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Eddie stared at nothing, his heart sinking. Hen held his hand but he didn’t register the touch. A salt dampness fell from his left eye and he tried to use his unheld hand to wipe it away. But nothing happened. He couldn’t move. Eddie couldn’t feel anything. He was frozen, still. His heart felt as though it stopped. Maybe it had. They were dead, the two people he cared for and loved most in this universe were gone.
When Eddie finally let out a breath it was shaky and broken. Plentiful tears plummet from his face and he lets out a scream. No no no…
Bobby and Athena made Eddie stay at their place and as much as he protested Eddie was happy to not go home to an empty house. Home. What did that word even mean anymore? His “home” is no more. No more movie nights, no more home cooked meals, no more laughs, no one to force him into family hugs, no one to stand by his side, no one to share any semblance of joy; no more joy.
He doesn’t eat. He can’t. It all reminds him of them. Cereal, for school mornings that no longer exist. Lasagna, no longer made with the same love. Even water didn’t taste right anymore; the shine of blue too similar to the ones he once had.
He stayed in the guest room rarely going out. He kept the curtains closed, how could the world still shine after everything that had been taken away from him? Few people came in. They tried at first, tried making conversation or to make him feel better, but he said nothing. He couldn’t. He was afraid the moment he opened his mouth the tears wouldn’t stop. So people stopped trying. Excpt Maddie. Maddie with her warm voice and sweet smiles. Eddie couldn’t kick her out, especially when she lost one of them too. They talked for hours. She held his hand and he held hers when the conversation got especially rough. They held each other tight when Bobby came in with Buck’s belongings and Maddie sat with him when Carla came over with his and Chris’s.
That’s where he found it. In a pile filled with drawings upon drawings. A card. The card. Buck and Christopher had made it only so many months ago. A purple rose drawn in the front, hearts and stars surrounding it. Eddie stared down, eyes wide, tears threatening to spill down. He looked down at the ground, his hands shaking. He set the card over on his night stand, face down.
Eddie took a deep, shaky breath. Athena and Bobby went out, leaving him all alone in the big empty house. Eddie was told that there were leftovers in the fridge, maybe he’ll eat them. He wrapped a blanket around himself, lips pursed into a tight frown. His eyes were red and the bags under them laid dark and heavy. He took a glance at his bedside table, looking away quickly, he stepped out the door.
Eddie took a seat on the couch, slouching, letting it take him in, trying to make it take him away. He stared at the TV in front of him, too tired to reach for the remote. He glanced back at his room, his teeth coming out to bite his lips as he swallowed. He lets out a defeated sigh and goes over to the kitchen, his feet heavy as he walks. Eddie slowly raises his hand and as he pulls the fridge door the blanket around his shoulders drops on one side. His jaw clenched and he opened the fridge door.
Eddie ate the pasta bit by bit, forcing himself to bite, chew, and swallow. Afterwards, he left the dishes in the sink walking back to his bed. He lied down peering up at the ceiling, his eyes shooting back to the card beside him. Eddie chews the inside of his cheeks and his shoulders slouch. His hand comes up, trembling, and grabs the card. He sits up a tad bit and holds the card in front of him, staring down as his eyes start to glisten and thick tears fall as he opens it. Pictures filled the pages, ones of them three, the team, or a mixture. At the bottom of the second page ten words were written:
We Love you. You’ll be okay -love, Chris and Buck.