AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll do the honors,” Lawrence offers. “You catch up with your friend.” As they head upstairs, I hear the two of them making fart noises.
“Guess that solves the mystery of where he learned that behavior.”
“Ice cream, Wes?” Janelle is making two bowls before he has a chance to answer. “Ethan and Lawrence just made it today.”
“Thank you, Janelle. And thank you for dinner. The chicken was delicious.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Come on, Wes, we’ll sit out on the deck.”
I look over and watch as he takes it all in. A few sandhill cranes fly in formation close to the surface of the water, and the sunset has given the sky a pinkish hue. When you see it every day you forget how spectacular it is. I settle into my chair, struck by a feeling of contentment. This is nice. Having a friend is nice.
“This is some view.”
“We sit out here and have desert every night when it’s warm enough. Ethan loves playing out here with the dog. It tires him out before bed.”
“He’s adorable, Charlie.” He takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “You’re doing a great job. I hope you know that.”
“He’s the best thing in my life. And thank you for saying that. Sometimes I question everything I do and just pray I’m not screwing up too much.”
We eat this amazing blueberry ice cream in companionable quiet for the next few minutes. As I scrape the last bit from my bowl, I work up the nerve to ask, “So what’s the real story behind the career change and the move?”
“The part about law enforcement not being my true calling isn’t a lie. I never loved my job. But after you confronted me about Timmy, about my part in all that…It just left me with a lot to think about.”
He puts his bowl down on the deck and sits back, fixing his gaze over the water. “I’m not a good person, Charlotte.”
“Wes—”
“Let me speak,” he says quietly. “I’m not going to walk into the precinct and turn myself in, tell them my part in everything or tell them I lied for Christian. Timmy is dead. Nothing is going to bring him back. I’m just trying to move on and live my life as best I can.”
“I would never want you to do that. I know you, Wes, so I know you’ve punished yourself for what happened. I’d never want you to go to prison.”
“Timmy should never have gone to prison either. Maybe we didn’t kill him outright, but we all had a hand in his death.”
I don’t contradict him because it’s true. I feel for him, but he has to live with what he’s done.
“I don’t talk to your brother anymore.” He pauses and traps one hand with the other like he’s trying to control his fist when he speaks again. “I was always in his shadow growing up…All of us were. We treated him like he was a golden god or something…So pathetic.” He shakes his head, the regret etched on his face. “And now every time I think about him, I have a hard time remembering the good kid, the friend he was when we were young. Somewhere along the way he turned mean, and he doesn’t show any signs of changing.”
I’m not surprised by his words, but they sadden me. In a way, Wes was Christian’s conscience, the only person who called him on his bullshit. If Wes has given up on him, then it’s as bad as I thought. “I get it.”
“He’s not a positive influence in my life. And while it pains me to know I’m losing him as a friend, I’m willing to accept it for what it is. I’m moving on.”
I nod, reaching out to take Wes’s hand. We have a long history. And without question, there is far more good to our story than bad.
“So, the reason I drove all the way out here.” He looks at me and then looks away. He’s nervous. “I couldn’t just up and leave town without talking to you…Didn’t want to risk the chance of never seeing you again. You know I’ve always cared about you. And I think you also know that at some point that caring turned into something more.”
“Wes.” It comes out sounding like a warning. I want him to stop before he says too much, but he’s not having it.
“I’d be missing out on, who knows, maybe the best chance at happiness I’ll ever have if I left and never spoke my truth to you. And the truth is I’ve loved you even when I shouldn’t have, and I love you still. Your baby,hisbaby…You know I would love him like my own.”
I’m dumbstruck. Wes stands, tall and unburdened. “I’m going to leave now. I don’t want to pressure you. I just want you to know that you have a place to go, a person who wants you, and someone who’s willing to make a good life for you.”
He leans down and kisses me on the cheek before I hear him close the screen door behind him. I hear him thank Janelle. Hear him say he’s going to get some miles behind him before he stops for the night. I hear him say his goodbyes to Lawrence and listen as Ethan lets out a happy yelp when Wes does something to make him laugh.
I’ve been sitting there for some time before Janelle and Lawrence come outside. Lawrence hands me a cup of tea as Janelle places a piece of paper in my other hand. “He left this for you.” It’s a phone number and his new address. “That boy is in love with you.”
Nothing else is said as the three of us sit and watch the sky turn from pink to purple to midnight blue.
