Ch. 24
Dave Milgrom didn't seem the least bit surprised to see Vic at the cabin so early. He merely nodded to her as he walked in and headed for the living room. Business as usual. Any misgivings she might've had about being here for the meeting faded quickly after that.
"Morning."
His greeting was rushed. Antsy. That was the word that sprung to Vic's mind. In all honesty, it was no different than his usual mannerisms. He was an impatient, ever hurrying man. Maybe in his world, time was money. Walt gestured to the chair.
"Have a seat. Coffee?"
Milgrom shook his head at the offer.
"No thanks. I've already had enough this morning."
The comment was believable as he sat down and set his briefcase down beside him on the floor. Walt and Vic took seats on the couch. Walt set his coffee cup down on the table and let his hands rest on his knees. He tried not to feel tense, but that was impossible at this point.
"So…?"
Milgrom gave Walt a look that was difficult to decipher. Then, he gave Walt a wry smile that did little to ease the tension he was feeling.
"I gotta say, Walt. This has to be the least boring lawsuit I have ever been involved in. They're usually so…dull. Lots of back and forth. Lots of paperwork. This experience has been…interesting to say the least. Definitely one for the books."
Walt ran one palm over his jeans. Milgrom made it sound like they might finally be approaching the end of the entire situation.
"Are you saying the experience is almost over?"
Milgrom nodded and fidgeted on the couch.
"Almost. I think. I hope."
He rubbed his palms together and leaned forward.
"I was contacted last night by Sawyer Crane's attorney and a representative from your county commission. Your county really isn't happy with the way this is playing out."
Vic made a face.
"Can't say I blame them."
Milgrom cast her a quick look before turning his attention back to Walt.
"Crane's lawyer is being cagey, but I get the impression that Crane came clean to him about his involvement with this Tucker Baggett scheme. Of course, he won't come out and say that to me…for obvious reasons. But, I think that problem is taking care of itself. The commission is preparing to launch an investigation into the Mayor. So…his time in office seems limited in one way or another."
He paused.
"They're pressing him to resign, telling him there will be less consequences that way."
Vic blew out a breath of disbelief and frustration.
"Seriously?"
Milgrom nodded.
"Yes. Seriously. This kind of press is the last thing any government wants hanging over them. That makes the best course of action to make the problem go away as quickly and quietly as possible. They are saying that they will not pursue charges against Crane if he hands in his resignation by the end of the week. I may have mentioned that you have grounds to file a lawsuit of your own for defamation of character and…a good number of other things. That seems to have greased the wheels. That…is when they came up with this idea. But, I told them it was entirely up to you as to whether or not to accept that deal."
Walt reached up and ran his hand over his jaw.
"So…Crane just goes away in exchange for neither the county or myself pressing charges against him?"
Walt posed the question slowly looking for clarification.
"Correct. Otherwise, it might be a little messier."
Walt dropped his hand back to his knee.
"What about the lawsuit against me?"
Milgrom frowned.
"Tucker Baggett hasn't agreed to drop that. Yet. But, we are working on that angle."
Vic spoke up.
"Working how?"
Milgrom looked her way.
"With Crane handing out information, it's only a matter of time before Baggett gives in. He's full of hot air, maybe trying to call our bluff. Only thing is…we're not bluffing. He could very well face his own investigation for being involved in this."
"So…it's not over."
The comment came from Vic. Milgrom gave her a small smile.
"These things take patience. In the legal world, nothing happens overnight. There are documents and waivers that need to be drawn up, read over, signed. But…it looks good. It looks really good."
Walt dipped his face.
"You expect Baggett to drop the case?"
Milgrom smiled.
"I put in some calls, asked for a few favors I'm owed. He's about to feel some pressure of his own that won't be coming from Durant. It will be coming from his law partners and the Bar Association. He's not the only one with some pull. He's also not above the law, despite what he seems to think."
Vic smiled at the attorney.
"Damn! Who knew you had it in you?"
Milgrom shifted under the attention. Walt smiled to himself. Vic had that affect on many of the men who crossed her path.
"Guess we're all full of surprises."
He looked back to Walt, his expression growing more serious.
"So…think about it. You don't have to take their offer if you don't like it. We can counter to see if they budge. We could file anyway and see where it gets us. There are…options."
Walt grimaced. The idea of yet another lawsuit didn't appeal to him. Even if it was against someone else. He had just about enough of all the legal maneuvering that came with it.
"At this point, I just want this to be over. For good."
Milgrom nodded and stood up.
"I thought you might say that. Still, take the day and make sure that is what you want. There's no need to get in any hurry. The ball is in our court and we are in control right now. So…take your time. Give me a call this evening or tomorrow and let me know where your thoughts are. In the meantime, if I hear anything about Baggett, I will let you know."
He picked up his briefcase as Walt stood and walked the man slowly to the door. Vic stayed where she was on the couch while they said their goodbyes and Walt closed the door behind his attorney.
He returned to find her still sitting on the couch. Waiting. Walt stood by the chair that Milgrom vacated.
"So…what do you think?"
Vic stood up slowly and approached him. Extending her hand, she fingered the collar of his shirt softly.
"I think…that your lawyer is right. You need to think about this. Make sure you're okay with Crane facing minimal consequences. Because, if you take their deal, that's what is gonna happen. You need to be able to stomach that."
Walt nodded slowly. That had crossed his mind. He would rather see the man get his due, but he also wanted to get on with his life. He was tired of feeling mired in the mud and unable to move forward.
"But, it'll be over."
Vic shrugged, her hand slipping away from his shirt.
"Still…think about it."
Walt tilted his head at her.
"What do you think?"
He repeated his original question, but Vic didn't seem to be taking the bait. She didn't seem overly eager to share her real thoughts on the subject.
"This is your job, Walt. Your reputation on the line. You are the only one who can make this call. My opinion doesn't matter. Not on this. Think about what you really want out of all this."
She looked down and then back up into his face.
"I should get to work."
Walt nodded. The morning was slowly creeping by them.
"I'll be behind you."
She offered him a smile before disappearing into the bedroom to finish getting ready for the day that lay out ahead of them.
xxx
His decision.
It didn't feel like his alone. He wasn't the only one affected by his choices. That was lesson learned the hard way. He could see now that some of his past choices were short sighted, possibly even selfish.
They affected others.
His gut instinct told him to take the easy road. The obvious choice. Sawyer Crane would no longer be the mayor. He would be gone with all of his threats and the tension that had arisen between the two men over the past few months. A new election would be held and a new beginning would start for Durant and Absaroka County.
But, there was a caveat. The county would sweep everything under the rug. The citizenry of the county wouldn't have all the details as to why their government was being shaken up. There would be rumors, of course. There always were. A leak even, letting out some of the details, but holding back just enough. Only the major players would know everything that transpired. And, outside of losing his job as Mayor and the benefits that came with it, Sawyer Crane would likely not face any further punishment. It seemed like an unfair outcome for the man who was partially responsible for everything he had been through.
Was there justice in that?
The alternative was to push ahead with whatever legal means were at his disposal. He knew Dave would be perfectly fine with filing lawsuits against anyone and everyone responsible for this. He could get his lawyer fees paid for and feel more vindicated than Crane just walking way into the sunset.
That was what the more human side of his mind told him. He could have proper vindication. He could bring them all down, while he was cleared of any wrongdoing and allowed to continue on with his job as normal.
But, that could be a long road. Dave was right. The law didn't get in a hurry. It was possible for lawsuits to get bogged down for years.
He sat in his office with the door closed for the better part of the afternoon. There were pros and cons to each choice. Neither option was fully ideal and offered all the closure that would like to have.
Walt drummed his fingers on his desk.
What did he want?
It was a question Vic had posed to him. There were different answers for different parts of his life. He wanted to be with her. He knew that. He wanted to continue on this journey that they were on. He wanted to push forward on this road to see where it would take them. Walt made that clear when he told her that he wanted her to move in with him.
He meant it.
If he decided not to take the offer on the table, they would still be in limbo. Of course, they could still be together just as they had been. But, he wasn't sure that was what he wanted. That wasn't progress. That was staying in the same place. If he took the county up on their offer, this whole situation would be resolved faster. It would be over.
That would leave him free to pursue the life that he wanted.
Free.
The word felt foreign to him. He couldn't name the last time he felt free. With Martha's death and everything that came after, he felt shackled to the past. Held prisoner by the unknown. But, that mystery slowly unraveled itself. He spread her ashes and started trying to let her go.
To let her rest in peace.
But, how much freedom would he have?
Really?
It wasn't fair, at this point, to ask Vic to wait any more than she already had. Too much time had already been lost in all of this. Walt wasn't sure he was willing to sacrifice much more, even to save himself.
This wasn't just about him.
He looked at the closed door to his office. He knew she was on the other side of it. She would be sitting at her desk, bent over some paperwork or looking across the desk at Ferg, maybe even laughing at some shared joke. He didn't even have to work to conjure up the familiar image.
He owed them both for different reasons. He still hadn't hired anyone to permanently take Branch's job. He had a folder of applications. But, that had also fallen victim to everything that transpired since. He hadn't had the time to properly go through them. Or the motivation to do so.
And, Vic and Ferg still showed up every day. Mostly without complaints, they went about their jobs as best they could. They were both more valuable to him than he had the words to express. He owed the opportunity to do their jobs correctly and with the backup and equipment that they needed.
Still, how much freedom would he have if he were still tied to all of this. He felt like there was far too much riding on his choices. And, it just didn't involve his own life. His next decisions would affect them all.
xxx
"I don't follow."
Vic was clearly confused. They were the last two in the office. He purposely waited until they were alone before calling her into his office and asking her to sit and talk with him. She was apprehensive. She had been that way all day. Despite her insistence that his choice was his alone, her happiness was also riding on it.
They both knew it.
"I asked Ruby to call in a couple of candidates for interviews."
Vic frowned. Personnel matters were clearly not what she thought he wanted to talk to her about.
"Oh-kay."
The word escaped her slowly, broadcasting her confusion.
"It's not right to expect you and Ferg to carry the full load. I haven't been a very good leader around here lately."
Vic nearly smiled.
"Well…you had a lot on your plate."
He shook off her attempts to defend him.
"Still, this should have been dealt with…weeks ago. You know…I'm gonna need you to take on some of the training."
Vic shrugged a little, not put off by the idea.
"Okay. Just do me one favor."
Walt lifted his chin a little, encouraging her to go on.
"What's that?"
"No dumbasses. I don't have the patience for it."
Walt smiled at the comment that was so Vic.
"I'll do my best."
Vic smiled in response. She looked at him from where she sat across from his desk.
"That all you wanted?"
Walt shook his head.
"No. There's something else."
"About Crane?"
He shook his head again.
"Not…exactly. Although, I have called my attorney about that. But…there's time for that later. This…is different."
Her brow furrowed.
"Okay, what's up?"
He hesitated before forcing himself forward. It wasn't going to get any easier.
"I…have decided not to run for Sheriff again once my term is up."
For the better part of a minute, his office was completely quiet. Vic's eyes never strayed from his and his didn't waver either. Finally, Vic licked hers lips, her reactions measured and cautious.
"What?"
It was the surprise he expected, but somewhat tempered by her delay in reacting. Walt stood up slowly and came around his desk, removing the physical barrier than was in between them.
"I don't want to run again."
Vic pulled her lip in between her teeth and scraped it back out.
"You're serious."
He nodded.
"Yep."
Vic shifted in her chair, still trying to wrap her mind around this turn of events. She clearly hadn't seen this coming.
"Why?"
The word was quiet, but also deafening. He had a hundred reasons why.
"It's time."
He could see that she didn't accept his patented generic answer to her question.
"That's not an answer, Walt."
He looked down at the floor. He should have known she would push. She always did.
"It is an answer. And, it's the truth. I…never wanted to do this job forever. I can't do this job forever. At some point, I need to step away. With…everything that's happened…I think that time is now."
Vic tilted her head, her eyes narrowing.
"But…why now? What's changed?"
"Me. Us."
Vic swallowed.
"I…never asked you to leave your job."
He smiled.
"No…you haven't. But, I've been through a lot. We both have. And, I think we've both changed in a lot of ways. Before Martha died, I had plans. We…had plans. After she died, all of that went away. But now, being with you, is bringing it all back. This isn't something I came to easily, Vic. But…I think that this is the right time to make this choice. I still have…quite a while left on my term. That will give me time to get things in order. To get this place running the way that it should for whoever steps into the job next."
Which brought Vic to her next question.
"So…who is gonna be Sheriff is you're not?"
"I guess that remains to be seen."
There was a suggestive tone in his voice that she caught immediately. He knew that she would.
"You want me to run?"
Walt shook his head.
"No. I want you to take a good look at your future and decide what you want out of it. We've all been in a holding pattern for too long. If you wanted to run…I would support that."
Vic considered his words.
"And if I don't?"
A ghost of a smile crossed his face.
"I would support that, too."
Vic inhaled deeply.
"So…that's it?"
"What do you mean?"
She looked unsettled.
"It's like you're trying to wrap up everything up all nice and neat."
Walt shook his head.
"That's not what I'm doing. There's a lot still undecided. For you especially."
She frowned at him.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. I meant what I said a minute ago. I want you to think about what you want. For your future."
Something unreadable passed over her eyes and Vic narrowed her gaze at him.
"My future?"
He nodded.
"I want you to be sure of the choices you make, Vic."
She swallowed, honing in on something.
"I get the impression we're not talking about work anymore."
Walt shook his head a little.
"No, we're not."
Vic stood up and took a step in his direction.
"What choices are you talking about? You're talking like everything is about to change. I mean…I guess it is. But…not everything."
She didn't sound sure of her last comment. It almost sounded like a question.
"I'm not good with change. But…I am trying."
She cocked her head to the side.
"Trying to what, Walt? You sound almost like you're expecting me to make some epic, life altering choice here. Right now."
He held her eyes.
"I told my attorney that I'll take the county's offer. Crane will be gone."
"And Tucker Baggett?"
Walt shook his head.
"Still no news on that front. But…Dave thinks we're in good shape there. Even if he tried to pursue this case, there is so much up in the air, we might even be able to go for a mistrial. It's…ending…one way or another. And…it's ending well. I can't ask for much more than that. But…I want to know where your head is? Where…we are?"
Vic shook her head, like she didn't see his point.
"We? Walt, nothing has changed between us."
"But…it should."
She looked apprehensive.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning…we shouldn't be stationary like we've been. We should…move forward. If that's what you want?"
"That…is what I want. I've told you that."
Walt smiled.
"I know. But…I want you to be sure. I don't want to…stifle you. Or…hold you back."
Vic rolled her eyes at the insinuation that he was making.
"Walt, that's the dumbest thing you've said recently. Why in the hell would you even think that?"
"Because I've been thinking a lot today. About…freedom. Making our own choices. The choices that are best for us."
She bit her lip.
"You don't think you're the best choice for me or….?"
Her question trailed off before she gave a voice to the entire thought. At this point, he couldn't be anything less than completely honest with her. If they were going to do this, he needed to know that she was all in. He needed her to know that he was all in. This was it for him. She was it.
"No, I don't. You could do better. Professionally and personally. It would be unfair of me to not point that out."
She seemed to take the statement better than he thought she would.
"Professionally, you might have an argument. But…personally, there is no one better for me than you. I kind of want to punch you for even saying that."
Walt smiled.
"I just want us to go into this being as open and honest as possible, Vic. There have been too many secrets and too much hiding. We both deserve more than that. You certainly do. No one has stood by me like you have. Ever. And, I owe you more than I could ever repay."
She rolled her eyes at him again, which came as no surprise.
"Walt, you don't owe me shit. That's not…what it's about. It's about doing the right thing and standing up for good people. I'm not…keeping score here. You are a good person and you didn't deserve the shit they were throwing at you. It would make me a pretty crappy person not to say something."
He smiled at her. She would disagree with him, but she was one of the best people he knew. Of course, she wasn't perfect. No one was. Him included. But, she had a heart that continually surprised him. And her loyalty was like nothing he had ever seen in anyone else.
"We'll have to agree to disagree about that."
Walt reached out and put his hands on her hips, pulling her to him.
"In the meantime, what do you say we get out of here."
Vic smiled up at him.
"I think that might be the smartest thing you've said today."
xxx
3 Months Later
"I thought you would own more than this."
Vic shrugged nonchalantly, clearly unconcerned with the state of her personal possessions.
"Sean took about half the furniture…maybe a little more during the divorce. I…didn't care about most of it. Too many bad memories. When I moved in with Cady, most of what was left went into a storage unit. Even when I bought the RV, there wasn't room for it. So…it's been sitting since then. I should probably get rid of some of it."
Walt looked around the bedroom and placed his hands on his hips.
"We should go to your storage unit this weekend and go through it?"
Vic didn't look excited about the prospect.
"Why?"
Walt sat on the bed and looked up at her.
"Because there's no reason for you to pay to store it when we can bring it here where there is space."
Vic sighed.
"It's not much. Some dishes. Personal type stuff. Smaller furniture. All the big things are mostly gone. I probably shouldn't have purged quite like I did. But, so much of it reminded me of Sean and all the bullshit that we went through. I just…didn't want it around. We didn't even move all of our stuff from Philly. The house came partially furnished. It was supposed to be a fresh start."
Walt nodded, letting her know that he understood. The urge to exorcise demons was one that he was familiar with. More than he cared to admit. He also knew that a fresh start wasn't always possible, even when you felt like you were leaving the bad behind you. He reached out and placed his hand on her hip, his fingers spreading out.
"Still, we'll go over this weekend and go through it all. Anything you don't want to use, but want to keep, we can store here. It's an extra expense that you don't need to pay. If there are things you really don't want to keep, you can sell…or donate them."
Vic extended her arm and combed her fingers through his hair slowly.
"Okay."
She dropped her hand away, letting it trail down his face before it drifted back to her side.
Walt stood up, his hand falling away from her. He left the bedroom with Vic trailing behind him. Forgoing the couch, he walked out onto the porch and moved slowly to the bench seat at one end. Vic joined him, stretching her legs out.
"Anyone call about the RV?"
Vic responded with a nod.
"Yeah, a couple of people. I need to call them back so they can come look at it."
Walt looked her way.
"You don't have to sell it."
She shrugged.
"It's not a big deal. It's not like I have some big attachment to it. It was…what I needed it to be when I needed it. But, there's no point keeping it around if I'm not using it."
She leaned back and looked out at the surrounding landscape. It was evening and the day was starting to set. Along with sunrise, it was one of his favorite times of day. Vic's as well. Walt turned her way, a thought flitting across his face.
"Dave Milgrom called me today."
Vic raised her eyes to his.
"Really? What did he have to say?"
Walt's eyes shifted around the porch.
"He heard through a contact that Tucker Baggett is being investigated for ethics violations on a few different suits he filed."
Vic blew out a breath and shook her head.
"That does not surprise me at all. I knew that jackass was crooked when he came after you so hard. He should be in jail."
Walt smiled faintly. Some things never changed. Vic's aggravation over the lawsuit that nearly derailed his career was one of those things. Even after the case was dropped and all the paperwork filed away clearing him of any wrongdoing, her temper would still spark at the mention of it. Not that he blamed her. The case had affected her life as well as his own. He still felt like he owed her a debt he could never repay. But, Vic would only roll her eyes and dismiss any comments he made of that nature.
Like she told him before, she didn't keep score.
As far as she was concerned, that was the kind of thing you did for those you cared about. Those you loved.
"I don't see that happening. But, Dave thinks there's a good chance he'll be disbarred."
As much as he hated to admit it, that news gave him a sense of satisfaction and vindication. He tried not to hold grudges anymore. That habit had certainly gotten him into enough trouble in the past and Vic held grudge enough for them both. Still, taking the high road and letting wrongs go proved harder than most people anticipated. Not being angry was something he worked at daily. He figured at some point, it would get easier.
One day.
For now, he reminded himself to be grateful for what he had. In the here and now.
"That's…something, I guess. It's people like him who give the profession a bad name. Speaking of lawyers, how is Cady settling in to her new job in Sheridan?"
Walt felt some of the tension in him ease at the mention of his daughter.
"Good. She likes it. The commute isn't too bad. They're working her a lot of hours, but she seems happier than I've seen her for some time. It's been a while since she was just able to…practice law the way she's always wanted to. Feel like she's making a difference."
Vic nodded slowly and pulled one leg up on the bench.
"Lots of change."
Walt could only agree with her. It did seem like they were in a period of change for everyone. Cady was in full swing at her job with a new law office in Sheridan. For now, she was still living in Durant. But, if he were being honest with himself, Walt wouldn't be surprised if she moved to the larger town. It certainly offered her more both personally and professionally than Durant. For the first time in quite a while, she seemed genuinely happy with the direction that her life was taking.
He had finally hired a new deputy at the department. It hadn't been an easy thing to do. He could admit now that dragging his feet was in part because he was replacing Branch. Even with all the time that had passed, that was still a bitter pill to swallow. He supposed he would never really feel at peace with his deputy's demise. He would always feel like he played a part in Branch's downfall, regardless of who actually killed him. Still, he was learning to let things go. To not let them fester as he had in the past. Branch was gone and nothing would bring him back. Some small amount of justice was served for him when Barlow revealed himself to be his son's killer. At least, the truth was known. Sometimes, all a person had was the truth.
Even if it was a hard truth.
His new deputy Zach was doing as good a job as he could've hoped for. He got along well with Ferg. They seemed to be becoming fast friends. Even Vic didn't complain too much about him and the fact that they were starting from scratch. Once in a while, she even tossed a compliment his way. He seemed to be a smart, capable young man. Only time would tell if he was the right fit for the job. So far, he seemed to be taking everything in stride.
Sawyer Crane held up his end of the bargain with the county and resigned his position as mayor. He was one who hadn't faced real justice as far as Walt was concerned. Despite the fact that he comminuted offenses he could have been arrested for, it was another thing Walt had to let go. He consoled himself with the knowledge that the man would likely never hold public office again. Still, on some level, it bothered him that a good bit of the community would never know about the man's scheme to ruin Walt's career and his good name.
An emergency election was called to replace Sawyer Crane. Walt didn't know the new mayor all that well, but the man seemed like an honest enough character. In truth, it would be some time before he was able prove himself and live up to his campaign promises. Or not. His record was clean and he seemed like a decent man. That was about all one could expect at the moment.
Vic moved beside him and pulled his attention back to her and the present.
The present. That word held new meaning for him now. Just a few months ago, the present seemed unbearable and the future frightening. Now, all of that was in the past and the future that stretched out ahead of him…ahead of them…seemed to beckon with a promise he hadn't known for some time. Now, the present was his favorite.
That's not to say it was easy. Nothing with them ever was. But, they were slowly making their way into a future that was theirs to write. Considering how close they came to blowing it all out of the water, they both felt content to take things at their own pace and move forward together the best way that they knew how.
"So…you're down to what? Eight or nine months?"
Walt smiled. He wasn't counting down the days just yet.
"Something like that."
Vic bumped him with her elbow.
"So, you're really doing it?"
Walt nodded.
"Yep. Did you think I would change my mind?"
Vic shrugged.
"I don't know. You seemed pretty sure. Still…you and change…"
He couldn't help but laugh at the comment. His reputation preceded him when it came to his resistance to change of any kind. He was sure a good bit of the population was shocked when he announced he would not run for Sheriff again once his term was up. It seemed like a satisfying way to end a career. No more drama. Just simply ending it when the time was right.
"Have you given any more thought to running?"
Vic made a face.
"I don't know. I don't think I would be very good at it."
Walt looked her way.
"I disagree. But, that's your choice."
She shot him a look.
"You really think I could do it?"
Walt smiled.
"I did it. For years. I'm not much of an administrator myself. But, that's what Ruby is for. You wouldn't be doing it all on your own. There's a good support system now."
Vic smiled a little.
"Still…the whole campaign thing just…"
She sighed heavily at the thought.
"…you have to be all nice and all that shit. I just don't know if it's worth all the trouble."
Walt turned his eyes back to his land. The land he nearly lost because of greed.
"You just have to decide if you think it's worth it. Someone will step up regardless. They always do."
"That's what worries me. I don't need some ass for a boss. That's for sure."
Walt wiped on palm over his jeans.
"That's one of the chances we take. None of us knows the future. We don't even know our place in it. Only what we hope for."
Vic cut her eyes at him.
"Get all philosophical about it. I'm not opposed to running for Sheriff. I just…I'm not sure it's…me."
Walt reached out and lay his hand on her knee.
"I get that. I do. And, if you don't want it, then you shouldn't do it. It's got to be something you want or you 'll be miserable."
"Voice of experience?"
"Yep."
"Well, I'm not one to do shit to please other people. You know that."
His head dipped a little.
"I do. Just so you know, I would vote for you."
She grinned then.
"So…I know I would get at least one vote."
Walt cocked his head.
"Only one? You wouldn't vote for yourself?"
Vic shrugged.
"Might depend on who I was running against."
Walt laughed quietly and then turned his attention to the sky. The view here never got old and he never got tired of sitting here with Vic like they were now. Work had settled down into a comfortable routine. His last year in office was shaping up to be a calm one with no major drama. He hoped that it stayed that way. It would be the right way to go out, he thought. Any hesitation he had about retiring faded when he was here with Vic the way that they were in that moment. Retired, he knew these moments would be easier to come by and without the added burden of work hanging over his head.
He would be able to have something approaching a normal life. Or…they would. Those were the terms he thought of now. They and we. He no longer felt like an I. It had been a long time since his mind worked that way. He hadn't realized how much he had missed it after Martha died. For so long, he was wrapped up in hurt and anger. Now, all of that was gone. He was left to piece together a new life.
It felt good. Better than he could've imagined. It felt free.
Vic cleared her throat and stood up, her eyes on the sun that was sinking into the horizon. Walt looked up at her from his seat.
"Going in?"
She nodded and stretched her arms up over her head.
"Yeah, I'm tired. I need a shower."
Walt pushed up from his seat on the bench and gave his muscles a minute to work out the tightness in his back.
"Hungry?"
He walked beside Vic to the door. She eyed him.
"You cooking?"
"Sure?"
She smiled at him.
"Then, I'm starving."
End