Chapter 11: Kiss and Tell
Will walked up the stair to Karen's bedroom. As he walked up the stairs and down the hall he looked at the walls and saw pictures hanging everywhere. They were of Karen, Olivia, Mason, and Stan. Some of them were of all of them together; others were just of one or two. Will never took the time to look at them, but now that he did he could see that this was once a happy family.
The happiness didn't show more in any of the pictures than the last one. Stan was sitting on a chair with Olivia on his knee and his arm around Karen's waist. Karen was standing next to Stan and behind Mason. She had her hands resting on his shoulders and one of Mason's hands was on Karen's hand. They were all dressed their best. The thing that hit Will was how much their simple smiles showed so much love.
"That was a year before Stan went to prison." Will jumped at the voice behind him. "We had the picture taken every year before that. There all around here." Karen said walking up to Will with a martini in her hand. "That was the last one we took." Will could see the sadness in her eyes as she looked at it. "What are you doing here?"
Will knew his reason for coming here. He had to tell Karen about Stan. He was alive. "I wanted to talk to you about Stan." Will said
"Why would you want to do that? Will, I don't want to talk about him." Karen turned and walked into her bedroom.
"Karen…"
"He's dead Will. He's dead to the world and me." Karen sat on the couch in front of her fireplace. "I don't want to think about him. When I do, it…it hurts."
"You can't forget him, Kare." Will said sitting next to her.
"I'm not forgetting him. I'm putting him behind me." Karen looked Will in the eyes. "You've obviously never lost someone. You don't know what its like to know that they won't walk through the door." Karen said standing up. "You don't know the pain of losing something and forgetting that you lost it. Do you know how many times I've forgotten that Stan died? I sometimes think that I dreamed the last couple of years. Then I realize I didn't. You don't know that pain Will. I'm glad you don't." She finished quietly and near tears. She quickly wiped them away. "I don't want to talk about him. I don't even know why you would."
"What if I told you that you could see him tomorrow?"
"That's a horrible thing to bring up Will and you know it." Karen quickly walked into her bathroom.
Will heard the door slam and lock. He was about to go get her when Rosario came up behind him. "Don't go after her."
"Why not"
"Do you really think she will listen to you now?" Rosario asked.
"Rosario she needs to know. Rosario Stan's…"
"I know"
"How" will asked in disbelief
"I just do. Leave her alone and find a better way to tell her."
"How do you tell someone that their love isn't dead?"
"You need to find a way." Rosario said "As much as they fought, their love was true. They need each other more than anything." Rosario left the room.
Will left shortly after, but not without taking one last look at the family portrait.