The Family Business

Chapter 16: What Happened Next

It was fall in London of 1970, the period of polarised politics, a huge number of extreme protests such as the bombing campaign by the Angry Brigade was carried out for the first time just a week ago and the streets are still being cleared, security checkpoints are popping everywhere and there are serious cases of police brutality spreading. The majority of London is chaotic, aside from the violent protests linked to the IRA, numerous protests for equality are happening at the same time.

London is near catastrophic, and as far as hiding and laying low is concerned, Andre, Sarah, Arthur now with a one-year-old Tatiana are barely getting by. They've moved to three different parts of London since they arrived, staying only a few months in each until they decided it's safer in the suburbs an hour and a half away from Central London. Sarah gave birth to a healthy baby girl they named Tatiana, on their first spring in the foreign land.

"Andre, this isn't a matter of discussion. We have to stick together." Sarah hissed trying to keep her voice controlled and low while pacing back and forth in front of her best friend and her husband. She's been breastfeeding, losing sleep taking care of Tatiana who's a colicky baby, so saying Sarah is exhausted may be a little bit of an understatement; and Andre's sudden suggestion of going away for God knows how long surely isn't sitting well with her.

"Sarah is right, Andre. You know The Triad would hunt us down for the rest of our lives, you said it yourself, we're stronger together." Arthur said, agreeing with his wife. Arthur Mercer is the co-owner of then-growing Mills and Mercer Mining Corp in Greenland, Michigan. Arthur met Sarah through Andre's wife Laura who was Arthur's bookkeeper at the mining company.

"We can't risk the Tàiyáng finding any of us on our own, there's a bigger chance for us protecting each other - together."

"I know what I said, okay? All I'm saying is, as long as we have these documents that tie us up to the lives we left behind we're under threat and stress all the time. All I'm going to do is take them with me, put them somewhere safe and come back. We've been here for almost two years, we can start living. With Tatiana growing up, you know what I mean." Andre reasoned out but Sarah isn't buying any of it. She trusts Andre, she feels safe with Andre around because she knows he's not somewhere he shouldn't be.

But she also knows Andre, he's always been adventurous and easily bored, almost two years of being a physician in the local hospital of Harlow and he's too eager to leave. But life in Harlow is ideal when you're raising a child, it's safe, clean, and quiet. They're in a tight-knit community, so they already hit the jackpot; but not Andre. He lost his wife when she gave birth to their son Abel just a few months before the breakup, and he's never seen his boy again after they left. They have no contact with anyone back in the US, Lucas said it would be safer if there's no trail to follow, but he also promised that once everything settles down he'll reach out to them and help them get by.

"We're going to stay together, that's final." Sarah said ending the conversation, she went inside their bedroom to rest leaving Andre and Arthur in the living room.

"I can't stay, you know I can't, Art." Andre said almost like a whisper.

"You've made up your mind, haven't you?" Arthur shook his head with a heavy sigh.

"About leaving, yes. About where I'm going to go exactly, no."

"Life is going good here, I don't see a reason to leave, at least not just yet."

"It is, but I feel like there's something else I should be doing, something more, good - something good even."

"Helping us and your goddaughter is good. Helping family is good, Andre. But you and I both know that there's just something inside you that pulls you to do something for the greater good." Arthur said, shaking his head again with a thoughtful smile.