Goodbye, I Will Love You Forever!
A short story about loss
“Another young man was killed on our roads last night when the car he was traveling in veered out of control and struck a tree. Police said he was 17…”
The wake room was quiet and solemn. The only noises were of muffled sobs and muttered condolences. The lights were dimmed, candles burned in the corners reflecting beautifully off the brass handles of the coffin, casting long shadows on the walls.
I had seen similar scenes many times before, but every death had been expected. Obscure uncles and aunts, I barely knew, every face now long forgotten. This time it was different. I had known this person all my life and although often I hated him and felt deeply disappointed in who he’d become; grief consumed me, inconsolable. Death is a different beast when it takes someone you know.
The mourners seemed to sense this. Although many looked in my direction, few came too close, maybe they thought genuine grief was contagious. They were the usual crew, close family, and friends who knew the deceased along with neighbors and extended family who never really knew or cared but thought they’d better make an appearance today.
Jimmy, Frankie, and I, friends from childhood, were dressed in identical navy blue suits, a sign of our everlasting bond. When they…
