Chapter 7 (Jay)
Three years ago, Ninjago City University
"Mail for Jason Walker."
The mailman bursts into the lecture theatre, rather abruptly interrupting our lecture on child psychology. Needless to say, the professor is not impressed.
"Well, Mr Walker. Could you please make yourself known to this... subject... so that the rest of us can continue with our class?" He demands.
Great, just what I've needed... luckily, my seat is at one end of the row, so I don't have to disturb my classmates any further as I get up.
I walk up the stairs to the back of the lecture hall, where the mailman is patiently waiting for me.
I can't help but wonder how he has found me here.
"That's my job." He simply states as he hands me the official looking letter. "Have a good day, Jay Walker." He winks at me and leaves.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he also knows who I am.
When I was still a Ninja, he was always able to locate us, no matter where we were – at Sensei Wu's monastery on top of the Mountain of Impossible Height, on the Destiny's Bounty flying across Ninjago, in the middle of the Sea of Sands, he probably would have even found us during a secret undercover mission... why didn't we use his detective skills when we were trying to locate the Fang Blades? We could have just sent a postcard to Pythor and follow the mailman to his base...
And why have my former teammates never used him now to contact me? They are still sending regular letters for me to my parents' address. Well, maybe they aren't thinking of this option. Or maybe they want to give me the choice whether to accept their mail or not.
The latter is the case, I just keep telling my mum to throw their letters away whenever there's a new one. Even after three years, I am still hurting from what happened.
A few weeks ago, a very fancy looking letter arrived from the Ninja. When Mum sent me a photo, I immediately recognised Cole's handwriting on the elegant silver grey paper.
And just from the look of it, there was no doubt about it what it was: a wedding invitation.
I wasn't able to sleep for about two weeks after that; the idea of my ex-girlfriend getting married to my ex-best friend simply broke my heart for the second time.
I look at the envelope in my hand. There's nothing fancy about this one. It is plain white, with only my full name printed onto it.
I turn it around to look at the sender, it is from a solicitor here in town. Can't hurt to read this right now, can it?
-
Dear Mr Walker,
I am writing to inform you that your father has passed. You have inherited all his worldly possessions, including his estate and lots of money.
Please contact our office at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
...
-
My dad? I struggle to swallow back the bile rising up my throat.
"Uhm, excuse me." With shaking hands, I shove my notes and pens into my backpack – I don't bother picking up the pencil that I drop - and scramble out of the lecture hall.
I hop on the blue motorbike that I've built myself from scrap parts, together with my dad. Under normal circumstances, I don't use my element in public, but right now I just don't care. I give the engine a little boost, using a couple of well-aimed and perfectly dosed beams of lightning, and race to the junkyard, desperately hoping to find that this was nothing but a cruel joke.
Present Day, Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk
As I turn over the cardboard box and pour out its contents onto my parents' dining table, I remember the day that I found out I am adopted. And that my birth father is none other than the late Cliff Gordon.
And in the pile of mail, I immediately spot the envelope which had given me so many sleepless nights back then.
I have to admit that, holding it in my hands, it is even more elegant and tasteful than it had looked on the picture.
And now my curiosity is piqued – Nya has many times been referred to as a single mum, meaning she and Cole have never gotten married.
I tear open the envelope and remove the beautiful folded card which is held together by a smoke grey silk ribbon. With shaking hands, I fumble for a bit before I finally manage to untie the bow and then open the matt white card.
My heart skips a beat as I read the text
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Seliel Specter and Cole Brookstone on...
I don't pay much attention to the details, I mean the date was almost three years ago, but the names...
Cole and – Seliel?
Wasn't this the name of the pink-haired girl we met back when we were fighting against Cryptor and a group of Nindroids in this small town – Rom, was it? No, Nom.
I let out a sigh, not sure if it is in relief or over my stupidity. Possibly both.
But now that this one is out of the way, I really want to read the rest.
Turn my attention back to the pile in front of me, I notice a completely squashed fortune cookie. Luckily, the cellophane wrapper hasn't been damaged, otherwise the crumbs might have attracted some rats. I carefully open it over the sink and take the message.
Master Chen has personally invited to participate in his Tournament of Elements. Secrecy is the utmost importance. Tell no one, or suffer the consequences. If you ever want to see your girlfriend again, meet on the pier at midnight and leave your weapons behind.
This was the message Kai left for me when Nya was kidnapped – if I remember the dates correctly, this must have happened at a time when she was pregnant.
What kind of man would kidnap a pregnant woman? But then, what kind of man would abandon his pregnant girlfriend...
Maybe I should read these letters in chronological order, to give me a better idea of what has been going on.
Most of the envelopes have a postal stamp with a more or less readable date. But my mum mentioned Cole delivering the first one personally. I look for one that just has 'to my best friend' written on the envelope in the black Ninja's handwriting.
-
Jay Walker, you are an idiot.
Nice way to start a letter, Cole has always had a great way with words... not. But I can't deny the truth behind his message. And it only gets worse when I keep reading.
You are great at talking, but sometimes you should really start listening to what people are trying to tell you. Nya did NOT choose me. When you saw us talking, she was telling me that she had finally realised that relationships aren't about numbers. And that she wants to be with the person she loves – you.
Yes, we hugged. Because I was really happy about her decision.
I admit I was tempted when she came to me during that train ride. I know I shouldn't have, but there she was - a pretty, kind, smart, strong girl complimenting me about my personality. I mean, who wouldn't have enjoyed that?
But I am glad that you've interrupted us, and I've been feeling horrible about it ever since.
I swear I would have never pursued her any further, hadn't it been for your reaction at your parents' place. I was hurt that you felt threatened by me being Nya's 'perfect match' and for mistrusting your best friend. And I was also ashamed that, unknowingly, you actually had any right to.
But I should have never let things escalate as they did. I am sorry for that.
And so is Nya. She is beyond upset about you leaving. I'm asking you to please come back. You don't have to forgive me – at least not right away – but do it for her.
She has hardly left her room in the last two days, and she's barely eaten. Not that she would keep anything down anyway. This morning, she fainted in the bathroom. Kai has found her, and he is taking her to the hospital at this moment. I am worried about my honorary little sister – because this is how I truly feel about her.
Your parents are just as bad liars as you are, so I know that they are telling the truth about you not being with them or them not knowing where you are – but I am also sure that you are in contact with them.
And I hope you will get back in touch with us. I miss hanging out with my best friend.
Cole.
-
By the time I finish reading the letter, tears are running down my face. I cannot believe what an idiot I was.
But I'm not done here, I've merely started. And surely the next one is not going to be any easier.
I smile through my tears as I look at my name on the slightly creased envelope. Nya has always had a horrible handwriting, and she didn't care, claiming she wasn't a delicate damsel in distress.
I take a sip from my now cold coffee and remove the tear stained paper from the envelope.
-
Dear Jay,
That's a nicer way to start a letter. But it doesn't make me less worried about what is to come next.
Cole (I am so sorry to start this letter with his name, please believe me that it doesn't mean anything!) has told me that he went to see your parents again and has left a letter there for you, explaining the situation. You haven't replied, so I hope you just haven't received it yet and not decided to ignore it.
But if you have read his letter, you will know that what you saw was a stupid misunderstanding. And I also want you to know that I love you, and I miss you.
The others miss you too – Cole, Kai, Lloyd and Zane. Yes, Zane.
Two days ago, we got a call from Cyrus Borg. Turned out our smart Nindroid was able to download his subroutines into the server and rebuild himself, as the Titanium Ninja.
I swallow. This means the robot that Abby was talking about actually was Zane...
He looks different and some of his memories are still reloading, but he is undoubtedly Zane. He and PIXAL are currently still staying at Borg Industries, until all his updates and then a few more checks have been completed. But then they will both come home. And I hope that so will you. Although you might want to wait a couple more days until my brother has calmed down a bit.
You see, there is something else I need to tell you, and I am not sure how. So I guess I just say it as it is.
I'm pregnant.
I only found out at the hospital two days ago, but I'm already about seven weeks along.
I'm not going to use this as an excuse for all the mess I've caused, but it most likely has had some effect on my behaviour and emotions these past few weeks. And it definitely has something to do with me being sick. (Seriously, why is it called morning sickness if it lasts all day?)
It's your baby. You have to believe me that I've never cheated on you. But I am not blaming you, and I am not holding you responsible, unless you want to accept responsibility.
But what I really want is that you will be able to forgive me and give us another chance. Not because of the baby, but because I love you (and I hope that you still love me too).
Always yours,
Nya.
-
"Everything alright, honey?" My mum asks from the kitchen, she must have heard me crying.
"Yes, mum, all fine." I manage to reply, but nothing is actually alright.
Why couldn't I just put my damaged ego aside and read these letters when they arrived? Sure, believing Nya to have chosen Cole, I was expecting their words to hurt me.
But not reading them has in fact caused so much unnecessary pain to all of us. And, most of all, to my innocent daughter.
-
Dear Jay,
I am going to keep sending you these letters, hoping that you will change your mind about reading them one day.
Quite a lot has happened since my last letter.
About two months after sending it, I got taken (don't say it, I have a talent for getting kidnapped – although otherwise I might have never met you) by a pretty crazy guy named Master Chen. You've probably heard about him and his Anacondrai imposters in the news. He used us, me and the baby, to lure our friends to his island to take everyone's powers (Kai was pretty mad you didn't turn up, by the way). But that wasn't the only reason.
He said that he couldn't locate you (I really hope you are alright!), and he therefore needed to use my baby's elemental powers, which means that she has inherited your element. I just think that you should know this.
Luckily, it all turned out alright. Chen's daughter refused to risk an unborn child's life and she helped me escape and reunite with the other Ninja. Skylor has become a really good friend, and I think Kai has a massive crush on her. Oh well, let's just wait and see. And maybe help a bit ;).
After all this excitement, I was of course a bit worried about the baby, but turned out there was actually no need for that. I've just had my 20 weeks scan, and everything is fine. It's a perfectly healthy little girl, and she is kicking and moving quite a lot now. I am sending you a picture of the scan, I wish you would have been there with me.
I miss you.
Love,
Nya
-
I really wish that too.
When I open the next envelope, the first item I spot it a photo of an exhausted Nya holding a tiny bundle in her arms. I've never seen anything more beautiful.
I am so captivated, I almost forget to read the letter that comes with it.
-
Dear Jay,
From your reaction – or lack thereof – to my last letters, I have to accept that you don't want to be a part of my our life anymore.
But I already have way too many regrets, and I don't want to add 'not giving my baby girl the chance to be a part of her father's life' to the list so I will keep writing to you.
Talk about regrets... if I was still a Ninja, I'd change my title to Master of Regrets.
And whether you want to be a father or not, you do have a daughter now.
She was born two weeks ago, on May 12th, and she is the most beautiful person I have ever seen. I don't have any pictures of her with her eyes open, but they are deep blue (according to Sensei Wu this is a dominant trait associated with the Lightning Element so no real surprise here, but it still breaks my heart every single time she looks at me). Her hair is about the same shade as Kai's (but much softer), and I am wondering if she has actually got anything from me at all...
Well, one thing I've given to her is her name, she is called Abigail Jayne Smith.
But even that isn't entirely my gift to her, for you might recognise Abigail as the first name that you've always wanted your daughter to have. I have kept it in my heart since you've first mentioned it at your parents' house.
Also, I've looked up its meaning. Abigail means 'my father's joy', and I am sure that, if only you knew her, you would love Abby just as much as I do.
And she was absolutely right about this.
I love and miss you.
Nya xx
-
I feel emotionally drained after reading these letters, but I still keep going.
For each year since then, I find two mail items from Nya: a Christmas Card and letter for Abby's birthday, telling me what has happened in the year between them plus a couple of photos. It's fascinating to follow the transition from the tiny baby to the cute girl she is now.
But the tone of Nya's messages has also changed. It is very clear that by now she has given up pretty much all hope of me ever replying.
No matter what has happened between us, Nya has never deserved the way I've treated her.
Her letters are interspersed with a few others: there was Cole's wedding invitation (and his bride really was the girl I only knew as the Phantom Ninja), a birth announcement for his and Seliel's twins (which came four months after their wedding, but I guess I shouldn't be the one to talk...), an invitation to Kai and Skylor's wedding two years ago.
And suddenly, there's only two left.
The first one, from about two months ago, is again from Nya:
-
Dear Jay,
Our daughter is a big schoolgirl now. Last week, Abigail started kindergarten class at Ninjago 'Elementary Masters' Primary School – at first I was reluctant to have her attend a school which was named in honour of her parents and uncles when it was reopened after the Great Devourer Attack, but it has a very good reputation and is reasonably easy to get to from where we live. And Abby really seems to like it so far.
I am really glad Nya has picked this school. Otherwise, I still wouldn't know about my daughter. And maybe I never would.
She loves her teacher, Miss Katherine Dashner, a very kind young woman, and my little chatterbox has also made some nice friends among her peers.
She was a bit upset though, because most of her classmates had two (and in some cases even more) parents attending on their first day of school. Kai, Skylor and my parents went with us, but it still wasn't the same for her. She keeps asking a lot of questions about her father, and I don't know for how long I can keep the truth from her – especially as her elemental powers are getting stronger now. Sooner or later, they will learn about the Ninja at school, and Abby is a smart girl who will be able to connect the dots.
We miss you.
Love,
Nya
-
Again, a photo comes with the letter, Abby flanked by five very proud adults. I recognise Nya, Kai and Skylor to her left, and the two older people on the other side must be Ray and Maya Smith.
In one of the latest 'birthday letters', Nya has told me that they have finally found their parents who had been held prisoner by an old enemy of theirs. I don't know (and I honestly don't want to) how their reaction was to Nya having a child, but they seem to have adapted very well to being grandparents.
The new children always start one day before the other classes, so I wasn't at school that day. But I picked up Katherine after her class to take her for lunch. Strange to think how close I was to meeting them all.
As my mum has said earlier, the final letter only came about three weeks ago. It is from Kai, inviting me to Skylor's baby shower which will take place at Master Chen's Noodle House tomorrow afternoon.
With a sigh, I get up from the table and stretch my arms and legs.
I check my watch, it's already way past lunchtime; I'd better check what my parents have been doing while giving me some time. But as I am walking to the kitchen, my gaze once again falls onto the picture wall.
I turn around and head back to the dining table where I take the photo of Nya with our newborn baby in her arms from the pile. Using some blue tac from the drawer, I put it up on the wall, right next to the picture with my birth parents.
I then get a glass of water from the empty kitchen before I make my way outside to get some fresh air and find my parents.
But my plans change once again. On the way out, I spontaneously grab Kai's letter and start dialling the number printed on the back of the invitation.