Every Memory Repeats

Chapter 30

Nearly Six Years Later - June 1998

Roman Brady stood outside of what had once been his parents fish market. The sign now said, Brady Pub. Rounding the building, he entered his parents house through the side entrance. Everything remained the same. He dropped his bags by the door, just as a small boy came running into the room, and stopped short when he saw him. Roman didn't recognize the boy and said gruffly, "Who are you?"

"I'm Nate, and I know who you are," the boy said.

Roman crouched down, "You do? And who do you think I am?"

"Youw my father...the one who loved me, but couldn't take cawe of me," Nate said. "My Mommy and Daddy told me all about you."

Roman nearly fell over, realizing this child, was his son with Billie. He could see Billie in the boys eyes, but the brown curls dangling in his eyes was all him. "Where is your Mommy?"

"She's westing," Nate said. "Sophia has the flu, and Willow might be getting sick, plus Mommy...she's having another baby. Gwandma told her to lay down, but she's been sleeping awhile, so she might wake up soon."

Roman was confused. Had Billie gotten married? "Do you have a Daddy?"

"Oh, yeah. I gots the best Daddy, but he's with Ewic in San—San Fwancisco right now, cause Ewic had a baseball touwnement." Nate leaned closer to Roman, and said, "Ewic's weal good at baseball."

Roman felt the old jealousy begin to rise up inside him, and he pushed it down harshly, "What's your Daddy's name?"

Nate was proud, puffing his chest out when he said, "John Black. I'm Nathaniel Bwady Black. See? I was kinda named after you too, 'cause my middle names Bwady."

Roman smiled, "I see that. So if John is your Daddy, is Marlena your Mommy?"

"She's the abswolute bestest Mommy," Nate said, radiating love. "She smells like flowers. But she can't cook much, so's mostly evewyone else takes turns, except me, and Sophia, and Willow. We can't cook yet."

Roman felt tears forming in his eyes. He'd left everything, and as before, life had continued without him. The difference was that this time, he'd been ready for that. He hadn't expected it to turn out this way, but he'd been prepared for change. He'd accepted that Marlena was no longer his. He'd accepted that Eric and Sami would be raised by John, and he'd accepted that Carrie might hate him for leaving her the way he did. "So, little guy," Roman said, standing up, and cracking his back. "What about your other Mommy?"

Nate looked up at Roman, "My Mother? The one who gwowed me in her woom?"

Roman laughed out loud at Nate's reference. It sounded like such a Marlena description, "Yeah, your Mother."

"She's still gots some time at the place," Nate said looking down. "Because when I was a baby, she huwt somebody. A bad man." Looking up with bright eyes, the little boy said, "But guess what?"

"What?"

"She's a—a lawwer. Do you know what that is?"

"I think I've got an idea," he said softly, sitting at one of the kitchen chairs.

"Well, when she's been at the place, she was going to school, and she's a lawwer now, and when she gets out, she's gonna help people who need help," Nate said proudly.

Roman sat quietly for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. Billie was in jail, and even though he knew he should look for Caroline or Shawn, he asked Nate, "So how long have you been with your Daddy and Mommy?"