Four
The rain was gathering in puddles as Ric entered Kelly's. He scanned the restaurant and saw Liz at the counter. "Liz." But she turned from him. "Liz." More urgently.
Her back tensed up at the tone. She was listening.
"I tried to call you to explain about last night," Ric said. "I don't blame you for not wanting to talk to me, but I have good news, Elizabeth."
She half-turned to him.
"My brother found me," he said.
Liz finally turned to face him. "Your brother?"
Ric nodded.
*
Jake watched the rain fall from his hotel room. He heard the door open and close and Kendra sitting down in his bed.
"Jake?" she said.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "He left us again, Kendra. No explanation, no promise to return. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
Kendra frowned. "Be patient with Ric, Jake. This is hard for all of us."
"How can you be so optimistic?" Jake asked.
"It's the only thing I have left." Kendra joined Jake at the window, watching the rain fall with him. "We'll find him again, Jake."
*
Liz sat across from Ric in shock as he retold his reunion with Jake and Kendra. Her eyes never his dark ones as they lit up, dimmed, and lit up again as he mentioned the names from his past. She became very aware that his past was something she never knew of…until now. The fact that he had a family, a younger brother, and the fact he had been in love before. "What's going to happen now?" she asked.
Ric was silent for a moment. "I don't know."