Five Days Later
Whit's End, Odyssey
"Gee Whit! It's so great to see you again!" Richard Maxwell exclaimed.
"I have to say it's good to see you too Richard." Mr. Whittaker replied.
"And thanks for hiring me here at Whit's End. I haven't had a good job in years."
"Oh I could use all the help I can get. With Eugene busy at the collage and Connie of visiting her dad in L.A. I'm short on help. But between you, Jason and myself we should be able to manage." Whit said.
"Yeah, about that, when's Connie going to come back?" Richard asked,
"I think she said three weeks." Whit replied, "How are things going between you and Tom?"
"Oh it's going over great!" Richard explained, "Mr. Ril-Tom. Sorry, old habits die hard. Tom is a really magnificent man. He-" Richard was interrupted by the bell above the door.
"Hey everyone!" A voice greeted, "This is Odyssey right?"
"Yes it is-" Whit started,
"Oh good." The stranger sighed, "You don't know how long I've tried to get here!" He walked over to the counter.
"Well, welcome to Odyssey then. I'm John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit, and this is Richard."
"Hi. My name is Nick Mulligan." The stranger said, sitting down.
"Hello Nick." Whit stared at Nick and then Richard, "Are you two related somehow?"
"What?" Richard exclaimed, "I've never seen him before in my life!"
"Yeah, I've never seen him before. No wait...Yeah I have."
"Oh yeah? Where?" Richard asked. For some reason he didn't trust this newcomer who resembled him on bit.
"It was in the paper a year ago. You were convicted of arson, right?"
Richard looked shocked, "Hey! Don't you know there are innocent kids who play around here?"
"He just asked if I had seen you before. So I answered." Nick smirked,
"Wrong." Richard retorted, "He asked if we were related, not where we had seen each other. Big difference."
"Yeah, well, if we were related we would've seen each other anyway." Nick replied, "Although, I'm not sure you'd be one of those relatives that I'd visit on a daily basis."
"Oh yeah? Is that an insult? Because with that big mouth of yours I can see how insults might come easily." Richard said,
"Well, if it was an insult then I would hope that you won't set me on fire!" Nick taunted,
"Why you-" Richard raised his fist but Mr. Whittaker grabbed it before he did something he would regret.
"That's enough you two!" Whit exclaimed, "You don't just start fighting with the first person who walks in."
"Yeah, " Nick said, "For all you know I could be a police officer."
"Oh I know for a fact that you are most definitely not a police officer." Richard replied, "You don't have the muscles for the job."
"Well that's one thing we both have in common, don't we?" Nick returned the insult.
"To bad we're not related otherwise you might have at least been born decent looking." Richard shot back.
"Now I said that's enough!" Whit shouted, "Now apologize to each other so we can start over."
"I'm sorry that you didn't get good looks when you were born." Richard said, earning a reproachful look from Mr. Whittaker. "I'm sorry for insulting you."
"I'm sorry too." Nick replied.
"There, now that's better." Whit sighed, "Alright, now we can start over."
"Okay, Nick," Richard put emphasis on the word 'Nick', "Where do you come from, you obviously don't live in Odyssey."
"I came from New York. Ever been there?" Nick asked,
"Why actually I have, and now I can understand why you have such a distasteful personality." Richard said,
"Ah, Nick, why did you come all the way to Odyssey from New York?" Whit asked,
"To find answers to my questions about my clouded past." Nick's face grew serious, "So I'll be staying till they're all answered."
"How many questions do you have? Maybe we can answer them now and you can be on your way." Richard said quickly,
"Oh I have so many questions, your small brain probably can't comprehend them." Nick answered,
"So I'm be staying awhile."
"Oh joy." Richard feigned enthusiasm.
"Well, where are your parents Nick?" Whit asked,
"They died."
"Oh I'm so sorry, Nick. When?"
"Oh it was when I was a baby so I'm not too sentimental about it. I've been living in a foster home ever since." Nick replied,
"And your foster parents know you're here?" Whit questioned,
"Oh sure, sure they do." Nick lied. Richard eyed him suspiciously. Being such a good liar himself, he knew when to spot a lie.
"Well, do you have a place to stay?" Whit asked another question.
"Uh, not really. But I'll make due. Nothing like sleeping under the stars right?" Nick said,
"Nick, why don't you stay at my place tonight." Whit offered.
"But I hardly know you."
"But you just said yourself you don't have a place to stay."
"Yeah but...well, I guess there's no other reason why I shouldn't. Okay. Thanks." Nick accepted,
"Wait! You're just going to let some random guy who insults people stay at your house?" Richard exclaimed,
"Insulting isn't a crime. But you would know that by experience, right?" Nick commented.
"That's it!" Richard cried and tackled Nick to the floor. They rolled around until Nick was on top of Richard, "I bet you had a lot of fighting experience in prison!" He said.
"You know what?" Richard pushed Nick of him, "I did!"
"Ah ha!" Nick kicked Richard's leg, "So you admit to being a criminal!"
"I never-" Richard punched Nick in the jaw, "-denied it!"
"Stop it both of you!" Whit called and tried to break up the fight.
Just then Jason Whittaker came in from the kitchen, "What's going on out here dad?"
"These two won't stop fighting! I can't get them to stop!"
"Well here, let me help!" Jason helped his dad pull Nick and Richard apart.
Jason held back Nick and Whit held back Richard.
"I should've never come to this town!" Nick said,
"Now that's one thing you got right. You don't come to a town and start fights!" Richard replied,
"Me? You started it!"
"But you started the verbal one!"
"That's enough!" Whit shouted, "Well done boys. You have succeeded in successfully disturbing the peace!"
"But he-"
"You're both at fault here and until further notice you are both banned from Whit's End."
"What? But I work here!" Richard exclaimed,
"Think of it as though you're one break." Whit replied And escorted the two out the door.
"Oh, what am I going to do with those two? One works here and the other won't leave town until he finds answers for his questions." Whit sat down.
"Who was that kid anyway?" Jason asked, catching his breath.
"His name is Nick Mulligan and he came all the way to Odyssey from New York."
"And he's here looking for answers? What kind of answers?"
"Answers about his past. I think there's something bigger going on with him then meets the eye. If he's wants to know about his past here then he must have lived in Odyssey before."
"Well, I'm sure you'll think of a solution that will end up teaching a lesson. You always do. That's what makes you so wise, dad." Jason said, then walked back into the kitchen.