A wiL Francis Story- Chapter Five
Chapter 5
WIL+
When we arrived in
I also got the shock of my life. And my heart was ripped out of my chest, shredded to pieces, and shoved back into my shocked body.
“Juliet?”
JULIET+
I had just finished my college classes for the day and was back at home, almost a week after I received the roses, when there was a knock on my door again. Curious, I opened the door and froze.
“Do you always open the door to strangers?” asked someone I hadn’t seen for a long time.
“Scott,” I said throwing my arms around him.
“Long time, no see, apparently,” said Scott hugging me back. “I wanna see the city, Juliet.”
“Then come,” I replied grabbing my coat, shoes, and my cane. Together we left. I wanted to show him everything. It had been years since we saw each other last.
I showed him the college, and then we went into the bookstore. I introduced him to Charlie.
“What’s up, man,” said Charlie, shaking his hand, after I made the introductions.
“Juliet is showing me around.”
“And where is Madame Gueret,” I asked trying to peek into the back.
“Up here,” said Madame Gueret up in the loft.
“And this is my friend and boss, Madame Gueret,” I said, smiling broadly. Scott smiled up at her. “Madame Gueret, this is Scott.”
“Hello,” said Madame Gueret softly. “Juliet, show him the park.”
“That was next. Come on, Scott,” I said taking his hand and leading him out of the shop with a wave to Charlie and Madame Gueret. I took him out to the park and sat down on a park bench as my leg started to hurt. “How are the parents?”
“Same old, same old. They want to see you,” he said joining me on the bench. I shook my head.
“Later. Much later,” I said. “Then I will go back home.”
“Okay,” he said. I tugged him down to where I could look into his eyes.
“Scott, I have missed you so much,” I said leaning up and kissing his forehead. When I leaned back, I noticed someone very familiar over his shoulder. I stood up. “Wil?”
“Who is that?”
“It’s Wil,” I whispered heading for Wil. As I got closer, I became more confused. He just stared at me, white as a ghost. “Wil.”
“So…did you wait?”
“For you? I’ve waited all my life,” I said truthfully, but I was confused when he narrowed his eyes at me.
“Then who’s that? A new boyfriend, maybe? You did not wait for me and this is how you repay me,” he hissed at me. I started to speak, but he interrupted me. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. I waited and I wish that you did too, you fucking crippled child.”
Wil turned and walked away.
“Wil!” I shouted after him. “Please let me explain,” I cried. He did nothing, but walk away from me. “Wil!” I shouted again. He didn’t even acknowledge that I even existed and continued walking away. “Wil!...Wil!...Wil!”
“Oh,” he said turning back to face me. He tossed back something to me, and then started back in the direction he was going. I picked up the gray color rock I thought I had lost a long time ago.
“Wil! Wil!...”
As I continued to shout, he walked farther and farther away. I didn’t realize that I was crying until my voice was almost gone.
“Juliet, are you okay?” I heard vaguely heard Scott ask.
“Wil,” I whispered. “He’s my brother.”
WIL+
I walked back to the bus in a red haze. How dare her! I thought stormily. She was cheating on me! I wonder how long it took her to get another boyfriend? A day? A week?
I savagely pushed the thoughts away as I boarded the bus again.
“Back so soon? Banging her must be quick,” said Nick. I snarled at him. “Oh, sorry!...You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said pulling my notebook from between the cushions and opening it to the pages to the songs that I had written for and about Juliet. When I found them, I started to rip out the pages.
“What are you doing?” asked Nick.
“What does it look like?”
“Flippin’ out,” commented Jake.
“Where’s Juliet?” asked
“Don’t ever say her name around me ever again.” With that, I left the bus to clear my thoughts and get my life back to where it is suppose to be.
Nick looked at Angel.
“Something’s up.”
“No, something happened between Wil and Juliet. And I intend to find out,” said Angel standing up. He bent down and picked up the fallen papers. He sorted through the ripped paper trying to find the song that he had read Wil had written for Juliet. “Dakota, pull up the note that Wil wrote and pull it. I want it printed, and then give it to me. Okay?”
“Sure,” said Dakota, leaving.
“What are you going to do?” asked Bun.
“We’re going to do all that we can,” said Nick as they left the bus. “I’ll get Juliet. Wil listens more to you, than me.”
“Maybe not after this,” said Angel handing Nick the song. “Good luck.”
“You need it more than I do,” said Nick as they went their separate ways.
JULIET+
I was sitting in a chair staring blindly out the window, numb as you could possible get and my heart as hard as stone. Scott was in the kitchen fixing food for me. There was a knock on the door, but I barely heard it.
“Do you want me to answer it?” asked Scott entering the room where I was sitting. I waved for him to do whatever he wished. He opened the door and let the person in. “It’s for you, Juliet.”
“Hello,” said Nick coming around to my side. I stared at him, but I couldn’t find the strength or the will to reply.
“I’ll be in the kitchen,” said Scott slipping away.
“Why are you here?” I asked softy as my voice was almost gone.
“To know what happened.” I was silent for a moment, staring down Nick, as if to see if he was really telling the truth. I gave in, trusting him.
“My brother and I were talking in the park when Wil came upon us. I never told him about my family. That I had a brother, a mother, and a father- who actually miss me. Amazing what time and space can do.”
“They didn’t love you?”
“Oh, they loved me. In their own way,” I said picking at the strings in the blanket that covered my legs. “It was never the same after the…accident.”
With that reminder, I remembered the words Wil threw back in my face along with much contempt and along with the rock. I grimaced.
“Is that all?” said Nick quietly.
“Yes,” I hissed. “Please go, Nick. There is nothing you can do.”
“He still loves you, Juliet. Time is all he needs,” said Nick handing me a piece of torn paper and getting to his feet.
“Tell him this…His words are well heeded. Especially the insult of me being a ‘fucking crippled child’. Tell him that,” I said. I didn’t notice the expression Nick had on his face as I was already staring blindly out the window again. Nick put his phone number down on a piece of paper and left it on the table that held the slightly wilting roses- except one. He left, feeling extremely disheartened.
When Nick returned to the bus, he wasn’t the only one who was disheartened, but also looking worse than Nick.
“What happened to you?” asked Nick upon seeing Angel bruised cheek.
“One of Wil’s stray punches,” said Angel wincing as he touched his now bruised cheeks. “How was your effort?”
“I found why, but Wil didn’t want to listen to anything, didn’t he?”
“Yep.”
“The guy was her brother. Time is the only thing that is going to help them,” said Angel. They were silent as Wil came into the bus. “By the way, Wil, she has taken your words to heart. Especially the words ‘fucking crippled child’.”
“What!” said Angel looking at Wil in shock. Wil said nothing but disappeared into the back part of the bus. Everyone stared at Nick.
“It’s what he said. Juliet told me verbatim,” said Nick. Dakota handed Angel the note from the internet. Everyone was in silent shock.
“Tell everyone who knows Juliet. Tell them…Tell them, that her name is never to be mentioned again. But I want the cd to still go in her name,” said Angel.
“I agree,” said Bun. Jake nodded mutely. Nick smiled, praying that this time wouldn’t last too long.
