Eyewitness News

by Aiden Vaughan

  Eventually it was negotiated that Eileen would move up to the Silicon Valley and stay with Jonathan and Madeline for at least a year. That way a responsible adult would be around at all times. She would receive a monthly stipend for this from the Whatever Foundation, and would live rent free at their home. She would also be able to take classes at local community colleges to build up her job skills while she searched for new employment. She said it would take her about a month to get her affairs in order and move, but she would be able to be there just about the time that Madeline was scheduled to be released from the detoxification clinic.

  With the guardian issue resolved, Jason and Daniel then talked about other ways that they could help the Kowalski family rebuild their lives.

  “I want them to have a completely brand new start to their lives,” Jason stated. “I am going to have Mr. Wilkinson completely remodel their house, and then fill it with new furniture, clothing, and stock up the pantry with food. It will be like one of those television shows where all these people get together and build a new home for a needy family.”

  “And I want Jonathan to have the latest in musical equipment,” Daniel said with equal emphasis. “Everyone else in the band has gotten brand new gear and I want Jonathan to have the latest equipment also. Plus we can add a couple more saxophones to his collection!”

  The first step was to meet with Jeff Wilkinson. They went over to the now vacant Kowalski house and looked it over. The house itself was still okay and didn’t really need a redesign. Basically it needed a new bathroom and a number of build-ins like closets and shelves. The kitchen cabinets could use new doors, and the counters and floors in there needed to be replaced. He agreed to do the work on the Kowalski house and would fast track the building permit process. “It will be fun to do this project and then come home to an unsuspecting Jonathan. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when everything is finished at his house!”

  Jason had Mr. Williams research the property records. Williams discovered that back taxes were owed on the house. Jason immediately had the foundation pay them off so that there would be no liens against the property when the building permit for the remodel was submitted. They also hired a furniture store to remove all of the old beaten up and threadbare furniture now, and deliver a complete new set when the remodel was finished.

  Daniel went to work on the musical side of things. He had an instrument repairman look at Jonathan’s saxophone and clarinet and evaluate their condition. The repairman told Daniel that the clarinet was a quality instrument that could be repaired and adjusted. He also said that while Jonathan’s alto saxophone was adequate for a student, a serious musician should play on an instrument that met professional standards. Daniel and the repairman did a little shopping around and found a very high quality matched set of Selmer saxophones — alto, tenor and soprano — in a custom built travel ATA travel case for a very reasonable price. Jason then used foundation money to purchase them.

  The instrument repairman told Daniel that Jonathan would need reeds and a repair kit to keep his instruments in top shape. For $100 he put together a tackle box of tools, cork grease and other lubricants, cleaning brushes, and reeds for Jonathan to use in maintaining his new set of instruments.

  Daniel told Jason, “I can’t wait to see the look on Jonathan’s face when he sees these new instruments!”

  “I feel really good inside about this whole rehabilitation,” Jason replied. “Winfield Hunter, wherever you are, thank you for giving me the ability to help others. It is such an awesome feeling inside!”

  Chapter 31

  Nick’s Masterpiece

  (Monday, Six Weeks Later)

  School had started up again. While they missed the freedom of the summer break, Jason and his friends were soon immersed in school activities and class requirements. For Daniel, one of the best things about his classes this year was his jazz band class. His whole band was involved in the class. Eric, Nick, Tim and Daniel were the rhythm section, and Jonathan won the lead alto saxophone chair in the beginning of the year auditions. Every jazz band class was now like an extra rehearsal for his band, even if the music was different.

  Jason was pleased that Nick and Arthur, two new students on campus this year, were assimilated into the high school scene quite well. Arthur was successful in his tryout for the school soccer team. It wasn’t determined yet whether he would play on the varsity or junior varsity squad, but Arthur didn’t care. He loved playing soccer and now would have the chance to be on an organized team for the first time in his life.

  Any music teacher would be thrilled to have a student of Nick’s ability in their program and with the piano chair open in the jazz band, Nick was able to step right into the program. But Nick had more than just playing in the jazz band on his mind. Over the remainder of the summer and into Labor Day weekend, Nick had finally completed his Requiem for the Lost Children. Now he wanted to see if he could get it performed. Today after school Nick had an appointment with David Molinari, the Merriam High School instrumental music director and Lucas Moss, the Merriam High School choral director to show them the completed score.

  Jason and Daniel also wanted to be at the meeting to show their support for Nick. Jason wanted to express his backing by putting up foundation money to help sponsor a performance of the requiem. “After all it was partially my idea,” Jason said to Daniel when they were discussing it earlier. Daniel wanted to be there to vouch for Nick because he was new at the school or in case his teachers wanted to hear any of the vocals that he would be singing during a performance of the Requiem for the Lost Children.

  Any worries that Jason or Daniel might have had about Nick being nervous when presenting his composition were quickly erased as they listened to Nick. After all Nick was a seasoned performer and knew how to get his audience’s attention and then put on a show, even if the performance was only for two people.

  Nick began by describing how the Requiem for the Lost Children was an intensively personal project for him, and his way of coping with the horrible things that were done to him personally by the two predator criminals responsible for kidnapping and killing so many young children. “If it wasn’t for the intervention of my friend Jason, their fate would have been mine also. As I thought over and over about how lucky I was, and about the sad destiny of those other kids, I knew that I had to do something to somehow speak for them, because my life was spared. Jason encouraged me to make it a musical project, and for me that was the best way to express all of the very powerful emotions I felt from the darkest despair when I was kidnapped to the joy of freedom after I was rescued.

  “The form of the Requiem for the Lost Children had to be different from that of a traditional requiem based on the Latin mass,” Nick continued. “While that is a powerful form, it is more appropriate for someone who has led a long and normal life. I didn’t feel that the total structure of it was appropriate for the kids involved. They were innocents grabbed and put through a terrible ordeal. In the final days and weeks of their lives they were horribly abused and tortured. While some of them were street kids and none of them were saints, they went through a martyrdom as horrific as any saint had to endure.

  “So what I did was to incorporate some of the requiem mass forms but use the sound of the modern rock band as the voice for these kids. I then combined this with the choir and orchestra with large wind ensemble that is typical of many requiems.”

  Nick then went on to explain the work’s nine-part structure. Movements representing the young victims were a Prelude, describing the innocence and naivety of the kids before they were grabbed, a Lament, describing the despair and terror of the kids as they were held captive, a Song of the Lost Souls, expressing the lack of release for the murdered kids, whose souls were still floating through that cave and needing closure, and The Freedom Song, signifying that the spirits of the children were at last free from the horrors of their final days on earth, and could now rest in peace.

  Inserted between these
songs were movements from a traditional requiem mass including the Kyrie eleison, the traditional opening prayer, the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) which in Nick’s piece represented the death and murder of the kids, the Tuba mirum, that was a call for justice, the Rex tremendae, asking that these poor helpless children be saved for what they endured, and a Lux Aeterna, asking that everlasting light be shined on the souls of these kids so that they could now enter heaven.

  “In order to perform this work,” Nick summed up, “we would need the participation of the concert band, advanced choir, string orchestra, and the band that Daniel, Eric, Tim, Jonathan, and I perform in. Yes, it is quite an undertaking, but I think that since this music is in tribute to some very wronged kids, it would be appropriate for it to be performed by other kids.”

  David Molinari looked over at Lucas Moss and then back at Nick. “What you are presenting is quite extraordinary. In all of my years as a teacher and conductor, I don’t think I have ever had this kind of request before. What do you think, Lucas?” Mr. Moss nodded his head in agreement. “Just glancing at the score, I can tell that an incredible amount of work has gone into this project. Can you play us some of the music?”

  “Oh yes,” Nick replied. “I thought you would never ask!” Nick then sat down at the piano and played excerpts from the various movements. He had developed piano transcriptions of each movement, and what he couldn’t play on the piano he described. Everyone in the room was enthralled as they listened to the music and the two conductors studied the score.

  When Nick was finished playing, he turned around on the piano bench and looked back to where Mr. Molinari and Mr. Moss were sitting. “Well, what do you think?” Nick asked.

  Mr. Molinari responded by asking a question. “How long have you been studying music, Nick?”

  Nick thought about it for a moment, then responded, “I guess all of my life! I can’t ever remember when I didn’t have a piano around, and I have been taking lessons since I was in the second grade.”

  “Clearly that shows,” Mr. Molinari replied. “Very seldom have I ever seen such a mature piece of music come from a high school student. And nine movements in the form of a requiem? Incredible!”

  “I am in total agreement, David,” Mr. Moss responded. “I think we not only should perform this work, but that we have an obligation to perform it, given the significance it has for our community.”

  “Nick, we will need to discuss this with the administrators here at school, to deal with the scheduling and other logistics. But I think that both Mr. Moss and I want to perform this composition, so you can rest assured that we will!”

  Nick smiled his big smile. “That is terrific news, Mr. Molinari. I am thrilled that its premiere will be with the music program and musicians of Merriam High School!”

  Up until this moment, Jason and Daniel had been silent observers, watching very carefully what was going. Both Jason and Daniel had the same reaction as Nick, and they got up and applauded.

  “I want you to know that the Whatever Foundation is committed to this project also,” Jason said with exuberance in his voice. “We will be happy to cover any incidental costs that may come up! Just let me know what they are.”

  “Thank you for your kind offer, Jason,” Mr. Molinari answered. “I have appreciated your generosity in the past, and with our tight school budgets these days, I am sure we will eventually call on you!”

  “Mr. Molinari and Mr. Moss,” Daniel added, “I think that you will be very impressed with the quality of Nick’s work. He is one amazing musician, and I am honored that our band will be collaborating with you on this performance!”

  Later that week, Mr. Molinari met with the school administration, and when he explained the scope and significance of Nick’s composition, they agreed to schedule the performance in late October. The school then worked up a small press release so that the community would know about this special event. When the press release came out, Jason made sure that it was sent to the San Matthias paper as well as Jaime Orlando at station KHHT.

  * * * * *

  About two weeks later, the principal of Merriam High School called David Molinari into his office. “David, the school has been swamped with requests for tickets to this requiem event. We have already had over 1000 ticket requests, and you know our auditorium barely holds 800 people. We need to figure out some way to accommodate all of these requests or perhaps add performances.”

  “I think that the answer lies in finding a larger venue for the performance,” David replied. “Jason Hunter told me that his foundation would assist us in any incidental costs. Maybe we should get him involved. I will check with some of our larger theaters to see if we can have the performance at one of them.”

  After some checking around, David Molinari was able to secure the California Theater downtown for a single day that was free between engagements by the local symphony and opera companies. Jason’s foundation then put up the guarantees with the theater management. The California Theater could accommodate over 2500 people. The premiere of Nicolo Feraducci’s Requiem for the Lost Children was now becoming a big deal.

  The Merriam High School groups that were involved were already in rehearsal for their part of the music. Daniel and the Second Chance All Stars also stepped up their weekly band rehearsals to twice a week to make sure that they were prepared for their part of the performance.

  When it was announced that the Requiem for the Lost Children would be performed at the California Theater, ticket sales continued to grow within the Merriam High School community and in the Silicon Valley. A large contingent of people and dignitaries was planning to come up from San Matthias. Within two more weeks, the event was sold out!

  Chapter 32

  A Reunited Family

  (That Weekend)

  In addition to the announcement on Monday that Nick’s Requiem would be receiving its premiere performance, another important event in the life of a band member happened that weekend. Jonathan’s mother Madeline was being released from the Hope Falls Clinic after six weeks of rehabilitation to end her dependence on methamphetamines.

  After Jonathan completed his two weeks of observation and counseling in the New Horizons House, he was able to visit his mother for the first time since she had signed the admission papers. It was a very tearful reunion. Madeline Kowalski had had two sober weeks to contemplate the actions of her life over the past couple of years, and she now realized what she had put Jonathan through during those years. Worst of all was her memory of the last time she had seen Jonathan before he was kidnapped by Scott Brewster. She was so out of it, pursuing the euphoria of the meth rock she was smoking at the time, that she passively allowed Scott to take Jonathan without regard for the consequences.

  In the cold light of day, the thoughts of how she had abandoned her responsibilities to take care of and protect Jonathan were almost too much to bear. She was very worried that Jonathan would want to keep her at arms length because of what she had done or rather hadn’t done. When Madeline found out how Scott had attempted to make Jonathan a drug addict to keep him under control, she was mortified. Over and over he had begged her to seek help, and she had just blown these requests off. To keep them together as a family, Jonathan had taken a lot of abuse from Scott, but he had doggedly stuck with her, even though her actions were reprehensible.

  Madeline felt most guilty about those two and one half days of hell Jonathan had to endure at Scott’s cabin, chained to the bed like a dog, bound to a chair and gagged so he couldn’t resist or talk back to Scott when he was injecting him with liquid methamphetamines, slapped and verbally abused while she was oblivious to everything, high on drugs. If it wasn’t for Jonathan’s friends who had looked after him and were able to rescue him…Madeline literally shuddered when she thought of her son addicted to drugs and under Scott’s control! And it would have been all her fault!

  When Jonathan came into her room at the Hope Clinic for their first reunion since those horrible days, she hugged hi
m and begged for forgiveness. Tearfully she said, “I am so sorry that I have failed you as a mother. You were always so loyal to me, and I took it for granted. You acted like the responsible parent while I acted like a spoiled brat. I nearly destroyed your life while I was destroying mine! Can you ever forgive me?”

  Jonathan looked up at her and replied, “Are you off drugs now for good, Mom? Will you work to become like your old self, the loving mother I used to know?”

  “Oh yes, Jonathan! I can never go back to that degenerate life again! I want to spend my time now trying to make it up to you. You have been terribly wronged and now I want to make things right again if you will let me.”

  “In that case, Mom, I forgive you!” Jonathan affirmed. “You are the only real family I have any more and I don’t want to lose you, despite what happened. But you are right about one thing. We have to establish a new life style.”

  As the weeks went by Jonathan and Madeline talked about the changes that would happen when she was released from the clinic. Madeline told Jonathan that she had all kinds of plans to decorate and remodel their house, and wanted to get into cooking homemade meals again. She said that she was now capable of holding down a job, and would start looking as soon as she was released from the clinic. “But most of all, I want to be there for you, Jonathan, as long as you need me. I want to make up for all of those years where you were neglected. I want you to feel at ease and happy at home. I want you to fill it with your music and I want you to feel comfortable bringing your friends over any time! No more drug parties and low life boy friends to embarrass you and make your life miserable!”

  Jonathan told his mother that he had received a $1000 check from his father, and that really helped him get over the edge. “Now I have money for all of those little things that I had to do without and also money for food and clothing. Most of it I am saving for when I go back to school. Dad also said to tell you how happy he was that you were in rehabilitation and not on drugs anymore.”