Chapter 1
What was I thinking coming back here? I never thought that I would be here again.
Will said to himself as he was sitting in his wheelchair going through the air port. I left here for a good reason there is nothing here for me anymore. This is not home. I have no home. Humph if I am completely honest with myself I do not blame everyone for acting as if I never existed. I wish I had died that day too…
Wills mind goes back to seven years ago.
He hear the sound of the crashing metal around him the breaking of the glass and the heat from the fire and the screams of all of his family as each one dying one by one.
Will tasted the warm metallic taste of the blood as it was streaming down his face and into his mouth.
Dad are we ever going to be able to get this darn heater to work in this house it is like an igloo in here?
Son I am trying but I am not sure. I know that you are cold buddy but you know this house is old and we are always having to fix something in it.
I know Dad but it is so cold in here. Will said.
Dad is it OK if I go see Sonny after I finish helping you?
He invited me over because he has a couple of assignments for school that he needs help with and I promised him that I would ask you first.
Yes Will that is fine let's check one-more time before you go to see if that darn heater works now.
OK Dad you let me know when you turn it on and I will let you know if the boiler is working.
Will's dad laughed and said aren't we the pair?
Neither one of us knows what the heck we are doing but we sure are giving it the good old Horton no quit attitude.
Will I am so proud of you. You are the best kid.
Will said yeah sure the best kid who could not even protect his family.
Will was remembering that day that his whole life changed and he would never be the same young man again.
If I had only have been able to just do something then my family would not have died in that fire. I was old enough to do something but oh no not me. Not Will Horton the biggest fool on earth. I tried so hard to lift the burning beams off I could not do anything
I felt that white hot metal beam fall across my back and when I hit the floor and I was laying there bleeding why did I not just die?
God are you so cruel that you wanted to leave me here with the constant memories of my parents last moments as that
loud explosion and our house engulfed into a volcano of molten metal broken glass and black smoke?
Why am I back here? Everyone always blamed me saying that I could have called 911 but I couldn't my phone was melted during the blast of the gas lines.
Now I not only live with the constant pain in my heart but in my body as well.
I am so glad that Sonny is not here to see me.
I hope at he still thinks that I died in the fire.
That would be best for him instead of hanging around feeling sorry for this freak who has nothing and is a nobody.
At least we were young enough that hopefully he forgot me.
Will went down to the dock where he always would go when he needed to be alone but Sonny never wanted to leave Wills side they were best friends and Sonny and Will were so in love. Seven years ago Will was only 16 and Sonny was 17 but it seems as if it were a lifetime ago.
Will was sitting in his wheelchair and he was in unbearable pain they had done everything that they could to help him but he was burned so badly that he still had the most grotesque looking scars on his back and his back was broken and he was wheel chair that he hated to use. After the fire Will was taken out of state to a children's hospital and he was in the hospital for almost a year and they told him that he would have chronic pain for the rest of his life Will said they had no idea that it would be this bad emotionally as well as physically.
Wow Will said as the bitterness of the night air was cutting through him like a sword. I have got to get something warm to drink and get out of the cold it is causing me to feel every injury that my body has ever had.
Will was in his chair barely able to push himself and he found himself in front of a coffee shop and he tried to go in but he was so cold that he was too weak to open the door but a young lady who was a couple of years younger than him who had very long blond hair took notice and she ran to the door and she said….
OH my God you must be freezing sir can I get you something to warm you up?
Will said Just hot water and lemon please.
She said OK and she knew that Sonny never charged for either a lemon slice or water she looked at Will and she thought to herself God this guy he looks really bad I wish I knew his story but somethings are best left unsaid I suppose.
She came back with a large hot water and some lemon slices and she said: Sir if you need me please just yell and I will be right with you. I just need to do something really fast.
The blond waitress went to her Boss and said Hey Sonny I am about to clock out but there is a man out there and he may need some help. Could you take over for me to be honest I do not think he is from around here and I do not think that he has any money he was sitting at the door a few minuets ago and he was struggling to open the door. I noticed how stiff he was in his wheelchair and so I asked him if he wanted something hot to drink but he only asked for hot water and lemon.
Sonny I am not sure but there is such a heavy sorrow around him and I don't know if he needs medical care or if he is drifting through town or what his story is but if anyone can get someone to open up to them it is you.
Sonny said: Angela you are always acting like I am God and that I walk on water. I am not perfect.
Hey as a matter of fact I am so imperfect that I never have even had a boyfriend so that should tell you something.
Yes Sonny it tells me that you still love Will Horton and always will even if he is no longer with us.
Angela please do not bring Will up it hurts to bad to know what we had and it was ripped from us he was so young and no one could tell me where he was or if he was OK but I think that he would have called me if he could so I feel like he had to have not made it out of that blast. Sonny said go ahead Angela I will lock up tonight I am sort of feeling like I need to do a few more things and then go home myself.
Sonny please do not stay here staring at his picture on your phone all night again it has been seven years hon and you still can't let him go.
Angela I have to check out a few orders to send in tomorrow that is it nothing more than that. Sonny said.
I am going to go out front behind you and I will wait for our last customer to leave.
Sonny do you promise to go home and get some sleep tonight Angela asked Sonny?
Good night Angela Sonny said as he was almost pushing her out of the office, Sonny saw the man and he could tell that he was in so much pain and Sonny said no matter how long he wants to stick around I do not care let me see if I have some pain revilers in the first aid kit in the office.
Sonny walked to his desk and in his drawer he saw a big bottle of extra strength pain revilers sitting in the drawer as if they had been sat there intentionally.
Sonny almost ran out to the young man and he said hello.
Are you OK Sir?
Will shook his head and softly said not right now but I will be soon.
Sonny said my name is Sonny I am the owner here.
Sir are you in pain? If you are I thought that you could take a couple of these and they may help.
Will said thank you but they will not help me with my pain it was very kind of you to offer though.
I am sorry Sir would you like me to get you a warm blanket to see if getting warm will help? Can I get you something hotter and tastes much better to drink? I have know that with the changes in the weather that pain gets worse sometimes in many cases. Sonny said to Will I am going to do what I can to help Sir there is something about you that makes me feel that you are not in a good place will you allow me to help you please? I promise that I am not going to cause you anymore pain and whatever you need is on the house here.
Sonny was thinking to himself that man reminds me so much of Will but why has he been away for so long? maybe if I ask him his name it will break the ice and he will start to open up to me?
OH GOD! I have to find out if he is homeless because if he is then he is going to get my help no matter what because I am not going to let him just be on the street alone in this bitter cold or ever again even if I have to hold him hostage.
Sonny wrapped the blanket around Will and as soon as he touched Wills skin it was as if he had been in a deep freezer. Hey Sir you know my name but I do not know your name would you mind telling me your name and then tell me what hot drink do you want because you are frozen.
I can't tell you my name Sonny Will said….
Why not Sir? You can trust me I will not hurt you. Sonny asked with a gorgeous million dollar smile.
Please don't do this to me. I never have been able to keep things from you when you smile like that so tenderly.
That's why Son I know that I can trust you but I also know full well that you know exactly who I am you just do not know what I look like now. This is the end results of the explosion.
Look into my eyes and touch my hair. Will said and then you will know exactly who I am and a caramel maccioto with chocolate and cinnamon extra heavy on the whipped cream.
Sonny looked into Wills eyes and he touched Wills silky baby soft blond hair and he was shocked...
OH DEAR GOD WILL! IS THAT REALLY YOU? Sonny asked as he was shaking and almost in tears.
Will whispered yes Son it is really me. I am sorry to bother you I am going to get out of here thank you for the use of the blanket and the coffee. You are as kind and gentle as you have always been do not let life steal it away from you.
Will turned his chair around and he was heading towards the door and Sonny said OH NO YOU DON'T! I am not going to allow you to just leave like this not after everything that you have gone through. Let me lock up and you are going to talk to me. Where are you staying I will take you so that you can get comfortable.
Will said Sonny please don't do this to yourself. I know exactly what is going to happen and I am not capable of handling that.
William Robert Horton we are going to talk and I want you to be as comfortable as you can get. Sonny said after all of these years I have never once not had you on my mind.
Will the man that you see here is the man who you taught me what a real man is because of you teaching me by your example
I learned everything that I know about respect compassion and passion and tenderness. Will please do not shut me out or go out of that door.
I need to have some questions answered and you came back for a reason.
Sonny you do not understand that is what I mean.
I can not handle anyone caring about me. Sonny I love you and always have but I am not Will as you once knew me.
