Chapter Four

-Twenty-One Years Ago-

It was the summer before AJ's senior year of high school, he wasn't sure how he had managed to pass his junior year. Not that he was a dumb kid, but he spent a lot of time save his brother and getting his drunk of a father home every night. It was the classic bittersweet tale that everyone knew, but didn't really understand. His father slapped him and his brother around sometimes, the occasional punch if they were being 'disrespectful'. AJ could handle all of that, what he hated was that his father was using his little brother to sell drugs.

There were good times with his father, but those were few and far between. The few times that were good though, AJ held onto and reminded himself that there was good inside of his old man. AJ had a gut feeling tonight was going to be a bad one. It was the second Friday of the month, so his father would start drinking early as AJ's uncle would be home from working on the oil rig. When those two started drinking together they would—without fail—get into some sort of pissing match.

Standing at the start of the dirt driveway that led up to the ratty trailer they lived in, AJ could already hear his father and his uncle yammering away. They were probably playing darts or worst, archery with the crossbow. Once they nearly hit him when he walked out of the trailer. The two of them started brawling for some stupid reason and the arrow fired right at AJ, piercing the door frame that was level with his eyes. He almost wanted to turn around, sleep somewhere else. But for whatever reason his feet just started walking like there was nothing to fear.

"There he is! AJ! Get over here, boy." His father waved him over, his speech wasn't slurred…yet. There was a Cuban cigar between his lips, and he was in a sweaty, grimy muscle shirt and stained jeans.

"Where the hell you been?" AJ's uncle, Tommy, asked before taking a swig from his beer bottle.

AJ shrugged his shoulders.

"He asked you a question, you damn well better answer." His father waved a finger at him and narrowed his eyes. AJ and his father looked the same, his father was just older. In fact, his blue eyes were the only thing he got from his mother. "Now, try that again."

AJ licked his chapped lips. "I grabbed a bite to eat." It was the truth, he did go get some food after school and just drug his feet on his way home. Of course, home was a bit of a stretch. That shit hole of a trailer was never a home, nor would it ever be one.

"Our food not good enough?" his father asked, puffing on his cigar.

AJ stayed silent, there was no good answer.

"Leave him alone, Frank," Tommy said when he sat down in a rusty lawn chair. "Come on, AJ. Come play some darts."

"Thanks, Uncle Tommy." AJ faked a smile, hoping to placate them before trying to get out of spending an evening with them. The two of them would be out there until around three in the morning. "But, I have to go help a friend early tomorrow."

"And? It's only seven, just sit for a bit." Tommy patted the empty chair next to him.

AJ's father grabbed his shoulder and pushed him to the chair. Nodding slowly, AJ took a seat and gripped the plastic arms of the chair. If he stuck around for at least twenty-minutes maybe they would get drunk enough for him to quietly leave. His uncle and father started playing a game of darts, which AJ was lucky enough to be avoiding.

"So who's this friend you're helping?" Tommy asked as he took aim with his dart.

"Friend from school." AJ wanted to keep it short and simple. The less he said the better, especially since he was lying.

"And what can you help this friend with?" AJ's dad took a swig of his beer and eyed his son.

AJ wracked his brain for something believable. "Painting his house."

Tommy looked convinced, but his dad didn't seem to be buying it. AJ didn't have many friends, he had two guys that played on the football team with him. It wasn't that he was bad at making friends, AJ just didn't want to make any. Not when he lived with an alcoholic of a father and a drug selling little brother. He had more than enough on his plate with worrying about those two.

"You lying, boy?" Frank asked, shaking his half empty beer bottle at AJ.

"No." AJ shook his head quickly.

"No, what?"

"No, sir." AJ looked away when his father glared at him.

Tommy had turned his full attention to them. "Frank."

His uncle may have been an alcoholic, but he still had enough sense to keep from hitting anyone. It was a different story with Frank. There were times he'd beat up both AJ and his little brother. Most of the time AJ would take the brunt of it to protect his little brother. It had been a while since Frank had done more than slap them around. About four months ago he had given AJ a busted lip and black eye. He had talked back, which was a big sin according to Frank. Tommy would stop him sometimes though, but here lately he just let it happen.

"Stand up." AJ's dad waved for him to get off the chair.

"Come on, dad," AJ said as he got up cautiously. "Let's just play some darts."

His dad snickered and then started to bob his head. "Now I know you're lying."

"No, sir, I—"

CRUNCH!

AJ toppled over to the ground and grasped his stinging cheek. A slow trickle of thick dark blood slide out of his nose and onto the tips of his fingers. His eyes watered from the brutal impact of his father's knuckles. Frank reached down, grabbing a fistful of AJ's shirt and yanked him to his feet.

"Frank!" Tommy shouted, but AJ's dad didn't hesitate as he clocked AJ again, letting him fall onto his hands and knees.

"Lie to me again, boy and I'll rip your goddamn tongue out." Frank kicked AJ to the ground and then spit at him.

A searing pain throbbed in AJ's cheek. He trembled on his hands and knees, trying to crawl away. His father was standing behind him, chuckling as if he was proud he'd caused his son great pain.

AJ managed to get to his feet. He wiped the blood from his nose away with the back of his hand. The taste of copper filled AJ's mouth. Spitting the blood from his mouth, AJ looked to his father. Not a single bit of remorse, but he didn't expect his father to be sorry.

"Did you hear me?" Frank asked.

AJ nodded. "Yes, sir."

Frank laughed. "Good, now get your ass inside the house."

He didn't need to be told twice. AJ walked to the trailer they lived in. It was a white trailer that was old and falling apart. At one time it might have been a decent place, but now it might as well been a shack. AJ rushed up the steps of the front porch and then entered the trailer.

The living room of the trailer smelled like an ashtray and looked like a tornado had gone through it. AJ stumbled across the room and down the hallway to the bathroom he and his younger brother shared. He flicked on the lights and stared at himself in the mirror.

His cheek was red and swelling, it would become a nasty bruise by tomorrow. AJ shook his head and then turned on the water faucet. Cupping his hands beneath the running water, AJ splashed the water onto his face. The water became a pale red from the blood he washed away. Grabbing a towel, AJ wiped his face carefully, grimacing at his tender cheek and eyebrow. A small gash appeared at the corner of his eye and was bleeding. He applied pressure to the found and cursed at the tenderness.

AJ had to leave. He couldn't stay in this trailer with his drunken father, who would surely beat him around some more before the end of the evening. There was no time to waste, so AJ left the bathroom and went into his bedroom. He grabbed his backpack from under his bed and started stuffing it with some extra clothes. AJ slipped his arms through the sleeves of his jacket and then slung his backpack onto his shoulders.

-#-

-Present Day-

AJ pulled his truck into an empty parking spot across the street from Andrew Whitfield's office. He stared at the office and read the golden letters on the front window. Kingsland had hardly changed-southern charm still seeped through the downtown area. The trees were tall and covered in dark green leaves, the sidewalks were clean, the streets were freshly painted, and AJ felt like he'd been transported to a different time.

When he got out of the truck, AJ spotted Kinsey through his mirror. He turned around, watching her walk for Andrew's office. Her hair was brushed into a sleek ponytail, her dress was flattering on her slender figure, and her heels clicked on the sidewalk.

"Kinsey!" AJ hollered as he jogged across the street.

She stopped, but kept her back to him. It was like she was scared to turn around, but not brave enough to keep walking. AJ wasn't sure if he took pride in that. He cleared his throat and carefully approached her. When he was a couple of steps away, AJ stopped. Kinsey's shoulders raised and then lowered slowly as she turned around.

"Hello, AJ." She put on a smile, but it was a ruse. He knew her genuine smiles from her fake ones better than anyone. They may not have talked in a long time, but the smile of someone never changed.

"Hi," he said softly. "Are you all right?"

"Of course," Kinsey waved the matter off. "We should go inside, it's almost 10:00."

"It's 9:45."

Kinsey licked her lips. "You know me, I like to be early."

AJ nodded. "Yeah you did."

She turned on her heels and walked straight to the front door of Andrew's office. Kinsey didn't wait and waltzed right inside while AJ remained. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It didn't used to be so hard to talk to her, but now it felt impossible.

AJ entered the office and smiled at the receptionist at the front desk. She was a young woman with red hair and thick lashes. Kinsey was standing up by the desk, but avoided looking in AJ's direction. The amount of awkward tension in the room could be cut with a knife. He didn't think it would be this bad, in fact, it was worse than what he had anticipated.

"You guys can come on back," the receptionist said as she came around her desk. "He's ready."

Kinsey followed the redhead, and AJ went after her. He caught the scent of her coconut shampoo and smiled weakly. They reached the end of the hallway, and the receptionist opened the Andrew's office door.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tate. And Mr. Styles." Andrew stood up from his desk.

AJ furrowed his brows and looked to Kinsey. Kinsey Tate...so she had been married. He hadn't noticed a ring on her finger. It didn't matter though, Kinsey would never take him back.

The scent of robust black coffee filled the room as the redheaded receptionist came back in and placed a coffee for each of them on the desk. She excused herself and closed the door. Andrew smiled and gestured for AJ and Kinsey to take a seat on the cushioned chair in front of his desk. When they both were seated, Andrew put on his reading glasses and placed a manila folder in front of himself.

"Before we begin, Jack asked for me to tell you both that he is sorry for any inconvenience this may cause either of you. And he also said, 'But I'm not that sorry because the two of you were quite the inconvenience for me, but I mean that in an endearing way.' His words." Andrew clasped his hands together and gave a kind smile.

AJ and Kinsey both chuckled lightly, that was just like Jack.

"He has a letter for each of you and would like for you to read them. He wrote them a couple of weeks prior to his death," Andrew explained as he opened up the folder and pulled out two envelopes that were addressed to AJ and Kinsey. He handed the letters over and then both began to open them, but Andrew stopped them. "He would prefer for you both to read them on your own."

AJ and Kinsey both stopped at the same time and placed the envelopes down on their laps. Andrew nodded and thanked them both before he turned around in his chair and picked up a beautifully polished wooden box.

"These are Jack's ashes, and he request that the two of you spread them together at his property out in Woodbine." Andrew pushed the box forward.

AJ glanced at Kinsey, who bit her lip and nodded. Jack's property in Woodbine had many memories for the two of them. It was also a special place to Jack and his wife-the same place Jack had spread his wife's own ashes.

"As for his property here in Kingsland, he says that the two of you are welcome to take whatever you wish from his home. Anything else he would like it to be liquidated and all proceeds are to go to the Kingsland Pediatric Rehabilitation Center."

Kinsey lifted her head a little higher and then closed her eyes for a moment. AJ furrowed his brows wondering if something had happened.

"Mr. Styles." Andrew opened up his desk drawer and pulled out the key. "At the Woodbine property there is a shed, this key will open the lock. Jack left a gift inside for you and insisted that you take it."

AJ took the key from Andrew and then put it on the key ring with his truck key, apartment key, and gym key. He wondered what Jack would have left for him. They hadn't seen each other in years.

"Jack had one final request for both of you." Andrew pulled out a piece of paper from the folder. "AJ and Kinsey, I want no funeral, no reception, and absolutely no celebration of my life or passing. Let me be at peace."

Kinsey chuckled. "Sounds just like him."

"It really does," AJ agreed, looking her way.