Hey, you

Chapter 31 - The woman

The bar was nearly empty. Will sat still, gazing down at a glass of Jack Daniels that he'd barely touched. He didn't know what to do with himself or where to go next. He found himself in the middle of nowhere, not knowing how to move on. He wasn't sure he could do it anymore, moving from motel to motel and sometimes even sleeping rough by the side of the road.

'Percy, another bottle over here please?' requested a woman who had joined Will at the bar. 'Wow, you're taking your time with that whiskey son... you may wanna think about drinking that sooner rather than later. The guys around here, they get thirsty real quick,'

A dejected Will slowly looked up at the woman who was standing by his side. She had dark hair and was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, 'Well, when they get here, I'll be sure to offer,' he said politely, looking around an otherwise empty bar.

'So what brings you around here? I ain't never seen you in here before?'

'Oh, I'm just... passing through,' Will didn't really know what to say. It was the first conversation he'd had with anyone in what felt like weeks. He'd lost track of the days. His family hadn't been in contact. For the most part, his phone had barely had reception.

'Well, we don't get many passers-through round here... where is it your heading?' the woman asked.

'I really don't know anymore,' groaned Will, 'I just keep moving around, waiting for something to happen, or for a call to tell me I can go back home. But nothing...'

'So you're just running then?'

'I guess...'

The woman paused for a second and peered up at the TV behind the bar before looking back at Will, 'You know I came here because I was running too - life in the city just gets too much sometimes, don't it? You should think about staying, they'll take good care of you around here. These small towns in the middle of the wilderness, whilst they may not have cell reception most of the time, they definitely got great community spirit...'

It was actually quite tempting for Will, to just give up and start a new life. If it wasn't for the baby then he might have stopped running a while ago, 'Maybe you're right,' he agreed, getting slightly more cheery before raising his glass towards the woman's beer bottle.

'In other news, police are still on the lookout for a suspect in relation to allegations of a sexual attack on Hollywood actress, Ellie Greene...'

'Oooh,' said the woman, comparing the photograph on the TV to Will's face.

Will sat very still on the barstool. He didn't want to show his face to her again.

'So you're like, really running then?' she asked, peering back at him, her eyes widened.

'It's not true... none of it,' Will said quietly, shaking his head before nervously sipping more of his drink. Was this the end of the line? Had he finally been caught? The woman was surely ready to call the sheriff at any moment.

'So you didn't then?' she asked eventually. 'Abuse that young girl, I mean?'

'No... not at all! We loved each other. I'll always love her. It was everyone else that thought I only wanted her for one thing, but the truth is, she's everything to me. I did everything I could to protect her, but everybody just thinks I'm some sort of monster,'

'Well I can't see why that is... I mean, I believe you?'

'You do?' Will found it actually quite surprising that the woman appeared to be on his side.

'Straight up! I can tell just by the way you're staring up at her on that TV set! You know, that girl looks like such a sweetheart,' she continued. 'If you really love her, you shouldn't ever give up. You gotta keep fighting for her...'

Will took a deep breath as he continued to watch the news report on the TV. Did the woman have a point? Was he giving up too easily?

'You know what, you're absolutely right...' Will said eventually, downing the rest of his whiskey and getting straight to his feet, picking up his bag in the process.

'I can't just stand by and let these people do this to us, I mean, I love her... am I stupid for going back there?'

'It sounds more like bravery to me,' said the woman, smiling as she held up her bottle towards Will who had swiftly walked over to the exit of the bar.

Will grinned back at her, 'Thank you, I really needed that after the past few days...' he admitted, looking like he had a new lease of life.

'What did I say? Great community spirit! You go get her, son!'

'Wish me luck!' said Will, taking one last look at the woman.

'Good luck! And you take good care of her when you get back there!' she shouted as Will left through the door. The woman then turned back to face the TV. At that moment, she looked around the bar. It was now empty. The bar tender had disappeared in to the back, leaving the woman completely alone.

She discreetly pulled out her phone from the pocket of her leather jacket. Her eyes began to fill as the screen lit up in front of her, leaving her gazing down at her wallpaper. She smiled, placing her shaky hand over her mouth and trying her hardest to hold back the tears whilst she looked upon the faces of Tom, Ellie and Daisy...