New People, New Places
2
15 years later
(3 years for marc, I know, but the story makes no sense otherwise)
“Heads up Sid.” I called as I tossed him a beer. He caught it easily and nodded at me in thanks. We were at Sid’s house hanging out after practice with a group of the guys. My phone rang from my pocket and I took it out to see Vero calling me, “Hello?” I answered.
“Marc?” she said, “Could you come home now?” she asked, and there was something weird in her voice.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I asked, confused. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, but I got a call and, id really rather talk to you about it person, do you think you could come home?” she asked. Marc liked that about Vero, even though she obviously really wanted him home, she would actually demand that he came home, even though he knew it wasn’t really a choice, it was still nice to be asked.”Sure Vero, I'll leave now.” I told her hanging up. “Uh, I'm going to go home, see you guys later.” I said, Sid looked up at me,
“You’re leaving? Already?” he asked, I just nodded and shrugged, not having a proper explanation to give him.”Well, okay then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at practice.” I nodded and said goodbye to the other guys.
At home
As I walked in the front door Vero called me into the kitchen. “Hey.” I said and I kissed her, “What’s up?” I asked. She looked at me for a moment before saying,
“We got an interesting voicemail today; I think you should listen to it. I'll be in the living room when you’re done and we can talk.” I looked at her completely dumbfounded and watched as she walked away. I sat down at the kitchen counter and set the voicemail to play and listened as the sound of a nervous lady’s voice filled the kitchen’
“Hello, um, I'm Victoria. I work for the social services of Pittsburgh. I presume you don’t know why I'm calling or are unaware of Krissy’s death, so I think its best I start from the beginning. On the 23rd of November 15 years ago your brother, Brooks Fleury, had a kid. He died the next week, as I'm sure you are aware. They moved to Pittsburgh when he was three. Then three years ago, his wife, Kriss, also passes away leaving their son alone. There is a lot more to that story, but I'll leave it at that for now. Um, this is the part that the social services of Pittsburgh would like to sincerely apologize for. You see, when your brother’s wife passed we check to see if she had any family to take in her son, which she did not. Since Brooks’ death was so long ago, he was overlooked; such is to say that nobody checked to see if he had any family on his father’s side. The kid is currently in a foster home and has been going in and out of foster homes for the past three years. We were wondering, if with this newfound information, you would consider taking the boy into your custody for the next three years, until he is eighteen. Again I would like to apologize for the mistake and ask you to please contact me as soon as possible at 000-000-0000. Thank you and have a nice day. BEEP.”
After hearing the message I thought back to the day my brother called me, it had been the 23rd. for the first time in fifteen years everything my brother had said suddenly made sense. This was real. I have a nephew out there somewhere. I walked slowly into the living room in a daze. I sat down next to Vero who looked just as out of it as I felt. “It’s not some prank that the boys set up is it, or some scam to get money out of us is it?” Vero said breaking the silence. I shook my head, tearing up slightly, “Non, non, he called me the day he was born, he was so happy, so extremely proud. He kept saying he wanted me to come see, see this amazing thing he had done. He said it was the best day of his life. I remember, it was November 23rd, that’s the day he called, he said it had only happened that morning.” I said, there was no way this was a scam. Vero nodded in agreement with me. We were silent for a moment, “What are we going to do?” I asked Vero, unsure of how she was reacting to this. She didn’t say anything for a while, thinking, then she said, “First, you are going to pick up the phone, call that lady and tell her that we want that kid here as soon as possible. After that we have to make up a room for him.” Vero finished with a big breath. I smiled at her; I had the best wife ever. She was the kindest, most caring person I had ever met and she always knew exactly what to say. “I love you” I told her. She grinned at me.
(3 years for marc, I know, but the story makes no sense otherwise)
“Heads up Sid.” I called as I tossed him a beer. He caught it easily and nodded at me in thanks. We were at Sid’s house hanging out after practice with a group of the guys. My phone rang from my pocket and I took it out to see Vero calling me, “Hello?” I answered.
“Marc?” she said, “Could you come home now?” she asked, and there was something weird in her voice.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I asked, confused. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, but I got a call and, id really rather talk to you about it person, do you think you could come home?” she asked. Marc liked that about Vero, even though she obviously really wanted him home, she would actually demand that he came home, even though he knew it wasn’t really a choice, it was still nice to be asked.”Sure Vero, I'll leave now.” I told her hanging up. “Uh, I'm going to go home, see you guys later.” I said, Sid looked up at me,
“You’re leaving? Already?” he asked, I just nodded and shrugged, not having a proper explanation to give him.”Well, okay then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at practice.” I nodded and said goodbye to the other guys.
At home
As I walked in the front door Vero called me into the kitchen. “Hey.” I said and I kissed her, “What’s up?” I asked. She looked at me for a moment before saying,
“We got an interesting voicemail today; I think you should listen to it. I'll be in the living room when you’re done and we can talk.” I looked at her completely dumbfounded and watched as she walked away. I sat down at the kitchen counter and set the voicemail to play and listened as the sound of a nervous lady’s voice filled the kitchen’
“Hello, um, I'm Victoria. I work for the social services of Pittsburgh. I presume you don’t know why I'm calling or are unaware of Krissy’s death, so I think its best I start from the beginning. On the 23rd of November 15 years ago your brother, Brooks Fleury, had a kid. He died the next week, as I'm sure you are aware. They moved to Pittsburgh when he was three. Then three years ago, his wife, Kriss, also passes away leaving their son alone. There is a lot more to that story, but I'll leave it at that for now. Um, this is the part that the social services of Pittsburgh would like to sincerely apologize for. You see, when your brother’s wife passed we check to see if she had any family to take in her son, which she did not. Since Brooks’ death was so long ago, he was overlooked; such is to say that nobody checked to see if he had any family on his father’s side. The kid is currently in a foster home and has been going in and out of foster homes for the past three years. We were wondering, if with this newfound information, you would consider taking the boy into your custody for the next three years, until he is eighteen. Again I would like to apologize for the mistake and ask you to please contact me as soon as possible at 000-000-0000. Thank you and have a nice day. BEEP.”
After hearing the message I thought back to the day my brother called me, it had been the 23rd. for the first time in fifteen years everything my brother had said suddenly made sense. This was real. I have a nephew out there somewhere. I walked slowly into the living room in a daze. I sat down next to Vero who looked just as out of it as I felt. “It’s not some prank that the boys set up is it, or some scam to get money out of us is it?” Vero said breaking the silence. I shook my head, tearing up slightly, “Non, non, he called me the day he was born, he was so happy, so extremely proud. He kept saying he wanted me to come see, see this amazing thing he had done. He said it was the best day of his life. I remember, it was November 23rd, that’s the day he called, he said it had only happened that morning.” I said, there was no way this was a scam. Vero nodded in agreement with me. We were silent for a moment, “What are we going to do?” I asked Vero, unsure of how she was reacting to this. She didn’t say anything for a while, thinking, then she said, “First, you are going to pick up the phone, call that lady and tell her that we want that kid here as soon as possible. After that we have to make up a room for him.” Vero finished with a big breath. I smiled at her; I had the best wife ever. She was the kindest, most caring person I had ever met and she always knew exactly what to say. “I love you” I told her. She grinned at me.
