The Night We Met

Chapter 42- The Will (Oliver)

My father died this morning and I feel sick to my stomach. He was just fine yesterday when I visited. He was just fucking fine. How do I go about my life now, I feel so damn empty. I don't think I have any tears left, I just feel so fucking numb. I knew he was going to die but now it just all feels all too real. I don't want to deal with any of this. I don't want to call his work and tell them he died, I don't want to bury him, I don't want to do any of that.

I called River and she's coming by in a few minutes. I gave her a key a while back so she just comes in and sits down next to me on the couch.

"Maybe you were right, maybe I shouldn't have gotten close to him, this just feels like too much in such little time."

"No, I was wrong, and no amount of words can express how fucking wrong I was. I had no right to tell you what you could and couldn't do. I should've supported you through every step of the way."

"You did support me."

"How can you even stand to look at me, how can you still love me."

"Because I just do, and nothing you can say will ever make me stop loving River. You're it for me River." She curls up next to me and we just sit in silence. At one point she gets up and puts on gossip girl. I laugh when I see what she's doing.

"Chinese?" She asks?

"Yea."

I don't even realize I feel asleep until my phone rings. I hope it isn't Joey, I'm not ready to talk to him right now. He's been trying but I've been avoiding him. I'm not mad at him for keeping everything a secret, but I just need time to get over things and look at his face without wanting to punch it in.

"Hello?" I ask groogly.

"Hello, is this Mr. Hunterson?"

"Yeah, why?"

"First, I would like to say I'm sorry for your loss. I'm your father's testator. If you could come to my office so I could read you the will, that's be great."

"Will?"

"Yes, your father left you a will, it would be preferable for you to come today."

"Uh sure, can you send me the address?"

"Sure can!" And he hangs up.

I look at my phone, confused because my father never mentioned a will, and how did they know?

"Who was that?" River asks.

"My father left a will." I say absentmindedly.

"Oh. Are you going to go today?"

"Yeah." 'I-' she hesitates and I look up.

"Er, do you want me to come with you?"

I smile. "Yeah, come with me."

River and I both get dressed in jeans and black tops. We hit the road at 1:30 because the address is about an hour away and the guy told us to come at 3. 

We're there a little after three due to traffic, but not so late that it's impolite. We walk in when we both spot Joey and Brynn.

"Joey?"

"Brynn?"

"River?"

"Oliver?"

"Why are you here?" We all ask at once that it's actually spooky. It goes silent for a while before I say "It's my father whose dead." Joey grimaces at that and Brynn puts a hand on my shoulder and glares at me. I just roll my eyes.

Before things can get more heated, a short, muscular man walks in.

"Great, now that we're all here, let's get started." River interlaces our hands and start walking where the man is walking. We arrive at a little room and sit down.

"My name is Mr. Rodriguez. I'm reading your father's will and it would be greatly appreciated if you could wait until I'm done to ask any questions." We all nod our head and he takes out some papers and starts reading. "I give and bequeath to Oliver Hunterson all funds in my savings account, #48-9877B at First National Bank, Miami, Florida. I give and bequeath all of my personal homes  and clothing to Oliver Hunterson. I give and bequeath 300,000 out of account #38-6484C to Joey Smith. There are no conditions to this will, everything I've read to you is final and do with that as you may. There's also two notes to read and I will give to the privacy to read them if you want." He hands it to them and looks at us expectantly.

"How much is in the savings fund?" I ask. He ruffles some papers before he says "A little over 750,000." Fuck I knew my father was well off but damn, that's a lot of money.

"Can I get my letter?" I heard Joey ask. Rodriguez does as asked while handing me mine too. "I'm going to go Oliver." Joey says but I don't look back, I just stare at my letter.

I turn to River. "Let's go." She nods. "Bye and thank your Mr. Rodriguez."

We get in the car and just sit there until I hand River the letter. "Read and drive?" She nods and I start the car.

"Hello Son, I want you to know that  I'm sorry I kept my condition from you. I just wanted a little more time with you before I go. I'm sorry I never fixed myself sooner for you. I'm sorry that I was selfish enough to wait until I was dying to fix things, I'm sorry you have to go through this again. You don't deserve this. I don't know how else to lessen your pain, so I hope you accept all that I've left you, you don't have to, you could give all  my money away, but I just hope you do. Please do not be mad at Joey for not telling you, I practically begged him not to, and I'm thankful he respected my wishes. I love you son and I'm sorry for not being the father you deserved all those years ago. Thank you for giving me another chance."

By the time she's done I'm sobbing. And here I thought I had no tears left. River takes my hand and uses her other hand to turn on the radio. Then "The Night We Met" Starts playing and I just start crying harder, and River keeps holding and squeezing my hand. I pull to a stop and just hold her while the song plays.

To add salt to all wounds, his favorite song "And So It Goes" starts playing right after. It feels like he's talking to me but it just hurts too fucking much right now, it feels too raw. I'm just so fucking tired of life.