Epilogue
It's been a year. A whole year. I can't believe what had happened in just one year. So many things, good and bad. Hmmm, where to start? Uhh, how about at the beginning? Ahhhh, a cliche, say it isn't so! Well, I've already told you what happened at the beginning, so how about I tell you what happened after I left the room? Since you really have no say in this, it doesn't matter what you think. Okay, yes I am rambling, what of it?! Wow, I sound kind of hostile don't I? Well, I really don't mean to, I swear. Uhh, where was I? Oh, yeah, after I left the room.........
(A year previous)
"Here, Lucas," Nathan handed Lucas a Kleenex. He sniffled and wiped his eyes.
"I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet." Lucas looked up at Bridger, his eyes bloodshot.
"I'm sure there was no permant damage." Bridger softly kidded. "Lucas, you know you're going to have to tell other people. You can't do this to yourself, you have to let others in." Bridger almost groaned, how stupid that must have sounded, he couldn't change what Lucas had done for all his life in one day, no one hour.
Lucas was suddenly frowning, "I'm not telling anyone." He growled fiercely, thinking how stupid Bridger sounded.
"Lucas, the only way I can help is if you tell other people. Your father wants you to keep your mouth shut, if you do, he wins. You have to get away from him, you have to be safe."
"I need a smoke." Lucas mumbled under his breath.
"What?" Bridger asked, not having heard what he said.
"Huh, oh, nothing. I'm not telling everyone."
"Lucas, of course not, but the people who care about would want to know."
Lucas was shaking his head."No, never mind, this was a bad idea, forget I even said anything."
Bridger looked at him in shock."Lucas, I'm not going to forget this, and I'm not going to let you either. I can't tell how glad I am you told me. I want to protect you, and so do your friends."
"That's exactly what I don't want! Them staring at me and treating me like a leper. I haven't had your *protection* for the past 16 years and I don't want it or need it!!" Lucas was shouting now, on his feet, ready to bolt out the door.
Bridger sat there. "Lucas, you know they won't do that. These are people who love and care about you and they trust you. Can't you trust them to stick by you and protect you. We may not have been doing it for 16 years, but you have to start somewhere, right?"
Lucas, calm now, sat back down next to Bridger. "What if they blame me?" He said smally, it was one of his greatest fears.
"Blame you? Blame you for what?" Nathan asked, confused. His eyes widened in sudden comprehension."Blame you for your father hitting you?! How can you even ask that?! Of course no one will blame you! Lucas everyone of your friends would probably jump off the ship to go and kill your father. Lucas they care about you very much, and would never let that man touch you again."
Lucas nodded, he knew the captain was right. "What now?"
"Well, how about we tell the others, and then we go to a judge."
"A judge, what for?" Lucas eyes had become very large.
"To get you out of your father's control." Bridger said softly.
"Would I have to go to my mother?" Lucas asked fearfully.
"No, not if you don't want to." Nathan replied.
"Would I have to leave SeaQuest?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
(Present)
The next morning, Bridger told the senior staff, and the rest of Lucas' friends. Lucas wasn't there, not that I blame him. I could barely take it when Bridger told everybody, and I already knew! After that, Krieg almost jumped out a porthole he was so ready to kill Lucas' parents. It was obvious that Lucas mother had to of known.
The next step was to call a judge. A judge that happened to owe Bridger a favor. It wasn't some big custody battle in court. It was quiet interview-type thing in the judge's chambers. Lucas' parents weren't even there. When he told us, or rather the judge, what his father had done to him over the years, I thought the judge was going to burst into tears, and he has been a judge in the juveniel system for 20 years!
I cried for a week after that, and destroyed my apartment, I was so angry at Lucas' parents. I still can't even fathom how they could have done that. Lucas was made into a ward of the state, but they let him stay on SeaQuest. I know he and Bridger wanted him in Bridger's custody, but even the judge couldn't get that done. I still can't figure out why, the lawyer explained it, but it was all in some legal mumbo-jumbo that no one really understood. His parents gave him up pretty easy, but there were a couple of reasons why. One, there would be no court trial of any sort. Two, it would never be in any sort of newspaper. And three, Lucas would not be placed in Bridger's custody. That was pretty much the major reason that Lucas couldn't be adopted by the captain. They almost refused to let Lucas go back aboard SeaQuest, but the only other option was a foster home, which no doubt would have drawn undue attention. The other conditions were fine with Lucas, he didn't want a trial even more than his parents didn't. But he got to stay on SeaQuest, even if he was a ward of the state.
I think he's really okay now. The first couple of weeks and months were rough. He had nightmares five times a night, every night. He was quiet and withdrawn and he chain-smoked about three packs a day. Bridger of course found out, but he wasn't too upset, considering the circumstances. Now, he hardly ever has a nightmare, and he's trying to quit smoking. How do I know this? He calls me every week and lets me know what's going on. I was there with him, at the hearing. He asked me to be and I'm glad I could be there for him. We talk a lot, I've told him about my hellish childhood years, and he's told me about his. I'll always be there for him and I know that he knows it.
He never told anyone about my past life; he destroyed the paper file of me and he deleted the one attached to the file in the computer. I've always wondered if he really would have told everyone about me. I don't know, and I've never considered asking him. That part of my life is over and he knows that.
I actually talked to my father last week, for probably the first time in 10 years. He wasn't sorry and he had nothing to say to me, it was no doubt just as well, I don't need the reminder of my life 10 years ago.
Well, I guess that about wraps it up. I think I have covered everything. The next time I write I hope I don't wait a year. Oh, there's the door, I have to go. Oh, wait, I guess I forgot to mention that it's Lucas' shoreleave this week, and here he is, waiting for me to answer, so I guess that I had better go. Lucas really is o.k. now, and for the first time in my life, so am I .
***
That's really it folks. There's the epilogue for those of you who asked me to tie up the loose ends. I hope that satifies you. Thanks for reading. Please review and/or email me at:
mackynziegallacher@hotmail.com
Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
MacKynzie Gallacher
It's been a year. A whole year. I can't believe what had happened in just one year. So many things, good and bad. Hmmm, where to start? Uhh, how about at the beginning? Ahhhh, a cliche, say it isn't so! Well, I've already told you what happened at the beginning, so how about I tell you what happened after I left the room? Since you really have no say in this, it doesn't matter what you think. Okay, yes I am rambling, what of it?! Wow, I sound kind of hostile don't I? Well, I really don't mean to, I swear. Uhh, where was I? Oh, yeah, after I left the room.........
(A year previous)
"Here, Lucas," Nathan handed Lucas a Kleenex. He sniffled and wiped his eyes.
"I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet." Lucas looked up at Bridger, his eyes bloodshot.
"I'm sure there was no permant damage." Bridger softly kidded. "Lucas, you know you're going to have to tell other people. You can't do this to yourself, you have to let others in." Bridger almost groaned, how stupid that must have sounded, he couldn't change what Lucas had done for all his life in one day, no one hour.
Lucas was suddenly frowning, "I'm not telling anyone." He growled fiercely, thinking how stupid Bridger sounded.
"Lucas, the only way I can help is if you tell other people. Your father wants you to keep your mouth shut, if you do, he wins. You have to get away from him, you have to be safe."
"I need a smoke." Lucas mumbled under his breath.
"What?" Bridger asked, not having heard what he said.
"Huh, oh, nothing. I'm not telling everyone."
"Lucas, of course not, but the people who care about would want to know."
Lucas was shaking his head."No, never mind, this was a bad idea, forget I even said anything."
Bridger looked at him in shock."Lucas, I'm not going to forget this, and I'm not going to let you either. I can't tell how glad I am you told me. I want to protect you, and so do your friends."
"That's exactly what I don't want! Them staring at me and treating me like a leper. I haven't had your *protection* for the past 16 years and I don't want it or need it!!" Lucas was shouting now, on his feet, ready to bolt out the door.
Bridger sat there. "Lucas, you know they won't do that. These are people who love and care about you and they trust you. Can't you trust them to stick by you and protect you. We may not have been doing it for 16 years, but you have to start somewhere, right?"
Lucas, calm now, sat back down next to Bridger. "What if they blame me?" He said smally, it was one of his greatest fears.
"Blame you? Blame you for what?" Nathan asked, confused. His eyes widened in sudden comprehension."Blame you for your father hitting you?! How can you even ask that?! Of course no one will blame you! Lucas everyone of your friends would probably jump off the ship to go and kill your father. Lucas they care about you very much, and would never let that man touch you again."
Lucas nodded, he knew the captain was right. "What now?"
"Well, how about we tell the others, and then we go to a judge."
"A judge, what for?" Lucas eyes had become very large.
"To get you out of your father's control." Bridger said softly.
"Would I have to go to my mother?" Lucas asked fearfully.
"No, not if you don't want to." Nathan replied.
"Would I have to leave SeaQuest?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
(Present)
The next morning, Bridger told the senior staff, and the rest of Lucas' friends. Lucas wasn't there, not that I blame him. I could barely take it when Bridger told everybody, and I already knew! After that, Krieg almost jumped out a porthole he was so ready to kill Lucas' parents. It was obvious that Lucas mother had to of known.
The next step was to call a judge. A judge that happened to owe Bridger a favor. It wasn't some big custody battle in court. It was quiet interview-type thing in the judge's chambers. Lucas' parents weren't even there. When he told us, or rather the judge, what his father had done to him over the years, I thought the judge was going to burst into tears, and he has been a judge in the juveniel system for 20 years!
I cried for a week after that, and destroyed my apartment, I was so angry at Lucas' parents. I still can't even fathom how they could have done that. Lucas was made into a ward of the state, but they let him stay on SeaQuest. I know he and Bridger wanted him in Bridger's custody, but even the judge couldn't get that done. I still can't figure out why, the lawyer explained it, but it was all in some legal mumbo-jumbo that no one really understood. His parents gave him up pretty easy, but there were a couple of reasons why. One, there would be no court trial of any sort. Two, it would never be in any sort of newspaper. And three, Lucas would not be placed in Bridger's custody. That was pretty much the major reason that Lucas couldn't be adopted by the captain. They almost refused to let Lucas go back aboard SeaQuest, but the only other option was a foster home, which no doubt would have drawn undue attention. The other conditions were fine with Lucas, he didn't want a trial even more than his parents didn't. But he got to stay on SeaQuest, even if he was a ward of the state.
I think he's really okay now. The first couple of weeks and months were rough. He had nightmares five times a night, every night. He was quiet and withdrawn and he chain-smoked about three packs a day. Bridger of course found out, but he wasn't too upset, considering the circumstances. Now, he hardly ever has a nightmare, and he's trying to quit smoking. How do I know this? He calls me every week and lets me know what's going on. I was there with him, at the hearing. He asked me to be and I'm glad I could be there for him. We talk a lot, I've told him about my hellish childhood years, and he's told me about his. I'll always be there for him and I know that he knows it.
He never told anyone about my past life; he destroyed the paper file of me and he deleted the one attached to the file in the computer. I've always wondered if he really would have told everyone about me. I don't know, and I've never considered asking him. That part of my life is over and he knows that.
I actually talked to my father last week, for probably the first time in 10 years. He wasn't sorry and he had nothing to say to me, it was no doubt just as well, I don't need the reminder of my life 10 years ago.
Well, I guess that about wraps it up. I think I have covered everything. The next time I write I hope I don't wait a year. Oh, there's the door, I have to go. Oh, wait, I guess I forgot to mention that it's Lucas' shoreleave this week, and here he is, waiting for me to answer, so I guess that I had better go. Lucas really is o.k. now, and for the first time in my life, so am I .
***
That's really it folks. There's the epilogue for those of you who asked me to tie up the loose ends. I hope that satifies you. Thanks for reading. Please review and/or email me at:
mackynziegallacher@hotmail.com
Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
MacKynzie Gallacher