The Ending They Should've Gotten - Monty and Winston

Part 22

Monty hadn't stopped walking. He felt the need to get as far away from Winston as possible. He kept on going until he ended up in a part of the courthouse he didn't recognize. There were shelves of books along the walls and a large table in the middle of the room. It reminded Monty of a library.

Moving forward, he quickly sat down in one of the many chairs by the table and started thinking.

Winston can't love me. He just can't.

The more he thought, the more he began to question himself. Why was he so afraid of Winston loving him? Was it because he felt so unfamiliar with the idea of it? Or was it because he knew deep down he loved him too?

Just as soon as Monty thought his head would explode from thinking too much, he heard soft footsteps approaching him and looked up.

His eyes widened, "Mrs. Walker?"

"Monty." Was all she said as she walked closer and sat down in the chair beside him.

The room was painfully silent. Monty kept waiting for Mrs. Walker to say something, but she didn't. She only stared at the floor, seemingly unbothered by the quiet.

"How are you doing?" Monty asked, not sure what else to say.

Mrs. Walker crossed her legs and pushed her hair behind her ears, "You're the one who just went through a trial and you're asking me how I'm doing?"

Monty shrugged slightly, "I don't know."

Mrs. Walker sighed, "Then just listen to what I have to say, alright?"

She waited until Monty nodded in agreement, before continuing, "Back when I heard they were closing Bryce's case, I was angry. But not for what you'd think. I was angry because I knew that they convicted the wrong person."

Monty glanced up in surprise, but didn't say anything.

"I wanted so desperately to believe it was you, but I knew in my heart that it wasn't. I just needed peace. So I didn't say anything and I didn't argue when the police told me the case was closed."

Monty heard her sniffle and realized she was crying. He didn't know what to do in this kind of situation, so he just sat there looking down at his feet, hands clasped in front of him.

"I couldn't begin to express how terrible I feel about all of this. I'm so sorry, I can't imagine what you've been through."

Monty was in shock. How could she be apologizing to him?

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Mrs. Walker. I'm sorry that I wasn't a better friend to him before..." Monty felt tears roll down his face and realized, much to his horror, he was also crying. He put a hand over his mouth to try and stifle the sounds.

"Monty, please don't apologize. It's not your fault." Mrs. Walker said when she saw him crying.

Monty shook his head. It's all my fault, he thought.

"I'm so sorry." Monty sobbed, not listening. Mrs. Walker shifted her chair and pulled him into her arms, letting Monty cry.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay." Mrs. Walker kept repeating, trying to calm him down.

A few minutes later, Monty pulled away and rubbed his hands down across his face, "Sorry about that." He said, embarrassed.

"What did I say about apologizing?" She reminded him, teasingly.

He chuckled slightly, "Thanks, Mrs. Walker."

She shook her head, "Call me Nora."

Monty nodded, "Okay, Nora." The name sounded weird to Monty, always having referred to her as the more proper title.