So quick note: I decided from the previous chapter since Lynn is pretending to be a boy that I will refer to Lynn as "he" whenever she is dealing with anyone outside the circle of people that actually know her true identity.
Dear Luna
Hey, big sister. It's Lynn. Sorry that I signed it from Samantha but I knew there was little chance you'd even open this letter if you knew it was from me.
I had this letter sent as I was traveling. For obvious reasons I'm not going to tell you where I am right now but I just wanted you to know we're doing fine. You have to know by now that Lincoln is with me and no, I didn't drag him along, he followed me and he was too stubborn to go back.
He's alright and we've found a place to lay our heads for the time being with some nice folks we met on our way; Two kids around Lincoln's age who were in a bad way when we found them. Locked in a cage and performing tricks if you can believe someone could be so cruel for that. But they don't seem too worse for ware from the experience.
I guess I'm writing you so mom and dad know Lincoln is alright. That's who you're all really worried about I'm sure. Not any love lost between you and me, that's for certain. I won't apologize for what I said and I doubt you would either for what you did then. We both meant it and I don't see us ever fixing things. Honestly, maybe we've both been broken for a long time and that just helped us see it clearly. I still intend on making it big out here, that hasn't changed. I'm going to show you that I can make my dreams a reality.
Anyway, this will probably be the last time you hear from me. I know this doesn't mean much coming from me but don't worry about Lincoln. I swear on my life that I'll keep him safe.
Sincerely,
Lynn Loud Jr
Luna held the opened letter in her hands as she scrolled through the contents as she stood in the kitchen of the small home, the emotionless expression on her face never changing. She had taken the time to read the letter as she was supposed to be watching the stew cook on the stove top. "Hey, Luna..." The call jolted her back to reality as she looked over to see Lana race up behind her. "The stews bubbling over." The elder sister immediately spun to the pot that was indeed spilling over as she quickly began to stir to keep the contents from settling at the bottom of the pot.
"Thanks Lana." She thanked the blond haired girl. "My mind was a million miles away."
"Are you still worried about Lincoln?" The younger girl sheepishly asked and received a confirming nod from her elder. "I miss him and Lynn too." The mention of Lynn caused a small scowl on Luna's face as she turned back and began stirring the pot once more.
"I'm sure Lynn's fine wherever she is. It's not like she wanted to be here anyway." Luna commented, the second half under her breath. "I'm sure Lincoln will come home once he realizes how much we all miss him."
"I hope so." Lana said as she noticed something sticking out of Luna's back pocket. "What's that letter?"
Luna froze up momentarily as she didn't want anyone to see the contents of that letter and quickly pulled it out and folded it in half. Before grabbing the lifter for one of the stoves unused eyes and prying the cast iron plate up. "Oh this? Just some dumb offer for some monthly magazine we got no use for. I was just using it to keep the fire going." She swiftly placed the letter inside and watched it catch alight before closing the eye down again.
"Oh man, I wanted some fun magazines." Lana whined.
"You can't even read yet little sister. Besides, those subscriptions are a scam to get you to pay money for stuff we can't even afford right now." Luna told the younger girl who pouted. "How about you go play outside and I'll call you when the food is done." This was enough to get the younger girl to head out the back door and join some of her other siblings. Luna breathed a sigh of relief at narrowly avoiding what she felt would have been trouble as Luan or her parents may have gotten the letter from her. Unbeknownst to her, Leni had been present as she cautiously spied from outside the window, just out of view of the two before promptly making herself scarce.
Three Weeks Ago
The morning after Lynn's ordeal with Maggie did not go unnoticed as the broken lock on the basement window and door leading to the church bell tower was discovered by the Priest and some of the staff. Everyone was around checking the building for anything that might have been stolen, the police outside having checked the building prior as a young man checked the basement where the entry had been made. He carefully looked over the trunks that held assorted items though nothing seemed to have been touched as the clothes covering the items still had a healthy film of dust over them. As he started to head back up something caught his attention as it gleamed from the small bit of sunlight that was just picking in. The young man turned and slowly began to make his was to the item that was half hidden under a partially covered table before he leaned down to see what it was.
It appeared to be a small silver locket of sorts as he put it in his hand and looked it over before. He spotted the engraved initials on the back that were a simple "LL". "It couldn't be." He whispered as he opened the items face to reveal two pictures on the inside of a familiar looking girl and young man. Immediately he placed a hand over his mouth as it slid down his face in disbelief.
"Is anything missing?" He heard an elder man say from the stairwell.
"No, no Father. Nothing seems to be missing." He responded, quickly tucking the trinket into his pocket before making his way up and outside to get some fresh air from the dusty basement. The young man took out the item, away from prying eyes as he contemplated if it really meant what he thought.
"Excuse me, Brother..." He heard as he turned to see a young woman in a gray dress with a similarly colored wide brimmed hat on her head. She bowed her head, slightly concealing her face. "I apologize for interrupting but … I just wanted to give you this." She said in a low and controlled voice as she extended her pale hands out to him which were filled with a stack of bills of various denominations. "It's all the money I've saved up. To pay for the damages I caused."
The brother looked down in confusion for a moment and then back at the girl. "I see. Well, I thank you for your honesty, but please keep it. The church has more than enough to fix such minor damage." He softly placed his hands on hers and moved the money back to her. "What is your name?" He asked as she slowly looked to him, her expression one of uncertainty.
"Margaret." She answered as she tucked the money away in a small hand bag.
The young man offered a warm smile to her in return. "I do think you can help me with something. There is something I would like to discuss with you. Don't worry, you are in no trouble. There is a matter of a certain item I found that I think you can help clear up."
The two talked at length, the young man listening intently as Margaret explained herself; How she broke into the building and entered the bell tower to do "something foolish", how she was moments from making a mistake and how a boy named Lynn helped her come to her senses. He was intrigued in the end about this Lynn.
He looked up to the young woman with interest and compassion before he answered. Margaret wore a blank expression on her face, a slightly raised eyebrow the only indication that any emotion stirred inside her. "Well I'm certainly thankful that the situation had a peaceful solution and doubly so that you are safe. It seems that the Lord saw fit to send a guiding light in your darkest hour."
Margaret blushed slightly, thinking of the young man who offered her assistance. "I would think so, Brother..."
"Ramirez." He said simply. "I hope it would not be too forward to ask if you know where I might find this Lynn. He sounds like an individual worth meeting. The girl was certainly skeptical but was eased a bit by his gently tone and genuine smile. He seemed very sincere.
"I don't know where he is now, but I could ask a mutual friend." She said.
"Splendid." He said. "If you can, have him meet me here as soon as he can. I'm always here til around nine o'clock." The girl gave a confirming nod and a small smile. "Thank you Ms. Margaret. And have a blessed day."
"Thank you, Brother Ramirez." The girl turned and made her way home as the brother's smile slowly faded as he pulled out the locket once more.
Two Days Later
"Come on you two. What's the hold up?" Lynn called from outside as she or rather he, waited impatiently with Lincoln and Ronnie Anne outside the Santiago home. This would only be their second day of working for Morag and Lynn did not want to make a bad impression with the boss by being late. "What's keeping them?"
"They didn't come out for breakfast either which is weird for those two. I'll go and check on them." Ronnie Anne headed back into the house and made her way down to the Fox kid's shared room. She found Stevie still laying in bed as Pam stood over him. The younger girl turned to Ronnie Anne as she entered. "Is he okay?"
"I don't know." Pam said in a panic. "He said he was tired but now he's really hot."
The Santiago girl walked forward and leaned over the bed as she placed a hand to the boy's forehead and almost immediately reeled back. "Oh my goodness, he's burning up!" She exclaimed as she looked down to Stevie whose eyes were still closed as his face was flushed red. "We need to get him a doctor."
Pam tilted her head and squinted her eyes slightly. "A what?"
"A doctor. You know, they come and give you medicine..." Ronnie Anne explained as Pam squinted harder, trying in vain to understand the elder girl's foreign words. "to help you feel better?" The girl was dumbfounded as the Fox child continued to look at her with a scrunched face before opening her eyes in realization.
"Medicine? Oh you mean that smokey water like Mr. Filippini used to give us to make us sleep better. I liked that stuff. You think that doctor you're talking about has some?" Pam asked.
Ronnie Anne's own eyes shot open wide. "Wait, he gave you whiskey?! Was he nuts? That's not something you give to a kid your age." The girl rubbed the back of her neck and looked back to Pam. "Okay, here's what I'll do. I'll call the doctor and he'll come here and check on your brother. You just let him in when he knocks and give him this." She reached into a small ceramic jar and grabbed some paper bills. "That should cover a visit and anything else by my count. We'll be back later after work." The girl gave a nod as Ronnie Anne gave her the money, made the necessary call on the only phone in the house and went to rejoin Lincoln and Lynn.
"Stevie is sick. I called for a doctor and Pam's gonna stay with him." She explained to the two.
"Well I definitely hope he gets better." Lincoln said with a bit of concern.
"He's a tough little guy, he'll be fine." Lynn reassured. "Now we shouldn't..." Lynn stopped as he spotted a familiar face briskly walking towards them. "Maggie?"
"Lynn! Lynn!" The black haired girl said as she panted heavily, taking out a handkerchief and fanning herself. She took a moment to compose herself before Lynn spoke up again.
"Oh, introductions. Margaret, this is my brother Lincoln and this is Ronnie Anne Santiago. Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, this is Margaret..." Lynn made the introductions.
"Pleasure to meet you, Margaret." Lincoln said.
"My friends just call me Maggie, Maggie Henley and any family of Lynn is a friend of mine." She said as the pale skinned girl gave a small curtsy. "I've been looking all over for you. I managed to track down Clyde and he told me where I could find you."
"Well, we're in a bit of a rush but I can spare some time." Lynn explained. "Can I help you with anything?"
Maggie's fidgeting fingers betrayed her more calm demeanor as she looked to the ground. "It's about … the other night I'm afraid."
"Oh." Lynn said as he had a more serious look on his face and fixed his hat. "Hey Lincoln, why don't you and Ronnie Anne go on without me? Me and Maggie got things to talk about. Tell Ma I'll make up that work tomorrow if I'm out too long."
"Sure Lynn." Lincoln said simply as he and Ronnie Anne left the pair to whatever business was at hand.
"So what's going on, Maggie?" Lynn asked as the girl took a deep breath to respond, still fidgeting with her hands.
"Well … I went back to the church a couple of days ago." Maggie began her explanation. "I had scrounged up some money, figure I owed them for busting up their place breaking in and all. Well me and a brother there got to talking, Brother Ramirez I believe his name was. And I suppose I shot my mouth off. Seems I have a weakness for handsome young strangers." She blushed slightly at her own words as she hid her face beneath her hat.
"What did you tell him?" Lynn quizzed.
"I told him about that night and well … he asked me about you. Said he wanted to meet you. For what reason I can't figure. I didn't think it was any harm in it, him being a religious man and all, so I told him I'd ask around for you. I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble."
Lynn pondered to himself for a brief time. He had no idea what this Brother Ramirez could want from him. The young man put his hand under Maggie's chin and raised her head up to look at his face. "It's no trouble at all Maggie, believe me."
"Well I haven't done anything in town to warrant getting arrested so maybe he does just want to talk. About what though, I don't have a clue. And I'm not too fond of talking to some priest. Like I said before I'm not much for that sort of thing, but thanks for letting me know Maggie. You better head on your way now and I suppose I'll make my way over to see this guy." Lynn did the gentlemanly thing and kissed the girls hand before making his way over to the church.
Meanwhile
As the others set out on their way, Pam stayed by Stevie's side the entire time until she heard a knock at the door. She quickly rushed over to the front room window and peered out to see an older man waiting, a black medical bag in hand. From Ronnie Anne's description this had to be the doctor she was talking about. The Fox girl rushed to the door and opened it, getting a better look at the pale skinned man who wore a dark gray suit with matching hat. "Are you the doctor?" Pam asked.
"I am indeed. Dr. Harold Bowman at your service." He removed his hat revealing a head of short black hair that was receding a bit. "Ms. Santiago tells me you have a sick child here."
Pam nodded worriedly. "Yeah, my brother Stevie." She led the way as the doctor stepped inside and followed behind the girl. The two arrived in the bedroom where Stevie laid on the bed, sweating heavily and tossing and turning as the doctor stepped forward. He sat his bag down on the nightstand and opened it to get his desired items from it.
"How long has he been like this?" Bowman asked.
"He said he wasn't feeling good yesterday but this morning he wouldn't get up." Pam said worriedly. "Can you help him?"
"I'm going to do the best I can, sweetie." The doctor took out a thermometer. "Stevie, can you hear me?" He asked the young boy who only let out a moan. "I'm going to need you to hold this in your mouth under your tongue for a about a minute." The sick child weakly opened his mouth as the doctor put the cylindrical device in his mouth as Pam looked on curiously.
"What is that?" She asked.
"It's a thermometer. It'll take his temperature." Bowman told her as he pulled out a device that looked like a necklace with a shiny metal circle on the end.
"What's that?" The girl asked again.
"This is what you'd call a stethoscope. I can listen what's going on inside of the body." He said to satiate the girl's curiosity as he placed the ends in his ears and placed the the metal bit on her brother's chest and listened. Bowman removed the device from around his neck and turned to the worried looking girl. "Would you like to try it?" Pam stepped forward and followed the doctor's instructions as she placed the tips in her own ears and listened to the pounding heartbeat. Her eyes opened wide with amazement. "Impressive, isn't it?"
"I've never seen anything like this before. It's incredible." Pam said as she looked to the doctor before her attention turned back to her brother. "Will he be alright?"
"I think so. He has an infection but I have something that should help him recover in a few days." The doctor pulls out a small glass bottle filled with a clear liquid from his bag and another strange cylinder with a long thin point on it. He sticks the latter's point into the top of the former and Pam watches as it fills with the liquid and he takes the newly filled cylinder and brings it over to Stevie. Bowman takes the boys arm and prepares to inject him with the needle.
"What are you doing?!" Pam yells out in alarm at the sight. "I thought you were going to help him!"
"It's alright. It's medicine. It'll help him get better but it has to be put into his blood stream for it to work. It will hurt but in the long run It'll be doing him a favor." The doctor explained as it seemed to calm the girl down as he proceeded with the treatment.
"So that stuff can make him better? Wow. So a doctor can make anyone get better when they are sick?"
Pam's question made him smile a bit. "Well, we do our best to help where we can and at least alleviate the pain as best we can."
"Can anybody learn to do that?" She inquired.
"Well with enough time, training and dedication I believe anyone can benefit the world with their knowledge of medicine." Bowman looked to the girl who looked as if she was pondering something. "And it just so happens that I'm in the market for an apprentice. Perhaps if you come by my office after, say three o'clock everyday I'd be willing to teach you what I know. Would you like to learn?
Pam's eyes lit up like fireworks. This was something she could never have imagined only a few days before. Learning to use fascinating items to examine and help sick and injured people and make them feel better. It seemed like such a simple yet wondrous thing. "Really? I'd love to!"
Lynn reached the front doors and slowly stepped in, being sure to remove his hat as to at least show some manners as an older robed man approached him. "A good day to you." He greeted. "Can I assist you with anything?"
Lynn looked around at the high walls which were much more intimidating in the daylight as well as the statues around the main hall before turning his attention back to the man. "No, thank you Father. I'm here to see a Brother Ramirez. Is he around?"
"Of course. He's in the basement, taking inventory. You're welcome to go down to speak with him. Right down those steps there." The elderly man gestured to the door that led downward as Lynn thanked him and headed in that direction.
Lynn reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around the crowded basement where many of the previously covered items were now exposed. The figure that he was looking for had his back to the stairs and was looking at a large pile of items as he whispered to himself and counted out items in a small notebook with a pencil. "Brother Ramirez?" Lynn called. Ramirez turned to face the voice and Lynn's eyes opened wide.
"Can I help you?" He asked simply as the young man across from him just glared in silence.
You got this for me. It's beautiful.
It'll be no problem. Everyone will be asleep by that time.
Wait up! You said you'd take me with you.
What? You thought I was serious? Hahaha!
I gave you everything!
A cacophony of memories assaulted Lynn's mind as he held a hand to his head as he staggered back and almost lost his balance. Brother Ramirez cautiously approached him. "Are you alright?"
Lynn found his footing and suddenly looked back to the man in front of him. "A girl named Maggie sent me your way. Said something about you wanting to talk." He said, his eyes wide open but with an unnerving calmness in his speech.
"Oh, Margaret? Yes, a charming young lady." Ramirez said as he offered a hand. Lynn simply gave an apathetic look as the brother withdrew his hand. "Right. Well, firstly I wanted to thank you for what you did for her. She spoke very highly of you and I wanted to meet the face that went along with the name. Secondly, I wanted to discuss this." He reached into his robes and pulled out a locket that looked very familiar to Lynn who looked shocked, not even having noticed that it had gone missing some time ago.
"Where did you get that?" Lynn asked with a bit of edge in his voice.
"That is something I wanted to ask myself." Ramirez said, his tone changing to one of a serious nature itself. "I have not seen this in years and now you show up here with it and using the name of someone I was … acquainted with.."
"Why should that name surprise you?" Lynn asked. "I'm sure there were a dozen or more 'Lynns' you seduced. Tricking them with the promise of ferrying them away to a life of wonder and excitement and spending the rest of your lives together. Getting them to steal their family's life savings and handing them over to you and then running off like the slippery little Mexican you are." Lynn approached the shocked brother and grabbed him by the collar in a firm grip. "I know all about you, Francisco Ramirez."
"How did you..." Before he could finish Lynn threw a hard punch across his jaw that sent him falling onto his back against the concrete basement floor.
"Who would have thought after all these years I'd run into you here, in this of all places." Lynn chuckled as he looked down at the fallen brother. "God must have some divine humor to make this meeting happen." Francisco's raised eyebrow was all the more funny to Lynn now. "Oh, you still haven't figured it out yet, have you? Remember, that night when you said I was the only girl for you? How you could get lost in my hazel eyes? How my sweet my hair smelled? Though I doubt my new cut would help you recognize me either."
"Wait. Lynn? Is that you?" Francisco squinted his eyes to look to the young man that well … wasn't exactly a young man. He looked her up and down as his mind began to spin. "What are you doing here? And why are you wearing that?"
Lynn glared down at him as she removed her hat. "I could ask you the same thing." She said as she stood over him. "What's this? Another scam to rob somebody blind? Stealing from the money box? Casing the place for valuables? Where are your two pinhead brothers anyway?"
Francisco used a nearby crate to hoist himself to his feet. "My brothers are dead. Antonio got shot about a year and a half back when we were holding up a grocery store. Fabian got lynched when we tried to swipe some chickens from some farmers. He held that mob back long enough or me to get out of there. I drifted for a while and ended up here."
Lynn didn't say a word and her expression didn't change from one of total apathy at hearing the news. "I hope you aren't expecting me to shed any tears for those two."
"My brothers were not good men I admit, and neither was I. But when I got here they taught me a lot, trusted me with responsibilities and during that time I've thought a lot about my life and where living like I was would have gotten me. But I also thought about all the people we hurt all that time." He looked to her with genuine compassion in his eyes.
"I don't believe this." Lynn said under her breath as she turns her head for a moment and then back to him. She angrily took a few steps forward and pointed a finger at him. "You lied your way into my house, you tricked me into robbing my own family and then you left me like it was nothing for you." She grabbed him by his collar and threw him against a wall. "So what, you had some kind of religious awakening and now you think that makes up for all that you did? You think because you pray to God to forgive you that that'll suddenly make up for all the lying and stealing and hurt you caused? You think that makes up for what you did to my family, for what you did to me?"
He slowly lowered his eyes to the ground as he slowly recalled the events that had transpired between he and Lynn. "No. I know that nothing can undo all the wrongs that I've done and seeing you only reminds me of those wrongs. All I can do is move forward and lead a righteous life before the Lord and pray that one day I can be forgiven."
Lynn was almost taken aback by Francisco's words. He truly did believe all that. The young man had certainly made physical changes to himself and his demeanor was the nothing like he'd been in the past. If this was an act it was definitely the most convincing thing she'd ever seen him pull but everything she saw in front of her told her it wasn't so. It all felt so much different from the boy that she'd known from before that conned her and put her family in the position they were in now.
No, that last portion wasn't entirely true as she knew in her heart that she was fully responsible for that. Even if Francisco did suggest the plan to her, she did it out of her own selfish nature in hopes of getting away from her family's farm. It was her desire to escape that place and her gullibility in believing someone she had met a week earlier that caused that misfortune. Even if Francisco had taken her, the family would still be in just as bad a situation as they were when she left.
She wanted to do it; just keep hitting him and punishing him for what he'd done. However, her body just wouldn't allow her to go through with it. It wasn't the same person from before. But for all of these truths that she considered and even with the clear changes in Francisco and his sincerity, Lynn just could not find it in herself to reconcile as she slowly loosened her grip but kept him pinned where he was. "I will never forgive you." She said, venom dripping from her lips as she slowly backed away. The young brother said nothing and simply nodded in acceptance. "But … there is something that you can do for me."