I went in search of answers. Who: Will Grady What: A flashback When: Present Rating: Low Status: Complete
But all I found were monsters.
”Mom,” Will began, knowing that the weight sitting on his shoulders was heavy. “Can I ask you something?”
It was a beautiful evening in Colorado. Lightning bugs danced around the front porch as if tempting any onlookers into the stock, lush woods around the pristine home. They had land for miles. Being in the insurance business had been good for them - their father worked long hours while their mother stayed at home to mind the residence and look after things.
Will was partial to the house - it reflected a cabin in its rustic, charming style, though it lacked certain attributes like stuffed heads of game littering the walls. Wilson Sr. had never been much for hunting although Will swears he has a new fabrication every time he’s with his buddies for Poker night.
“Sure honey,” his mother said. She lifted her chin, lips pulled into a smile for her youngest son. In her hand was a butcher’s knife. Spread on the counter was the meal she was preparing for a small gathering for her and Wilson Sr.‘s friends that they would be hosting in a couple hours time.
Sally Grady had never been a beauty Queen. She was a mousy woman, petite in stature with straight, chin length brown hair and brown eyes, pale skin, and thin lips. “Everything okay with Shelby?” She inquired. Will watched her brows knit together with concern.
“Yeah mom,” Will replied quickly, getting off of that subject. He approached the counter. A nervous feeling began to twist in his stomach. Trying to find the courage to approach this subject had been challenging. He played scenarios in his head over and over. All of the fabrications ended in nothing, which he suspected would be the case now.
“I wanted to know about Connor,” he stated, fixing his blue eyes on Sally. “Why you never talk about him, and why we act like he doesn’t exist.”
Sally’s lips thinned. “What are you talking about, honey? Who is Connor?”
Will frowned. The muscles in his face ached from the depth of the expression. “You know exactly who I’m talking about.” He realized only when Sally started that he’d slammed his fist down on the counter. An egg had rolled its way lazily away from the cutting board. Sally moved to stop it’s motion before it dropped form the counter, only barely catching it before it launched.
She turned more to face her youngest son. The end of the knife lifted, easing up with the motion of her wrist and she pointed it at Will. “You’ll not talk about that around your father.” Her words were harsh, hushed. Will had never seen his mother act that way before. “We will let this conversation go, right now. Do you understand me?”
It was Will’s turn to be startled. He looked at the knife and then slowly up at his mother.
In a quick change of attitude, Sally let her smile brighten again. “Why don’t you go call Shelby, huh?”
“Sure mom,” Will nodded. He turned on his heel and stalked away, more upset than he had been before.
Will stared up at the ceiling.
The small fan in his hotel room spun slowly, barely making a sound. He was having trouble sleeping, thinking back to ten years ago and the conversation he tried to have with his mother. He was always curious - at fifteen he felt brave enough to finally ask. Confrontation was not his strong point. His father never allowed debate or questions, his mother could be easier to talk to about certain things. But the middle child was still a point of contention.
Looking back he wished he would’ve pressed harder, insisted on answers. Connor, no Tal, seemed to be doing well enough for what he saw. But maybe there was only a break in the surface of the water. Did he want to really know what was waiting beneath the surface? Will found that he did. He wasn’t afraid to ask. He wasn’t afraid of his parents anymore. Now he wanted answers and he was going to get them, one way or another.