not The Perfect Life

Death Day

Chapter 14

Thursday, 14th of March 2019

Death Day

I meet with Matthew regularly to talk to him about his brother. Galen must never have been mad at me. Whatever Matthew told him, it must have portrayed me very positively. We're still best friends. Matthew is spending more and more time with his family than in college. His college is not that far away and he can easily get there by car. That's why I don't have to come so often lately.

I feel a little better because Matthew is on our side and helps. Nevertheless, the same questions as before sometimes pop into my head. But I also have to be honest. This situation can still not be a permanent solution. Matthew is now there for his brother and so am I. But that doesn't solve the real problem. Galen has to get free. He has to get away from his parents, but that doesn't seem to be in sight yet. That's why we want to first make sure that Galen is touched as little as possible and that his mental health does not suffer further under the circumstances.

In the evening I spend time with my family. Malachi is now around 3 months old. He is already starting to get teeth and is now also starting to make different facial features. His smile always makes me happy. My parents are very happy too. Mom had no more suicidal phases for a long time. Everything seems to be fine. It's funny. As I lay on the floor, I think Galen is leading the perfect life. Now I find my family life perfect and now I know that Galen is down. It actually hurts me more than when my life sucks. I would much rather if Galen is fine than me.

Mom cuddles with Malachi and Dad and I play sinking ships together. Surely that's typical of a soldier in the Marines. Mom is playing quiet music on her phone in the background. As I hit one of my father's small ships, my phone rings in my pocket. I take it and see who calls me. It's Matthew.

"Daddy, I have to answer that briefly.", I explain, "But you mustn't cheat, do you hear?"

"Yes, yes, take the call," he shrugs me off.

I leave the room for a moment and then talk to Matthew on the phone.

"Hey, Matt .. are you okay?" I ask.

"Can we meet? Galen feels really shitty and I want to distract him somehow. Do we want to walk through the forest again?" He asks with a tremor in his voice.

"Um.. I think ..", I guess, "I think that's possible, but you would have to pick me up. I don't walk around outside alone in the dark."

"Of course, of course. We ... we'll be on our way to you ... is that ...is that really okay?" Asks Matthew carefully.

He's never asked me that before. Whenever I was supposed to help him or Galen, it was never important to him whether that was okay with me.

"Sure.", I answer in astonishment, "I .. um .. see you soon." He doesn't say goodbye and just hangs up. Then I'll go back to my family.

"Daddy, unfortunately we have to stop the game. I'll meet Galen and his brother," I tell him. Mom doesn't even notice me. She is so infatuated with Malachi that she hides the whole world around her.

"You want to meet that late?" Dad asks skeptically.

"Yeah.. it's a .. a .. friends emergency. I really have to go there."

"Should I drive you?"

"No, no, Matthew will pick me up. I'll wait outside. Love you guys."I finish the conversation and leave the house. I no longer hear my family saying goodbye. Mom probably didn't notice it anyway. My curiosity increases. Did something happen? Is Galen having suicidal thoughts again? Whatever it is, I'm very glad Matthew called me.