Oliver Thorton

The household has been tense since the dinner with the Hobsons. James was not too pleased after Oliver and Johanna had explained the conversation, but Thomas would calm him down eventually. Those two were getting along very well.

Oliver would remain on his toes though. Hurting Johanna was the last thing on his mind, but somehow it had been inevitable. He watched what he said around her and what he did to ensure that she was not offended in any way. And that offended her. She did not want Oliver to regard her any other way. She did not wished to be treated differently, but she decided to not make a fuss about it. Nothing good would come from making a fuss about things.

Plus, it was a very big day. Whether or not it was a good day was up for debate, but it was indeed a very big day. Oliver would be seeing Carter today for the first time in almost a year.

The day...could have begun better. Oliver awoke drenched in perspiration from a horrible nightmare. Of course it was about Carter. He was afraid of the man. What if he got out of prison and came after him and his baby? Or he went after Johanna for kind of stealing him and having Oliver’s baby.

So when the others in the household awoke, they were surprised to find Oliver at the kitchen table; a pen and a piece of paper in front of him.

“What are you doing mate?” Thomas asked. He was supporting his lower back with one hand while running a hand through his disheveled hair. The couch did not get more comfortable with each night.

“I’m writing down what I want to say. How do I say ‘I never want to see you again’ in a more subtle way?”

Thomas could not help but roll his eyes at his brother. Oliver always did this. He always worked himself up with things like this. Always. Even when they were children playing a simple game of chess.
But he left him alone, choosing to run out to get breakfast instead of answering. 
Oliver got the same response from both James and Johanna before Thomas got back with food.

...

“Do I really have to do this? Can’t I just make a phone call? It would be so much easier.”

James had decided to drive Oliver down to the prison, many miles away from where they lived. Johanna and Thomas had chosen to stay home. James would not even go in with the man. He knew that this was something that Oliver would have to do on his own in order to get over Carter. And they would come back for as long as it took until Oliver felt comfortable enough to speak Carter’s name without that look of sadness on his features. James believed that Oliver didn't even realize that he still had strong feelings for the criminal. This was for the best.

“Yes, you really have to do this. Just think of it this way, when you finish here, you won’t have to do it again. Just go in there and get closure. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

Oliver’s legs shook the entire walk into the warehouse-looking building. Oliver could barely see the building, it was all covered by a high cement wall topped with barbed wire coils. This is where they sent him? 
Oliver felt a bit better, a bit safer. There was no way Carter could escape a place like this. He might have been ruthless, but not strong enough to pull something off like a break out.

He stood outside the gate for 15 minutes, going through a very thorough search before finally being allowed to enter the facility. 
Guards with large weapons flanked both his sides; he felt so small and vulnerable. 
Another gate passed...Oliver wanted to curl into himself. There were inmates walking freely in this area. Murderers were within arms reach of him. Was this safe?

Oliver was led into a separate room perhaps 20-30 feet from the second gate. There were about six guards in this room, but otherwise all of the people seemed to be visiting as well. Oliver was led to a booth, a phone to his right, high paned glass in front of him.

And then they brought out Carter.

Oliver was not sure how he would react from seeing Carter again after so long. What was he expected to feel? Regret? Sadness? Relief?

Was it bad that he was feeling relief? This is justice. Finally, Carter was getting what he deserved.

And there was also sadness, a lot of sadness. This was the man he loved. How long was he with Carter? One year? Two? This is the man he had planned to spend the rest of his life with. The man he felt had rescued him when he was so alone and had nowhere to go. What had happened? Where did it all go wrong? When did it all go wrong?

Carter looked...almost the same as when Oliver last saw him. Same bright green eyes, disheveled auburn hair, hard jaw with just a hint of a bruise. He might have lost a bit of weight, but otherwise Carter had the same strong build that he remembered. And this was why Oliver was attracted to him in the first place. Carter was - is - handsome. Oliver never thought that he would have ever been able to attract someone as beautiful as Carter.

Oliver was just getting used to the fact that he deserved better. He deserved better than being threatened and abused. He was glad that Carter was where he is. What if one day Carter came home drunk and drugged and ended up killing him? 
Oliver had never thought of that before. It just hit him when he saw the man again. The entire relationship, his life was at risk. He was so relieved. Carter is in prison.

Oliver did not hide the smile that blossomed on his lips as Carter sat in front of him, safe behind the glass. Carter is in prison.

...

“How have you been, baby? Why haven’t you come by to see me? Surely you’re not that busy are you? You’re just a shop boy.” A light chuckle left the older man’s lips.

Oliver wanted to roll his eyes. Of course Carter would still try to make him feel like dirt even behind bars.

“Well I have been very busy with my life, Carter. I’ve got a lot of big things happening now that require all of my attention. And now that I have more time, I can do more than just be a shop boy.”

Oliver could see it. He saw the anger. The flash in Carter’s eyes. He might have gone too far. But it felt fantastic to let Carter know that he did not rule his life anymore. For the first time since the start of the relationship, Oliver felt in control.

“Oh yeah, busy? With what? Surely you can’t do more than be a shop boy. What would consume your life so much that you can’t come and visit me just once?” Deep breath and a laugh. “Oh I know, your car broke down and you’ve had no money to come down here. It’s okay, baby, I accepted you before when you were nothing; I’ll still accept you. It’s not like you have anyone else.”

Oliver bit his tongue. He swore to himself that he would tell Carter nothing of Johanna and his baby. He would not risk their lives in a moment of anger and stress. He had handled Carter before and he would continue to do it; if it would protect Johanna. If it would protect his baby.

“I’m finished with you, Carter. I’m done with the abuse and the pain and...I won’t be coming to see you anymore. I just came to let you know that this is it, I’m standing up for myself for once.” 
Deep breath. He can’t believe he just did that. He finally said it.

And it was if a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He was done. Carter would be no more.
Oliver was done.

...

James smiled. Oliver walked out of the prison with a smile on his face. His shoulders were relaxed, he had a skip in his step. Of course this could also mean that Oliver was completely not over his ex and they somehow managed to get back together, but James knew. He just knew. Oliver had gotten that closure that he so desperately needed.

...

They went out to celebrate that night. Not much, nothing too expensive and nothing with shrimp because for some reason Johanna could not stand the smell of seafood anymore since hitting her third trimester.

“Are you guys excited? Baby’s almost here?” Thomas asked between a mouthful of food. 
Oliver had become adept to knowing Johanna’s facial features. She still hurt at the thought of leaving her baby, but nothing would change her mind.

Johanna had opened her mouth to answer, when a high pitched squeal reached their ears.

“What a coincidence to see you guys again!”
Charlotte.

Oliver denied the racing of his heart as he thought of Benjamin. Was he here? Did he come with his sister? One inconspicuous glance gave him his answer. Charlotte was with an older woman who looked very much like her, minus the purple hair - which appeared to have been mixed with blue since he last saw her.

Johanna raised herself with much difficulty and as the three women chatted away, Thomas leaned over to his brother.

“Don’t look so innocent. I saw you looking for that Benjamin fellow. You really like him don’t you?” This was accompanied with vicious pokes to the side and a taunting smile.

“I haven’t the slightest idea of what you speak of. Leave me alone! Stop that!”

The boys began swatting at each other, gaining the attention of the fellow restaurant goers. Oliver was happy; he had his brother back.

...

“You saw him again? Did he say anything about me? What was he like this time?”
Charlotte let out a laugh at her brother.

“Oh calm yourself, Benji! He was the same as last time, though Johanna seems to have blown up even more, if that’s possible. Although when I walked in, I could have sworn that he was looking for you. Make a move, big brother.”

No, there would be no moves made by Benjamin, he had fought with himself over and over again and came to this conclusion. As much as he would love to get to know Oliver better, possibly build some sort of relationship with him, he knew that it would not be possible.

Benjamin was so close to that third star, He needed this...the restaurant needed this. And Oliver had too much baggage. Way much more than he needed in his life at the moment. Say he started a relationship with the boy, and then what? He would have a child to take care of as well? No way was Ben ready for that level of commitment.

And then he felt ashamed. How could he think that about Oliver? Well, it was true, but still. How many others would think the same about the boy? Although he should have been more careful when it came to the intercourse with Johanna, he had not meant to ruin his life in the process and now Benjamin was judging him for it.

But it was true. And it was okay to be a bit selfish, Especially when it came to something as important as the restaurant that his family worked so hard to build up.

So he told this to Charlotte, all of it, including his guilt for not being able to at least try to be with the boy. She slapped him and scolded him for leading Oliver on in the first place. And then she forbade him from seeing Oliver again. It was comical, that Benjamin’s younger sister was telling him how to live his life. But she had a point. If Oliver was excited to see him, then that would mean that Benjamin had given him the wrong impression - well, it had been the right impression at the time. He had to put a stop to it.

No more Oliver Thorton.