When We Were Young

A couple of days after the phone call, Nancy received another phone call. This time, it wasn’t from Brian. Instead, it was from a lawyer. Jimmy’s lawyer. At first she was confused when he told her his name, not really understanding why Jimmy’s lawyer was calling her, but when he told her that they found her best friend’s will, she understood. What she didn’t understand, though, was why Jimmy decided to file his own will.

The Monday morning, Nancy found herself outside the lawyer’s office and saw both Nancy and Barbara Sullivan, Jimmy’s mother, there. Apparently the will featured their names, too.

“Nancy, dear…” Barbara said as she quickly hugged the girl, who returned the hug.

“Hi, Barbara.” She smiled softly at her, then turned her attention to Brian. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He simply said and turned around. Barbara noticed that because she gently squeezed Nancy’s hand.

“How’s JJ?” She asked, “I always see her from our window, but she’s always busy playing.”

“She is, but you can always come over so you can see her.” Nancy said, “My mom would love it.”

Before Mrs. Sullivan could reply, a young woman walked out of a room and told their names. The three of them followed her and walked into the lawyer’s office. They sat down and the middle aged man introduced himself.

“Hello, my name is Jack O’Brien and I’m Mr. James Sullivan’s lawyer.” He said, “I asked you to come here today because Mr. Sullivan sadly passed away not long ago and you were mentioned in his will.” The man put away a few paper sheets then grabbed a signed one. “Mr. Haner, you’re here to represent not only yourself but also the other members of band called Avenged Sevenfold, which means what I’m going to say will be applied to Matthew Charles Sanders, Zachary James Baker and Jonathan Lewis Seward as well, otherwise said.”

Brian nodded slightly and leaned back against his chair, his heart pounding in his chest.

“You will get all the incomplete work of Mr. Sullivan, which means recorded demos, lyrics and songs and I quote ‘feel free to do whatever you want for the band with my stuff’. Also, you will get his drum sets, ‘except the one at my apartment’, and the power over his stage name. As for you particularly, Mr. Haner, Mr. Sullivan left this for you.” The man said, handing Brian a white envelope. Brian nodded again and took a deep breath before grabbing the envelope. There was only his name written on it and he wondered if it was a letter or something like that.

“Miss Kennedy, Mr. Sullivan leaves you his apartment.” The lawyer said and Nancy frowned.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Mr. Sullivan has left you his apartment on 70 Bowman St. Everything inside the apartment, including but not limited to furniture, personal objects and the drum set mentioned earlier, is now yours.” The man looked at Nancy and gave her a sympathetic smile, she was shocked. “Other than that, Mr. Sullivan has left you $250,000.00 so ‘you can send her to Yale; she’s a future Yale student – I know it!’.”

At this point, Nancy was already crying. She couldn’t believe Jimmy had done this for her. Barbara was gently squeezing her hand and Brian slightly looked at her. He hated seeing her cry and part of him wanted to hug her or something, but he couldn’t do it. Instead, he sat there, staring at the enveloped the lawyer had just given him.

“I’m sorry…” Nancy said, but the lawyer shook his head.

“It’s okay, Miss Kennedy. I’m used to it.” He said and smiled at her again, “Mr. Sullivan, also left this for you.” He added, handing her an envelope similar to the one he’d handed earlier to Brian.

“Mrs. Sullivan, you are here to represent Mr. Sullivan’s family. You will get all the money in his bank account and the future income deriving from Avenged Sevenfold sales, merchandising and anything representing or portraying Mr. Sullivan’s name, stage name or face. Just like Mr. Haner and Miss Kennedy, there’s an envelope for you, as well.”

Barbara was crying as well and now the two women were squeezing each other’s hands.
After signing the papers that the lawyer handed them to make everything official, the three of them walked out of the office. Once they were outside of the building, Barbara called her husband and then drove home.

Both Nancy and Brian were holding their envelopes and both of them couldn’t wait to read them. It was like Jimmy prepared one last message for them. Brian looked at Nancy and sighed softly.

“My car is over there.”

“Okay. You coming over later to see JJ?”

“I guess, yeah.”

“Alright. See you then.”

Nancy nodded slightly and turned around, starting to walk away. Her father took her to the lawyer office, so she’d have to take a taxi or just walk home. She chose the latter.

“Wait, Nancy!” Brian yelled, running towards her. “Are you going home?”

“Yeah, I have to walk home because my dad needed the car so he drove me here, then he left.”

“Do you need a ride?”

“That’s… Not necessary, Brian. I can walk home, really.” She said, “I mean, after what happened at the lawyer’s office I think I really need to walk for a bit, to understand what happened, you know.”

Brian looked at her and nodded. He perfectly understood. “Alright then. See you later.”

“See you.”

Brian watched her walk away then he turned around, heading to his car. When he got inside, the first thing he did was to open that envelope.

Brian,
if you’re reading this it means one thing and it’s not that good. I gave this to my lawyer for you so if it’s in your hands, it means I’m dead and if I’m not, then what the fuck? I gotta fire that son of a bitch.

I’m not sure how or when I died but who cares? I got a wonderful life so I’m not really complaining. Sure, I’d rather live a little bit longer to enjoy the perks of being a famous drummer and to enjoy my family, friends and even your pretty face, but it’s okay. I don’t regret anything. No, scratch that. Maybe there’s one thing I regret and it’s not tell you about JJ. If you don’t know who JJ is, then what the fuuuck? Go ask Nancy.

If you know who she is and I’m pretty sure you do, isn’t she lovely? Like I said, that’s my only regret. You have no idea how many times I wanted to tell you about her, about how Nancy was suffering for not having you with her, about pretty much everything… But I couldn’t. I know you probably hate me for this and it’s okay, I understand. But please, understand that I did this for Nancy and maybe even for you. Shit, I saw you how you were dealing with your life after you two broke up. “Mutual break up” my ass, dude. You felt like shit. She felt like shit. You two were two little shits.

You probably hate Nancy, too. Again, I understand. I don’t blame you for this, just know that you gotta stop hating her at some point or I’m coming back just to kick your ass.
Brian’s eyes were swollen now, tears falling down his face. He was glad he decided to put his sunglasses on before getting into his car, otherwise if someone walked by and saw him, they’d think he was just a little girl.

You know I never believed in love and shit, which is probably why Leana and I broke up. She wanted everything I couldn’t give her. Again, it’s okay. I never believed in love but I believed in your and Nancy’s. Shit, you guys were made for each other.

Now, don’t start with the shit “I got a girlfriend, I love her, blah blah blah” because it’s bullshit. I know it. You know it. Even Johnny knows it and you know how he understands pretty much nothing. Yes, you got a girlfriend but she’s nowhere as great as Nancy. Bitch-Mich can suck my dick. Before you say anything, remember that this is my last letter so you don’t get to say anything unless pretty things to my beautiful self or JJ or Nancy.

Brian smiled a little at his words, loving how Jimmy knew him so well. He was ready to say something about his words about Michelle, but he stayed quiet.

What I was trying to say before my hatred for Bitch-Mich distracted me, is that I’ve never seen you as happy as when you were with Nancy and the same goes to her. I wasn’t living in her city so I couldn’t see her 24/7, but I heard from her everyday and I tried to see her as much as possible but she wasn’t the same old Nancy. She’s mommy Nancy now and I’m not sure she’s really happy. She loves JJ to death, I know, (who wouldn’t?) but it doesn’t mean she still suffers for what she’s done to you and for how things ended between you two.

I’m not saying you guys have to get back together (although I wouldn’t mind and actually, I’d throw a fucking party here wherever I am right now if it happened) but push your fucking ego apart, Brian. Focus on your daughter and even on Nancy, if you want to. She’ll never admit it, but she needs you. And I’m pretty sure you kinda need her too.

I’ll stop being a whiny asshole now.

Just wanna say I’ll forever be grateful to have met you and to have shared so many experience with you, Brian. You are absolutely the best and I’m glad you were my best friend. I’m sure you’re gonna be a great father to JJ. Actually, you better be.

Yours,
Jimmy

P.S. Your daughter is a drummer, not a guitar player. What a bummer, huh? Accept it and get over it.

Brian stared at those two paper sheets and tried to be mad at Jimmy for writing such a letter and for keeping Nancy’s secret, but he couldn’t. Not anymore. He was tired of being mad at him and part of him was also tired of being mad at Nancy. He wiped away his tears and took a deep breath before driving away, he needed to think and driving seemed the best thing to help him do it.

Nancy ended up walking to the park. It was a sunny day and it was warm enough to sit on a bench without the coat on. She sat there for a while before she found the courage to open the envelope and read what was Jimmy’s last letter to her.

Nancy,
my beautiful Nancy. I hate to write such a letter, because if you’re reading this it means I’m not there anymore and fuck, I hate this. First of all, please don’t cry. I know you got all emotional after having JJ, you started crying for stupid things, but please, don’t cry this time.
Or if you do, just do it at the end, alright?

You may be wondering why I left you my apartment and well, no reason. I simply did because there’s no one I want to have it, except for you and JJ and maybe this could be the good opportunity for you to come back to California for good? Everybody misses you here and since you got this letter, I’m pretty sure you’re aware of this. Just come back. Portland isn’t home, Huntington Beach is. Not to mention that JJ deserves to stay close to her family.

Have you told Brian? I hope you did because if you didn’t, he’d just found out with my letter for him. Oh, well! I think you told him, though. There’s no way you can keep something from him while you guys are in the same city. You were never good at hiding things from him anyway. What did he say? Shit, I wish I was there to know everything about this. I wish I was there with you right now, especially because I know that dickhead and I know Haner is probably being a dick to you.

Nancy took a deep breath and tried to held back her tears, but she couldn’t do it. When tears started falling down her cheeks, she quickly wiped them away, then started reading the letter again.

He’s a dickhead, yes, but I don’t blame him and you know it. I’ve always told you you had to tell him. Anyway! It’s the past so we have to accept this, right? I just hope you’ll be able to slap some sense in him.

How was seeing him again after so long? What did he do? What did you do? I hope there was at least a kiss involved but this ain’t one of the movies you made me watch when we were kids, huh? I hope things will be okay between you two. I’ll forever hope you guys get back together but at this point I’m not sure what’s gonna happen next.

Just take care of JJ, but I already know you’re gonna do. You’re an amazing woman and mother, Nancy. I’m glad I got to see you grow up and become such a wonderful mother. JJ is lucky to have you (and an uncle like me). I’m glad you were my best friend; we shared so many things and I can’t remember my life without you in it, which is completely fine to me. I love you, so it’s all good.

I don’t know where I am right now – hell, maybe? Definitely not paradise. But I’m 100% sure I’m with you. I will always be. I hope you’ll think of me when JJ is gonna play my drums!

Forever yours,
Jimmy

P.S. Burn my couch. Or sell it. I don’t care. Do whatever the fuck you want with it, just throw it away because I don’t want it in my apartment anymore. It’s stupid, it’s ugly and I hate it. I suggest you to burn it, though. Flames can destroy it slowly, just like I’d want it to happen to the person who got it for me. B-U-R-N---I-T.

Nancy chuckled at the last words she read. She wasn’t sure why he wanted her to burn that couch so bad, but she would do it. If this was one of his last wishes, why not do it? She only hoped someone would help her move it out of the house.

She took a deep breath and wiped away the last few tears that were running down her cheeks, then put the letter away in her purse. In that moment, she decided she was going to stay in Huntington Beach. Jimmy gave her his apartment, so she already had a place where to go, she only needed to tell her parents, find a new job and go to Portland to get all her stuff; but she had time. Plenty.

Notes

Hello! I'm back with a new chapter; did you like it? Do you think Nancy is serious about her decision to stay in California?

As usual, a big thank you to my loyal readers and especially to Hollie, Avengedlover, J.J. and EmilieAlyosha <3