Living Legends

30) Jack's Story

It all made sense now—why Hayley had been so closed-off and shy in high school.  She had been dealing with the turmoil of her parents’ relationship for years.  How could someone so beautiful and talented and popular keep that bottled up inside of her?

            “Hey,” she said suddenly.  They had been sitting in the sand for a few minutes, studying the l’eau d’or in contemplative silence.  The sunrise now illuminated sky and water with full force.  The light was blindingly beautiful.

            “It’s your turn now,” Hayley said.

            Jack shifted uncomfortably.  Yes, it was his turn.  He had listened patiently when Hayley told her story.  He couldn’t believe what she had gone through.  But boy, was she in for a surprise…

            “Well, I’ve had some parent problems too, but of a different sort,” he started lamely.

            Hayley studied him carefully.

            “You know what?” Jack laughed.  “Let me start over.  Um…”

            “Start when you were a boy.  What were your parents like? Where did you live?” Hayley suggested.

            Oh, the memories that flooded in…

            Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts.  “Okay, I’ll start there.  At the beginning.”

            Hayley smiled reassuringly.

            “My mom and dad were like normal parents, I guess.  I was born and raised in Florida but moved all over.  I don’t remember where my birthplace was because we didn’t stay in one place for more than a few months.  That was my dad’s fault.  He worked for some online company, so he didn’t have to ‘go to work,’ technically.  We had a meager income my entire childhood.  My mom worked odd jobs here and there, which helped a bit.  Even though we moved a lot, it was usually between seedy apartments no more than 20-30 miles apart, so I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in the same elementary school.

            “I didn’t know better, of course.  I was just a shy kid with two parents who I thought were the best parents in the world.  My mom loved me to death, but my dad was a different story.  He left when I was nine.”

            “I’m sorry,” Hayley said quietly.

            “Don’t be.  I hardly remember him at all.  My mom didn’t keep any pictures of him, so I can’t even think about what his facial features look like.  It doesn’t matter.  He’s gone, and he was never really a part of my life.”

            Something in Jack’s gut twisted, and he realized the irony of his statement.  He cleared his throat.  “Well,” he corrected, “now that I think about it, my dad’s been more a part of my life in the past few years than ever before.”

            Hayley was clearly puzzled.  “Please explain.”

            “I’m getting there.  It’s still kind of confusing, sorting through the facts…”

            She waited patiently while Jack furrowed his brow in concentration.  He stared at the glittering golden water until he had gathered his thoughts.  “After my dad left, I thought my mom and I were finally going to settle down.  She needed to get a solid job.  Dad’s disappearance shook her so much that we had a hard time affording even our ramshackle apartment, which we were living in at the time.  It was heartbreaking.  I cried a few times because I’d always pictured my dad as this amazing guy.  I loved him.  I thought he had left me.”