Chapter 12- true act of friendship
"Amy, I seriously hope you are not spinning some tale", Dan demanded of her before a still shocked Peter could even open his mouth. "Of course not, I did the test myself", she waved the strip in front of their eyes. "So are you going to support us", she challenged Peter Belden. Peter had never intended to have anyone like Amy as the mother of any of his grandchildren but nodded. "Good you can start by giving me some money for medical expenses", Amy demanded. "How much". Peter asked reaching for his wallet. "Two hundred dollars will do", Amy suggested. Peter paused, "I don't think I have that much on me", he told her. She just looked at him, "then I suggest you get it, before I pay your wife a little visit and tell her all about what her sons like as a lover".
Peter had never experienced being spoken to like that by any woman and struggled to form his next words, "young lady there is no need for threats, our family will support you, I give you my word", he told her.
"Yeah well peoples word means little to me, only the cash will say how serious you are, I expect to see that 200 dollars by the end of the day. Then I'll see another 200 every week after that", she told Peter firmly.
Blackmail, that was what Peter knew Amy was trying to do. But even that knowledge didn't shake loose the honorable part of him. If she was pregnant with Marts baby then he had to take care of her.
He was about to agree to her terms when Dan stepped forward, "what guarantee has he got that the baby is even Mart's", he demanded. Amy went red , "are you calling me a liar Daniel Mangan, she hissed. "No, I am just saying that I happen to know that Mart is not the only one you have been with", Dan responded evenly. "Let me see there is Jed Greeves, then of course Darius Mitchel but if they were the fathers it would be bad luck as their families are very poor", he challeneged.
Amy approached Dan until she stood in front of him and looked him straight in the eye, "you should not talk to me like that", she growled. "You are the one asking for money and making threats", Dan bandied back," if you want the money then you must know there'd be a price to pay. Prove Mart is the father or leave Mr Belden alone because you've caused the whole family enough pain", he told her forcefully.
For a moment Amy just stood and stared at him. Peter watched the slient battle of stares until Amy turned and walked off.
If you hear from her again then unfortunately Mart is the father", Dan told Peter " you'll have to figure out how to handle things".
Peter found himself hoping he'd never see or hear from Amy Morely again. "Thank you for that as well Dan, I probably would have just given her the money," he confessed. "Yeah I think she was counting on that", Dan told him. "It is what they do, prey on those who have honor", he looked into Peter's eyes and with sadness confessed, "I have done it myself. That's how I know how to play the game." Some part of what I was will always be here", Dan touched his heart, "and here", he touched his head, "it never really leaves you but with strong support, you learn to be something else. I should thank you, Helen, Uncle Bill and others for helping me be someone else. I'll be there for Mart", he swore again.
Peter reached out and took his hand, "thank you again Dan. I know Mart will in time cherish your support. But I also don't want you to forget about yourself. I know Mart would want you to be all that you can be".
Dan acknowledged his words.
He left not long after making his way through the college corridors to where his Uncle Bill waited with the car. As he approached the car he saw his Uncle engaged in conversation with Dale Yates. "I'll just wait in here for you", his Uncle told him as he slipped into the car.
Dan looked at the teacher and knew he had to tell him something very important, "thank you for your support, he stated," I know what you did had unforeseen consequences. I honestly did not know Mart would react as he did."
Dale nodded, "I know that Dan" he reassured. "You also knew right for the beginning that I never did it, Dan stated . "Yes and so did Greer. I am sorry we both yelled at you but we were hoping you'd simply crack and tell us what was going on. " He shook his head at Dan, "you have a lot of courage and determination Dan, but you need to be careful it is not misplaced." Dan sighed, "I honestly thought Mart would see sense", he stated. "Yeah and what about you if he did Dan, you'd have had to repeat a year at least ", Dale countered.
"I know only to well what could have happened", Dan voice still held an element of fear at the thought he could have actually ended up in jail. "Yes, I know you do", Dale told him softly. "I also want you to think about the future. Martin is going to have to leave this college, that is a fact. But you do not have to follow him Daniel. You can have a bright future here if you let yourself."
Dan ventured the first smile that he'd made in a while, "thank you for that Mr Yates. I should also thank the head for allowing the leniency afforded to Mart. If you knew it wasn't me from the beginning then he did not have to allow that stipulation."
"No he didn't Dan", Dale acknowledged, "But I think he did that more for me than for you", Dale bet down and looked into the car at Bill Regan, "family is important Dan and should not be allowed to slip away for any reason." Dan thought there was a something he was missing in that comment. When he saw the head of the college coming toward them holding Jarrod's hand firmly he looked over at Dale Yates. "Jarrods mother was Greer's sister", Dale explained. Dan was startled as he'd never heard of any connection between the two men. "Grief can make you do things you'd never normally do Dan, like not letting an uncle see his nephew", Dale nodded at Greer and Jarrod. "But time can heal things for all of us", he smiled at Dan. "Go and enjoy being with your uncle Daniel Mangan then come back and show me exactly how smart you really are", Dale challenged. Dan found his smile widening as he again thanked the teacher.
Sliding back beside his uncle Dan could feel a inquiring gaze upon him, "you have something to say", he asked. "Yeah just that I hope you listen to him Dan", Bill told him." I never had the opportunity for much schooling myself. So naturally I want something better for you. You got an A an a senior level paper Dan, that tells me you might be a lot smarter than you have ever let on". He glared at Dan , "stop acting dense Dan and let yourself experience a better future." Dan looked down, "it was never really a good idea for a gang member to be smarter than those who have the authority to hurt you", he told his uncle sadly." I guess I got good at pretending, too good".
"Yeah well that life is well over for you Dan", Bill squeezed his nephews hand hard," I now know you'll never go back. So just go forward."
Dan acknowledged his words smiling and could not help the tease as his uncle began to move the car, "if you want to go forward then you shouldn't have put the car in reverse uncle Bill,"
Bill Regan looked over at him and started to laugh, he was looking forward to actually getting to know more about the complex person that was his nephew.
EPILOGUE
Several months later
Mart Belden passed his money over the counter to the lady in the florist shop. 'These are the best flowers in the shop", the lady complemented," she must be something very special", she added. "Yes, she is", Mart agreed as he thought of beautiful dark haired Diana Lynch.
He was well on the road to recovery now. But as he got better the knowledge of what he'd done and who he'd hurt bit hard. He'd been fortunate in that Amy Morely had lied about him fathering her child and he did not have to see her again. That made a future with Di a possibility again. But he recognized he'd hurt her badly.
That was not going to stop him trying to rekindle what they had. He was back on track to a future now even thought it was going to be struggle. He'd found it hard to get accepted to another college . Then the class work was more difficult than he'd expected which was properly payback for letting Dan do all those papers for him in the past.
Thinking about Dan made Mart smile. He'd seen him a lot as he'd been in rehab, one of the few people he was allowed to see. They'd slowly began to repair their almost broken friendship . Mart was confident things would be as they were between them soon.
Repairing his families trust had also taken some work. He had kicked himself a thousand times for the pain he'd caused his parents and vowed that he'd never shame them again. He was going to engineer a bright future and once again make them proud. The first step was getting back with the woman he vowed once to spend his life with.
Pulling his car up outside the Lynches home. Mart carefully adjusted his appearance, checked over the flowers then stepped out. He decided to forgo the formality of knocking on the door and made his way around to the garden's intending on going into the side entrance.
As he got nearer he could hear laughter of two people. Recognition of the voices made him slip behind some bushes and continue along the row of until a gap allowed him a clear view of what was going on.
There on the grass in front of him was Diana looking stunning in a simple dress as she lay on a blanket on the grass and laughed. Mart forced his eyes from Diana to the man who was feeding her grapes and making her laugh, Dan. His heart froze as Dan leaned down and kissed Diana solidly. The kiss seemed to go on forever and Mart found himself squeezing the life out the flowers in his hand. In all his conversations with Dan this was one thing he'd never mentioned.
But then Mart reflected what was he going to say, "hey Mart I stole your girl".
Anger overwhelmed him and he almost jumped from the bushes to yell at the couple.
But then an angry conversation he'd had with Dan while in the grips of addiction shot into his mind, "Dan you have to do this paper for me, I just cant". "Mart you told me last week and the week before that you were getting help, that's why I did you last papers. But you have broken your promise again. Mart all I am doing is helping you with your addiction", Dan had sadly told him.
"If you don't help me then you're not my friend, Dan. Not the one moms helped get out of your own problems by giving your uncle advise. Not the one she and Dad gave references to when you wanted a loan. Not the one they cared about almost as much as they cared about us, their own sons. Maybe she should have told your uncle to leave you in that jail in the city. You'd probably have been better off", Mart growled. He recalled that instead of going red with anger Dan had gone white, "thanks for throwing that in my face friend", he remarked. "Yeah well just reminding you who you own your loyalty to friend", Mart had spat back. In the end he'd gotten Dan to do another paper for him. That had not been the first or last time he'd spouted awful things out of his mouth to try and control his friends actions.
So maybe he deserved the fact that Dan had now gone out with the girl he'd loved.
"He didn't do it deliberately Martin Belden, Mr Lynch voice whispered to him as he joined him in the shrubbery.
"When you send Dan to take your place at those dates with Diana you set in motion a chain of events. Since you had no words of love to offer her, she began to listen to those Dan told her. Even then it was him who resisted not her Martin. He never wanted to be the one who stole your girlfriend. But Di made a choice Mart, she chose someone who treated her like a lady and did not proclaim love only to go off and seek the bed of another, Mr Lynch voice held distinct warning as he said that.
"You hurt them both Mart. If I was in Diana's or Dan's place I would perhaps never forgive you", he continued bluntly. "But both of them are forgiving". He paused, "so now the next move is up to you Mart. You must show them what it is truly like to be a friend."
Mr Lynch held his gaze for a second longer then slipped back out onto a lawn. Dan was kissing Di again and she was laughing ,her face bright with happiness. Mart looked down at the flowers in his and and saw a wet piece of moisture fall onto them.
He'd lost the love and respect of someone important to him. But he hadn't lost either of their friendships, not yet anyway. But if he did what he really wanted to do (whack Dan hard) then he would because it would not change how she felt about him.
So he had to be a friend. Throwing the flowers forcefully down the nearby hill Mart Belden turned and walked away leaving his two friends to the promise of their future and himself to keeping the promise of the friendship. He knew it'd almost kill him to see them kiss and touch but he'd have to endure. Seeing them did not make him want to go back to Amy or his old life, he'd caused enough pain. He'd go on and meet someone. Create himself a new future. But it'd live in his heart forever what could have been.
THE END
