Ace Merrill POV.
Ace was so far gone in his own depression that he hadn't noticed the older Merrill take a seat on the bar stool next to him. He simply took another slow sip from his drink, letting his cold blue eyes graze the tattered television screen for the hundredth time tonight. Some old western was playing, Ace had seen it playing here a thousand times before while he sat with his boys and caused trouble in the tiny bar. Melvin, The Mellow Tiger's owner, had rarely switched the tapes that played on a repetitious loop; nobody even watched the old television anyways. He had never really paid attention to what was happening unless he was really tipsy, but even then he had no interest in the plot. A lot like most of the regulars here at The Mellow Tiger.
"Gotta quarter?" A gruff voice asked from beside him. Ace hadn't even flinched, he just continued to drown into his drink as if nothing was said. Assuming it was a greaser from out of town, begging for some money for his next drink Ace hadn't even turned to see who the voice was coming from. He was intent on finding out the plot of this movie once and for all, it was the best thing he had to do here at the pub tonight. He was completely focused on the movie screen, un-knowing that it was his father-figure sitting beside him.
Reginald sighed and placed a hand on his nephews shoulder, in which Ace spun around and came face to face with his Uncle. He looked up into the older Merrill's eyes and seen a flicker of what was caught to be 'pity'. Usually this would anger the young man, he hated to be pitied on; but tonight, he didn't care anymore. If Holly wasn't by his side, than there was nothing to care about anymore. He would simply sit here and drink his cares away as she sat miles away in Portland, starting a new, all because of him. His friends were even a little pissed a him, not that they'd show it, but he knew they were. Who couldn't be? He had hurt Holly badly, and he was the reason for her leaving. None of the boys dare come to Ace's house and confront him about it, but he could see in Chris Chambers' eyes; if he was a little older and a little stronger he wouldn't mind trying his luck at beating Ace's ass.
Fat chance, Ace thought as his familiar trademark smirk came upon his lips and his Uncle simply shook his head.
"What happened to you, son? What have you done to yourself?" Reginald nearly whispered almost to himself as Ace's smirk whipped from his face at once, and a deep frown took over.
"I lost something that I'm never gonna be able to get back, that's what happened." Ace replied slowly, trying his best to clear his words so Reginald would have no idea how much he had actually drank. But there was no way of hiding it, and the Reginald almost laughed at him trying; so much like his younger brother.
"So I've heard." He replied quietly, breaking eye contact with his nephew and looked towards the wrinkled man behind the bar. He signaled for two more drinks, as Ace absently watched him, not denying the drink at all. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a couple bills and tossed them across the bar in which the man smiled and passed the two men their drinks. He left with a good tip, but Ace didn't mind; at least he did one good thing in the last twenty four hours.
"I was going to pay, John." Reginald sighed, but simply grinned at his nephews reply.
"I maybe off my rocker right about now, but I still have class, Pop." The older Merrill let a low chuckle escape his lips as he put a rude elbow on the bar and peered at his nephew.
He even looks like him, he thought with a grin as he watched Ace take a sip from his drink.
"So you lost something that you may not be able to get back than huh?" Reginald started once more, wishing to get on the topic of Holly. After all, her absence had hurt him as well; she was one of his loyal customers, and soon to be employee. She would drop down to the junk shop every now and than and help Pop Merrill with anything that needed to be done, and he had promised her a job ever since she was a little girl. She had worked for him one summer, but that seemed so long ago now that she was gone from the tiny town. He needed answer's, truthful ones.
Ace nodded and muttered a "Yeah" and took yet another sip, his attention now back on the television screen. Reginald knew he was going to have to play a little dumb with a tipsy Ace to get some answer's; he was an intelligent man, so it was more than a hard task to do.
"Can I help you find it?" Reginald asked childishly as he took a sip of his own drink. Looking towards Ace for any sign of confusion, before reaching across the counter and grabbing a toothpick; an old habit he had inherited from his brother.
Ace chuckled and shook his head, glancing from the television screen and back to his Uncle with a cocky grin. Reginald was use to Ace's cocky ways, he had raised him since he was 5 years old, when his parents had died in a tragic car crash. Ace didn't like talking about them much, neither did Reginald. It brought back old memory's, and usually the old man would break down in a river of tears; but not tonight. He promised himself he would stay strong and keep the promise he had made to Annabelle so many years ago.
"I can see the love they have for one another; don't let them not notice it. True love only comes once in a life time, and those two kids love each other so much. I haven't seen anything like it in my entire life, and we may never see something like this again. If I'm not there to do it, your the only remaining family member in Castle Rock and apart of John's life. Please make sure they realize their love for one another.. I don't want to see them in the same situation as your brother and I once were in.."
His brother's wife's words rung throughout his mind on an endless loop as he looked at his nephew. He knew than what he had to do.
"You know you're mother loved you both very much, you and Holly." Reginald took a slow sip of his drink and watched Ace's reaction to Holly's name. He shuddered and turned towards his Uncle.
"I know." He stated coldly and smashed his drink down on the bar once more. The hurt in his eyes wasn't hard to notice as Ace looked anywhere but his Uncle's eyes. It hurt Reginald deeply to see his Nephew go through such a heart break, it gave him day-ja-vu, from the years his brother was going through the exact same thing. It was like watching a movie he had seen once before, and knowing the outcome of every scene. It scared him to see everything from last generation happening in this one as well. He needed to end the hurting; right now.
"You know, you remind me a lot of your old man right now." Reginald sighed and watched as Ace turned towards him with a blank look on his face. Reginald was begging for conversation, and Ace kept shrugging him off; but the truth was, Ace wanted him to continue.
"Almost the exact same thing your going through now happened to both your mother and father when they were your age. Your father was the town bad boy, and your mother had been the good girl coming from a rich catholic home." Reginald began, seeing Ace give an almost unrecognizable nod to continue.
"They were in love, but your father was a bad boy, not the ideal mate for your mothers kind. And to top it all off your father was a protestant, a whole different religion than your mother; making their love forbidden anyways." Reginald continued, pausing for a moment before going on with his story.
"They had dated secretly for quite sometime, until one day your mothers parents had caught wind of James and Annabelle's relationship. Everything fell apart, and your mother was forced to leave town; praying that your father wouldn't find someone else while she was gone. She left for a year, than came back by her parents demand for a summer visit. She walked into Irby's, and found your father with another girl.. He could never get over Annabelle, but every girl was willing to make him try with her. Your father had found Lucy Carson, and dated her just for the convenience that she had had a house at the time; and he had to move out. There was no mutual love in their relationship, but your mother was broken.. And it was all just a big misunderstanding." Reginald trailed off, checking in on Ace's reaction to the weird yet comparable story.
Ace was watching his drink intently, noticing the pause in Reginald's story. His fingers were absent mindedly skimming the cool glass as he listened to the story, glancing up at Reginald and nodding to continue.
"Your not going to end off there are you?" Ace said it more as a pushed statement than a question. Reginald smiled at Ace's reaction to wanting to know more of his parents twisted past. So, he continued.
"Your mother fled town, promising never to return again. Just because she couldn't bear to be in the same town as James and his new girlfriend. James was heart broken also, he never thought he would ever see his beloved Annabelle again.. But he did, and he had lost her that quickly-" Reginald was suddenly cut off by his nephew, a guilty expression on his face.
"Yeah, but I'm not dad; I made a huge mistake.. I don't want to uphold my reputation anymore if it means I lose her." Ace was suddenly pouring out the entire story to his Uncle Pop Reginald, not holding back a single feeling or detail. He found it weird how all of a sudden he was being so open with someone; he usually held his feelings in. But the drink became liquid courage for his reality; and he spilled everything.
Reginald listened carefully, and never interrupted. His nephew's story sounded a lot like his own brothers, but he hadn't yet told Ace the ending. But he knew for sure that Ace was interested. While listening to his nephew, Reginald debated weather or not to wait until Ace sobered up to finish the story; but only god knows how much courage would be left in Ace then.
It was now that Reginald would be able to finish off the story, and stick to his poor mothers pleas to get the couple to recognize their love for each other. He had made a promise to Annabelle, that even he had wanted to keep. The Merrill's may have a dirty name around town, but that doesn't stop Reginald from keeping his word to anybody; especially his dead sister in law.
He was going to get Ace and Holly back together again, if it's the last thing that he does.
