Book 2 - Into the Light

Chapter Twenty Three

It's been about a month since the encounter with Jake and Ashley. Gunnar has been at the center rearranging the finances and setting up for a fundraising event in the summer. Victoria is due in June and they still haven't found out the gender of tiny bit. They want to keep it a surprise. Victoria and Ben are at the barn working and things are coming along. They are hoping to have it done by the time the baby comes. Victoria has really enjoyed spending time with Ben working on the house.

"Hey, Ben,"

"What's up sweet girl?"

"Is this what it's like? To have a dad?" she asks.

Ben stops what he's doing a bit confused at first as her question hits him a bit different. "What do you mean?"

"This effortless feeling of enjoying hanging out together,"

"Should be. My dad was a good man. He was pretty harsh about football since he was the coach and all. He pushed me hard during football season and even in the offseason there was additional training and working out. I used to hate him for that. Never felt like I could be a kid. Gunnar's dad, Will, was always there to take some of the heat off." Ben opens up to Victoria more than he has anyone else. "I've come to realize it was his way of showing that he cared, messed up as it was. Instead of "I love you" it was to run the drill again. He wanted the best for me so I had a better future,"

She nods her head smiling. Loving hearing about Gunnar's dad makes her feel that he's apart of all this in some way. "Gunnar is going to be an amazing father,"

"That is an absolute fact. He's always cared more about people than items."

"Tell me more about Will. I hear Gunnar's side, he was an amazing guy,"

"Will, he was such a selfless guy," Ben sits back remembering. "In high school, he was the one that was the life of the party and the best lineman to hold the line and have your back. I remember sitting in the locker room and he ran in sitting next to me talking about this girl. He said "I saw her and knew she'd be perfect for me"," He laughed. "I asked him why and his response was that she is kind of shy, but once you get to know her she is the kindest person there was. She had a hot friend who threw amazing parties."

"What happened?"

"Well I met her and he was right. She was the kindest person and incredibly smart. I asked for help in history and she sat and helped me. We ended up being best friends. Talked all the time, hung out a bit. I told Will that I loved her. I was the football star and this shy bookworm, this beautiful bookworm captured my life. I'd find any excuse to see her,"

"What happened to her?"

"That party you were told about..." Ben hangs his head.

"Oh,"

"Oh is right. Even when I told Brittany that I loved Sadie, she manipulated me into thinking she liked Will. You heard the events that happened. I never thought I'd have a chance with her." Ben smiles, "Will knew that I still loved her, after all those years he knew. He never threw it in my face that they were together, never pushed me anyway. When Sadie became pregnant, I was devastated. Will was freaking out. We promised to have each other's back. That's why we went to work as Cops. We talked all the time but he never spoke angry or bad of Sadie. Will would want people to see the good in the world but he also knew the power in staying quiet about important things. Over the years he stood by me and listened to my problems, never judging them. The moment Gunnar told me that he and Sadie never loved each other, I mean they loved each other but were never IN love with each other, was one of the most earth-shattering moments of my life. I never knew he wasn't happy or wasn't in love with her. He took care of her because I loved her. How selfless is that? He was the most stand up guy you could've ever met."