Part 377: The Trials of Locke Part 3

Locke slowly opened his eyes. He could hear the familiar buzz of his alarm clock going off on the night stand. He calmly reached over and clicked it off. The older man rubbed his eyes and remembered what happened last night. He was supposed to be sleeping on the couch but after making love to Ellen on the floor of his living room, she invited him back to the bed. He slowly turned over and much to his surprise, she wasn’t there. Locke slowly leaned up and was scared that this was a mistake; like Ellen may have felt she degraded herself by sleeping with him.

He got out of the bed and proceeded to take his shower. As much as he was concerned about her, it didn’t change the fact that he still had to get to work on time. He quickly took his shower and got dressed. As he put on his shoes, he stood up and walked into the kitchen. Locke did a double take as he saw a folded up piece of paper, pinned to the fridge door with a magnet. It had his name on it. He slowly took it and unfolded it. He quickly proceeded to read.

John,

I wanted to thank you for last night. You were the kindest man I could have ever known. I should have been dating you and not Randy. Last night you gave me something that no other man has given me; tenderness. I can’t go back to my life at our company, no can I tell anybody what has happened. I am too ashamed. So I must go away and never return. I hope you’ll understand but something tells me you won’t. I am sorry, John.

One more thing before I go. I hope that you will forgive me one day for telling you this but I have to tell you. I love you, John. Do you understand what that means, John?

I love you.

Take care of yourself. Think of me often.

Ellen

Locke calmly folded the paper and placed it on the counter. He felt like his heart was breaking. He could tell this wasn’t a girl who gave her love freely. So when she said, she truly loved him, she really did mean it. Locke often wondered if he would ever find a woman in his life. He never expected Ellen to react this way. Nor did he expect her to love him for being him. Locke wasn’t sure where this was going to go but he felt he needed to find her. She clearly found him so there must be a way. He then decided to skip breakfast and head directly to work.


The day seemed to flow by and Locke kept letting his mind wander. He had emailed Joanna in accounting to see if she could give him a phone number for Ellen. He called it but got no answer. He considered getting her address but didn’t know if he was overstepping his bounds. However, if she was leaving; he felt like he shouldn’t let her get away. The more he thought about her, the more he felt he loved her. He wasn’t going to argue with himself; he quickly picked up his day planner that Mia gave him for Christmas, with all the phone numbers of their friends. He figured Ana-Lucia, or even Hal would be able to find her for him. Before he had the chance to dial a number, he started to see all of his co-workers walking past him. What alarmed him was that it was the majority of him.

“John,” Sweeny said, coming up to him, “ We’re supposed to meet in the main lobby area. Didn’t you get the email?”

Locke looked at his screen and sure enough, there was an email in his inbox. He was so pre-occupied with his thoughts on Ellen, he never noticed it. However, what was so big enough that it would require that all the employees meet in the one area that could house them all? He got up from his chair and then proceeded to follow the rest of his co-workers.
As he arrived in the lobby, he and Sweeny walked over to where Gordon was hanging next to the large fern in the lobby. Their senior manager, Stevens, was standing next to the receptionist desk and the woman was crying. Locke felt a sinking feeling his gut; like when he carried Boone back to Jack on the Island. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” Stevens quietly whispered, “It’s . . .my deepest regret to inform you of this. But we were informed earlier this afternoon that one of our former employees, Ellen Brubaker, has been found dead.”

Locke felt like vomiting. The girls surrounding him started to cry. One of the girls even grabbed Gordon’s shoulder and proceeded to cry on it. Sweeny slowly closed his eyes, feeling complete sad. “Mr. Stevens?” Belinda asked through tears, “How did she die?”

“She was found in the parking lot of the Widmore Distributors, her former job. From what the police can tell, it would see . . .judging from the sleeping pills in her hand . . .she overdosed and took her own life.”

Locke’s eyes were on fire. He felt his blood boiling. Sweeny looked at him and gently placed his hand on his shoulder to help calm him down. Even a few of the women held onto him and clearly see he was upset. Locke thought about her letter to him. She said, she was going away and never coming back. This is what she meant. The rage began to bottle up inside him and then he scanned the crowd for Randy. The supervisor was leaning against the wall and didn’t look all that upset.

In fact, he looked bored.

This caused Locke to finally snap. He then broke off from his friends and began to fight his way through the crowd. “YOU!” he screamed at Randy, “YOU DID THIS!!!”

The crowd gasped at Locke’s reaction. Randy then leaned up and looked annoyed at him. “What the hell are you talking about, old man?” he asked.

“YOU DID THIS, YOU SMUG SON OF A BITCH!!!” Locke screamed as he worked his way through the crowd, “If you hadn’t have been showing off that damn photo-“

“Jesus, Locke, take a chill pill before-“

Randy was silenced as the older man punched him across the face. The supervisor stumbled back and collapsed on the other large fern in the lobby area. The group of people standing near Randy rushed to help him. The others, including Sweeny and Gordon, restrained Locke best they could. Stevens was screaming at them to break it up. Two of the higher ups with Randy, escorted him out as he held the blood streaming from his nose. The co-workers holding Locke gently let him go. Half of them looked at him like he was a complete stranger and the other half smiled at him; because they knew Randy deserved it. Locke took a deep breath and silently thanked their respect.

But it didn’t change the fact that Ellen was dead.


A few days had past and Ellen had been buried in a community grave yard. Lock didn’t attend the funeral. He couldn’t bare to look at her in the casket. He was amazed he wasn’t fired for striking Randy; but then again, like the supervisor had said, he doesn’t fire people; he gives reprimands. Locke got a mark on his record for striking Randy but nothing more. Steven’s notes were that emotions were running high and Locke didn’t know what he was doing. He was a valued employee and deserved to stay. However, it didn’t stop them from making him take 2 weeks off without pay. He really didn’t care; he just wanted to be away from Randy.

Locke walked up to the grave site in the massive grave yard. The tombstone was filled with flowers; obviously from her family. The older man calmly pulled the roses from his overcoat and placed them at the foot of her grave. He slowly stood up and felt an overwhelming emptiness in his life. Ellen could have been his wife eventually. Age didn’t seem to make much difference in the circles he traveled with from the Island. But her soul was crushed by Randy taking away her dignity. Locke felt responsible; like he could have saved her. He looked around, not knowing what to do. The older man then blinked when he saw a church across the street.

After crossing over the road, he walked up the steps and entered the church. He looked around and saw only a few people inside. He felt like he needed to talk to someone about this but was this a good idea? He was about to walk out, after he saw an old woman leave the confessional booth. The bald man took a deep breath and walked over to it. He calmly stepped in, turned around and closed the drapes; sitting down. The sliding panel to his right slid open. “Blessed be the father, the son and the Holy Sprit,” the priest said on the other side, “What is your transgression, my son?”

Locke slowly leaned up with tears flowing from his eyes. “Forgive me, father for I have sinned, “ he whispered, “It’s been . . . some time since my last confession. I’m . . .not even really a practicing catholic. But . . .I’m lost. I needed to speak to someone.”

“What has happened, my son? Why have you lost your way?”

“A woman I cared for . . .confessed that she loved me. I didn’t really love her until she told me. But then she . . .took her own life. A man I know humiliated her and she must have thought . . .her life wasn’t work nothing after that.”

“It’s sad when one loses their faith to the point of suicide,” the Priest whispered, “If though our faith tells us these people are damned, I pray for their souls regardless. Everybody deserves prayer.”

“That’s . .uh . . .that’s very kind of you father,” Locke sniffed.

“We are not talking about me, my son. You loved this woman. And she lost her faith, now you have lost yours. Was there ever a time when you faith was strong?”

Locke then immediately knew what he meant. Life back on the Island. “Yes, father,” he whispered, “There was a time when my faith was all I had and it held me together. Fate . . .was my friend and it saw me through. Now . . .now I don’t know what to do. How can I go on? Ellen . . . .the woman . . .and I could have had so much together. Now, I am punching out my supervisor which I never would have done in a million years. I . . don’t know what to do, father.”

“Do you have a family, my son?” the priest asked.

Locke heard his words and then lost his breath for a second. When the priest asked him the question, he was nearly floored by the image that popped in his head. He didn’t think of his father, the one that stole his kidney. Nor did he think of the insane red-headed woman who thought she was his mother. The image that popped in his head was of Mia. Her smile and laughter, filling his soul with massive swell of joy. “Yes, father,” he smiled with teary eyes, “I have . . . .I have a daughter.”

“The one thing that always helps us to strengthen our faith is our family,” the priest whispered, “Go to her. Live these things behind. Let her help you to find that man that you once were. The man who is strong in his faith.”

Locke shook his head in agreement. He crossed himself and then stepped out of the booth. As he did, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt like he was so light, he could fly. He laughed briefly as he wiped his tears. Then he remembered he didn’t thank the priest that gave him the sound advice. He then turned and reached for the drapes, pulling them aside. “I’m sorry, father,” he smiled, “I forgot to thank-“

Locke paused when he realized no one was in there.

The older man then reached back for the back release of the booth for the priests but there was no one back there. If there was no one back there, who was he talking to? Locke slowly began to back away from the confession booth and proceed out. He felt like the magic of the Island was with him again or was it another kind of magic? He didn’t decide to question it. He only knew it was time to do as the priest had suggested.



Locke slowly pulled the Avalanche truck on the side street in the subdivision. It was one of the few older ones on the outskirts of Los Angeles. It really was even considered a part of Los Angeles. It was a different community, away from the city life. Locke slowly put the truck in park and stepped out. The air was cleaner, the sun was shining and a nearby neighbor bothered to wave to him. That was truly something that would not have happen in the city. In his apartment but not the city.

As Locke walked up to the driveway, the door to the white and gray house opened up. Mia walked out in a black t-shirt and jean shorts. She saw Locke and her eyes immediately lit up. The older man smiled his warm smile at her that she loved so much about him. She quickly jumped down the stairs and ran toward him. She embraced him, making him laugh. “I missed you, sir,” she laughed.

“I missed you, Mia,” he said, kissing her on top of the head.

“I am so glad you decided to come and live with us.”

“Thank you. I just felt . . .I needed to be with my family.”

Mia then parted from him. She stared up at him and smiled. The two would often refer to each other as family in a passing sense but this was the first time she felt Locke actually meant it. She then looked at him with a concerned eye. “Are you okay?” she asked, “On the phone, you sounded a little strange.”

“I’m fine, “ he whispered with a sigh, “I’m just . . .a little tired.”

Mia smiled, taking his hand and leading him into the house. “Well, you’ve come to the right place to rest.” She grinned.

Locke then looked up and saw the smirking face of John walking toward him. “Hey, Pops,” he laughed, “Welcome home.”

“Hey, John,” he said, as they hugged briefly, “ I want to thank you for this but let me ask once again; you are sure this is okay?”

“For the 12th time, Locke, YES, It’s okay if you live with us.”

“Good,” he sighed, “I didn’t want to disturb your privacy.”

“You’re not disturbing us, “ the archer said, as he started to follow them back toward the house, “One of things Mia and I wanted to do is turn this place into a family household. And the one thing that every family needs is a Grandpa.”

“Okay, John, if I am going to live here, you better stop making fun of my age.” Locke laughed.

“I am not making fun of your age,” he smiled, “I am simply getting you, your expected title.”

“Expected?” Lock said confused.

Then he stopped just shy of the small stairs leading toward the porch and then into the house. Locke stared at John who had an idiotic grin on his face. The older man then turned and looked at Mia. The Lakota girl still held his hand and then with a coy smile, gently rubbed her belly with the other. Locke’s eyes then began to bulge out of his head. “Mia, you’re . .you’re . .you’re . . .” he stuttered.

She laughed and shook her head in agreement. She figured he wouldn’t get the word “pregnant” out so she just went ahead and agreed with him. Locke laughed, and embraced her; twirling around. It had been a long time since he felt happy and at that moment, he was. After they got done with their happy moment, John motioned for both of them to follow him into the house. Apparently, it was the archer’s turn to cook and he had made some form of beef stew which Mia really liked. The Lakota girl asked him what would be the first thing he was going to do now that he was living with them.

He simply replied with set things right.