Chapter 2: Because of You
"I'm sorry Will, I wish I didn't have to do this," said a burly man in a dress shirt and tie. "You've been late and missing too many days lately. Plus your performance and the quality of your work has gone down. I don't have much of a choice here."
"But Joe, come on. It's just been a bad stretch. I've just have had some hard times of late," Will pleaded. "I've been dealing with some personal issues."
"I know you've had a rough patch. I feel bad, but this is coming from the higher ups,. It's not in my hands," Joe replied. He leaned forward in his swivel chair and rested his arms on the papers that were scattered among his desk. "I know how hard it is losing a woman you care a lot about. But its been a few months now. For your own good, you need to move. Put her behind you."
"I am. I'm doing a lot better.," Will replied quickly.
"I know you have been drinking a lot. That's not the answer."
"I've not been drinking that much."
"People talk. Its gotten back to me Will," Joe said. Will tilted his head down letting out a sigh of defeat. "You need to quit that stuff. This is me as your friend talking to you here.. I'm concerned…"
"Its not a problem," Will interrupted. "I get it. I've been in a funk. I swear I'm on the verge of coming out of this thing."
"I hope you are, for your own good. And I hope you bounce back," Joe said before taking a pause. "I'm sorry but I still have to let you go."
"This is bull shit!," Will yelled. He stood up and banged his fist on the desk. "I've worked here for almost two years. Don't that mean anything?"
"Calm down. I am very sorry," Joe said holding his hands out in a calming way.
"Whatever man!" He turned and started walking out.
"Will I hope you take care of yourself and get back on your feet," Joe said as Will opened the door. He stopped half way out.
"Yeah," Will replied in a low voice. He then turned and walked out of the office. He walked across the floor towards the lounge area. He passed a few groups of people along he way. Will picked up on their stares and even heard some of the whispers. "I think they let him go." "Damn, that sucks, poor guy." "That girl messed him up badly."
Will tried to ignore them as best as he could. Tried to focus more on his anger that he was feeling at himself for screwing this up. Things had just been falling apart around him. This job was all he had left. He opened the door to the lounge area and walked in. He grabbed his hat and jacket off the coat rack.
"Shit, they didn't?" a man sitting at a table said. Will turned around to make eye contact.
"Yeah T.J., he canned me," Will said solemnly. He opened the refrigerator door and grabbed his lunch bag.
"Damn, that sucks," T.J said. He got up out of his chair and walked over to Will. "That's crazy! How can they do that to you. You're a hell of a worker."
Will shrugged and then said, "thanks man, you've been a good buddy here."
"It's been no problem man. What you going to do?" T.J. asked.
"I really don't know. I guess I'll figure something out," Will answered.
"Man if there is anything you need man, just call. I'll do my best to help ya," T.J. said as he put his hand on Will's shoulder.
"Thanks man. That's kind of you," Will said.
"Hey its what you do for a friend."
"Cool, I better head out before they call the cops and have me kicked out," Will said trying to joke.
"Yeah wouldn't surprise me. But you keep in touch man. I mean it," T.J. said giving Will a half hug. "Get a beer or something sometime."
"Sounds good man. I will keep up with you," he said. Will tipped his head and turned to leave.
He headed back out the door. Will stopped and looked around. Gathering up the will to walk past everyone again. He took a deep breath and headed towards the outside exit. Once again passing the onlookers. He felt the stares but didn't make eye contact with any of them. Luckily this time a machine was running so he couldn't pick up on any of the whispers.. He pushed the door open and headed outside.
Will squinted as the sunlight hit his face. He brushed his brown hair back as he slid his ball cap on. He paused for a second, taking everything in. You idiot! Look at what you did to yourself now. Now what are you going to do? He thought to himself. Will started across the parking lot. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He lit one and took a drag off it. He fumbled his keys out of his pocket as he reached his reached his pickup truck. He unlocked the door and climbed into the cab angrily shutting the door behind him.
Will leaned back and rested his head on the seat. His whole world felt like it was rushing in on him. Things just seemed to be getting worse and worse. Will was in downward spiral and he had no idea how to get out. It all began with her. She was the beginning of all his turmoil. Will's emotions finally started getting the best of him.
"What the hell do they know. Don't they know I'm trying," he yelled to himself. Will hit his steering wheel a couple times. He fell forward and rested his forehead on the wheel. He remembered a time when things were better.
He had a job that paid the bills. Will even had bought a house. It was small home, but it was his. Then one night while at fair with friends things got even better. He met a girl that lit up his world. He fell so hard in love with her. She had the cutest smile. He loved it when she would take her hand and brush her blonde hair back or the way her mouth would hang open when he would same something to shock. He loved everything about her. In Will's eyes he had found his soul mate. He had the girl he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with. Will would smile every time he saw her. Things were good, he was happy and had a direction in life.
But five months ago things changed. Will still didn't even know what went wrong. Things went bad so fast and it seemed to come out of nowhere. Things started looking strange. The girl started acting strangely. Then one day she just came out and told him. She was in love with another man and didn't want to be with him anymore.
Will was blindsided. This wasn't suppose to happen. He thought they were in love. They had even talked about marriage and starting a family. His world just collapsed. Will couldn't even understand what happened. It didn't make any sense to him. He didn't even know why or what went wrong. It just happened out of nowhere. From there a cataclysm of events escalated as everything started being sucked in the black hole that was his life.
"This is her fault. She caused this," he said as tears came down his face. "Why? Why did she leave me?"
Will sled the key into the ignition and started the truck. He angrily put in gear and started driving out of the parking lot. He needed to clear his head. He took the on ramp to the highway. In the back of his mind he pictured her giving him a devilish smile as if she enjoyed to misery she caused him. He tried to shake the image out of his head. Their was only one thing could help him. He needed to go to the Winding Road Tavern down on old Route 9. A few drinks would help him.
Will pushed the gas petal down harder. Dammit, now what in the hell am I going to do. That bitch screwed me again he thought. He quickly pulled into the left lane without warning. A horn blew behind him.
"Fuck you," he yelled as if the other driver could hear him. Will sped up and kept weaving back and forth through traffic.
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