This was going to be rough, but it had to be done. Billy had already chewed all his fingernails off. He’d been silent in the car the whole drive. He didn’t know if it was that he had nothing to say or that he was just scared to death.
Surely it wouldn’t be that big of a shock. He’d watched a building explode for crying out loud. He’d jumped from the top of a blazing barn, with a cat and a kid no less. This would be easy.
But Billy knew it wasn’t. Could Ian handle it? Could he handle it?
They had know each other for what? Twenty years? God, were they almost thirty? It seemed like just yesterday they were two scared teenagers sharing a dorm room together. Billy couldn’t stand quiet and Ian couldn’t stand chaos, but some how they clicked.
Ian had been there, every step of the way. What little family he had took Billy right into their hearts. Heck, they were more support when Donna died than his own huge crop of brothers and sisters. Surely they could get through this, too.
Granted, Ian backed off a little, a lot, when Vonnie was born, but Billy understood. She had to have reminded him of Ronnie. Ian tended to do that, back off when it hurt too much. He’d never said anything to Billy, but he knew. He knew every time Ian looked at Vonnie, he was dying a little inside.
They had made sure to include him in every thing, but always gave him an out. Ian always took it in stride. He never missed a birthday party, always accepted the sloppy kisses and little girl hugs. Things would be different now. This would change everything.
Ian had to know. Billy could never hide anything from him. One look, and Ian would know something was up. He had this second sense or something. He’d even shown up at the house not more than five minutes before the police came and knocked on the door to tell him about Donna’s accident. He swears he didn’t know, but Billy was glad he’d been there.
Ian had been through it himself. It almost seemed as if they were destined to share the same fate. Ian had lost his wife shortly after the two of them had met, and then a few years later Ian was right there to help him when a drunken trucker took Donna from him.
Now they were both single fathers. Fate, God, whatever had finally smiled on Ian Justyn. He had a great job, more success than either one of them had dared dream, and finally, finally Ian had his son back. It was another horrible and tragic circumstance in the life of Ian Justyn, but it looked like he would finally get his fair share of happiness.
Now, Billy had to tell him this. He shook his head. There was no way he could not tell him. He had no choice. Learning from his best friend, his brother of the heart, he would just put his head down, plow forward and get it done. They’d get through this too.
Billy only hoped it would still be together.
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