A River Flows Through Us

Not Enough Time...

Knox's POV

I was looking around the Evans living room, filled with pictures. I'd never had that as a kid. I only have one picture with my mother, that I keep in secret. This is what a family looks like. There's a picture on the wall of two little girls laughing in a field of flowers. At first I thought it to be Grace and Lizzy, but one of the girls had wildly crazy strawberry red hair, and the other with dark brown hair.

As I took another step, right next to it was the same picture, but with a small little blonde, holding up a peace sign, and a tiny brunette laughing. I smiled. I knew this one was Grace and Lizzy. They both looked so happy. So beautiful.

There's another picture of Robert and the red head, who is much older now standing in front of a christmas tree, holding a baby.

Then above that is a picture at Grace and Lizzy's graduation, both of them in caps and gowns, sitting on Henry, Jax, Willie, and Kaden's shoulder, Lizzy and Grace are waving there hands with the diplomas in there hands.

I turned around to see a picture of a younger Grace sitting on the red heads lap. Grace was smiling to the camera, and the red head was kissing Grace's face. As I looked closer I saw Grace was holding a small baby wrapped in a pink blanket.

Next to that is a cluster of pictures, in one wooden frame. One of a small Kaden eating a blue berry next to a green bush. Then a small Henry, Jax, and Willie, all holding up buckets above there heads that read 'Joes Blueberry Patch'. There a picture of a small blonde walking away from the camera, holding the hand of a taller red headed woman. Then next to that was a picture of young Grace swinging on a swing, next to a young Lizzy. Both of them looking at there brothers in front of them, who looked to be trying to grab there feet.

        I moved on to see a picture of Willie and Grace dressed up, I could tell they were going to prom by the way they were standing. The classic prom pose. Grace was wearing a maroon dress and Willie's tux matched. Then next to that was them two being silly. Willie had his arms up showing his guns, and Grace was squat down pointing to the camera. I smiled looking at this one.

           There was a bigger picture of the red head woman, wearing a beautiful white dress. She was walking away from the camera, but looking back to it smiling. The person taking the picture was holding her hand. With a beautiful sunset behind them.

          "That's Sarah." James said who was standing behind me. I didn't even know he was here.

         "Who?" I say, looking over to him.

         "Grace's mom." He said, I just nodded.

         After a few moments I said "She was beautiful."

       "Yeah," James said "Just not the way you see Grace." I chuckled and nodded knowing he was right.

         "No one comes close to her." I say.

      "Then why don't you tell me why Katrina shows up, not even 3 days of us staying here, saying she's your girlfriend." James said. I couldn't help but start to feel anger towards my best friend, my brother. As if I had control over what would happen.

      "Jimmy it's hard to explain," I say Moving to sit down on the couch. "I made a deal with the producers for the movie, in order to get the part."

        "So y'all are together?" James said.

        "What no," I say. "I don't like her like that. Not the way I like Grace anyways."

       "Then why say yes?" James said, moving to sit down on the other couch. "And why not tell Grace about it?" He added.

        "Because I don't have a choice, I have to get this movie." I say getting irritated. "I know I should have told Grace, but things are more complicated then that. If I don't do this I could lose this movie deal."

        "Okay then." James said shortly, standing up to leave.

        "Wait, we're are you going?" I ask.

        "To find my best friend." He yelled. I was alittle taken aback by his words. "I don't have a choice" he used quotations around what I said. "Man lately that's been your answer to everything. When it's your life, so it's your choice."

         "You just don't understand-" I was cut off by James yelling at me.

         "Man what don't I understand?" He said. "Your in love with a girl who for some unknown reason is crazy about your ugly dumbass, and instead of being with her, you fucked it up because you want a part in a stupid movie? When we started this, you said you loved music. That it's for the next song your gonna sing. So tell me what does a movie matter?"

       "I don't have a choice!" I yelled out frustrated.

        "Yes you do!" He yelled back. "Man whatever, I'm not letting your dumbass ruin my chances with Lizzy. So i'm sorry but your on your own with this one." He walked out the house.

          I let out a breathe. It was unusual for us to disagree, but that didn't make it easier to fight with him.

        "Well that's was harsh." Said Robert, who was standing in the door frame, which lead to the bedrooms.

          "You heard that?" I say.

         "Thin walls." He said walking over to sit on the couch that James was just sitting on.

        "Please don't tell me I have a choice." I say closing my eyes and resting my head on the back of the couch.

         "Fine I won't. But I will say this, my wife is dead." He said.

        "What?" I say sitting up and opening my eyes.

       "Yep she's gone. As in no more do overs, no more im sorry, no more I love you, no more anything." Robert said.

        "I'm sorry." I say. I couldn't imagine what it's like for him.

       "I'm pulling this card to say I don't know who's dead for you," He said looking into what felt like my soul. "but the love of my life is gone, now you and Gracie are very much alive, and breathing, and probably driving each other crazy. So you can tell me how much the world doesn't give you a choice, when the truth is there just isn't enough," He started to choke up. "there will never be enough time with the people you love. And I think you know that. Hell I would give anything to be you right now. To be able to have my wife upset with me, to argue with her, to apologize one more time. I mean I would give anything to do those things, anything."

        Taking a break and looking away, then back to me. He continued "I mean ill never understand what Grace see in you but that girl is in love with you. We can all see it. And the secret to life is that there is no reason in the world to not be with the person that you love."

       I knew he was right. I wished I could fix things between me and Grace, but I didn't think that's possible. "Then how do I fix it? I mean even if Katrina wasn't around, I ruined her shoes, that were really important to her." I say.

         "Grace is just like her mother, it might take sometime but she will come around, she loves full heartily, and so deeply that she can't stop." He said.

        "And what if she doesn't? What am I supposed to do?" I ask.

       "Something I learned after being married for 25 years is women love words." Robert said. "Tell her anything and everything that you feel for her. She will listen. Regardless if she's mad at you, she will still listen."

       "Okay." I said feeling a little hopeful.

       "And as far as the shoes go," Robert said stand up and walking into the kitchen. "Well I have an idea for that one."