Father of Mine
Part 4
Roy sat down on the couch near the young man and took a long look at him. He was the exact embodiment of his friend except for the blue eyes. Those were the eyes of a woman everyone would have sooner liked to forget.
"What’s your name?" asked Roy.
"Vinnie Bishop," the young man replied.
"Where are you from?"
"Boston."
"Who’s your mother?"
"Madeline Bishop." Roy cringed at the thought.
"Why are you here?"
"I’m here to find my father and I know you’re his best friend," Vinnie said.
"Why didn’t you just go find him?"
"My mother never told me much about him. She mentioned his name a few times and that was it. When I got here I looked up his name but he’s not listed. Then, I remembered she’d mentioned you and I found your address in the phone book. I figured you could tell me where he lives. I didn’t expect to be playing 20 questions," Vinnie said. He began to stand up, but Roy pulled him back down.
"I’m sorry. It’s just that – he’s my best friend and he went through a very terrible ordeal after your mother left," Roy said. Vinnie tried to calm the inner anger that was building up. She left? If he only knew the truth.
"Can you take me to see him?" Vinnie asked. Roy smiled.
"Of course. Lexie and I were just headed over there. I’ll give you a lift."
* * *
Vinnie and Lexie stayed in the car while Roy got out to go search for John. He found John loading bales of hay into the loft inside the barn. The six horses John owned stood silently in their stalls as they watched John work. He caught a quick glance of Roy as he put the last bale in the loft.
"Hey, Roy. I thought you weren’t coming for another couple hours? I would’ve saved this work for tomorrow if I’d known," John said. He removed his gloves and climbed down from the loft. He saw the concerned look in Roy’s eyes. "Roy, what’s wrong?"
"Johnny, there’s a young man in my car who wants to meet you. His name is Vinnie Bishop," Roy said. A glazed look came into John’s eyes. The events of the past were coming back to him. He sat down on the ladder and put his face in his hands.
"Madeline’s son? Why is he here?" John asked.
"John, he claims that you’re his father," Roy said. John shot a mean stare at Roy. Roy could never recall seeing a more frightened and doubting look in John’s eyes. He violently shook his head.
"No, that’s not possible. She wasn’t – she couldn’t have been – why would she – ?" John was numb. How could this be possible? Why was this happening now? He was finally happy and everything was as it should be. Why was this happening to him?
"Johnny?"
"I wanna meet him," John said.
"All right, I’ll get him," Roy said. He left his friend and ventured out to the car. Lexie and Vinnie were talking but Vinnie’s mind was on other matters. What if he didn’t want to see him? Why would he? He’d left his mother before he was even born, why would he want to meet the son he’d left behind? And what if he did want to meet him? Vinnie wasn’t sure whether he’d hug the man or punch him for all of the pain that he’d caused him his whole life.
"Vinnie, I think my dad wants you to get out of the car," Lexie pointed out. Vinnie opened the door and slid out of the car. Lexie followed but stayed with her father. She wasn’t sure what to expect but she wanted to know if this guy really was Uncle Johnny’s son.
"He’s in the barn," Roy told Vinnie. Vinnie walked through the open barn doors. There was John, leaning against the stall of a large palomino stallion. The older man turned when he heard Vinnie’s footsteps on the straw. There was an instant reaction between them. It was as if they were looking at themselves, one looking at the past and one looking at the future. Vinnie further approached John until he was only a foot away. He was unexpectedly speechless. This was the man he’d spent his whole life wondering about and now he could hardly believe he was actually meeting him.
"You’re John Gage?" Vinnie asked.
"Yeah, I’m John Gage. You must be Vinnie Bishop," John said. He didn’t know what to say to this young man. Vinnie was too overcome by emotion. He hated this man but he also loved him. Vinnie stepped up to John and hugged him. John wasn’t sure what to do but he held Vinnie as he would any of his children. After what he’d heard today he mostly likely was holding one of them.
* * *
"He has Madeline’s eyes," John said to Laura as she took a soda out of the refrigerator. She sat down at the table with John and placed her hand over his.
"I noticed. Aside from that, he looks just like you," Laura said. John looked out into the living room. Vinnie was entertaining the kids with some magic tricks. They seemed to be having a good time with him.
"What am I gonna do?" John asked. It was mostly to himself but he also wanted Laura’s advice. Laura looked at her husband with extreme astonishment.
"John Roderick Gage!" she exclaimed. John hated it when she used his whole name. It usually meant he did something wrong, "I’m surprised at you. That boy in there is more than likely your son and you don’t know what to do?"
"But I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me. How do I start and where do I begin?"
"Johnny, all I can say is that it’s up to you. He’s your son," Laura said.
"And Madeline’s."
"What does that matter?"
"It makes everything matter. She left and she was pregnant and she never told me about him. His whole life, Vinnie has never had a father in his life and he probably blames me for it! Do you think Madeline would tell her son that she left his father without telling him about their child? I doubt it!" John exclaimed. Laura could see how agitated and frustrated her husband was. She leaned over and kissed him.
"That doesn’t matter, John. What matters now is that Vinnie is here. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t have come. He wants to know his father, so let him know who John Gage is and then he’ll decide where to go," Laura said.
"Do you know how wonderful you are? I love you so much," John said.
"I love you too."
* * *
Vinnie placed the ball under the middle cup and began to shuffle the cups around on the table. Tess and J.R. watched intently as the cups moved around. Andy pretended not to notice as he read his book but kept a close eye on the cups.
"All right which cup is the ball under?" Vinnie asked when he stopped moving the cups. Tess and J.R. waited a moment as they searched the cups and tried to remember where the ball was.
"The middle one!" Tess exclaimed. Vinnie grinned, a grin that looked almost identical to John’s.
"Okay," Vinnie said. He gently lifted the middle cup but there was nothing underneath it. Tess frowned with disappointment.
"Is it the left one?" asked J.R., shyly. Vinnie lifted the left cup but revealed nothing. Andy set down the book he was reading and looked disapprovingly at his siblings.
"You guys don’t know anything. It was the right one the whole time," he said, matter-of-factly. Once again Vinnie raised the right cup but to the amazement of the three kids there was nothing there.
"What! But if it’s not under the last cup, then where is it?" asked Andy. Vinnie reached out to Tess and began to tickle her. She laughed in delight. Then, Vinnie revealed the little ball in his fingers. They all stared at the ball in awe.
"How did you do that?" asked J.R.
"Ah, a magician never reveals his secrets," Vinnie said.
"Who taught you?" asked Andy.
"Well, when I was about your age, Andy, I had a friend whose uncle was in the circus. So, when the circus came to Boston he’d sneak me in and the magician would teach me a few tricks. I even learned from a few of the jugglers," Vinnie explained.
"Can you show me?" asked Tess. Vinnie smiled fondly at the little girl. He never imagined that he’d find a whole new family out in Los Angeles. He looked up and saw John and Laura in the kitchen, talking. Probably about me, Vinnie thought.
"No, Tess, not tonight. I think it’s about time for you to go to bed," Vinnie said.
"I think you guys should listen to Vinnie," Laura said. The kids all turned around and saw Laura and John standing behind them. The kids looked to John for an argument but he merely crossed his arms and nodded. They knew now that arguing was pointless. When their father looked like a stoic chief he stood firm by his decision.
"Night, Mom," said the three Gage children. They hugged their mother and kissed her. Tess hugged John and he whispered something into her ear before she went up the stairs to her room. J.R. gave John a hug and a kiss and then headed up to his room. Andy’s room was still on the first floor so he stayed on the couch, waiting for all of the bedroom preparation to end.
"Vinnie, the guest room is right past Tess’s room," Laura said.
"Thanks, Laura. I’ll see you guys in the morning. Good night, John," Vinnie said.
"Good night, Vinnie," John said. They shook hands. Vinnie headed up the stairs to his room. Andy still sat on the couch. John sat down next to his son while Laura went to the bedroom.
"Is Vinnie staying for a while?" asked Andy. John sighed.
"Yeah…yeah, he’ll be here for a while. Do you like him?" John asked.
"Yeah, he’s pretty cool," Andy said. "Will he be able to stay for the barbecue on Saturday?"
"I suppose. I mean, if he wants to stay that long," John said. "You going to bed soon?"
"In a little bit. I’m not really that tired."
"All right. I’ll see you in the morning," John said. He kissed Andy on the forehead and started walking up the stairs. He stopped for a moment and looked back down at his son. "I love you, Andy."
"I love you too, Dad," Andy said.
* * *
Overnight, it seemed, Tess came down with a fever and she needed constant care. John decided to take some time off of work to take care of his daughter. Vinnie spent most of his time outside the house since he was out of school and had nothing better to do with his time. He’d hoped to try and talk to John but he was too preoccupied with Tess.
Vinnie decided to go inside the house to get some lunch. As he entered he heard what sounded like the sound of a crow cawing. He followed the noise upstairs to Tess’s room. The door was halfway open and Vinnie was able to look inside. There was Tess, propped up in her bed, and there was John, acting out a story for her.
"…And then, Baby opened the box and released the stars into the sky. Grandfather was very angry but Mother cried out to her father to spare the child. Then, Baby began to change. His arms became long feathered wings, his feet became short and clawed, and his nose lengthened into a beak. Baby had become Raven. And then Raven said to Grandfather, ‘Now the stars, moon, and sun are free for all to enjoy!’ and he flew away into the new bright morning and let the sun warm him."
Tess clapped. "That was a great story, Daddy."
"Thank you very much. Now, what would you like for – " John heard the heavy sound of Vinnie’s footsteps storm off down the hall. "Hold on, darling." John looked outside the room and saw Vinnie just as he entered his room. John walked down and pushed Vinnie’s door open. Vinnie had his suitcase open and was putting his clothes into it. He was crying. "Vinnie?"
"I’m sorry, John," Vinnie said as he put another shirt into the suitcase.
"About what?"
"I shouldn’t have come here. I should’ve just stayed home," Vinnie said. John rushed over and emptied the suitcase on the bed. Vinnie just stared at him.
"No. You had every right to come here and see me. I’m your father," John said, "and you’re not going anywhere until he work this out."
"What do you care, John? Why would you care about the son you abandoned?" Vinnie asked. It felt like a semi had just crushed his heart. John stared at Vinnie in such shock he could hardly move or speak.
"A-a-abandoned? W-where did you get an idea like that?"
"Mom. She told me everything. How she’d met you after a play she’d been in, in Boston, your love affair, and then when you abandoned her and came here to California when she told you she was pregnant. I know about it all," Vinnie accused. John shook his head, unable to believe any of what Vinnie had just said. All of the lies Madeline had told him, the pain and anger his child had gone through believing it all.
"No, that’s not how it happened! I would never abandon any of my children. I never even knew about you, Vinnie," John tried to explain. But Vinnie wouldn’t listen.
"Don’t try any of that on me, John. You’re just trying to save yourself by making my mother look like a liar," Vinnie said. Vinnie started re-packing his suitcase, but John just emptied it again. He stared hard into his son’s eyes.
"You’re not going anywhere until you hear both sides of the story, Vincent. You have to hear me out," John said. Vinnie thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
"All right. Convince me," Vinnie said. John handed Vinnie his coat.
"We’ll talk about this outside. I’m not going to let my daughter hear any of this," John said.
* * *
John and Vinnie walked into the barn. They sat opposite each other on bales of hay that John hadn’t put into the loft yet. Vinnie diverted his eyes from John before he found the courage to look at him.
"Tell me, John. What’s your version?" Vinnie asked. John didn’t like the tone of Vinnie’s voice but he let it pass.
"Firstly, I’ve never been to the East Coast. The farthest east I’ve been is Montana where I lived on the Indian reservation with my family. I saved your mother from a burning building when I first met her here in Los Angeles. We were married, Vinnie, for almost three years," John explained. He began to tear up as he recalled his years with Madeline. All of the painful memories were playing in his mind. Vinnie’s eyes softened. There was real pain and truth in John’s words. "We were happy, at first, but we started fighting a lot. Then, I came home after a long shift and she was gone. She’d left a note that she was leaving me and all of her things were absent from the house. I never had a clue that she was pregnant, Vinnie, honestly I didn’t."
"And if you had known?"
"I would have done everything in my power to see you. You have to believe me. I would do anything for one of my kids. And it hurts me that I was never there for you. I never saw your first steps or heard your first words," John said. He sat down next to his son. "I have been absent your whole life, but now you’re here and I don’t want you to go. If you’ll stay, then we’ll work all of this out."
"You really want me?" Vinnie asked. He was now crying right along with John.
"Yes, if you’ll stay," John said. John pulled Vinnie into a hug. It just felt so natural to hug any of his children that he didn’t give it a second thought. There was no way he was going to mess this up. When they ended the embrace, Vinnie could hardly look at John.
"I believe you, John, I do. But all of those things I said I feel terrible about."
"Don’t. That’s what your mother chose to tell you. What we should do now is focus on the truth and try to catch up," John said.
"But there’s so much time we’ve missed," Vinnie said.
"Then we’ll take it slowly. So, let’s start, tell me about your childhood."
* * *
The barbecue was in full swing on Saturday night. Vinnie never imagined that his father knew so many people. There were firemen, doctors, and nurses from all over the county. The only faces he recognized were Roy and Lexie, especially Lexie. After the talk with John a few days ago, they decided to tell Andy, Tess, and J.R. the truth. The two youngest took it very well and were excited to have another older brother. Andy, however, didn’t seem as thrilled. As talkative as he was Andy hardly said anything to Vinnie afterwards. John also asked Vinnie if he could announce it to everyone at the party. Vinnie was nervous, but he wanted everyone to know that he was John Gage’s son. Vinnie kept to himself a bit and made his way to the barn where a lot of the kids were. He saw Andy sitting in the loft with a couple friends, Tess doing the same, and then there was J.R. The youngest of them was just sitting by one of the stalls keeping to himself. No one else seemed to notice him except for Vinnie.
"Hey, Jay," Vinnie said to his little brother. J.R. looked up and smiled at him.
"Hi, Vinnie," he said. Vinnie leaned down next to him.
"Why aren’t ya playing with the other kids?" he asked.
"I can’t do the same things they can. I got a bad heart," J.R. explained. Vinnie sat down. He kicked around a couple pieces of straw.
"I noticed you have a guitar. You play a lot?"
"Dad and I practice whenever he’s home."
"You know any songs?"
"Couple."
"Then why don’t you play? It doesn’t have to be for the kids but you can get a lot of praise from the adults if you play for them. Maybe then the kids will notice," Vinnie suggested. J.R.’s eyes lit up.
"You think they will?"
"You won’t know unless you try."
* * *
"Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to direct your attention to Mr. Jonathon Gage. He’s decided that you deserve a little entertainment tonight and he’d like to provide that by playing a song for you," Vinnie announced. The adults gathered around where J.R. sat on the porch with his guitar. He fiddled with the strings for a minute before deciding what song to play. John stood by with his arm around Laura as he watched his normally shy son begin to play for a crowd of people.
The melody came naturally to J.R.’s fingers. It was a song his father had actually written and taught him and he was anxious to play it for him.
"From the plains of Nebraska
to the peaks of Montana I have
searched my whole life for you.
There’s not a day that goes by
I don’t look in your eyes and
Wonder why I deserve you.
You gave me the life that I never
Dreamed would… come… true.
And though I have nothing that
Could ever compare, let me tell you
These words…I love you."
J.R. finished the song and stopped playing. There was a moment of silence. No one could believe how beautiful that song was or how sweet and gentle J.R.’s voice was. There was a sudden uproar of clapping from everyone. John walked up to his son and hugged him.
"That was beautiful, J.R. I never thought that song could sound so good," John said.
"Don’t thank me, Dad, thank Vinnie. He encouraged me to do it," J.R. said. While Laura congratulated her son, John turned to Vinnie and hugged him.
"Thank you," he said. Then, he faced the crowd. "Everybody, I’d like your attention. Some of you may remember my first wife, Madeline." There was a loud grown throughout the audience. Vinnie never realized how many people despised his mother. It was a bit unnerving. "Anyway, all bad feelings aside, I’d like you all to meet Vinnie Bishop, my son by Madeline." A hush fell over the people. Vinnie, as confident as he always felt, couldn’t even bring himself to look at any of the people. Then, he heard a single person clapping. Lexie DeSoto pushed through the crowd until she was face to face with Vinnie.
"Well I say that any son of John’s is family to me," she said. Lexie hugged Vinnie. Thrown off guard, Vinnie wasn’t sure what to do. He just hugged Lexie and then let go when she did. She smiled and Vinnie was never able to get her face out of his mind. Immediately afterwards, it seemed like hundreds of people shook his hand. All of them told him how much he looked like John or told him a short story about his father. It was all a bit overwhelming. Vinnie quietly disappeared into the house and made his way into the kitchen for something to eat.
"Hey, Vinnie," said a familiar voice. Backing into the kitchen, Vinnie hadn’t seen Roy DeSoto sitting at the table eating a small sandwich. It was comforting to see Roy.
"Hi, Mr. DeSoto," he said. Roy laughed and shook his head.
"It’s Roy. Never did get used to being called Mr. DeSoto. Your brothers and sister call me Uncle Roy but I think you’re a bit old to start calling me that," Roy laughed. Vinnie smiled and sat down near Roy. Roy saw the thoughtful look. "It’s a bit too much, isn’t it?"
"Kinda. When I first came here I was just looking for my father. Now – I’ve found a whole family," Vinnie said, "And there are so many people who know my father more than I do. I just –"
"Give it time," Roy said, "John’s a great guy and I know that he’ll do everything in his power to make you a part of his life. If there’s anything you want to know, ask him. Or you can ask me. I’ll tell you a lot more than he will."
Vinnie laughed. "It’s good to know."
"Daddy, what are you telling him?" Vinnie froze at the sound of Lexie’s voice. He slowly turned around and saw her beautiful face looking at him. He grinned and tried to say something but the words wouldn’t come. She was absolutely beautiful. Just like John. He always acted that way around a girl he really liked, Roy thought.
"I was just explaining to Vinnie that our door is always open if he needs it," Roy said. Lexie walked over to Roy and kissed him on the cheek.
"That was really great what you did for J.R.," Lexie said.
"I was just doing what any big brother would do," Vinnie said, shyly.
"Dad, do you mind if I steal Vinnie away for a minute?" she asked. Roy was skeptical of his daughter’s motives. Vinnie was all the more surprised.
"I suppose," Roy agreed. Vinnie awkwardly stood up. Lexie took hold of his arm and led him out to the back porch. Just as the teenagers left, John walked in.
"Hey, Roy, what’s going on?" he asked.
"I just watched my daughter lead your son out to the porch," Roy said. John looked out towards the porch and saw Vinnie and Lexie together. He grinned that old Gage grin and bobbed his eyebrows at Roy.
"Well, well, well, looks like we might have a little romance on our hands," John said.
"Maybe you do. I’ve got a problem on my hands."
"Why Chief DeSoto, I do believe you’re scared," John pointed out.
"John, anything that has to do with a Gage scares me."
* * *
"I just love the stars, don’t you?" asked Lexie. Lexie and Vinnie sat on the back porch staring up into the clear night sky. Vinnie couldn’t help just looking at Lexie and taking in all of her beauty and energy. He couldn’t find the courage to speak to her, fearing he’d say something stupid. He’d never felt this way around a girl before and he liked it.
"I really don’t see a lot of them," Vinnie said. Lexie looked at him.
"Really?"
"Not in Boston. I lived right in the center of the city. Not a lot of stars to see when all of the street lights are on," Vinnie explained. He stretched out and lay on his back as he looked up at the millions of stars he’d never noticed before. Lexie did the same.
"So, how do you like Los Angeles so far?" she asked.
"Honestly, I didn’t think I’d like it that much. I was just here to find John and leave," Vinnie confessed. Lexie frowned, "But I don’t think I want to go home anymore."
"What about your mother?"
"I love my mother very much, but she – she lied to me my whole life. I need to know my father and I like the ranch life more than I liked the theater," Vinnie said.
"Theater?"
"My mother owns a theater in Boston and we live right next door. She always brought the actors over to the apartment for drinks after their last production. I spent more time sleeping over at my friend James’ house then I ever spent at home," Vinnie said, " Not like here. John and Laura don’t have people over every night. It’s quiet and peaceful here. I like it."
"Well, I’m glad you want to stay. Now I have someone to pal around with," Lexie said. Vinnie sat up, a determined look on his face.
"Lexie, would you like to – uh – have lunch with me tomorrow? We could go riding and then have a picnic," Vinnie suggested. Lexie took Vinnie’s hand.
"I’d like that," she said. Vinnie put his arm around Lexie and the two of them continued to watch the sky.
* * *
John walked Chief, his reliable, black mustang, into the barn and put him into his stall. After about an hour of grooming and pampering this magnificent creature, John exited the barn and headed for the house. Laura was at the hospital, Andy, Tess, and J.R. were in school, and Vinnie was over at Roy’s spending time with Lexie since she was sick. Before going into the house he just sat on the porch and took in his surroundings. It’d been a long time since he’d been able to sit and just listen to the world around him, the swaying of the trees and the songs of the birds as they flew across the sky. Since Vinnie had come to stay he’d felt almost complete; like a secrete void had been filled. He didn’t see Madeline in his son’s eyes, he only saw Vinnie and that always made him smile. As he was completing his vigil, he heard the distinct sound of a car driving up the dirt road to the house. Almost instantly a rental car drove up to the house. John stood up but stayed on the porch. He already knew who was in the car.
Madeline stepped out of the car. She looked about the same as she did years ago despite a few wrinkles on her face. Her hair had streaks of gray and was shorter, about shoulder length. She was wearing sunglasses but when she removed them she revealed the same ocean blue eyes that she shared with her son. She smiled as she walked up to the porch.
"Hello, Johnny," she said. John didn’t smile. Years of hurt and anger were beginning to build up.
"Madeline," he said.
"Father of Mine" ©2000 Samantha Cross. "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
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