dangerous and I'll be honest, when Vanessa first started dating you I would have given anything to have broken the two of you up."
"MOM!" Vanessa gasped, horrified.
"But you were always very careful with my daughter," Andrea continued, ignoring her daughter's outburst. "And considerate. A real gentleman. It didn't take you long to make me change my mind. I want you to know that if we had stayed here and you and Vanessa could have been together, I would have been proud to have you for a son-in-law."
Joe walked over to Andrea and gave her a huge hug. "Thanks," he said. "Vanessa means a lot to me. She always will," he added, smiling over at Vanessa tenderly. "If either of you ever need anything, let me know. I'll come running," he promised.
"I don't doubt it for a minute," Andrea responded, hugging Joe then going over to Vanessa and putting an arm around her shoulders as Joe walked down the steps and climbed into the van. As he pulled away, the two women went back inside.
It was going on eleven thirty when Frank pulled into the back of the Hardy home. He got out of the car and saw his brother lying on the hammock situated between two oak trees in the back yard, staring up at the night sky.
Worried because of the melancholy way Joe was lying, Frank approached his younger brother with some trepidation. "Joe?" he asked, his brown eyes seeking Joe's blue ones as Joe turned his head at his name.
"Why is it the stars are more vibrant on a cold winter night than on a lazy summer one like tonight?" Joe asked, looking back up at the star filled sky.
I knew it! Frank thought, running a hand through his wavy brown hair. "What's wrong?" Frank asked, sitting down in the lawn chair near the hammock.
"Vanessa's moving to Japan," Joe dropped the bomb.
"When?" Frank asked, careful to keep his tone even for Joe's sake.
"Tomorrow," Joe answered, sitting up and staring at his brother. "Andrea was offered a great job there but they have to leave immediately."
"I'm sorry," Frank commiserated, getting up and joining Joe on the hammock. Frank sat there giving quiet comfort to his brother. He knew how much Joe cared about Vanessa. At times he thought Joe loved her more than he had Iola. IOLA! The thought sent a shiver of fear down Frank's spine. She had been Joe's childhood sweetheart but had been killed when a terrorist had planted a bomb in their car. Iola and Joe had fought and she had reached the car before Joe. For days Joe wouldn't speak, sleep or eat. He still felt guilty about the incident although it had in no way been his fault. How would Vanessa's leaving affect him? At least she's still alive, Frank thought gratefully.
"It's going to be so different without her," Joe said, giving a deep sigh.
"You two can still keep in touch," Frank said, offering Joe some hope. He hated seeing Joe look so dejected. "You can write each other and call. And don't forget Yahoo Messenger and e-mail," he added, glad they lived in a computer age.
"It wouldn't be the same," Joe said, shaking his head. "We both know it. Oh, we'll write each other every now and then. We might even see each other if we get a case that takes us to Japan," he added. "But it's over. There's no way our relationship could do anything but fester at such a distance."
Joe saw Frank's forehead crease slightly as he tried to hide his frown. "Relax," Joe continued, putting an arm around Frank's shoulders. "I'll get over it. At least I didn't get dumped so my girl could go out with another guy."
"You sure you're all right?" Frank demanded.
"Yeah," Joe replied after a moment's silence. "Vanessa is wonderful. She was exactly what I needed at that juncture of my life. But I've healed. I've grown. And I'm ready to take whatever life throws at me."
"So, you're ready to have Callie fix you up for next week?" Frank asked, looking at Joe critically.
"I wouldn't go that far," Joe objected. "But give me a little while."
Chapter One
by hbwgonnabe
Seventeen-year-old Joe Hardy rapped sharply on the door of his girlfriend's at precisely seven p.m. They had been dating since her arrival in Bayport and tonight marked the six-month anniversary of their first date.
Joe's blue eyes looked around the porch as he waited and his smile faltered a bit. The porch swing had been taken down and sat against the wall; the chains in coils on the seat. The two flowerpots, which normally sat on the banister, had completely disappeared from view.
He lifted his hand to knock again but the door opened and Andrea Bender, his girlfriend's mother, stood there looking a bit frazzled.
"Is something wrong?" Joe asked at once, his blue eyes worried and his voice filled with concern. Had something happened to Vanessa?
"No, everything's fine," Andrea quickly assured the blond headed athletic youth who stood four inches taller than her own five foot eight. "Vanessa's fine," she added, seeing his hesitant look. "A bit upset, but that's to be expected."
"Huh?" Joe asked, completely baffled.
"Didn't Vanessa call you this afternoon?" Andrea asked, her own expression turning curious.
"Frank and I just got back into town about an hour ago," Joe replied with a shake of his head. "We were helping dad on a case in Bridgeport." Joe, and his year older brother, Frank, were following in the footsteps of their world famous father, a private investigator named Fenton Hardy.
"You had better come in and sit down," Andrea told him, opening the door all the way so he could enter.
Joe stepped over the threshold and into the living room. His stomach turned to lead as he saw the jungle of cardboard scattered before him. "You're moving?" he rasped then swallowed to rid himself of the lump, which had just lodged in his throat. No need to get excited, he berated himself. They are probably just moving closer to town. Or the city. New York isn't that far from Bayport.
"Mr. Yomoto called me this morning," Andrea told him as a door from upstairs was heard to open. "He offered me a position as vice-president of his anime studio," she explained in a gentle voice. "The offer was too good to pass up."
"You're moving to Japan?" Joe croaked in disbelief. He knew Andrea had met Mr. Yomoto when she and her daughter, Vanessa, had gone to Japan for an anime convention. Vanessa had told him her mother been taken not only by Mr. Yomoto's studio but also by Mr. Yomoto who had given them a personal tour.
Before Andrea could answer, a leggy blond with sad gray eyes raced down the stairs and threw her arms around Joe. Joe lifted his arms to hold her as Vanessa buried her face into his shoulder.
"Why don't you two go outside for a bit?" Andrea suggested. Joe nodded and led Vanessa through the front door.
"When are you leaving?" Joe asked as he and Vanessa sat down on the steps of the porch.
"In the morning," Vanessa replied softly. "Mr. Yomoto suggested we let him handle the moving and the sale of the house. He has someone from his office on his or her way in Mr. Yomoto's private jet. We'll be flying back on it."
Joe pulled Vanessa close and the two sat quietly as the bullfrogs began to croak loudly from their position near the river. Crickets chirped; and a rabbit scampered in front of the couple making its way from the far side of the van to the bushes along the side of the house before Vanessa pulled away and looked up into Joe's eyes. "I...I guess this is it," she whispered, her voice sad as she reached for the chain around her neck which held Joe's high school ring.
"Keep it," Joe said softly, stilling her hands and kissing her briefly but tenderly. "To remember me by," he added, giving her a sad smile.
"As if I could forget," she whispered, fresh tears appearing at the corners of her eyes. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
"The feeling is mutual," Joe returned. "You made me feel alive...whole again. I love..." he began.
"Don't," she begged, placing a finger against his lips to silence him.
Joe closed his eyes and nodded. "Write me?" he asked.
"Every day," Vanessa promised at once.
Joe gave a quiet little laugh and shook his head. "I won't hold you to that," he said. "Japan's a long way away," he continued as he saw how crushed she looked. "And we are both young. I do love you very, very much but I know we both still have some growing t do. Emotionally if nothing else," he amended with a smile. "We can't let what we have...had...keep us from living...and loving." He paused as he looked deep into her eyes. "You taught me that."
Vanessa nodded then pulled Joe close for a long, final, kiss before standing up. Joe stood as she began speaking. "I will write," she told him. "At least once a month."
"And I'll answer," Joe promised.
"You better!" she ordered, playing with the lapel of his shirt. "Or I'll have to call out the National Guard to hunt you down."
Joe looked behind Vanessa as the door opened and Andrea stood illuminated in the light. "Can I help?" he asked.
"No," Vanessa answered, touching his cheek. "Mom only wanted to pack the breakable stuff and what we're going to need until our things get there," she explained.
Joe glanced over at the swing. "Mom gave the flowers to one of our neighbors and she asked if she could have the swing too," Vanessa explained.
Joe gave Vanessa a big hug. "Take care of yourself," he said, his eyes pleading.
She nodded as Andrea came onto the porch. "Joe," Andrea said, stopping Joe as he turned to leave.
Joe stopped and looked askance at her. "I know what you and Frank do is dangerous and I'll be honest, when Vanessa first started dating you I would have given anything to have broken the two of you up."
"MOM!" Vanessa gasped, horrified.
"But you were always very careful with my daughter," Andrea continued, ignoring her daughter's outburst. "And considerate. A real gentleman. It didn't take you long to make me change my mind. I want you to know that if we had stayed here and you and Vanessa could have been together, I would have been proud to have you for a son-in-law."
Joe walked over to Andrea and gave her a huge hug. "Thanks," he said. "Vanessa means a lot to me. She always will," he added, smiling over at Vanessa tenderly. "If either of you ever need anything, let me know. I'll come running," he promised.
"I don't doubt it for a minute," Andrea responded, hugging Joe then going over to Vanessa and putting an arm around her shoulders as Joe walked down the steps and climbed into the van. As he pulled away, the two women went back inside.
It was going on eleven thirty when Frank pulled into the back of the Hardy home. He got out of the car and saw his brother lying on the hammock situated between two oak trees in the back yard, staring up at the night sky.
Worried because of the melancholy way Joe was lying, Frank approached his younger brother with some trepidation. "Joe?" he asked, his brown eyes seeking Joe's blue ones as Joe turned his head at his name.
"Why is it the stars are more vibrant on a cold winter night than on a lazy summer one like tonight?" Joe asked, looking back up at the star filled sky.
I knew it! Frank thought, running a hand through his wavy brown hair. "What's wrong?" Frank asked, sitting down in the lawn chair near the hammock.
"Vanessa's moving to Japan," Joe dropped the bomb.
"When?" Frank asked, careful to keep his tone even for Joe's sake.
"Tomorrow," Joe answered, sitting up and staring at his brother. "Andrea was offered a great job there but they have to leave immediately."
"I'm sorry," Frank commiserated, getting up and joining Joe on the hammock. Frank sat there giving quiet comfort to his brother. He knew how much Joe cared about Vanessa. At times he thought Joe loved her more than he had Iola. IOLA! The thought sent a shiver of fear down Frank's spine. She had been Joe's childhood sweetheart but had been killed when a terrorist had planted a bomb in their car. Iola and Joe had fought and she had reached the car before Joe. For days Joe wouldn't speak, sleep or eat. He still felt guilty about the incident although it had in no way been his fault. How would Vanessa's leaving affect him? At least she's still alive, Frank thought gratefully.
"It's going to be so different without her," Joe said, giving a deep sigh.
"You two can still keep in touch," Frank said, offering Joe some hope. He hated seeing Joe look so dejected. "You can write each other and call. And don't forget Yahoo Messenger and e-mail," he added, glad they lived in a computer age.
"It wouldn't be the same," Joe said, shaking his head. "We both know it. Oh, we'll write each other every now and then. We might even see each other if we get a case that takes us to Japan," he added. "But it's over. There's no way our relationship could do anything but fester at such a distance."
Joe saw Frank's forehead crease slightly as he tried to hide his frown. "Relax," Joe continued, putting an arm around Frank's shoulders. "I'll get over it. At least I didn't get dumped so my girl could go out with another guy."
"You sure you're all right?" Frank demanded.
"Yeah," Joe replied after a moment's silence. "Vanessa is wonderful. She was exactly what I needed at that juncture of my life. But I've healed. I've grown. And I'm ready to take whatever life throws at me."
"So, you're ready to have Callie fix you up for next week?" Frank asked, looking at Joe critically.
"I wouldn't go that far," Joe objected. "But give me a little while."