Chapter 10
One year to the day I got off the bus.
I stood on the porch of the house.
The same porch where I'd tackled Frank.
Where the whole town had called me monster.
Where Ethan had finally told the truth.
Ethan came out and stood beside me.
He was taller now. Almost as tall as me.
Stronger.
Happier.
"One year," he said.
"One year," I agreed.
We looked out at the yard.
The grass was green. The flowers were blooming.
The screen door was fixed.
Everything was different.
And everything was the same.
I thought about the eight years I'd lost.
The prison cell. The loneliness. The anger.
And I thought about the year I'd gained.
The truth. The freedom. The brother.
The shop. The kids. The respect.
I had lost so much.
But I had gained so much more.
Ethan squeezed my shoulder.
"You okay?" he asked.
I smiled.
"I'm perfect."
Somewhere, Frank was in prison. Paying for his crimes.
Somewhere, Henderson was paying too.
But I wasn't thinking about them.
I was thinking about the future.
About tomorrow.
About the life we were building.
Honest. Whole. Ours.
The town didn't call me monster anymore.
They called me Cole.
Or Mr. Carter.
Or sometimes... hero.
But I didn't need titles.
I just needed this.
My brother.
My home.
My freedom.
And for the first time in as long as I could remember...
I felt completely safe.
May you like
Completely loved.
Completely at peace.
