Jonathan's Legacy Read online

  Jonathan’s Legacy

  by

  Hans M Hirschi

  SMASHWORDS EDITION

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  Copyright 2016 Hans M Hirschi at Smashwords.

  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hansmhirschi

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

  Cover Design: Natasha Snow

  www.natashasnow.com

  Beaten Track Publishing

  www.beatentrackpublishing.com

  This novel is a work of fiction and the characters and events in it exist only in its pages and in the author’s imagination.

  * * * * *

  This one’s for my readers, my fans.

  Without your dedication to my work and our characters, this trilogy would never have been. So thank you for pushing me to write it. I hope it brings you the closure we all need.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 - Bora Bora

  Chapter 2 - A Final Farewell

  Chapter 3 - Breakdown

  Chapter 4 - Kim Hwan

  Chapter 5 - The Long Journey

  Chapter 6 - Happy Birthday

  Chapter 7 - Building a Center, Rebuilding a Life

  Chapter 8 - Susan

  Chapter 9 - Dinner Date

  Chapter 10 - Josh

  Chapter 11 - Decisions

  Chapter 12 - Josh

  Chapter 13 - Jeff

  Chapter 14 - After the Fire

  Chapter 15 - Recovery

  Chapter 16 - Adam Kim

  Chapter 17 - Parents

  Chapter 18 - A New Beginning

  Chapter 19 - The Spa

  Chapter 20 - A Family Affair

  Chapter 21 - A Funeral, a Grand Opening, a House Move, and a Wedding

  Chapter 22 - A Cabin by the Lake

  About the Author

  By the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Beaten Track Publishing

  * * * * *

  Chapter 1 - Bora Bora

  “I’m so sorry, Marc.” Parker’s eyes were red and bloodshot. He gave Marc a long and tight hug.

  “Thank you, Parker. I’m okay. We all knew this could happen.”

  “But on your wedding day, it sucks.”

  They walked along the beach, to the spot where they had found Jonathan a couple of days earlier. A small vigil had been held today. Jonathan’s body had been cremated, and they were taking him back to Chicago, to bury him alongside Dan and Sean, out in the forest.

  “He was happy, you know. Really, really happy. But I also think he knew that he’d reached a zenith, that it was only going to be downhill from there. To get married, here on this paradise island, to see you and Cody, together again, happy, Cody walking again, standing tall next to you after the accident…I guess he just felt he was done. He’s back with Dan now, and I must move on. I’ll talk to Captain Sverre, see if I can get my old job back.”

  “Are you sure? You’re family, and I consider you a friend. You have a home in Chicago.” Parker was worried and didn’t want to lose Marc.

  “I know, but you also know that Jonathan was my only connection to you. Without him, why would anybody keep me around? I’m only reminding you all that I took him away from Dan…”

  Parker didn’t agree. “That’s not true, and you know it. Yes, in the beginning, we may have felt that way, before we had a chance to get to know you. But I challenge you to find anyone in our family who feels that way now. Please, Marc, you are part of our family now, for better or worse.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ll need some time. While I knew that my time with Jonathan would be limited, I never thought I’d lose him so soon. Never. I guess I’m still a bit shocked.”

  “Which is quite normal. It’s a natural reaction, and yes, you should absolutely take your time. But take that time around family, around people who love you. Don’t be alone.”

  “Thanks, Parker. We’ll see. What are you guys going to do? Are you going to stay in Albuquerque, or are you moving back to Chicago?”

  “We haven’t decided yet. Momma Thomas wants to stay in Albuquerque. She’s happy to be nearer to her family, and the climate is better for her mom, too. But Cody and I need to get back to school, finish college, and it would be nice to finish it in our old schools. Not sure I want to start over at a new school, and I’m not sure the schools in New Mexico are as good as the ones in Chicago. I don’t know. Let’s wait and see. We’ll come back east with you for the funeral. We can’t start school until the fall, anyway. How are your parents holding up?”

  Tears broke the barrier and started to flow down Marc’s cheeks, and Parker hugged him again.

  “Let it out, let it all out. You’re entitled to every tear you shed for Grandpa. And you’re right. He was one hell of a man, even if we didn’t always see eye to eye.”

  “Here, this is where you found him, right?” Marc was wiping tears from his cheeks.

  “Yeah, that’s the spot. Far enough from the hotel to be quiet, but still on the beach. He was smart—assuming he actually planned for it. We’ll never know.”

  “When’s the plane leaving?”

  “In two hours. Are you ready for this?”

  “I guess. I don’t have much of a choice. But I’d appreciate it if I could sit next to him on the way home.”

  “Why wouldn’t you? Just accept that we will come and check in on you throughout the flight. Make sure you’re okay. Remember, Marc, we all love you, for who you are and for what you’ve done for Grandpa in the past year.”

  “Thank you, Parker. Let’s head back, before the others start to worry about us. They’ve been through enough as it is.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter 2 - A Final Farewell

  “Is this the spot?” Marc noticed the stone that indicated Sean’s final resting place, and next to it, a small round stone with the inscription after Dan. The kids had organized a similar stone with an inscription for Jonathan. “I can see how it would’ve been impossible to do this in the winter. You’d simply walk over this spot without noticing anything.”

  It had been almost five months since Jonathan had passed away. But as his death had come in the middle of the winter, they had to wait to bury the ashes, until the snow had melted and the ground thawed enough to dig. Spring had come late this year, and it was almost May.

  Rick took the shovel and began to dig, right next to where Dan had been laid to his final rest.

  “Dad, let me help you,” Dennis offered.

  “Thanks, son, but this is something I need to do, for your grandpa.” Tears flowed from Rick’s eyes. The others stood by in a circle: Dennis, Rachel, Jonathan Jr. and Emilie, Jeanette and Paul, Daniel, Louise, Paul Jr., Parker and Cody, and last but not least, Marc.

  “Will we ever come here again? Now that Grandpa is gone?” Daniel’s voice was sentimental. He’d always liked to visit the cabin as a kid, and to spend time with his two grandfathers.

  “You’ll have to ask Marc,” Jeanette said. “Your grandpa left the cabin to him.”

  Marc blushed, unsure how to respond. “I, uh, of course. I don’t know what Jonathan was thinking when he left the cabin to me.”

  Jeanette put her hand on his shoulder and tried to comfort him. “Dad always had his own ways of thinking. Don’t worry about us. We’re not envious. You’re part of our family, and of course we’d love to come ou
t here to visit, but this was Papa’s place, and Dad’s—Sean’s before him. I’m sure he had a good reason to leave it to you, if only to make sure you’d have a reason to come back here and not run away…like you did after his death.”

  “I’m sorry about that. I was really confused when we came back from Bora Bora, and being in the house, alone, without him, was too much. I returned to Belgium with my parents. It was the perfect excuse. But I began to miss the house, and him, and the rest of you. It was so strange, being an adult back in my childhood bedroom and being treated like a kid again.” He laughed. “So I came back.”

  “You’re welcome here, always. And you can stay at the house with us for as long as you like,” Parker said. “It’s big enough for more than just the two of us. We still haven’t figured out what to do with it. It’s so big! Should we keep it…sell it…?”

  “You can’t sell Grandpa’s house!” said little Louise.

  “Don’t worry, sis. We have no plans yet, but don’t you think it’s a rather big house for just Cody and me?”

  “I can come and live with you guys,” the thirteen-year-old girl said defiantly.

  Her mom chuckled. “And leave your dad and me alone with the two boys? I don’t think so.”

  Meanwhile, Rick felt that the hole he’d dug was deep enough. “Okay, guys, I think this is it. Marc, would you do the honor and put the urn down?”

  Marc nodded and slowly approached the hole in the ground, carefully placing the urn he’d been clinging to in it. “I miss you so much, my love, but I know you’re back with him now. I’m fine. I’ll keep living my life, please don’t worry about me.” He bowed deeply, dried the tears from his cheeks, and stepped back to allow the others to say goodbye to their dad and grandpa.

  Once everyone had taken their leave, they refilled the hole with soil and placed the stone with the inscription on top, next to Dan’s. It read:

  – Jonathan Jackson –

  beloved husband, father, grandpa & great grandfather

  Sweet dreams

  The walk back to the cabin was a fairly quiet affair. This was a final closure of sorts, and they all knew that with Jonathan gone, things would be different. How close would the families be from here on in? They were no longer one family, but the Jacksons and the Dunns, and what would become of Marc? Each of the adults was preoccupied with their own thoughts, their own worries, memories, hopes and dreams, none too sure what Jonathan’s legacy would entail.

  They had opened his will months ago, shortly after returning from the Pacific, and there were few surprises. Apparently, Jonathan and Marc had discussed updating the will before they got married. Marc had told Jonathan he didn’t want anything the family might object to, like the house. Even if it was only of sentimental value to them, he didn’t want to be accused of gold-digging. The surprise was, therefore, even greater when the family lawyer announced that the cabin was to be his. No explanation given, Jonathan had divided his fortune in a way that ensured each of his family members received a sizable trust fund, the kids upon their graduation from college, and the adults—including Marc—right away. He’d left the house to Parker and Cody because of the special bond he’d formed with them. The rest of his fortune was added to the foundation’s, led by Rick and Jeanette. It was Jonathan’s wish that the foundation continue to thrive and do good work.

  It had all seemed wise enough, except for Jonathan’s decision to leave the cabin to Marc. Nobody understood why he’d left it to Marc, yet no one questioned the decision. If Jonathan wanted it that way, so be it.

  Once back inside the cabin, Jeanette and Rachel prepared hot chocolate, coffee, and tea for everyone, and they sat down and shared memories, snacked on sandwiches, and drank their hot beverages.

  “So, Marc,” Rick said at one point, “what are you going to do now? Are you moving out here, or are you staying in town? What happened to your plans to go back to the ship?”

  Marc shook his head. “Well, the ship isn’t in the cards anymore. I had a long call with Captain Sverre after we returned from Bora Bora, and I think it’s for the best. At the time, they didn’t have a vacancy, but I think it would be weird for everyone who knows me if I suddenly went back. You know? Going from crew to guest and then back to crew again?”

  Rick nodded. “So what is in the cards, then?”

  “I don’t know, but hopefully a step forward. I think I might stay at the house for a bit, see what life has in store for me.” And with pretended stoicism he added, “Life’s about moving forward, not backward, right?”

  Rick nodded and turned to Dennis. “What about you, son? What’s your next step?”

  “Dad, really? Now? Here?” Dennis was annoyed. He’d recently broken up with his girlfriend, and he knew where this was going.

  “Well, you’re twenty-seven, and you’ve screwed up another relationship. Don’t you think it’s about time you settled down?”

  “Dad, please. Not now.” It was obvious the subject was uncomfortable. Rachel—Dennis’s mom—put her hand on Rick’s thigh to signal to lay off of him for today.

  “Don’t you worry, Dennis,” Marc said. “You never know when the right person will walk into your life. I was thirty-nine, so don’t rush.”

  “Thanks, Marc. It’s just not easy, you know? I mean, I really thought Dana was ‘the one,’ but then she kept talking about marriage, and when we were in Bora Bora, she was a handful, literally writing the guest list while we were there for you guys’ weddings. I just got the impression that the wedding was more important than I was, and when Grandpa passed away that night, I just kind of lost it and told her how I felt. She left me the minute we walked off the plane at O’Hare. So I guess I was right. She’s seeing some other dude now.”

  “Love is a tricky affair,” Marc said. “And since we’re all family, I can tell you that it wasn’t easy for me and Jonathan, either. The second you learned about me, we were faced with claims of gold-digging, and Jonathan felt that you questioned his mental fitness—”

  Jeanette interrupted him. “You have to understand, Marc. None of us had met you. We didn’t know the circumstances, really. All we knew was that you were working on the ship where Dad was vacationing. It seemed odd, yes. But that’s all in the past. You know that, right? We all love you very much, and you’re an integral part of this family, just like cousin Mary.”

  “Thanks, Jeanette.” Marc smiled at her. “I appreciate your sentiments, and I know you feel that way now. I was merely saying that things aren’t always the way they appear. Who knows, Dana may have been overwhelmed by the whole Jackson family thing—the money, the lavish wedding. I mean, she and Dennis didn’t get to know each other long before we announced the wedding, and I recall she came from an ordinary working-class background. It’s easy to get sucked in and be blinded by all this.” He gestured around him.

  Everybody was looking at him, the simple cabin, and Marc understood and laughed.

  “Well not this, of course, but the house in the city, all that.” With a more serious tone, he added, “I remember the day when Jonathan told me I couldn’t work on the ship and still pursue a relationship, and he asked me to join him in the cabin as a guest.

  “You know, I was like Dana. The contrast between my tiny cabin—shared with someone else, with no windows, just a tiny washroom, shower, two bunk beds and a desk, maybe one hundred square feet—and Jonathan’s VIP stateroom—all those bedrooms, each bigger than our cabin, that huge living area, the outdoor seating… I mean, the bar in that room alone was bigger than my cabin. I was so overwhelmed that my mind just couldn’t see how I would be able to contribute, pay my keep.”

  “Is that why you quit and wanted to leave the boat?” Parker asked.

  “It was part of the reason, yes. I mean, honestly, at that time, Jonathan hadn’t really asked me to stay yet. It was just in my dreams. I panicked. I had a hunch that your grandpa might ask me to stay, but I couldn’t see a way to stay without having to pay for my keep, and since I knew how much we
charged for those VIP staterooms, I couldn’t even imagine paying a single day. It was too much…”

  “So you came by to say goodbye… Wow. I never thought of it that way. I’m so sorry. Having grown up in this family, money isn’t a topic we talk about much. We always had it, but I think our parents always kept us humble, with our feet on the ground. You saw how our house in Albuquerque was. Simple, smallish.”

  Rachel added, “We always tried to instill a sense of pride in your own accomplishment, in all of you. That’s what Rick and Jeanette learned from Dan and Jonathan. Yes, there is money available if need be, but try it your way first. Be self-sufficient, work hard for your goals, don’t use the family fortune as an excuse to be lazy.”

  Jeanette nodded in agreement. “Rick and I work our asses off at the foundation, right?” She smiled at Rick. “We don’t have to. We could easily hire a director to run the place for us and relax and spend our days at the beach somewhere in the Caribbean. But I don’t think either of our fathers would have approved of that. They worked so hard, every day, Papa writing articles and pieces about social injustice wherever he came across it, and dragging Dad along. And then, if no one else cared about it, they’d have the foundation get involved. At the beginning, it’s how they operated, and it got to the point where they couldn’t handle it anymore. Too many projects, all over the place, and they were still adding more.”

  Rick continued. “I must’ve been fifteen or sixteen when Papa had a heart attack, and we thought we’d lose him. He had just gotten so wrapped up in so many issues, so many causes. Dad was completely devastated when he came back from the hospital, and it was touch and go for a while. So they talked and talked. The doctors told both of them to cut back, take it easy, so Papa quit journalism, and instead of finding new causes, they focused, and Papa joined Dad and began to write about the good they were doing, and they both worked together. Hard, long hours, but they managed to stay healthy, until the cancer took Papa.”