Chapter Eighteen

Final Letter

Back in Mutopia, some hours past and Jake was sitting at the canteen table with Mona, Amber and Sarah, he had a piece of paper in hand and he took a few deep breaths.

He had written and re-written his final letter to his father, and now he had finally composed what he wanted to say, even though it was hard to write, he knew he had to write it.

"I've done it." he said swallowing hard, "I've finally composed the final letter to dad."

"You have?" Mona asked, worry in her eyes, "What have you decided to write?"

Amber and Sarah bit their lips and leaned in to listen.

Jake took a deep breath and held up the letter.

Dear Dad

I hope you and Pamela are well and things are going good for you back home.

I am fine, as is Callum, despite everything that has happened before we left for New York. I know things were tough and I can only express how sorry I am when I wasn't honest with you, or with mum before she died about Callum's behaviour.

When we travelled to New York, we hoped to find closure over what happened to our sister, and even though we still have no clue what happened to her, we feel that somehow seeing the city and how amazing it is, made us realise why she wanted to come here, and in a way, her presence is there and comforting us, even though she's not with us in person.

Since being in New York, we have decided to stay indefinitely and I have managed to book Callum into a clinic for a few weeks to help him with his addictions, and I have managed to find a job as well as a place to live.

I don't want you to think we're abandoning you, I know you and Callum weren't on speaking terms, but I know you love him, and I know deep down he still loves you, despite all the things he said.

I plan to return to Wisconsin again soon, but right now we feel like we have found a place to stay, and when Callum leaves the clinic depending on his progress, we'll see where the future takes us then.

Despite our choices, never forget we love you dad, and will miss you, and I will keep in touch to see how you're doing.

Love for always and to the end of time.

Your most affectionate son.

Jake.

When he had finished, he looked at Mona, Amber and Sarah.

Mona and Amber had tears in their eyes, and Sarah was looking proud of Jake.

"That's a great letter!" the Cheetah said.

"You think?" Jake asked as he looked back at the letter and saw how some of the ink was smudged due to his tears when he had written it.

"I'll write it in an email and send it through to dad." Jake said, then sighed "It's gonna be so hard, but I have to do this."

Mona looked at Jake, and she remembered what he had said to her before he decided to write his final letter.

Flashback

Jake walked around the residential area, after he had made his decision and confessed to Sarah about deciding to stay in Mutopia instead of returning to Wisconsin, he went to look for his sister.

When he found her, Mona had gone to check on the children.

The Lizard Lady was in Sonia's room and the Geckolings, Pandora and Kemeko were sitting at a table wearing baggy aprons and doing some finger painting, Sonia though had decided to use paintbrushes as well as make sure no paint would get knocked over even though there was a plastic sheet under the table to catch any spillage.

As Jake entered the room, the children were giggling and running their hands over the paper, but then Pandora put her hand in one of the bowls and placed it over her face making a multi coloured hand-print appear on her skin.

"Finger paint! Face Paint!" she laughed making the others children laugh, then Kemeko copied her and splattered her face with paint!

"Girls!" Mona chuckled "You're making a mess!"

Watching Pandora and Kemeko painting their faces, Freya and Loki decided to join in and before long the four youngest children were covered in paint!

"At least they're having fun!" Jake cut in, making his presence known and making Mona jump slightly and the kids saw him before beaming.

"Uncle Jake!" Pandora grinned.

"Hi!" the Geckolings said together.

"Hi Uncle Jake!" Kemeko repeated after Pandora.

"Hi Jake!" Sonia said looking up from her painting.

"Hey Kids!" Jake said walking over, "What you doing today?"

"Painting!" Pandora said "We love to finger paint!"

"Wow!" Jake smiled as he gazed at their paper which was covered in and prints or attempted shapes created with their fingers "You five sure are amazing artists!"

"I did a forest!" Freya announced as she held up her picture showing some green hand prints and brown finger drawn trunks.

"So did I!" Loki agreed showing a similar picture only his had more colour.

"Nice!" Jake praised then looked up at Mona, "Sis? Can I talk to you?"

"Of course!" said Mona "Will you excuse us kids?"

"Okay mum!" said Pandora.

"Okay Aunt Mona!" the other kids chorused then the grown ups left the room.

As soon as they were outside the door and out of earshot, Jake turned to Mona.

"Are you okay Jake?" Mona asked.

Jake nodded.

"I've been thinking about Callum." he said "He's learning his wings with Tyroth right now."

Mona looked down sadly, she was still hurt that Callum was still not speaking to them, yet she was hopeful he would get used to his wings as well as his whole mutation.

"I've been thinking about his future here," Jake continued "And I've also been thinking about my future too."

Mona looked up at Jake.

"Your future?" she asked.

Jake nodded.

"I've made a decision Mona." he said "I've decided not to go back to Wisconsin."

Mona stared at Jake in shock.

"Not go back?" she asked.

"No." Jake said "I'm not going home, I'm not sure if I could ever go back, not after everything that's happened, I found you again, I've learnt so much, and...well, I can't leave Callum."

"What about dad?" asked Mona wondering how her father would take the news. He had been through so much loosing her, then Gina passing away and Callum going off the rails, even though he had re-married and tried to move on.

Jake shook his head.

"I don't want to break dad's heart, but I have to break it to him that I'm not coming back for a while, and one day I'll have to tell him about Callum, if not the truth, something, but right now I plan to delay seeing him again, at least until I'm ready to tell him."

Mona sighed sadly then looked up at Jake again.

"Jake?" she said "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I am." Jake said "There's many reasons I want to stay, so I can be with you again, if not in New York but here in Mutopia, and I have made friends with the Chicago Knights and the other residents here, they've been so kind to me, like they have to you and your mutant family."

Mona looked at Jake through his glasses, he did look serious, he hadn't said anything about wanting to use the well, and she knew that Hugh topside would help him find a job and a place to live, like he did for Jennifer before she became Amber the Marine Iguana.

She was pleased that Jake had found himself comfortable with the other Mutopians and she knew he wanted to keep looking after Callum, despite everything that had happened because he loved him so much.

"Jake." Mona said "I admire you, you've done such an amazing job trying to act in my place as an older sibling, and I cannot apologise enough that you had to take so much on your shoulders, especially when Callum went off the rails, and mum wasn't coping, you did all you could to help dad."

Jake smiled softly, tears glistening in his eyes as he listened to his sister.

"You've had to sacrifice so much for Callum, and you should try and think about yourself, the Mutopians will look after Callum..."

"I know." Jake said placing his hands on Mona's shoulders, "And this is what I want to do, I've made my choice, I want to stay and make sure Callum is okay, I can't face going home, especially when things got so bad there, I need a fresh start in life, and I think I found it."

Mona looked at Jake again, and she could see just how serious he was about his choice.

"Jake." she said "If this is what you want to do, then I'll support you," a smile then graced her face "at least it means I'll be able to see you again more often when I come here, or you come back to New York!"

Then feeling emotion well up in her, Mona wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him tightly.

Jake responded and wrapped his arms around his sister.

"I love you so much Jake." Mona said "I'm glad you came to New York!"

"Me too sis!" Jake laughed as he hugged Mona tightly.

End Flashback

"If this is your final decision, then you do it." Mona said placing a hand on Jake's "I trust you know what you're doing."

"I do." Jake confirmed "I promise."

"We look forward to welcoming you as a human resident of Mutopia." Sarah beamed.

"And after seeing how well you do in fighting." Amber added "I think you'd do well as a Chicago Knight!"

Mona looked at Amber and at Jake.

Jake cocked his head on one side.

"You think I'd do well as a Chicago Knight?" he asked "I have expressed my interest in learning more in fighting rather than just using my gun."

"I think so!" Amber said.

Mona looked worried, she was aware Jake had been in the training room with the Chicago Knights and he had managed to hold his own against them, but she was unsure of how he could handle himself in the field with the real fighting, especially after his experience with the V5 and the Foot, even though he had killed Hun.

Jake noticed her look.

"Sis?"

"Jake." Mona said "I saw how you managed to handle yourself, before Callum was injured, but I just...well I..."

"I understand Mona." Jake said "You're scared..."

"I am." Mona confessed "We almost lost Callum, if I loose you...my heart, I just...I'm not sure if I could take it."

"I know the feeling Mona." Amber cut in placing her hand on Mona's shoulder in comfort "I felt the same about Tyroth, despite his strengths and magic, But Jake has shown us how capable he is in training! And I believe he would make a great Chicago Knight, hey! I bet Hugh would be potential in him!"

Mona looked at Amber.

"He is strong Mona," Amber said with a smile "And you should be proud of him!"

"I learnt from the best sis!" Jake said "I really did! In a way you inspired me."

Mona looked at Jake and a small smile curled at the end of her mouth, and a small blush came to her face.

"Awww, she's blushing!" Sarah laughed.

Mona couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips.

Jake placed a hand on Mona's and looked into her eyes.

"I gave my blessing to you little brother about wanting to stay here," said Mona "But I am worried about you expressing your interest in working with the Knights, but I trust them to train you well and look after you."

"Thanks sis!" Jake said.

"We got to find the others! And tell Gramps!" said Sarah "And we should have a little party to celebrate!"

"Yeah!" Amber agreed excitedly.

Mona looked back at Jake.

"Can we talk a little more about this?" she asked "About you wanting to join the Knights?"

"Sure." said Jake standing up "I need to type my letter out to dad, then we'll talk."

"And when you're ready we'll talk to the others and Gramps." said Sarah.

"Take your time." Amber encouraged as Jake and Mona walked out of the canteen to talk alone for a while.

So Jake has written his final letter to his father and plans to send it, as well as officially stay in Mutopia, and Mona has given her blessing for his decision, though she is worried about him joining the Chicago Knights despite his capability and him killing Hun.

Wonder how the other Mutopians will react to him wanting to stay in Mutopia, or better yet, how will Callum react? Well, we shall find out in due course!