Chad Jones's Arc

Chapter 7 of 7

Chad introduced Chester to DeShawn at the barn, watching them size each other up like teammates before the first practice. DeShawn nodded once, then went back to measuring boards. Chester stood with his hands in his pockets, looking smaller than Chad remembered. That night, Chad's phone lit up with messages. By Tuesday morning, a sedan with tinted windows pulled up the dirt road. Two men stepped out wearing shirts with church logos. They asked if Chad knew where Chester was staying. Chad said yes, Chester was helping with the barn. One man asked if Chad understood what kind of person Chester was now. Chad looked at the sedan, then back at the man. He said Chester was the same person he'd been since third grade, and this was his property. The men left but Chad knew others would come. Chad found Chester at the tower in the woods, sitting on the lowest platform. Chester had already heard the sedan arrive. Chad told him they needed to build something visible, something that made it clear Chester wasn't hiding anymore. They spent three days hauling stones from the creek bed, stacking them in a cairn taller than either of them at the edge of the property where the dirt road met the woods. Chester carved his initials into the top stone. Chad added his own next to them. When the next car came on Friday, Chad was waiting at the cairn. The driver slowed, stared at the tower of stones, and kept going. Chester walked out from the barn and stood next to Chad without saying anything. DeShawn joined them a minute later, wiping sawdust off his hands. The three of them stood there until the dust settled back on the road. Chad felt the weight lift from his chest. He'd made his choice public, and there was no script to fall back on now.