Who We Are Together

A Rough Intro

Lucian Nichols was sitting in the pew, waiting for the funeral to begin. It was hard to believe that just twelve weeks ago, his life was completely normal.

Maybe he deserved for his mother to die? Maybe things he did caused it? He wasn't a good person and he knew that. He saw his dad talking to people and didn't know how he was doing it. He looked put together.

Wade Nichols just lost his wife and he was shaking someone's hand and smiling. Lucian's mom, Fiona, wasn't in the ground yet, how could he dad smile? Lucian was getting angry when he saw the last person he expected to show up. What in the fuck?

He watched Gabe Brown walk into the chapel. He wiped a tear and hugged one of Lucian's mom's nurses. He stared as Gabe made eye contact with him and he looked away. What in the fuck was Gabe doing here? He was tempted to ask him to leave. He had no right being there? What was Gabe doing at his mother's funeral and why was he crying? It wasn't his mother?

Lucian sighed. Seeing Gabe made him feel guilty. He thought back to middle school where he met Gabe, officially. Gabe was a skinny kid with glasses then.

Lucian and his friend, Jonah Hensley, loved to pick on Gabe then. Push him into puddles, ruin his clothes and books. Tear up his homework. Kick him. Lucian wasn't proud of his actions and was pretty sure those were reasons why he lost his mother. He was sure he caused this.

Lucian looked back and felt bad for what he did to Gabe. He had a lot of guilt that he held onto. After eighth grade, Gabe was different. He wasn't in ninth grade. When he came back in tenth, he was all muscle and lost the glasses. He grew like two feet. His eyes got brighter blue if that was possible. Puberty made him so sexy, all of the girls said so.

By eleventh, Gabe was popular but never got mean. He had this gentle way about him and his best friend was a little gay nerd that he kept safe from bullies like Lucian. They never really talked.

Now, twelfth grade was half over. This was December, early December and Lucian would have to move on without his mother. He would miss her and he stood up. He had to know why Gabe was there. Something about that boy/man irked him. Gabe did not look like a boy. At all.

Lucian stormed up as Gabe was talking to the nurse. Her name was Sandra Williamson. She was with Fiona the whole time. By the time Fiona knew something was wrong, she was in hospice and now...funeral. It didn't take long.

He heard someone say... 'At least she didn't suffer.' He wanted to hit that person. Fuck them! What did they know! Lucian was suffering and no one cared. Oh, how he wanted to hit something.

"Lucian! Oh, baby!" Sandra pulled him into a hug.

Gabe sighed. "Sandra, I think Wade wanted to see you." He motioned to the front.

Sandra released Lucian, who didn't want to be hugged, smiled a sad smile and walked to the front of Wade. Lucian looked at Gabe. "Uh? What are you doing here?" He was so grateful that Gabe just sent that woman away. He couldn't tell why but he didn't want to be hugged. How in the hell did Gabe know that!

Gabe blushed and looked at his feet. "Uh..my dad works with your dad. I had to come. Sorry. Lucian...nothing is okay. I understand..."

"What do you think you understand? Fuck you, Gabe!" He wanted to hit something and Gabe was the closest object right now. He thought about hitting him and balled up his fist. "This is my mother's funeral. Leave." He glared.

Gabe nodded. "Okay." He whispered it and just turned and walked out.

Wade rushed over because his son just screamed at someone and now everyone was staring. "Lucian. A word." He pulled him into a small room. "What was that about and why were you yelling at Gabe?"

"Gabe? How do you know Gabe?" Lucian glared at his dad. Was this the freaking Twilight Zone?

"Lucian, Gabe volunteers at the hospice. He sat with your mother when we couldn't be there. He held her hand just like we did and he cried with her, like we did. Gabe is a great human being that you should get to know." Wade glared at his son. "Life is too damn short to be mean to people, Son!" Wade lost tears. He wiped them. "Your mother..."

"Fuck you! Don't say that my mother wouldn't have wanted me to be mad! I just lost her! I am pissed beyond..." Lucian began to sob.

Lucian covered his face and felt his dad wrap around him and whisper. "I'm sorry!" He didn't know how long they were in that little room but crying with his father felt good.

Thanks for reading. I love this story and trust me, it gets better! 🌹Hope you love this world, enjoy and vote and comment all you like. Thanks!