The Golden Years - chapter 3 , 4 , 5

Chapter 3- Master John reveals the truth about himself to Tom

15 years had passed by and now Tom was a 15 year old grown up boy.  Master John spotted him standing of the same old beach where he adopted him many years ago throwing pebbles into the water.  He had turned into an old man with long grey hair and beard so he felt that now would be a good time to reveal the truth to him about his past so that his love and respect grows even more towards him.

 “Tom my child there’s something very important I’ve got to tell about your past, which has been kept as my private secret for many years.” Tom gave a worried look.

 “What is it father?”

“I’m not really your father but someone who adopted you as a baby when your real parents had abandoned you on this very beach because at that time, I couldn’t bear to see you in that horrible state”.

 Hearing this made Tom feel completely shocked and angry with Master John, “Why didn’t you tell me all this before? How could you keep such a big truth away from me for so long? I no longer consider you to be my father anymore”.
Master John replied back “hear me out first for I haven’t completed the whole story yet. Long ago, I was a very rich man who lived with my family and we always lead a happy married life together spending our good times as husband and wife Mary Johnston because we had our own two beloved children George and Alice so life completely took a new shape for me back then taking it as a blessing from god and the reason for that being is because I had always wanted to have family children who I could look after, nurture well.

Our biggest joy ever was that there was nothing in the world that could snatch our happiness away. All that completely changed one day when I committed a small mistake that affected my wife which was stealing wedding clothes from a shop for our anniversary but I only did that because I loved her to bits, even before I could have a chance to explain, she immediately refused to understand me and had decided that I wasn’t worthy enough to be a good husband or father to my own children.  She pushed me out forever by kicking me out of the house. The saddest part for me in all this is the fact that she has kept me away from the kids all these years so it’s become very clear to me now that she doesn’t love me anymore and neither do I. I still hate her for what she has done.

This is the reason why I decided to think of you as my third child because since we had no other place to make a home for ourselves so can’t you see how much I have always cared for you?”

Tom wept his tears away and gave him a hug “please forgive me if I have been way too rude with you.”

 Master John did even more drama by giving him a big hug around his shoulders “I can understand your anger towards me son so you don’t need to apologise to me but I need to for lying to you,” then Tom put his finger on Master John’s mouth smiling at him “sssh, don’t say another word because I feel very proud to have someone like you whose had the courage to tell me the entire truth and that’s what really matters in the end so that can make us be good friends with each other” .

Chapter 4- Peter and Joseph find the truth about Jack

Peter went sailing on a boat with Joseph having a great time with his father on a very sunny day and they both felt really excited about this particular adventure they were having together for the first time, Peter told Joseph “father if there’s one very good advantage about being on this island is that we can actually try something new for ourselves which we would have never had done in our old life . This just turns out to be one of the greatest adventures we have ever had , don’t you feel the same way too?” , Joseph agreed “yes Peter, I like this particular adventure because it feels nice to sail on this wonderful boat in a lovely river, but to be honest with you, I prefer to be a well settled man on this island because these friendly men have been so welcoming to us as if we really  are like their family that it makes me feel as if they’re strangers nomore and I’ve taken up the duty myself of being helpful with them by washing their clothes and hanging them out to dry everyday as my special chore because I want to do my bit as family  so why would one ask for another adventure?”

As they continued sailing, they suddenly happened to notice this figure of a person working on a hill which made them reach to the conclusion that something isn’t right and wanted to find out what the matter was since as far as they knew, the leader never sent any of them to work up there alone. Peter climbed up the hill using his strong arms then Joseph who was standing at the bottom replied “Peter, don’t forget to inform me too if the matter is very serious for I am also very concerned. He’s one of our men too,” Peter replied back “will do father” and rushed really fast to quickly find where he was incase it really was a problem.

Peter was in for an unexpected shock when he saw that it was none other than his own Jack who had grown older with wrinkles on his face so Peter took a big gasp covering his mouth “Uncle Jack, I can’t believe you are here of all places because it’s all coming back to my head again now that the leader clarified to us all at that very day itself when we were all tense about you that you had gone scout camping .I don’t want you to hide anything from your own nephew, tell me what the truth is, has he lied to us all about you and forced you to push these heavy rocks for 15 years as a terrible punishment for that silly soup incident?”, Jack gave a happy smile to see Peter all grown up and the fact that he remembered him so he gave Peter a hug, “ first of all I must say that I’m so glad that you at least  remembered who I am Peter and happy to see your grown up face” then he pleaded “Peter, I don’t wish to be called your uncle anymore and I feel uncomfortable to share the truth with you so please just get out of here while you can and don’t tell anyone where you have spotted me otherwise Master John will throw us both and I don’t wish to see you suffer with me too.”

Peter was clever enough to make out that from the way he spoke that Master John really had done something wrong “Jack I’m concerned about you as a good friend if not nephew so are you going to tell me exactly what happened between the two of you or shall I take you back to the island?”, he began to cry a little “I guess there’s no point hiding anything from you so I’ll come straight to the point.

 Yes because I refused to be a part of this world so Master John was the only one who convinced me of what good it could become of me if I do fit in like the others and most importantly he gave me a chance of experiencing a new life to help me forget my sorrows by gifting me his adorable cute baby Tom whom I really preferred to have called my nephew at the time. He decided to punish me despite knowing the fact that I’m weak at this job and there’s nothing I can say or do that would possibly change his mind. I suggest you ask me no further questions and just leave. I want him to have a complete ease of mind at the moment that I’m working hard to finally let me go home.” Peter felt a lot of pity for him, “ok Jack, if you say so, I hope that you can convince him what you’re well capable of doing.”

As he climbed down again, Joseph could see that he was not looking happy so he touched his shoulders “what’s the matter? Who was up there?”, “father it was our uncle Jack. That good for nothing Master John has tricked us into believing that it was his idea to leave so that we forget him for 15 years when he’s been punishing the poor fellow to push those heavy rocks.” Hearing this made him feel shocked “oh my god! That’s terrible of him. I had a certain doubt that he might still be upto no good.  We’ll serve him food and water everyday. Let’s go back to the island where we both can have lunch together with the others to freshen your mood up.”

Chapter 5 – Happy times

Fred and Tom sat happily surrounded by the others who sat round the campfire late at night. “We always felt happy once when we had families to laugh and play with for such a long time but yet this unknown place became just like any other ordinary family in just one day all thanks to Master John whose done so much for us, does everyone agree with me?” asked Fred then everyone nodded, Tom replied “what you say is right Fred because I also feel like a member of this family. It’s a nice idea for having a campfire conversation whilst eating our very own cooked dinner, we’ve had so much adventure around here as well as doing the simple tasks everyday morning to night. Let us learn to face the fact that this shall always be our new world from now on, we have had so much fun whenever we’ve gone out on the lovely beach in a nice sunny day for swimming or sailing. I remember how we used to play chess and various other games in my house during my 15^th birthday so this truly makes it our golden years. Finish your lunch quickly guys because it’s been so long since we’ve played. I want you all to join me playing chess once again.”

Peter and Joseph were sitting at the front happy to realise that nobody is yet aware of what happened to Jack. He thought of a brilliant joke to make everyone crack up which would help him relax “I cannot believe that Albert lets Tom and Fred have all the fun when he makes up silly soup laws” which made everyone throw back their heads and laugh knowing how funny Peter can sometimes be.

“On a more serious note, I hope that the message pigeon comes back to us with a reply as to the letter I sent four years ago explaining in complete detail why we were put in prison on the first place and how desperately we wish to be a real family once again including my mother.” We have to return home soon at any cost.”

Fred replied “no Peter, we shall not. I can understand how much you miss home badly as an elder brother but why couldn’t Stella just forgive our father’s mistake? Whereas Albert is the only one whose ever bothered to care for me after she abandoned us so I choose to call this my family. I would suggest that it would be best if you two can forget the past too and move on for the better.”

The women felt guilty after reading their letters feeling it had been an unjustified anger towards them all along.