My reasoning for venturing to South Dakota was to visit Sadie and her family. Sadie used to work in the same company as me. Her Dad, Gary, and Bill have been very close friends for years. They haven’t spoken to one another since Bill left me but they are now getting back on speaking terms. Her father decided to leave the company about little over a year ago to run a hunting/fishing resort on a lake. (If you know people who are interested in these kind of places, let me know. I can hook you up.)
I did a tour of the grand town of Pierre and we went to get a bite to eat. Conversation has a way of leading straight to Bill sometimes more often than not and sure enough we landed there. We spoke of him leaving the company and moving on, to what we weren’t sure, and the deep worry I’m holding over this. It all lead back to the Why? in all of it. You know, sex reassignment and abduction by aliens.
The last these dear friends have seen of Bill was when I was in England. Bill went up to visit them at my insistence. I knew he needed to get away and Gary was just the person to ease his mind. Gary and the rest of the family supported Bill and I in every way. I can not even explain how huge of a support they were to both of us. We thought they would be the people to walk out the door and turn their backs to us, but they were just the opposite. They never liked D and made as much very clear to Bill. Gary was the sort to look Bill in the eye and say It is ok. Focus on you and Shannon now. It is ok to be happy. You were meant to be together. I remember talking to Bill while he was up there and he felt so much better. He told me he was so excited to come back and see me and couldn’t wait till him and I could go back up together to see them all.
Gary and the family took Bill leaving me as hard as I did. Ok, perhaps not that hard, but they were shocked. That is perhaps a reason why Bill and Gary are just now talking to each other again. I wanted to poke and prod the other day but I have to leave them to their own friendship and I refuse to question. Gary doesn’t know the answer either.
After supper we walked down by the lake and Sadie said It must be so hard to miss him like this. No, the hardest part is standing under a million stars and missing him alone. Being in a spot where once again we were suppose to come together.
