CHAPTER VI: ENTER ANTONIO
Nash strode down the steps and stopped at the sidewalk to adjust his jacket. He could feel Claudia's supposed stalker's eyes on him. Thinking to test the man, he started to walk towards Central Park to see if he would follow. Sure enough after Nash had strolled a little ways down the street, the man lifted himself from the tree and followed behind, not too close, but not too far either. 'Maybe he is a detective...' Nash mused.
Nash entered the park and stopped at a small pond where the kids liked to race their RC boats. He leaned against the railing besides the pond and watched his shadow buy a box of Cracker Jacks from a nearby snack bar, keeping one eye on Nash all the while. The young wine-maker then strolled to some benches lining an unused amphitheater and sat down. His shadow munched on some Cracker Jacks and sat right down to next to him without a word. Up close Nash could tell he did indeed possess the proud, chiseled face of a young Latino man.
Nash shrugged at the man in frustration. "All right guy, what's your story? What do you want?"
The man looked at Nash with large, soulful brown eyes. "A friend."
Nash looked at him bewildered. "Excuse me?"
"You asked me what I wanted. I'm telling you. I want a friend." The man shifted so he was turned fully towards Nash. "I'm Antonio Vega." He pulled a photograph from the pocket of his woolen jacket and handed it to Nash.
Nash looked at him for a moment then took the picture. He recognized a slightly younger Antonio standing next to two people he didn't recognize, a tall brooding looking guy with long, dark hair and goatee and a gorgeous redhead with a voluptuous figure and a killer smile. In front of Antonio was a adorable little girl with skin darker than his own. Antonio had a protective hand on both the child and another figure standing off to the side who he did recognize, a stunning blonde...
"Tess..." whispered Nash.
Antonio frowned and took back the photograph. "Her name's not Tess. It's Jessica. Jessica Vega, formerly Buchanan. My wife."
Nash looked up at him stunned. "You're married?!"
Antonio looked a little uncomfortable for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Though, we've been separated for a while..."
Nash sat back trying to take it all in. Finally he looked at the newcomer. "Well, what do you want from me?"
"You live in her building... Your name's Nash Brennan, right, I saw it on the mailbox."
"Nice detective work." Nash grunted, not pleased with the turn of events.
"Well, that's what I do for a living." Antonio replied not noticing Nash's annoyed tone. "I'm a cop. I also run a nightclub and some other businesses. I had a large inheritance from my father's side." He leaned back against the bench. "Jessica used to date my kid brother, Christian. After they broke up, we got close and eventually fell in love. We got married and have a daughter Jamie, she's the little girl in the picture."
"She's... Tess's daughter? I mean Jessica's daughter?"
"Well, not her natural daughter. Jamie's mother died a few years back. But Jessica was her mommy in everyway that counts... until..." Antonio closed his eyes and sighed. "Until Tess came along."
Nash's expression grew more confused. "Wait, I thought Tess was Jessica?"
Antonio rubbed his eyes wearily and continued. "In a manner of speaking. Jessica suffers from DID, Disassociative Identity Disorder. You may know it as multiple personalities. It runs in her family, her mom's got the same issue. Jessica suffered a severe childhood trauma, some sick bastard molested her, put it on tape and sold it on the child porn black market." Nash gasped at that, his heart breaking that any little kid, especially Tess, would have to go through such a horror. God knows he had some seen some shit in foster care, but thankfully nothing that extreme. Antonio continued. "She created an alter named 'Tess' to deal with it. No one knew about Tess for years until the alter started getting out of control. Eventually we figured out the problem and Jessica received treatment to integrate her alter. We were married soon after that."
"So what happened to Tess?" Nash asked.
"I like to think she disappeared." Antonio replied firmly. "But the doctors say her traits blended with Jessica's. Maybe they're right, because things changed for us after the wedding. Jess grew more and more distant with me, Jamie, even her sister and parents. That's her twin sister Natalie and her fiancee John in the photo with us. John's my partner on the Llanview PD."
'How picture perfect...' thought Nash bitterly. 'Twins with BFF boyfriends...' He looked at Antonio as realization hit. "Wait, her twin? Roxy's daughter?"
Antonio frowned at the older woman's name. "That lush raised Natalie after she was kidnapped at birth." The Latino grinned as Nash's brow raised in surprise. "Yeah, they've got a pretty bizarre family history. It's a long story, but Natalie and Jessica's real mother is a saint compared to Roxy. She was pretty much the town loser back in Llanview."
Nash's eyes narrowed at the harsh tone. "Roxy's not so bad. She's a character, but she seems to care about Tess."
Antonio fumed. "It's Jessica, not Tess!" He then checked his tone and sighed heavily. "Sorry, it's a sore point with me. Roxy helped Jessica move out here to 'find herself'. Like Roxy's any expert on self-awareness. She a gambling addict and a drunk besides. Her and that filthy criminal Manning helped Jessica get set up here, despite the protests of myself and her family. I can't stand either of them." He then turned to Nash. "Anyway, that's why I'm here. I want to take Jessica back home where she belongs and I need your help to do it."
"Me? What can I do? I've only known her a little while, and besides, if Jessica really wanted to come home I'm sure she would."
Antonio looked angry again. "She's confused. She's been through hell since the whole Tess fiasco and isn't thinking straight. Her place is with me, her husband, near her family so we can all take care of her. Jessica needs to be protected, she's delicate and fragile." He offered Nash some Cracker Jacks as he spoke.
Delicate and fragile certainly weren't the words Nash would have used to describe the vibrant woman he had gotten to know, but he didn't argue, seeing Antonio was quite sure of himself and probably wouldn't listen. He accepted the snack and dug out a handful which included the prize. Opening it he found a cheap little ring with an oversized plastic diamond.
Antonio continued after a moment. "I don't want to scare her off, though. So I've been hanging around, thinking of how best to approach her. When I saw you and your girlfriend outside the apartment building I decided to ask for your help. You're about Jessica's age, and she's always been good at making friends, I figured you knew her. Besides I couldn't ask Roxy, she's usually so drunk she can barely stand, and there's no one else in the building."
Nash absorbed Tess' husband's words as he twirled the plastic ring in his hands. Finally he held it out to Antonio. "Here, it's the prize from your Cracker Jacks. You want it?"
"Nah, you keep it." Antonio waved the item off. "So, will you help me?"
Nash stood up and away from Antonio for a moment, a pained expression on his face. The thought of Tess leaving, and even worse, leaving with her husband was not a pleasant one. Still, Antonio said she was sick. Maybe she really was confused, though it seemed to him she was pretty grounded. Eccentric and troubled maybe, but not out of control. But what right did he have to stand between her and her family? He had known her what, a week? Antonio and her family had known her all her life. As difficult as it was to admit, they probably knew her better.
He finally turned back to an expectant Antonio. "Look, I'll help you for Tess'... Jessica's sake, but only if she wants it. I won't have any part of you dragging her back to Llanview against her will."
"All I want is a chance." Antonio sighed, looking forlornly at his feet. He looked back up at Nash. "I love her with all my heart. I just want to help her. Do you have any idea what it's like, the one you love pushing you away when she needs you the most? We were happy before Tess, the perfect family. All I want is a chance to give that back to her. Just tell her I'm here and want to talk. I promise you, I won't force anything on her."
Nash took it all in. He felt for this man, but was still torn. "But why now? Why have you come now? Tess said she's been in New York over a year."
Antonio sighed again. "There's more. Her mother is not well. She had a heart attack a few years back, and now the warning signs are flaring up again. She's about to enter into cardiac therapy treatments. She's going to need Jessica back. Please Nash, her family needs her." He put his head in his hands. "I need her. Please be a friend to me, and to Jessica. I've never begged for anything in my life, but all I care about is her. Please help me"
Nash closed his eyes and leaned his head back, not happy with the turn of events. But what could he do? How could he turn down such a simple, sincere request? The answer was obvious... he could not. "All right. I'll talk to her." Antonio looked up with a grateful smile and Nash cocked his head back in the direction of the brownstone. "Come on, she was in her apartment when I left." The two walked back, neither speaking another word.
Nash asked Antonio to wait downstairs as he ran up to Tess' apartment. Knocking on the door, he heard steps come to answer and was greeted by a vision of Tess in an elegant and revealing black evening gown. The sight caused Nash to stare for a moment in silent appreciation.
The effect of her dress on Nash was not lost on the young lady. She smiled smugly at him. "Hey wine-boy. Great to see you, but unfortunately I'm on my way out. Rats await you know. Maybe we can crack open some of your wine tomorrow?"
"I'm not so sure about that Jessica." The blonde woman's head snapped up at the name. "You may not be here tomorrow."
"Who's here?" she whispered. "My dad? Natalie?"
Nash gestured downstairs. Tess walked out into the hallway and peered down at Antonio waiting below.
Her husband's face lit up at the appearance of his beloved. "Jessica... my God, Jessica... it is you..." His expression one of pure bliss, he slowly climbed the stairs and stood before her.
Jessica smiled at him as well, though it seemed to Nash the expression did not reach her eyes. "Hey Antonio." She gently rubbed his cheek.
Antonio laughed and picked her up in his arms. Without another glance at Nash, he carried her back into the apartment and shut the door. Nash, left alone outside, stared at the door sadly for a moment, then climbed the steps to his own place, moving slowly and forlornly.
