Oakley and Mia went to the police station to turn themselves in for their involvement in the fire that had taken Billy's life. The officers listened as they recounted the events leading up to the fire, and they were both arrested on charges of arson and manslaughter.
Oakley found himself sitting in a jail cell, feeling numb and overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. He had never imagined that his life would take such a dark turn. He couldn't believe that he had been a part of something so terrible.
Days turned into weeks, and Oakley's life had become a routine of being shuffled around from court hearings to meetings with lawyers. He felt like a shell of himself, lost in a sea of guilt and despair.
One day, Oakley received a visitor. It was Billy's mother. She had come to speak to him about her son and the impact that his death had had on their family.
At first, Oakley was hesitant to speak to her, feeling like he was the last person who deserved to have a conversation with her. But he knew that he needed to face the consequences of his actions and try to make things right.
"Mrs. Cooper," Oakley said as she sat down across from him.
"Oakley," she replied, her eyes filled with tears. "I wanted to talk to you about Billy. He was a troubled boy, but he had a good heart. He didn't deserve what happened to him."
Oakley felt a lump form in his throat. "I know, Mrs. Cooper. And I'm so sorry for what I did. I never meant for anyone to get hurt."
"I believe you," she said, her voice filled with compassion. "And I don't blame you for what happened. But I do hope that you can learn from this and find a way to make things right."
Oakley nodded, feeling grateful for her understanding. "I will, Mrs. Cooper. I promise."
As she got up to leave, she paused and looked back at him. "Oakley, I want you to know that I forgive you. And I hope that one day, you can forgive yourself too."
Oakley watched as she left, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He knew that he still had a long way to go in terms of making things right, but he felt like he had been given a small ray of hope.
As he sat there in his cell, Oakley made a decision. He was going to use his love for art as a way to give back to the community and make amends for his mistakes. He didn't know how he was going to do it yet, but he knew that he had to try.
With that thought in mind, Oakley closed his eyes and began to sketch. He felt like he was starting to find his way back to himself again, one stroke of the pencil at a time.
