Chapter 63
The Buke Mansion

Duke is on his cell phone. "Mark, I'm not going to let things," he says before stopping. He is in the hallway and he looks around him. To Mark, he whispers, "What's going on here?"

In a bedroom around the corner from Duke, Jessica and Nash lay after having made love. Nash looks to the side table and sees there isn't any more wine and he offers to get more. He kisses Jessica and then leaves. Moments after he has left, Jessica hears a loud voice in conversation. She puts on her robe, leaves the bedroom and goes into the hallway and then down the hall. She stops when she sees that Duke has stepped into the parlor with his cell phone and closes the door. She has a curious look before she heads back to the bedroom.

Nash is getting ready to head back upstairs with wine when he hears the doorbell. The doorbell keeps ringing incessantly. Nash opens the door to see his mother, who storms into the mansion and into the living room where she pours herself vodka. Nash follows her and he sits down the bottle of wine he has in his hands. Then he goes back and closes the doors behind him before he walks over to the bar area where his mother is gulping down her vodka.

Nash (is standing next to her as she finishes her drink): What the HELL?

Echo (pours another drink): I gotta leave town, Nashby! (She has a hurt look.) I'm sorry. (Nash takes the drink from her hand).

Nash: Why? Why now? Just when... I would like to have my mother with me.

Echo: Oh Nash. Your mother is here with you.

Nash (leans closer): Are you in trouble?

Echo (looks into his eyes, caresses his cheek): Trouble follows me. I gotta leave before it catches me.

Nash: Ma, what’s going on?

Echo: Ma. (smiles) You never call me that enough.

Nash: I don't see you much anymore.

Echo: Doesn't mean I don't love ya, Nashby. Whatever happens remember that, please. (She takes her drink from his hand and downs the rest of it)

Nash: OK. (worried, agitated.) ‘Suppose you tell me why you have to leave just when we have a chance to be together as a family? I have a son now. You have a grandson.

Echo (walks away from him): There are things that I have done, things that I don't regret, but many may misunderstand my intentions.

Nash: You did something illegal and you're trying to skip outta town before the prison bars go down in front of ya?

Echo (is looking at him): I can't explain. I'm a hustler, my boy. It’s been that way all my life.

Nash: I know that. I've accepted that. Your still my mother.

Echo: No I'm not Nash.

Nash: Allright not biologically but you know what I mean?

Echo: Hustling. I've just tried to survive. It's been my way of surviving, taking care of my brother, Giles, when we were young and later looking after you when I couldn't depend on Mack. I've made some mistakes but I was able to survive.

Nash (looks angry): Is this about Mack?

Echo: No. I think he is dead.

Nash: Good. You need money, right?

Echo (approaches him): Just enough to get outta town before sundown and to settle up affairs at the Palace.

Nash looks at her for a while before he says, “I don't have much. This will have to be the last time. I have a son, now."

Echo: I wouldn't ask you if I didn't need it.

Nash remarks, "I gotta go upstairs for my wallet” and he turns and leaves. While he is gone, Echo studies the picture of Asa on the fireplace mantle. She whispers, “Are you satisfied, you ol’ bastard? I'm leaving town empty-handed and with a broken heart! I hurt Nash! Your grandson who you denied!”

Duke enters the room and greets, “Excuse me.” Echo gasps and remarks, “I, I, I was just admiring that handsome pic... of your grandfather, your great-grandfather.”

Duke has a suspicious look. “I can see that. I'm sorry I didn't expect to see anyone in here. You are Nash’s mother, right?”

Echo says, “Yes. You look familiar. We've met?”

Duke: You might say that. (Duke thinks back to a night at Jakes.)

Jakes, The Waterfront

Duke's cab pulls up curbside at the Waterfront bar again. Duke says to the driver, "I must have left it inside. Look I'm good for it." He is stumbling toward the club entrance. Just as he enters, Thomas and Echo leave to get a table. Duke goes to the bar and yells, "Hey! Hey!" to get the bartender's attention. In back of him, Roxy can be seen entering the bar. She is dressed in a tight short black mini dress and she has on heels. She searches the room and spots Thomas with Echo. They are laughing. She storms over the table.

Thomas (stands): Roxy! Whaddaya doing here?

Echo: This is your ol' lady?

Roxy grabs a fist full of Echo's hair before Thomas can wrap his arms around the petite spitfire's waist. Echo yelps and the more Thomas pulls at Roxy, the more Roxy tugs at Echo's hair.

Echo yells, "You bitch!"

Roxy spits, "Whore!"

The music is loud but the fight draws attention as the burly bartender of the small club rushes over to help Thomas pull Roxy off Echo. Duke watches. The cabbie enters, "What's up?" Duke answers, "Fight."

Roxy: How could you? I'm gonna blow you and your friend here outta the water with your dirty little secrets!

Thomas: What? Nothing, nothing happened!

Roxy: What do you take ... That's not what Clint Buchanan's gonna say!

Duke is intoxicated but his ears perk up at the mention of his grandfather's name. A waitress brings Duke's wallet to him. He gives money to the driver, who stays at his side to watch the action.

Echo shouts, "You tell her? You idiot!" and then she lunges toward Roxy, who is ready to have another go at Echo before Thomas shoves Roxy into a seat. He questions, "What's gotten into you, Rox?! This is a public place!"

Echo glares at her. Roxy yells, "Whaddaya lookin' at, bitch? You wanna piece a me?" The bartender orders, "You are all outta here!" He begins pulling Thomas by the collar and walking him out.

Thomas pleads,"Just let me work this out with my lady here for a second? C'mon!" He grabs a table to resist and sinks his feet firmly in place. He glides anyway and the table moves with him.

Echo curses, "This is bullshit! I'm outta here!" Thomas calls at her but she is already out the door. The cab driver follows behind her. The bartender shouts, "Two minutes, ya freak!" He releases Thomas, who says, "Fine. Thanks!" Duke observes and listens in the dim and dank watering hole.

Roxy starts crying as Thomas attempts to comfort her. She says, "You told me nuthin was happening with you and her." He leans in and whispers, "Nothing is happening with me and her. I promise on a stack of bibles. And you were about to announce to the whole world what should have been a secret between the two of us." A drunk Duke clings to the bar as he sees the room spin. The bartender slams the phone in front of him. "Call a taxi!" The phone, the room is a blur. Duke places his finger to his lips and utters, "Ssh!" before he stumbles to a seat that allows him to listen to the conversation between Roxy and Thomas.

Roxy: I'm sorry. I was just hurting you know, hurting at the thought of you being with somebody else.

Thomas (exasperated): You blew everything Rox.

Roxy: How?

Bartender yells, "You two have to get lost!"

Thomas waves at him and to Roxy remarks, "I was meeting with Echo to see if I could get her to spill about Nash's mother."

Roxy: I messed up.

Thomas: I'll figure it out. C'mon, let's go.

Roxy: So, she didn't say anything about who Clint was seeing when the woman got pregnant with his Nash?

Duke shakes his head and repeats, "Nash?"

Thomas warns, "Sssh! No." Then he puts his arm around her. "C'mon Roxy, let's get outta here before that bartender goes ape on us!" Roxy obliges and shakes her fist at an angry looking bartender. Duke turns his body so as to go unnoticed as they walk by to exit. A scantily dressed woman comes and sits beside him; he shakes his head and says, "No." She retorts, "Shoulda known you weren't the type!" and leaves in a huff. Duke looks disturbed.

Back to the present Duke to Echo continues, “I saw you and Roxy in a fight at Jakes that night.”

Echo (looks cautious): Oh.

Duke: It was a doozy.

Echo: Well that’s all behind me now. I was here to see Nash. (She glimpses the room entrance with an anxious expression.)

Duke: Something wrong?

Echo: I'm leaving town.

Duke: I see. It's none of my business, but are you in some kind of trouble?

Echo (smirks): You gotta lotta questions.

Duke: My grandma doesn't like you very much.

Echo: As if I give a damn.

Duke (chuckles): I guess that's why I'm a little suspicious. Maybe.

Echo (indignant): Your grandmother meaning Victoria Davidson.

Duke: Yes ma'am.

Echo: She's not the boss of me. She doesn't own me and I don't owe her anything.

Duke: I never said you did. Look ya gotta admit tussling with a lady in a seedy bar doesn't leave a favorable impression.

Echo (sighs): It was a bar. People were drinking. As I mentioned, it's straight, now. I wonder what’s taking Nash so long? While we're waiting, here's one for you. (Looks him up and down.) So what were you doing in a watering hole like that with your billions? (folds arms)

Duke: I had my reasons, mainly to get a drink.

Echo: Ya lyin'!

Duke: Miss

Echo: Echo.

Duke: You mind if I ask you a question since we are being honest with each other?

Echo: What is it you have on your mind, young Buchanan?

Duke: It's personal.

Echo: Must be my night for those kinda questions! What of it?

Duke: It's about my grandfather.

Echo: Interested. (grins)

Duke: All right I'll just ask. Is Clint Buchanan Nash’s father?

Echo: What?

Nash enters the room and is waving a check. He stops. Duke and Echo are looking at him. He asks, "What did I interrupt?"

Angel Square Hotel

Thomas is carrying Roxy in his arms as they enter the hotel. They are laughing.

Thomas: We have arrived Mrs. Denton.

Roxy(plants feet on the floor and is grinning as Thomas leaves for a second and then stumbles into the hotel with suitcases): Wait until this whole damn town gets a load of this! (She grabs him and gives him a big kiss on his lips; they exchange loving looks before he smacks her derriere and then picks up luggage and heads upstairs.)

Roxy goes to the counter and hugs the rodent that is at the registration desk Roxy looks to make sure Thomas is upstairs and then she pulls out his cell phone and notices a number that catches her attention. “California?” she mutters before she redials it and listens. On the other end of the phone, a woman’s voice says, “You told him where to find me. He’s, he’s going to take my baby away. He’s, he’s going to kill me!” Roxy gasps at the feel of breath on her neck. Thomas reaches over her shoulders and retrieves his phone.

La Boulaie, Clint is down stairs with a bourbon.

"When You Believe" slide show

As he stands in LaBoulaie with a bourbon in his hand, Clint downs the rest of the liquor. From behind, he feels Dorian wrap herself around him.