Family Don't Break

CHAPTER 31

JACK'S POV:

"Jack, you need to eat something. You won't be much help if you pass out." Katharine pushes a plate with a PB&J toward me. I shake my head and push it back. "That wasn't a question. Eat." she shoves the plate forward again, more forcefully this time. I roll my eyes but I take a bite. "You can be so stubborn sometimes." she mumbles. "Spot, you too." she passes him a separate plate. "I ain't hungry." Katharine glares at him. "Spot. I will force feed you if you don't eat this." Spot takes the plate and takes an angry bite.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" a fist pounds on the door. I sigh and get up, walking to the door. I open it and don't see anyone there. "Down here." I look down and I see a small boy. He looks like he hasn't showered in at least a year. "If you want money, I don't have any-" he interrupts me with a wave of his hand. "My name's Peter. Alex and Race sent me!" he gives me a big smile, a tooth missing on the left side. "Alex and Race?" I repeat. He nods his head yes.

"C'mon in." I usher him inside and lead him to the main room. "Who's this?" Katharine asks, kneeling down. "This is Peter. He says that Alex and Race sent him." Spot and Katharine freeze, looking at me. "What do you mean they sent you?" Spot asks. He gets up and walks towards Peter, who shrinks back. I put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "It's okay, Peter. You're not in trouble. We just want to know where our friends are." I explain.

"They're in the workhouse. They were in the bunk below me." I wait for Peter to say more, but he doesn't. "How'd you get here?" Katharine asks. "Race helped me out a window, and I ran here. They told me to look for the La Guerra church, and to find Jack." My heart starts beating faster. "I'm Jack." I say hurriedly. Katharine nods her head to confirm. "I've been looking for you all day! I have a letter for you from Alex."

Peter reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. I take it and hold it in my hand. I'll read it once we get some more information from Peter. "Do you know where you came from, so we can go back and get Alex and Race?" Spot questions. "I don't know. But we're across from a stable, that's why I drew the horse." he points to the paper, and I see a drawing of a horse on the back. "Spot, you go call Davey and Alex's parents. Get the boys over here, we're going to need all the help we can get. Katharine, can you get Peter something to eat?" the poor kid is starved, I can basically see his ribs.

"Let's get you some food and then a bath, alright? I bet Les will let you borrow some of his clothes, you two are about the same age." Katharine leads Peter off to the kitchen and Spot goes to the telephone. I creep out the window and climb up to the roof to read the letter that Peter gave me. I don't want anyone else to read it just yet. I slowly unfold it, and her necklace falls out. I catch it in my hands just before it hits the ground. Alex never takes this off.Why would she do that now? My mind reels with worse case scenarios. What if she's dead, or hurt, or- I just need to see what she wrote. That'll answer all my questions. She probably just gave me the necklace for safe keeping, right? I hurriedly start to read the letter, my eyes skimming over the hastily written words.

Dear Jack,

I know Peter has found you by now. And I also know that you and the boys will be running in to come save us. Race will be waiting by the door to the fire escape, it's locked from the outside. You'll need to pick the lock. Jack, I want to come home. But I can't. Race doesn't know yet, but I'm not coming with him. I don't think I'll be able to. Jack, I love you with all my heart, I really do. I want you to remember that. I know you don't want to read this in a letter, and I wish I was telling you myself. But this is the only way I can tell you. I'm hurt Jack, and badly. I don't think I'm going to be around much longer. Never thought I'd go like this, but I guess you can't choose, huh? Sorry, not the time for sarcasm.

I'm going to try and hold on, but I can feel myself fading. Race doesn't know about that either. He thinks I'm a-okay, that I'll be up and running. You tell him that it wasn't his fault. Don't let him blame himself. And Peter, tell him thank you. Let him know that he did good. Give him a warm bed at least. The kid deserves something nice for once. And the boys. Tell them I love them, alright? Give them a hug for me.

Promise me that you'll watch over my parents. Make sure they're okay, tell them I love them too. I want to write so much more. There's so much I want to say, but I don't have the room. Let me just say this: I love you Jack Kelly. More than I've ever loved anyone else. You've stood by my side through thick and thin, and that means more than you can ever know. You loved me, flaws and all. You are an amazing man. Don't blame yourself for any of this. Don't you dare do that. You keep on living. Promise me that you'll do that.

Love,

Alex