Back To Our Roots, Book One

XLIII. The Good Reporter

Wes couldn't leave his dorm without whispering and pointing. There had been seemingly countless articles released, a lot of them getting facts wrong.

He was sitting under a tree on Dalton's campus with David, reading, when a young woman walked up to him. "Excuse me? You're Wesley Montgomery, correct?"

Wes sighed. "That would be me." He almost added 'sadly' but decided not to.

"I was hoping to get a word or two for my article."

"What's your angle?"

"Your angle is my angle. Nobody knew them better than you."

That mildly surprised Wes. Everyone else wanted to attack his parents, make them out to be villains. He had gotten several emails and people had contacted him through social media asking for interviews, but only one person decided to come to him.

"How did you figure out where to find me?"

"Lots of research. You are a hard man to find." She chuckled.

Wes glanced over at David, biting his lip. "Only if I can read it before it gets published. I don't really trust reporters to not twist my words, no offense."

"That's quite alright." She sat down on the grass, surprising him. She actually acted like a normal person, not a professional reporter. She started a recorder. "Do you believe that your parents' sentence is fair?"

"I'm not going to pretend I'm in love with it, but the punishment fits the crime."

"Is there anything in particular that you don't like about it?"

"Just... I mean, I know they screwed up. I get that. And yeah, they broke a law. But they're my parents, they're my family. I guess I just feel a sense of loyalty to them. I wouldn't be who I am today without them."

"Is part of the reason you aren't fond of this that it caused so much drama?"

"Definitely. I mean, pretty much everyone knows who they are, and they know who I am. I've gotten so many people I don't know approaching me and apologizing, saying I'm strong. Getting hugged by relative strangers isn't fun, I'll tell you that."

"What was your immediate reaction when you found out your parents had gotten caught?"

"I thought there had to be some kind of misunderstanding. All than ran through my mind is that there are worse people like murderers and rapists in jail, that they wouldn't last a day in there. Then I realized that if I was taken out of their custody, I'd have to be in someone else's. I was- well, still am, really- frightened of the idea of being thrown into some family full of people I don't know. At least with my parents I knew what to expect."

"You're an only child, correct?"

"Yes, I am. Though, honestly, all of this could have just been avoided if they decided not to have kids. You can't be an unfit parent if you aren't a parent. They could have just been a happy couple, but now they're in prison."

The reporter was silent a minute. Wes waited, assuming she was thinking of another question.

"I think I have what I need. Thank you, Mr. Montgomery."

Wes shook her hand and she left. He sunk back into the grass by the tree, sighing. "I really hope she doesn't twist my words around."

He looked over at David. "Something wrong?"

"No. I just really love you. You know that, right?"

Wes smiled. "I love you too," he said, kissing him.