Luke stared inside the safe. There were several piles of money, mostly bundles of £50 notes. His Mother’s diamond necklace in its Tiffany box was there too. Luke felt hot and he realised he was holding his breath. He backed away from the open safe and sat down in his Father’s leather chair. Should he do it? Luke began to have doubts. The phone rang making Luke jump. He picked up the receiver.
“Luke its Mum, I’m in LA just thought I’d ring to check you are OK?” Her voice sounded so distant.
“Yes, Mum I’m fine. We had a fire drill at school and one of the….”
“That’s nice dear, must go, see you next week” Mum had interrupted him, she hadn’t even heard what he said.
The phone went dead. “Bye Mum” Luke put the receiver down.
In that split second his mind was made up. He leapt up from the chair and went into his bedroom, shucking his school uniform as he went. He grabbed his holdall from the cupboard and began stuffing clothes inside. It took him about 10 minutes to fill his bag. He then took his backpack and emptied the contents onto his bed. The books fell into a heap; normally he would have put them in neat piles but not today. Luke went back into his Father’s study and started to empty the contents of the safe into his backpack. He counted how many bundles he put in and then did a quick mental sum to work out that he had £900,000. He was a little stunned at first and then hardening his heart he did the bag up quickly and shut the safe. Luke then collected his holdall and went downstairs.
Should he leave a note? Would they miss him? Probably not. He headed for the front door. As he shut it he realised that he would probably never see this house again.
The airport was busy. Lots of people rushing around, queuing, meeting friends – Luke felt lonely. He held his backpack a little tighter. Where should he go first? He looked around him, Australia sounded good, lots of open spaces. He made up his mind and headed for the Quantas desk.
The girl behind the desk looked at him through heavily mascaraed eyes “Can I help you?” Her Australian accent just coming through.
“Yes, I’d like a one-way ticket to Sydney, please.” Luke heard himself say.
The girl punched away at a small keyboard. “The next flight is at 19.58 and the cost will be £1,546 for economy.”
Luke suddenly felt very bold “First Class please”
The girl looked a little shocked, punched a few more keys and then announced with a smirk “£3,657”
Luke opened his backpack and pulled out three bundles of notes and then counted out a further fourteen £50 notes.
The girl’s mouth fell open at first but then quickly recovering her composure she keyed in and said “Smoking or Non-smoking, and do you have your passport please?”
“Non-smoking please” Luke said as he handed over his passport. He waited whilst she finalised the transaction, gave him back his change and then his ticket and passport. “Please wait in the departure lounge and listen for the flight, have a nice time.” Luke took all the paperwork and turned to thank her but she had moved to the next customer.
Luke went through to the Departure Lounge and waited until his flight was called. He then boarded the plane.
The flight was long but Luke was tired and tried to sleep. A small child was getting grumpy across the gangway and kept Luke awake but finally the Captain announced that they would be landing for refuelling in Singapore. Their stopover would be around three hours and Quantas asked any passengers who are flying on to Sydney to stay within the airport complex.
Once refuelled and the passengers reloaded the plane took off again bound for Sydney.
Luke looked through the aircraft window and saw sights he had only seen on the TV and in magazines; the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Opera House and the tall buildings in downtown Sydney. The sun was shining and Luke was excited.
Once through customs and out of the airport Luke felt a little awestruck. Just what was he going to do now? He realised he could do anything, he had the cash why not enjoy it. He hailed a taxi “The best hotel in Sydney please” He said to a bemused taxi driver.
The next day, after dining on steak and salad the previous night and having the biggest breakfast he had seen, Luke decided that he must make a plan of what he would do now.
He sat at the table next to the view over Sydney Harbour and pondered. He could go into the outback and try his and at sheep rearing, no he didn’t like animals very much. He could go up to Darwin – no too hot and humid. Luke sat and thought, he really ought to do something exciting, after all that was why he was here – wasn’t it? Finally, after a couple of hours, Luke made up his mind, he would go to New Zealand and then on to South America and work his way up to the USA. It didn’t matter how long it took him.
So after checking out of the hotel and having a final look at Sydney, Luke made his way to the airport. “New Zealand here I come” thought Luke.
Back in the UK Luke’s parents, Sean and Heather were just about to realise that their son had left them. Heather arrived home at the end of the week to find a pile of letters on the mat, the milk off in the fridge and Luke no where to be found. She tried to call him on his mobile, the number was not responding. She went upstairs and found the safe open and all the money missing – she was convinced that they had been burgled but how on earth did they get in and out without opening any windows or doors? The only thing she could do was to call Sean in Saudi, may be Luke had gone out there to see his Father?
“No, love not seen hide nor hair of Luke – what’s happened?” Sean asked when Heather phoned him.
“Sean, I don’t know how to tell you this but all the money in the safe has gone and so has Luke” Heather was almost in tears.
The phone went dead.
A tall, handsome man walked into the office of LGC Inc in New York City. His suit was definitely Armani and his shoes were the best italian leather.
“Good morning Sir,” the young receptionist obviously knew the distinguished gentleman. “How are you today?”
“Good morning, Susy. It’s a beautiful day and I am fine” the handsome man replied and continued down the hallway to a set of double doors. On the outside of one of the doors was a brass plaque that said “Luke Green – President”.
“Good morning Mr Green” an older lady rose from her desk outside these doors and followed Luke through them. “You have a 10.30 appointment with Mr Takimoto and then lunch at 1pm with your Wife and finally your daughter has a ballet recital at 5.30.”
“Thank you Joan, where would I be without you?” Luke had reached his desk and was flicking through the pile of papers. “Is Mr Takimoto bringing his colleagues for this meeting this morning? If so, could you arrange for coffee to be served around 11.” Luke looked up and smiled at Joan.
“Of course Mr Green” Joan scribbled a note on her pad and left shutting the door behind her.
Luke looked out of the 20th storey expanse of a window onto the very heart of New York. He remembered when he had arrived here no more than 10 years ago after travelling around the world. He had always managed to keep one step ahead of his parents, perhaps they had given up by now. When he became successful he had started to send £100,000 periodically back to his parents direct to the bank accounts. At least then he was repaying them for taking the money in the first place.
Now he had a multi-million dollar computer corporation, a beautiful wife and two wonderful children. He always made sure that he was home each night to spend time with his children and his wife. Not like his childhood, a lonely boy with parents who barely knew he existed.
A knock on the door broke his daydream. “Come” Luke turned back to his desk. Joan entered the room, she was slightly flustered. It wasn’t like her she was normally so serene.
“What’s the problem Joan?”
“Mr Green, there is a couple here to see you, they don’t have an appointment but they insist on seeing you. I have told them that you are a busy man but they are very insistent.”
“OK Joan, who are they?” Luke felt slightly uncomfortable.
“A Mr and Mrs Gray, shall I show them in?”
Luke nodded and turned to face the window again. Joan closed the door behind her.
A few moments later the door opened again and Joan announced “Mr and Mrs Gray, Mr Green”.
Luke didn’t turn round immediately but heard the couple’s footsteps getting closer, when the footsteps stopped he turned. His heart skipped a beat, he knew that this day would come eventually but he had hoped it would be better prepared for it. Taking a deep breath he said:
“Can I help you?”
“We think….” Started Mrs Gray, but stopped suddenly.
“We think you are our lost son.” Mr Gray finished, rushing the sentence out.
“Why would you think that Mr…. er Gray, is it?” Luke was calm on the outside but he could feel his adrenalin rushing around his body.
“We have been receiving money from this company into our bank account for around 9 months now” Mr Gray continued. “We know that our son took £900,000 from us 16 years ago and funnily enough that is exactly the amount that has been paid back. Perhaps you explain yourself.”
“Mr Gray if you have been lucky enough to receive that kind of money from this company then I cannot ask you to pay it back – as for being your son I am afraid that my parents died when I was a teenager, what little I saw of them mostly away leaving me to fend for myself. Well I have fended for myself over the years and have made a success of my life. I have a beautiful wife and children. I am sorry that you have lost your son, but I lost my parents all those years ago too. Now I am sorry but I do have an important meeting to attend so I wish you good day.” Luke walked straight past his parents and out the doors, past Joan and Susy on reception. Down in the elevator and onto the busy New York street without a glance back. He walked and walked until he was in the centre of Central Park. There he found a park bench and sat down. He realised he was shaking. He looked at his watch and reached for his mobile phone. He telephoned the office. Joan answered. “Cancel Mr Takimoto, Joan making my humblest apologies, I am going to spend the rest of the day with my family.”
“Yes sir.”
Luke switched off his mobile and went back to the edge of the park, hailed a yellow cab and went home.