A New World

Chapter 5: How To Explain? Part 1

A Year Earlier ...

The setting sun cast long, skeletal shadows across the yard, painting the freshly dried concrete of the pool. It marked the end of another sweltering day, but more importantly, it marked the end of a grueling project. Two months. Two solid months of back-breaking under the unforgiving sun. Two months of dirt, sweat, and the constant, nagging of our wives.

Sky and I collapsed into the patio chairs, the cheap plastic groaning under our weight. We popped open a couple of cold ones, the hissing sound a symphony to our ears. The water hose snaked across the grass, slowly but surely filling the gaping hole we'd carved into the earth. Not going to lie, it would have been completed at the end of spring but there were a few nights of us drinking a little bit too much and we were doing good to stand let alone operate machinery.

"Bro." Sky sighed, stretching his arms above his head. "I am so freaking thankful that this b***h is over with. Amanda will finally be off our ass. I love that woman more than life itself, but there were a few of those days I was going to drown that woman!" He said jokingly.

"This weekend we are having one hell of a pool party here! I even got Pat coming to make an appearance!" I said, taking a long swig of my beer. Sky nearly jumped out of his chair, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"Are you f*****g serious, bro?"

Pat was a legend, a relic from our wilder days. A man who could tell stories that would leave you clutching your sides with laughter and tales that made your blood run cold. He was the life of every party, fueled by Captain Morgan and an endless supply of colorful anecdotes.

"Dude, I got one hell of a blunt rolled and ready to go! Plus, I told him that I even got him his own personal bottle of Captain Morgan! We're having an old school party!" Sky's face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"f**k ya! This is going to be epic. I haven't seen Pat in ages!"

A wave of nostalgia washed over us, a bittersweet reminder of simpler times. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me back to the present. I glanced at the screen. It's another text from Kelly saying that she also wants potato salad. I groan rolling my eyes which makes Sky laugh.

"You only got seven more months to go bro. Then about a year later she'll somewhat go back to being your wife again." Sky was watching me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. I chuckled sarcastically.

"It f*****g better. I know she is pregnant and her body is going through a f**k ton of hormones, but god damn man. I can only take so much. She started hysterically crying as we were watching Shrek." Sky almost spit out his beer, laughing so hard he choked.

"Oh, man, that's a new one! Alright! This is going to be interesting! Now, before I start asking the big question to all of this, I need to verify a few minor details so I can have a complete picture." He says fighting back the laughter.

"You know you're an asshole, right?" I said, grinning.

We both lit up cigarettes, the cherry-red tips glowing in the fading light. We were being d***s to each other, as usual, but beneath the banter, there was a deep-seated bond, a brotherhood forged through shared experiences and countless late-night conversations.

"That's beside the point." He says being now like a therapist as he crossed his leg. "Also in my defense, you grew up with me and have had plenty of time to make other friends. Besides, we've done too much s**t around this town that we have too much evidence on each other."

I burst out laughing, reminiscing in memories of all the stupid and incriminating s**t we'd gotten into. From setting off fireworks in old man Hemlock's garden to that ill-advised attempt to steal the town's ridiculously oversized inflatable Christmas snowman, we were a walking disaster.

"b***h! Don't you dare throw my ass under the bus! You know you did all that stupid s**t! I had to become a cop in this town just to keep your ass out of jail." I retort being a smartass to him.

"I never forced you to do anything you didn't already want to do. The only thing I'm guilty of is being a friend that encourages. Also you know that I'm grateful for that. I'm now able to afford college for all my kids because of the money you are now saving me."

I couldn't help but laugh. He really was a great dad to three amazing kids, and they made a decent amount of money owning Pepper's Bar. The bar was originally owned by Sky's grandfather. When he died, it was given to Sky in the will. The town functioned because of this bar. It was the only real social hub, the place where deals were made, secrets were spilled, and friendships were forged.

"I just have two questions. The first is that we are talking about the cartoon ogre voiced by Mike Myers?" He asked continuing on.

"Yes." I managed to say through the lingering laughter.

"Okay. Well what the hell made her cry?" I took a long swig of my beer, trying to compose myself.

"She got upset because Fiona was locked up in the tower by her parents all because she suffered from the curse." My words instantly broke him as we cracked open another beer. "Have I said how much of an asshole you really are?" I said, shaking my head trying to fight back the laughter. My phone chimed again. "Oh god damn it!" I groaned, looking down at yet another text from Kelly that emphasized "sweet" in the instruction. "Don't forget the pickles." Sky roared in laughter at me, which was making me laugh. "I'll see you this weekend, brother! I got to go to the store! She wants a jar of sweet pickles!" We did a fist bump.

"Love ya bro! I'll see you then!" He said, still chuckling.

"Love ya too! Asshole!" We burst out laughing as I headed to my truck.

At home at five in the morning, I got a lovely wake-up call from my four-year-old son, Lucas. He decided to climb in bed with us. In the process of trying to climb over me to lay between us, he kicked me hard in the balls. I instantly woke up groaning in frustration. I knew he didn't mean to and he did apologize, so I couldn't be made at him, but I still mumbled my anger and pain out. Not the best way to start my morning.

The warmth of the bed beckoned me back after my brief sojourn to the bathroom. One more hour. Just sixty more minutes before the insistent chirping of my alarm dragged me back into the land of the living. As I nestled back under the covers, a wave of contentment washed over me. I peeked at my wife and kid, a tangled mess of limbs and blankets in our king-sized bed. Their faces were soft, peaceful, oblivious to the worries and responsibilities that awaited. A genuine smile stretched across my face. This was my paradise, right here.

The morning routine was a blur. Shower, shave, a quick scan of the news, and a piece of toast before heading out the door. Being the sheriff of Havenwood had its perks. It was the town I grew up in, a place where everyone knew my name, offered a friendly wave, and loved to remind me of my childhood escapades. Sometimes it felt like being stuck in a time capsule, but mostly, it felt like home.

I was buried in paperwork, the bane of any law enforcement officer’s existence, when Jo burst into my office. Her face was ashen, her eyes wide with terror. Jo was Sky's younger sister, and back in the day, she was our constant shadow. Seeing her this shaken, stripped of her usual bubbly demeanor, sent a jolt of fear down my spine.

"Mark, come on, we have to go! Sky's been in an accident!" She stammered, her voice laced with panic.

Details be damned. I was already moving before the last word left her lips. We piled into my truck, tires spitting gravel as we roared out of the parking lot. We tore down the familiar country roads, pushing the speed limit. Jurisdiction be damned. Sky was family.

I knew he was headed to Lincoln, the nearest city, for the Farmer's Market. His bar thrived on locally sourced ingredients, a point of pride for him. Lincoln, however, was a necessary evil. The big city, with its faster pace and heavier traffic, was always a risk.

The scene that unfolded as we approached Lincoln was something I'll never forget. Red and blue lights painted the sky, reflecting off the grim faces of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. Sky's truck lay overturned in the middle of the road, a mangled heap of metal. A man, wild-eyed and resisting restraints, was being strapped onto a backboard. Judging by his behavior, he was either completely wasted or high as a kite.

I slammed the truck into park and we sprinted towards the chaos. A wall of uniforms blocked our path, but a few hurried explanations and flashes of our badges cleared the way. Truthfully, I almost wished they hadn't.

To Be Continued ...