"Opal, sweetheart. Tell us where you are?" I hear my moms voice coming through the phone. I hold my breath, "Opal, it's okay. You can talk to me." I hear her soft, soothing voice. I pull the phone away from me. I hear her muffled pleads and I hang up the phone. Sometimes hearing her voice helps me get through everything.
I walk out of the phone booth, and walk the five minute walk back home. No one knows I found this old public phone and I come here at least once every few weeks.
There are a few people tending to the front of the manor by the time I make it back and I see Avery telling them what to do and where to plant things.
"Where did you go?" She questions when she sees me walk in.
"Running." I quickly lie, she believes me and smiles.
"Good. Running is good." She nods and I give her a weird look.
"I'm sorry. I'm being weird." She shakes off the jitters. I let her continue, "Evan has just been acting weird." She says and I nod. "I've been a total bitch lately." She creases her nose. I nod agreeing to that. She snapped at me a couple of times the past few months.
"Do you know why?" I ask.
"No. He won't let me in." She sighs. "Men." She groans before walking inside. I laugh at her distress. I hear a car pulling up the long driveway and when I turn around, Joseph comes out of his car in his full suit.
I don't move as I stare at him, my smile falling. It's been six months since I've seen him.
He stares right at me, standing straight. His expression is serious, he slowly walks toward me and I slowly walk toward him. I stare at him, confused. I give him a questioning look and when I realize why he's here I look to the floor. He pulls me into a hug, his hand on my head as I stare at the ground, unable to cry.
"Nine weeks my ass." I try breaking the ice. We're sitting in the garden by a large water fountain. Joseph looks at me,
"You know he taught me how to shoot, he also got me into soccer. I always knew that no matter what trouble I got into, I knew he could get us out of any thing. If we both went down he'd be there with me." I turn to Joseph as tears stream down my face, he's looking up, remembering, "He was always there pushing me to be better, to be the best." We both smile,
"I remember him telling me you were a good shot." I cringe at my choice of words unable to look at him. " A good fighter." I look down, "I just wish he told me when he was leaving."
"He's always trying to protect everyone." He swallows hard. I slowly sigh out, letting him continue, "You know what? I look at myself in the mirror in this uniform and I still don't know who I am." He shakes his head, "I look like a hero, but I don't feel like it." He turns to me, "Sawyer..." Joseph pauses, "always looked the part, didn't he?" I try smiling but more tears start flowing out.
"I don't think he knows how to be anything else." I cover my mouth trying to keep my tears at bay, and lean into Jospeh's shoulder letting it all out. He places his arm around me, rubbing my back. Rain starts pouring down on us and Joseph pulls me to follow him. We find shelter in a shed far from the house. It's a wine cellar.
Joseph grabs a bottle of whisky and two shot glasses. He shakily pours both glasses full.
"To Sawyer Pierce." He looks at me, "The best doctor and best friend I ever knew." His eyebrows crease as he tries to hold in his tears, "or ever will know."
My eyes water as he raises his glass and he looks at me. "To Sawyer." He closes his eyes and drinks it. I do the same and down it. I don't know how to feel. There is no way he can be gone.
