Mark Van Der Brecken remained where he was for several minutes before he realized where he was. He had ended up sort of slumped in the corner of his apartment before he dropped the phone, the weight of Ian’s words seeping into his consciousness.

Just remembering the words that came after brought a wave of panic and nausea. He attempted to stand up and discovered his legs felt like they were made of rubber. He sat there and steadied his breath a moment before standing up and retrieving his cell phone.

Braddock, he had to tell him. How was he going to get in touch with him? Ian had little information about where Braddock would be. Seems he worked out a call schedule will Ivy instead of carrying a cell phone. “That works unless an emergency comes up” he muttered under his breath. He knew he wasn’t mad at his sister’s husband but angry with himself. He felt ill equipped to fulfil the role he had been dealt.

Mark knew as soon as Ian called, and told him something happened to Ivy, that he had let his anger cloud his judgment concerning his sister and her choice of husband. He had been so sure that David was a perfect match.

The thing that really surprised him was how Ivy reacted when he told her he wouldn’t be attending her wedding. She had teared up a little before looking at him defiantly and saying “You are nothing like Papa.”

He had missed the single most important event in his sister’s life. Ivy was right….”A lot would be different if Papa was still here…if only he was...”Mark thought to himself. With a renewed sense of purpose Mark found his legs and his keys. He was going to start at Jeanette’s Gym, there had to be someone in NYC would know where or how to contact James Braddock.