I KNOW THE END

16

Act Two: Chapter One,September 11th, 2023

THE PARKER RESIDENCE

GRACE

I sat at the kitchen table, my hands trembling as I wrapped them around my mug of coffee. The events of last night played over and over in my mind, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. My dad—standing in the doorway, looking older, worn down, yet somehow still the same man who had shattered our lives years ago. I could still see the look in his eyes, pleading, desperate for something I wasn't sure any of us could give.

Forgiveness. Trust. A second chance.

The house was silent, but the weight of everything unsaid between William and me hung in the air. He hadn't come out of his room all morning. Maybe he was processing it in his own way—simmering with anger, or lost in the same sea of confusion I was drowning in.

I took a shaky breath and glanced at the clock. It was early, too early for this conversation, but I knew we couldn't avoid it forever. I stood up, steeling myself, and made my way to William's room. I knocked gently on the door.

"Will?" I called softly. "Can we talk?"

There was a long pause before I heard him mutter, "Come in."

I opened the door to find him sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. His face was pale, his eyes red-rimmed. He looked like he hadn't slept, and honestly, I couldn't blame him. I hadn't either.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, his voice flat, almost devoid of emotion.

"Last night," I said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. "Dad."

William flinched at the mention of him, his fists tightening in his lap. "What about him?"

"I don't know," I said honestly, sinking onto the edge of the bed. "I just... I don't know what to think."

"What's there to think about, Grace?" he snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. "He left us. He broke this family. And now he thinks he can just show up and everything will be fine?"

"I'm not saying everything's fine," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "But he's out now, Will. He's not in jail anymore. What do we do with that?"

William stood up, pacing the small room. "I don't know. But I'm not ready to just welcome him back with open arms."

"I'm not saying we should," I said quickly. "But he's our dad, Will. We need to figure out how to deal with this, together."

He stopped pacing, his hands raking through his hair. "I just... I don't know if I can ever trust him again, Grace. I don't know if I even want to."

I didn't have an answer for that. Trust had been shattered in our family long ago, and I wasn't sure if it could ever be fully rebuilt. But one thing was clear—we couldn't ignore this. Our dad was back, and whether we liked it or not, he was part of our lives again.

"I think we need to talk to him," I said after a long pause. "Not today, maybe not even tomorrow, but eventually. We need answers. We need closure."

William looked at me, his expression conflicted. "What if the answers aren't what we want to hear?"

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of that question settle over me. "Then at least we'll know."

THE DRIVEWAY

Later that afternoon, I found myself sitting on the front steps, staring down the driveway. Every car that passed made my heart race, half-expecting to see my dad pull up again. I wasn't ready for that—not today.

The sun was beginning to set when I heard the crunch of tires on the gravel. I tensed, but instead of my dad's old car, it was William's. He parked and climbed out, slamming the door shut with more force than necessary. His face was stormy, and I knew something had happened.

"Where were you?" I asked as he walked toward me.

"Went to clear my head," he muttered, sitting down beside me.

We sat in silence for a while, the tension between us thick. I wanted to ask if he'd thought more about our dad, if he'd come to any conclusions, but I didn't push. He was clearly still on edge.

"I ran into Cleo," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. "She asked about Dad. Word's already spreading that he's out."

Of course it was. In a small town like ours, news traveled fast, and everyone knew about our family's history. The moment Dad was released, it was only a matter of time before the whispers started. I felt my stomach churn at the thought.

"And what did you tell her?" I asked quietly.

William shrugged, his gaze distant. "That I didn't know what to feel. Because I don't."

I nodded, understanding. Neither of us knew what to feel, or what to do. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control, and we were barely holding on.

THE UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

Just as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, I heard a car pull up to the curb. My breath caught in my throat, and I turned to see an old, familiar car—one that hadn't been parked in front of our house in years.

It was him.

Our dad stepped out, looking hesitant, his hands in his pockets. He didn't walk up to us right away. He just stood there, as if waiting for some kind of permission to come closer.

William stood up, his body tense. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk," our dad said, his voice calm but edged with something—fear, maybe, or uncertainty.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about," William said coldly.

I stood too, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me. I didn't know what to say, but I knew this confrontation was inevitable.

"I just want to explain," Dad continued, taking a step closer. "I know I can't undo what I've done, but I need you to understand why."

"Why?" William's voice rose, his anger bubbling to the surface. "Why you ruined our family? Why you left us to pick up the pieces while you were locked away?"

"I didn't have a choice—"

"You always had a choice!" William shouted, his fists clenched. "You just didn't care enough to make the right one!"

The tension was unbearable, like the air itself was charged with electricity. I felt a lump forming in my throat, watching my brother and father face off like this.

"I cared," Dad said softly, his voice cracking. "I cared more than you'll ever know. But I made mistakes. I'm trying to make up for them now."

William turned away, shaking his head. "It's too late."

With that, he stormed inside, leaving me standing there alone with our dad. The silence between us was deafening, and I didn't know how to fill it.

"I'm sorry, Grace," he whispered, his eyes filled with regret.

"I know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But sorry might not be enough."

He nodded, as if he understood that all too well. Then, without another word, he turned and walked back to his car, leaving me standing in the fading light.

I didn't know what was going to happen next, but one thing was certain—our family would never be the same again.

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