Page 26 of The Love We Deny
“I am?”
“Tilt it.”
“How’s he doing?” Frank asks, once he helps me angle my wrist the right way, leaning against the fence.
“He’s doing alright. I’ve got him helping out at the practice while we’re looking for work.” Not exactly the truth anymore, but something in me doesn’t want to tell Frank about what happened. Still thinks we need to give Will a chance.
He makes a sound that says he doesn’t believe my opinion anyway.
“He’s trying.”
“Yeah, sure he is. Right up until things get hard and he ain’t no more.”
I set the tool down, finding him staring at the back deck where Will is standing with Joyce, too far away for us to hear what they’re saying. Addie is pushing Ollie on the swing set while he shoutshigher, higher.
He’s watching them with a smile on his face, and I think he actuallylaughsat something his mom says.
“He’s different this time,” I say, nodding toward him. I’ve never seen Will so open, regardless of his anger over the past.
“You say that now, but I know that boy.”
“I know him too.” I get back to work, even though I have no idea what I’m doing. “And I’m still saying it.”
Frank is quiet for a moment, watching his son with his wife, distrust in the lines of his forehead. “You’re really gonna defend him after everything he’s done?”
“Come on, Frank. He didn’t kill anybody. He made a mistake—”
He scoffs. “He made more thanamistake.”
That’s true. I know that. But I stand my ground, lining up another nail with unsteady hands. “People can change.”
“That much?”
“Frank.” I set the tool down again and turn to face him properly, to challenge him, something I never do. But I can’t forget Will’s reaction to the town’s opinion of him. And hearing his own father echo the same sentiment….
I don’t like it.
“He didn’t have to come tonight. He could have said no. I’m sure he wanted to. But he walked through that door and sat at the table, knowing you feel the way you do. Because you’re his parents and he loves you. It would help him a hell of a lot more if the people who are supposed to be in his corner acted like it.”
When Frank looks at me the way he does, I almost feel bad, but this is important. It feels like we have one more chance to help him.
“I’m his father,” he says finally, his voice gone rough. “You know how many times I’ve watched him—” He shakes his head, looking down at his hands. “I’m tired, Nolan. Lord knows I love my boy. But I’m tired.”
I feel for him. He’s been holding out hope that his son will finally get his life together, and he’s been let down every single time. We all have.
But that doesn’t mean Will doesn’t deserve a chance now that he’s clean.
“I think you need to give him another chance,” I say, fully aware of how much I’m asking.
Frank pushes off the fence, clapping me on the shoulder. “I’m going in. Cold out here. Not good for the old bones.”
“I’ll finish up.”
He looks at the fence and back at me, holding the nail thingy wrong again. “Sure you will.”
It’s apparent now that Frank has gone back inside that I have no idea what I’m doing.
I line up the board the way Frank showed me and pull the trigger on the tool. The nail doesn’t go in.
