"The Greatest Discovery"
Part Eight
A short story based on the WB Series, "Tarzan"
By Felicity
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this: the characters, story, series, or part
of the idea. I'm not selling, or making any kind of profit off of this
story I've written. No infringement is intended. This is solely for my own
enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.
Want it? You can have it... But I'd appreciate it.
Richard put the cast iron fire poker back on the stand. He stood and offered John a drink to warm him. "Would you like a drink John? I could get you some hot cider." John stood and faced his uncle. Richard braced himself for one of John's outbursts, but was pleasantly surprised with the response. "I would like to have something warm. Thank you." Richard slowly backed up and headed to his desk. He picked up the telephone to call the kitchen. "Marietta, could you bring two hot apple ciders to my study?" He hung the phone back up and walked back toward John. John walked around the room, admiring the many books and niceties that his uncle took pride in owning. "Do you have someone to do everything for you?" The question was not asked out of malice, merely curiosity. Richard laughed and answered. "Almost John." John turned to face his uncle, closing the distance between them. "Why?" Richard was thrilled. John was here asking questions, this was a breakthrough. John was actually interested in this aspect of things. He knew that John would tire of the atrium and Jane and want more out of his life here in New York. Richard motioned for John to sit, as he sat across from him. Marietta entered the room with a silver tray, on it were two mugs of hot cider and a place of gingerbread cookies, Richard's favorite. Marietta smiled at the handsome, albeit soaking wet man sitting across from Richard. She had seen him many times, usually behind glass, or tied to a bed somewhere. It was nice to see him like this. Her smile caused John to smile back.
Richard sipped on the cider and studied his nephew. Something was amiss, and he would certainly get to the bottom of it. He would have the necessary patience to find out what was going on. He was pleased that John had made this move. "So John, may I ask what brings you over on such a night?" Richard was relaxed into his easy chair and John was making every attempt to get comfortable. The cider tasted as good as it felt. The fire was roaring now, he was drying, but he had no idea why he was here. "I don't know." He responded honestly. Richard was impressed with the statement. "That's fair." The men sat silently for a while, Richard not wanting to push John too hard. John finished his drink, but was unsure what to do with the empty cup. Richard recognized the dilemma and stood to take the cup. John stood with him. Richard placed both his and John's cups on the sideboard and sat again. John sat. He was feeling very unsure of himself. This was uncharted territory for John.
Kathleen and Jane walked through the atrium calling for John. After not receiving a response, they walked to the end, where the doors were still opened. "He's gone." Kathleen stated, recognizing that he would always leave these doors opened when he left. The weather was horrible. The rain fell in sheets, the lightening striking not far away. "He has no sense sometimes." She added. Jane felt a twinge in her stomach. She had taken to worrying about John, even though she knew he was perfectly capable of looking out for himself. "He probably was saving some damsel in distress!" Jane blurted sarcastically. Kathleen smiled, recognizing the signs. "He'll be back Jane, he does this a lot, you should know that." Jane knew that he would visit her at all hours of the day or night, what she didn't realize was that he was always on the go. Did he not know how to sleep? Jane paced, Kathleen smiled at her. "He won't be back any time soon. You may as well either get comfortable, or come back downstairs with me." Jane shook her head. She knew that when John went out like this, he would be gone for some time. She really should head home. "Nikki is probably wondering where the heck I am. I didn't realize how late it was."
The hours had passed with Kathleen and Jane chatting about everything under the sun. The women had become easy friends. Such good friends in fact that they had left John on his own most of the evening not realizing how quickly the time had passed. Jane thanked Kathleen for her hospitality and made her way to the cab waiting out front. She looked up to the sky line, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde wild man, but he was not there tonight. She slid into the backseat, gave the driver directions and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She had forgotten to turn it on after court. There were three messages waiting for her; two from Nikki, one from Sam. They were wondering where she was and if she was all right. She returned their calls in turn and was home just as she was hanging up from speaking to Nikki. Jane was exhausted. The days had been very long recently, with no hope of sleep in sight for a while. Tonight would be the night to catch up on her zzzzz's. She still had a bad feeling about things though. John had disappeared without a word, that wasn't like him. Perhaps he was waiting in her bedroom window.
Want it? You can have it... But I'd appreciate it.
Richard put the cast iron fire poker back on the stand. He stood and offered John a drink to warm him. "Would you like a drink John? I could get you some hot cider." John stood and faced his uncle. Richard braced himself for one of John's outbursts, but was pleasantly surprised with the response. "I would like to have something warm. Thank you." Richard slowly backed up and headed to his desk. He picked up the telephone to call the kitchen. "Marietta, could you bring two hot apple ciders to my study?" He hung the phone back up and walked back toward John. John walked around the room, admiring the many books and niceties that his uncle took pride in owning. "Do you have someone to do everything for you?" The question was not asked out of malice, merely curiosity. Richard laughed and answered. "Almost John." John turned to face his uncle, closing the distance between them. "Why?" Richard was thrilled. John was here asking questions, this was a breakthrough. John was actually interested in this aspect of things. He knew that John would tire of the atrium and Jane and want more out of his life here in New York. Richard motioned for John to sit, as he sat across from him. Marietta entered the room with a silver tray, on it were two mugs of hot cider and a place of gingerbread cookies, Richard's favorite. Marietta smiled at the handsome, albeit soaking wet man sitting across from Richard. She had seen him many times, usually behind glass, or tied to a bed somewhere. It was nice to see him like this. Her smile caused John to smile back.
Richard sipped on the cider and studied his nephew. Something was amiss, and he would certainly get to the bottom of it. He would have the necessary patience to find out what was going on. He was pleased that John had made this move. "So John, may I ask what brings you over on such a night?" Richard was relaxed into his easy chair and John was making every attempt to get comfortable. The cider tasted as good as it felt. The fire was roaring now, he was drying, but he had no idea why he was here. "I don't know." He responded honestly. Richard was impressed with the statement. "That's fair." The men sat silently for a while, Richard not wanting to push John too hard. John finished his drink, but was unsure what to do with the empty cup. Richard recognized the dilemma and stood to take the cup. John stood with him. Richard placed both his and John's cups on the sideboard and sat again. John sat. He was feeling very unsure of himself. This was uncharted territory for John.
Kathleen and Jane walked through the atrium calling for John. After not receiving a response, they walked to the end, where the doors were still opened. "He's gone." Kathleen stated, recognizing that he would always leave these doors opened when he left. The weather was horrible. The rain fell in sheets, the lightening striking not far away. "He has no sense sometimes." She added. Jane felt a twinge in her stomach. She had taken to worrying about John, even though she knew he was perfectly capable of looking out for himself. "He probably was saving some damsel in distress!" Jane blurted sarcastically. Kathleen smiled, recognizing the signs. "He'll be back Jane, he does this a lot, you should know that." Jane knew that he would visit her at all hours of the day or night, what she didn't realize was that he was always on the go. Did he not know how to sleep? Jane paced, Kathleen smiled at her. "He won't be back any time soon. You may as well either get comfortable, or come back downstairs with me." Jane shook her head. She knew that when John went out like this, he would be gone for some time. She really should head home. "Nikki is probably wondering where the heck I am. I didn't realize how late it was."
The hours had passed with Kathleen and Jane chatting about everything under the sun. The women had become easy friends. Such good friends in fact that they had left John on his own most of the evening not realizing how quickly the time had passed. Jane thanked Kathleen for her hospitality and made her way to the cab waiting out front. She looked up to the sky line, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde wild man, but he was not there tonight. She slid into the backseat, gave the driver directions and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She had forgotten to turn it on after court. There were three messages waiting for her; two from Nikki, one from Sam. They were wondering where she was and if she was all right. She returned their calls in turn and was home just as she was hanging up from speaking to Nikki. Jane was exhausted. The days had been very long recently, with no hope of sleep in sight for a while. Tonight would be the night to catch up on her zzzzz's. She still had a bad feeling about things though. John had disappeared without a word, that wasn't like him. Perhaps he was waiting in her bedroom window.
