Chapter 26
Will
He never expected that leaving Van Buren would end up bittersweet.
It was supposed to be a straightforward event, with no regrets or hesitations.
Perhaps he should be grateful that his last memories of this town aren’t all bad.
Without the danger from the mayor, Nate, or the sheriff, he got a taste of what his life could have been like if things were different.
He can see himself eventually getting used to this version of living here, but Owen was right in understanding that he can never truly be happy if he stays. Too many memories and too many scars.
It takes about a week for Will to put his house on the market and strike an agreement with Bradley regarding the management of his business.
Since Will has the license and the equipment, Bradley will be the official manager, with Will getting a reasonable cut.
Once he finds something new to do, he’ll transfer everything to Bradley as the sole owner.
There are many dinners to attend during their last week, with Sheryl, Francie, and the few friends Will is going to miss. He finds it interesting that not a single one tries to convince him to stay, as if his leaving was always a matter of time.
His truck is packed with his belongings, though Owen’s parents’ house should be fully furnished.
Will locks his house for the last time with Owen standing next to him.
He grew up in this small place with Julie and their mom, and the three of them shared some wonderful moments before things went south.
When they turn around to get into the truck, a police car enters their line of sight, climbing up the road.
Regardless of the current situation between Will and the local police force, years of animosity and abuse aren’t going to simply go away. He tenses even though he’s safe. Owen rubs his back in reassurance without a single word needing to be spoken.
The sheriff parks and climbs out. “Morning, boys. I was worried I’d miss you.” He glances at the truck. “Seems like you’re ready to go. Mind giving me a minute of your time, Will?”
That was another thing he needed to get used to—hearing his name coming from this man’s mouth without it dripping with disdain. “Okay.”
“I’ll wait in the truck,” Owen says and walks down the porch, shaking the sheriff’s hand before he enters the driver’s seat.
The sheriff climbs the stairs and faces Will, holding his hat close to his chest. “Must be a hell of a day for you.”
Will nods. “It is, but a bit more complicated than I thought.”
“I can imagine. Be sure to be available in case the attorney needs more information.”
“I’ll be available.” Though he already told them every little detail multiple times.
One thing he definitely won’t miss is the nagging reporters asking for an interview or a quote.
He tried to stay away from the news, but he did see familiar faces in orange uniforms, shackled in a courthouse.
The mayor’s photo hit especially hard, with the man looking ten years older.
The sheriff glances around, clearly uncomfortable. He came to visit Will at the hospital a few times, but their conversations were short.
“We should be going,” Will says.
The sheriff nods. “I… wish you luck.” He meets his eyes, and for a moment, he’s no longer the man who has made Will’s life so difficult for almost five years.
He’s an old man who has lost his family and is tired of looking for someone to blame.
“It’s not easy for me to say, but I wish you never met my Joel.
You deserved more than what he was capable of giving; God bless his troubled heart.
I saw the evil in his eyes, but I couldn’t accept it.
Hell, I’ll never accept it. He will always remain my little Joel. ”
Will looks away, caught off guard. He can’t imagine what it must take for a father to admit something like that about his son. “I loved your son very much, until I couldn’t anymore. But I’m going to move on now—from him and from this place. Thank you for coming to say goodbye.”
They shake hands before Will enters the passenger seat. He exhales, the tension slowly leaving his muscles. Owen asks, “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I appreciate him coming. Do you mind if I drive for a while?” He wants to be the one behind the wheel when he leaves Carter County behind. It’s how he always imagined it.
They climb out and switch seats as the sheriff’s car disappears from sight. Sitting behind the wheel, Will drives down the dirt road, giving his house a final look in the rearview mirror.
“Let me know when you need to switch,” Owen says as he browses through his CD folder.
Will drives past his old school and other places around town that were part of his life since childhood. He sees familiar faces on every street, because everyone here is familiar, for better or for worse.
As they’re about to drive past the town’s southern border, Owen taps Will’s leg. “Look.”
He slows to a stop and turns his head toward the gas station to their left. He squints until he sees what Owen meant. His guts twitch, but he reminds himself that the man who’s wearing the dirty gray uniform and pumping gas isn’t going to mess with his life anymore.
He almost says how the mighty have fallen, but Nate was never mighty, just a sad little man with a wicked heart and a twisted mind.
The only mighty thing about him was the chaos he caused and the damage he left behind.
The whole town now knows what he did to Joel and how he had more to do with his suicide than anyone else.
Will has a feeling Sheryl was the one to spread the word.
Nate is now facing the same shit that Will had endured for years, and there’s justice in that.
Nate finishes serving his customer and lifts his head. He spots their truck from the other side of the road. For a moment, he’s startled, then he waves goodbye.
Will has no remorse for that man, but he still wishes for him to find peace and sanity, though he doubts it can ever happen.
He presses down on the gas and continues to drive away from Van Buren.
This time, he doesn’t look back.
THE END