T43: Bill And Dustin.
Meanwhile, Bill was downstairs in the living-room on his black cellphone-holding it in his left hand, doing online research about kids who run away and what the outcomes were. Some situations ended with the kids being found alive, safe and sound and returned to their families...some ended with them being found dead...and some of them ended with the kids never being found. Suppose it was Cameron, Rocco and Leo's fate to be found dead...or never found at all? He wouldn't have been able to bear either one of those outcomes and neither would Alice, Lulu, Olivia and Ned. But the real torture was the "Why". Why would Cameron, Roccoc and Leo run away? They had no reason to. They had great home lives, great loving parents and a great loving family. So what was the problem? This was a question he had no answers to.
Dustin came down the stairs and stopped when he saw Bill sitting on the sofa, looking at something on his cellphone. "Bill?"
Bill turned around to face Dustuin. "Dustin. What are you doing down here? You goin' back out to look for the boys?"
"No." Dustin said.
"Well, then why are you here?" Bill asked.
"I just came down to head into the kitchen for a snack." Dustin answered as he walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Bill on the right. "How are you holding up?" He asked while looking at Bill.
"Well, i'm holding it together pretty good...considering the fact that my son may be gone forever." Bill said.
"You can't think like that, Bill." Dustin said.
"Oh, really?" Bill said, looking at Dustin. "Well, how should i think? Positive? Should i tell myself that everything's gonna be fine when i don't know if it is?"
"No, of course not." Dustin said.
"I didn't think so." Bill said.
"Bill...talk to me. What's on your mind?" Dustin said.
"...Alice and i were searching the Thanksgiving carnival when we cam across a man at a hot-dog stand, selling hot-dogs. We decided to ask him if he had seen the boys or not. She was all over him about looking at a picture of the boys she was trying to show him. So she stormed off and i went after her. She apologized for acting that way. To me, not the man selling the hot-dogs. Then when i suggested we grab something to eat, Alice turned me down. She didn't wanna eat anything. But i encouraged her to eat something in order to keep herself strong for Cameron's sake. So we got two hot-dogs, ate 'em, then we resumed searching the carnival. But we didn't find the boys. So we got back in our rented car and drove around town some more. And i just knew we weren't gonna find them. I had the same feeling about Lulu, Dustin, Ned and Olivia. And i was right." Bill explained. "So we've, uh...we've done all we can do. We've reported them missing to the police, searched all over town for them...but the results are the same. I hate to say it, but...unless the cops can find them...this is as far as we get. Now my beautiful boy...may be gone for good. He just survived the carnival disaster in Paris, Texas four months ago...as well as an incident at Camp Kikiwaka in July. And i know i should be grateful. I have to be grateful and i am...grateful. So...i just thought i'd come down here and look up some information on my phone about kids who run away from home. Then i thought of Rocco...and just what Lulu would give to have him back. And Leo? Same thing with Ned and Olivia. You know, Dustin, there are run away kids around the world right now...that are never gonna be found."
"I know." Dustin said.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to lay all this on you, Dustin." Bill said.
"Rocco...he may be one of those kids." Dustin said.
"I know." Bill said.
"No, actually, you don't know." Dustin said.
"Okay. What don't i know?" Bill asked. What was Dustin going on about?
"Lulu and i were at the Waves Of Superior Cafe, eating a box of fries she had ordered for herself. And while we were there, Lulu came across a young homeless boy who looked to be about Cameron's age. She gave the kid her fries, showed him a picture of the boys, asked if he'd seen them, he said no...and then he left. I could tell she was afraid of Rocco turning out like that boy, i assured her that he wasn't gonna end up like that. But what if i'm wrong? What if Rocco does end up like that poor kid we saw? What if we never find him and the other boys. Bill, he could be gone forever. And i know it's a lot for you with Cameron gone too. I'm sorry." Dustin said.
"It's okay." Bill assured. "I just don't getit. Rocco...Leo, Cameron, they're the happiest kids in the world."
"I know." Dustin said.
"I mean, why would they just take off like that without saying a word? Aren't we, like, one of the best families in the world? A family that's loving...and decent? Cameron is so much better than i will ever be." Bill said.
"I've learned sometimes that...well, you just can't try to make it all add up." Dustin said.
"How can you? I end up with a woman like Alice...we have a son like Cameron. And Cameron...Cameron is-"
"Cameron is one of the fighters." Dustin said, cutting Bill off. "And so are Rocco and Leo. And we've gotta believe that."
Please review.