ISSUES II outer banks

a man and his boat

"A man only goes down on or with his boat."

❥

"Topper?" "Hey, are you with Sarah? I need her to know something and I think it's best if you tell her." "What-" "They're arresting her dad. Ward has just signed the arrest warrant and if she wants to tell him something, she should know about it." "Yeah, yeah. She should. Thanks, Topper." "Please let her know that I'm here if she needs anything." "I will", I sighs and hang up to go and tell Sarah about it. 

Luckily, the boys understand what it means to her and we quickly drive past the police officers so we can be there for Wheezie as well. I can't help but wonder what it means for Rafe. Will he even find out about it? "Please be quick", Sarah says nervously, "We need to be there for Wheezie." "Do you think I want to miss out on this?", John B asks seriously and I mentally slap him. That's definitely not the right moment for stupid comments. 

"Fuck it, I'm going over there", John B says as we watch the police officers running through the garden from behind the wall to the premise. So we help each other to jump over the wall and run after them. "Wheezie, stay here", Rose tells the younger girl as both of them come out of the house and stand in front of us. "What is the police doing here?" "Wheezie", Sarah says hugging her. "Why is the police here again?" "Get back to the house, don't come back outside." "Listen to her, Wheeze", I add as she looks at me to reassure herself that it's as serious as it is, "We'll be back." 

Knowing that we have to be quick, we run to the dock to the druthers where Ward and Shoupe are facing each other. "Dad", Sarah shouts and the police officers tell us to step back but Shoupe helps us. "That's Sarah Cameron. Let her through." "What do you want here, Sarah?", Ward shouts and the serious tone of his voice makes me wonder what this is about. He's only getting arrested, right? Why make a big scene out of it? 

"Dad, what are you doing here?" "Isabella, keep her away! She shouldn't have to watch this!" What in the hell.. "Ward, come down and talk to her", I shout back, "You're her dad. We know you've never wanted to hurt her." "I'm sorry that's not possible. I'm sorry, Sarah, my dear." "What's your plan? Dad, no no no!" "Ward, that's not going to end as you imagine!", Shoupe warns him loudly and we all look around as the water police is appearing, "You don't want her to watch this!" 

"I love you, Sarah!" "Dad, no, no! Please, stay here!" "Ward, stand still and come back!" I take a quick look at John B and finally understands what this is about. "Ward, no, don't do it!", I shout taking Sarah's hand instinctively but the druthers explodes, its pieces flying through the air leaving a big fire making the dock quacking and leaving what's left behind of it on the water. 

"No, no, no", Sarah whispers, her voice shaking, "Dad! Dad! No! No!" I instinctively react holding her hand more tightly and lay my arm around her shoulder already as she's looking to John B. The look on his face is even shocking to me. He looks relieved. John B has never been the type of person who wants revenge but he got it and he seems glad about it. And I can only understand if it's breaking her heart. As Sarah falls down to the ground, I'm glad that Topper appears and helps me hold her tightly. 

If it's breaking me already, for myself as Ward has been somewhat of a father figure to me once, and for Rafe, Sarah, Rose, Wheezie and my own parents, how much must it hurt her knowing and seeing what happened? I look at the wreck and then to my friends and I realize we're back at again at kooks vs pogues in a figurative way. They're standing two meters away from where Sarah, Topper and I knee down. They're astounded and somewhat glad, we're shocked and utterly sad. Ward deserved jail, but he did not deserve death.

Topper and I sit down in the Cameron's garden with Sarah as the others drive back. None of us has said anything to each other anymore and I'm glad about that. I'm shocked about John B's reaction and actually extremely disappointed. He could have at least hidden his joy in respect to Sarah but he did neither that nor was he there for her. In this case, I differentiate between Ward being a murder and Ward being Sarah's dead dad. 

As I receive a phone call from a unknown number hoping it would be Rafe telling me that he's alright, I look at Topper and show him my phone so he knows that I'll answer the call in the garden where they wouldn't hear me talking. "Hello?" "Isabella Scott, someone wants to talk to you", I hear Plumbs voice and immediately get nervous, "Are you paying for the costs?" "Yes, I am." "Here, you can talk to her", she says quietly so I know she's talking to someone else. 

"Bella", Rafe whispers and my breaks even more understanding that they've caught him. Rafe's in prison. "Bella. I.. I've got one call and I needed it to be you. Plumb said my dad would be here soon. What happened?" "Rafe, Ward.. he's.. he's been arrested", I say hoping that he hasn't found out about his death already. "Shit", he curses, "Plumb told me I'll be free in an hour. Can you pick me up? Looks like my dad won't be able to pick me up." "Of course, I will. I'll be there soon."

As soon as I arrive at prison, Plump approaches me and I look at her confused. "We haven't told him", she tells me and I wonder why she's being nice, "I wanted Ward to be in prison next his son, not to be dead." "Thank you", I decide to reply without even questioning her behavior. There is no time for that. As soon as they let Rafe walk out and I see him, my heart cracks once more. He looks bad and he hasn't even found out what happened. How am I supposed to tell him? 

"Bella", he sighs relieved and approaches me looking like he's asking me if he's allowed to hug me so I just do it. I hug Rafe tightly knowing how much he needs some mental support right now. "You've cried. What happened?", he asks as he takes a look at me. "Come on, let's go out", I tell him so we finally leave this place and go back to my car to sit in there. I don't start the engine already. I have to be strong first. Strong for myself, strong for him. 

"What's going on?", he asks nervously as a tear is streaming down my cheeks again. "You always wondered who your dad would choose..", I slowly begin not being able to say it fast, "He's had this plan, Rafe." "I know, I know. Dad chose me. He's told me", Rafe quickly says nodding, "But I don't care about it anymore. Dad wanted me to be free, he'd help me to run away no matter what happened.. he made this plan for me." 

"They've found out that he's killed Gavin and Big John", I continue ignoring what he's just said, "Shoupe wanted to arrest him." "Wanted to? Did he run away?" "He waited for him on the druthers.. the druthers exploded earlier", I sigh already crying so I grab Rafe's hand when I see him starting to cry, "He planned this all, Rafe. He wouldn't want to be in prison. He said a man goes down with his boat so he did. I'm so sorry."