Chapter 25

"-You look exhausted. I don't know why you needed a babysitter so bad, but please, leave me Jordan for a couple more hours and go upstairs to rest. You can barely stand up.
-Thanks Stefan, I owe you big time. Luccky started to cry again
-That's ridiculous. You don't owe me annything. Come here"

Stefan put his arm around Lucky's shoulder and the teenager took his open arms as a welcome, and buried his face in the man's chest. Stefan closed his arms around Lucky's shoulders. For the first time in forever, Lucky was feeling like he was 5 years old again. Stefan let him go and took Jordan from his arms.

"-Go upstairs and lie down. I don't want you to come back down for a minimum of two hours you understand?
-Yes sir! Answered Lucky, smiling"

It was funny because Stefan never occurred to Lucky as being the emotional type but yet, when he held the boy just now, he had tears in his eyes, and he didn't even know what happened.

Lucky came downstairs again the sun was up in the sky, but no one could be found. Mrs. Lansburry told Lucky Stefan and Jordan were in the garden, Nikolas was on mainland, and Elizabeth went to run an errand. Lucky went outside, he had to see his son, and found them playing in the grass. Stefan was wearing jeans and Lucky was shocked. He didn't even know the man had a pair. He was also wearing a sweatshirt, and Lucky had never seen him wear nothing else than a shirt and a jacket. Jordan had a pair of sweat pants and a vest and they were following a grasshopper. Jordan smiled at Lucky and showed him his cookie, and Stefan laughed.

"-I still can't thank you enough Stefan
-Lucky, I was glad to help. Did you sleeep well?
-Very well thank you. What is Jordan saaying?
-Oh he is saying Papa. He kept calling me da-da, and I wanted to show him something else, so we worked on Grandpa, but he is still too young to say it. So it turned out to Papa. Hope you don't mind.
-Of course not. I'm glad to see you wannt him to call you that way. He's gonna need all the family he can have.
-Do you wish to talk about why you had tto run off so fast?
-I'd rather not to. Not now, I'm sorry<
-That's understandable. You seemed quitte shocked when you came back. I'm here if you need me. If you'll excuse me, I'll make a phone call. I will be right back"

Stefan walked towards the house, passed a hand on Jordan's head when he came by his side, and the baby said "Papa", making Lucky smile. He picked Jordan and sat on the nearest bench, kissing his head, when he saw Elizabeth walking towards them. Lucky got up and weakly smiled at her.

"-Hi, he said
-Hi she answered"

It was awkward, they were standing in front of each other, and none of them knew what to say. Something had changed between them, and Lucky didn't know what yet. Elizabeth kissed Jordan, before putting her lips on Lucky's. Lucky grabbed her and held her close. Elizabeth could feel the desperation in his embrace and she wondered why. Was he here to say good-bye? Did he changed his mind and decided to marry Nadia for some reason? What was going on?

At her surprise Lucky looked at her and tears started to fall on his cheek. She saw him stumble to the ground with Jordan in his arms, crying like a child. Elizabeth sat next to him and took him in her arms, begging him to tell her what was wrong.

"-She died Elizabeth. She was sick, terminal illness, and she didn't tell anyone. Last night, after she dropped Jordan off she gave me a bag, so I grew suspicious. I opened it and inside was all of J's things, like his photo albums, his baby book, his journal. There was two letters, one for me, one for him. She told me everything in my letter and that she wanted to die alone. I brought Jordan here but you weren't there so in my rush, I kinda left him with your father. Stefan must hate me now. Anyway, I found her and I stayed with her till the end. She died at 2:16 this morning, in my arms.
-Lucky I am so sorry! Elizabeth said, ccrying with him. If I had known, I would've been with you, with her.
-I'm glad you weren't. Don't get me wroong, I love you, but we needed to be alone together. With everything we went through together, it was just better to be just the two of us.
-Why don't you tell me and Jordan about her, I know you need to get it off your chest"

Lucky passed a hand on her cheek and whispered "I love you so much". Jordan looked at him and smile, so Lucky tightened the embrace he had around his son.

"-I met her at my cousin Sly's house. She was his neighbor. I was something like 13. I spent my summers with her, two years in a row, and one thing led to the other, we became lovers. We never went out together, but we were friends. One night she had this big fight with her parents and she called me. I met her at his abandoned church, it's all ruins and started a fire. We sat there and all night we talked, about everything. I told her about you. I said I wanted to find the most incredible girl who would love me completely, no second guess. I said she would look like an angel, and would be so beautiful, she would take my breath away with each smile. She told me how the thing she wanted the most was to become a mom, so she would make up to her child for her crummy childhood. We roasted marshmallows, made s' mores, drank beer, and slept together. I think it's the night J was conceived. I remember after that, every time we would see each other, we wouldn't have to talk to understand each other. We knew everything there was to know. I promised her that night I would always be there to take her pain away, and I sang "I will be here for you" so she'd know I was serious about it. Seems like I broke my promise to her. She was going through hell and I didn't even see it. She needed me to take her pain away and I failed her"

Elizabeth took a sobbing Lucky in her arms, and rocked him back and forth, while Jordan was battling to get out of the embrace. Stefan came out at that moment and took the baby in the house. Elizabeth was amazed by her father's actions. When she came home last night, he refused she took care of Jordan, saying Lucky entrusted him in his care, and he would honor his word. Now, Lucky needed a break, and Elizabeth didn't even have to ask.

Lucky took another nap. Elizabeth called Luke and Laura to tell them what was going on, and Luke called Nadia's parents to let them know. Nikolas took care of the funeral, and having her cremated. This is what she wanted. Her parents arrived that day, and slept at Windermere. Nadia's mother thanked Lucky again and again about the fact that he refused to let her die alone. Jordan was happy to see his grandparents but still followed Stefan everywhere he went. Stefan was laughing, saying he felt like he was being stalked.

The next day was Nadia's memorial service. Even though she didn't have a lot of friends the church was packed. The priest gave the eulogy and asked if anyone wanted to say a few words. Nadia's father talked, followed by her mother and her brother. Luke asked Lucky if he wanted to say a few words, but he kept fixing the urn. Luke gave the OK to the priest to rap up but Lucky got up and walked to the front of the church.

"-I have something to say. No one here knew Nadia like I did. I knew her soul. We used to joke about how we would embarrassed the other if one of us would come to die. We said the one who stayed behind would get up and sing in front of everyone. And I'm gonna keep my word. Wherever she is now, she will blush all the way down to her toes. Nadie, this is for you and remember, you dared me into it, so don't send a lighting for me or something"

"Oh we never know where life will take us
I know it's just a ride on a wheel
And we never know when death will shake us
And we wonder how it will feel

So goodbye my friend
I know I'll never see you again
But the time together through all the years
Will take away these tears
It's okay now
Goodbye my friend

I've seen a lot of things that make me crazy
And I guess I held on to you
You could have run away and left, well maybe
But it wasn't time and we both knew

Goodbye my friend
I know I'll never see you again
But the love you gave me throughout the years
Will take away these tears
I'm okay now
Goodbye my friend

Life so fragile, love so pure
We can't hold on but we try
We watch how quickly it disappears
And we never know why

But I'm okay now
Goodbye my friend
You can go now
Goodbye my friend"

After the eulogy Lucky took the urn with Nadia's parents' permission and left Jordan with them. Elizabeth went with him to the old church, and waited a little behind, while he really said his good-byes.

Lucky had the urn in his hands and was slowly passing his hands on it. He was telling Nadia she didn't need to worry, Jordan would know who she was. He took the cap of the urn, and spread the ashes around him, as he repeated the words of the song he performed at the church, but this time, he just said them, with a smile on his face.

But I'm okay now
Goodbye my friend
You can go now
Goodbye my friend