Below the Surface

Epilogue

Finney was admitted to the hospital due to... well, have you seen what went on with his face? Anyways, he mentioned he was having some sharp pains in his lower abdomen, and after a couple tests and an MRI, it was concluded that, at some point during his stay in your basement, Finney had suffered from acute appendicitis. The doctor, however, made sure to soothe all worries about the required appendectomy, saying that it could take as little as thirty minutes. Terrence eagerly agreed, allowing the doctors to do whatever was necessary to get his son in good shape. Terrence never left his sons side during his stay. 

Neither did you. You only left for school, sleeping in the chair beside Finney and eating in the cafeteria. It wasn't like you had a place to go, so you kind of just bummed around the hospital. You were kind of like a live-in nurse for Finney, always asking if he needed anything. Each time, all he asked was that you not leave his side. 

But, of course, that was inevitable. Al had been incarcerated, and you couldn't stay with him-- not that you wanted to. Social services had been looking for any relatives of yours while you "temporarily stayed with Terrence", who also pretty much lived at the hospital. Eventually, they found a distant cousin in Alaska, but the weather in Wasilla had taken a turn for the worst, and all flights had been grounded until the current blizzard passed. So, you stayed by Finney's side until she could get a flight. 

As for Al? He had a pathetic excuse of a trial. He couldn't find a lawyer willing to represent him in court, so he acted as his own lawyer. Historically, those trials tend to be short and usually end with a guilty verdict, this case being no different. Al was served three life sentences for multiple crimes (including child endangerment, but that wasn't a life sentence; it was just ten years added on his three life sentences) and sentenced to death for the particularly brutal murder of "Pinball" Vance Hopper. His execution date was set for Christmas Day of 1982, unless he could find a lawyer and get a stay of execution. 

I'll let you in on a secret, he couldn't find one. You heard on the news that day that Al was pronounced dead at 12:04 AM. By then, of course, you were in Alaska, but you stayed in touch with Finney. You wrote letters and spoke on the phone once a week. In the summer, you had plans to visit. Sometimes, you talked about Robin, and you both cried. Sometimes, you talked about Al, and there was a grave tone in your voices. Sometimes, you just talked lightheartedly. But mostly, you talked about the differences in your lives. Finney expressed how lonely he was without Robin and you, having made no friends since your departure. You were in the same boat. But Finney was hopeful. His dad, he had said, had gotten sober and was looking for a partner. Finney expressed that he was also interested in this, saying, "Maybe you'd like to join me?" 

You did want to join him. 

Finis Est.