Therapist friend

Chapter 7

Saturday, 5:43pm
Luca and Max were searching for good recipes, that weren't that hard to make. They planned on cooking together. They decided on potato casserole with minced meat. It didn't seem too hard to make.
It actually went pretty well. They had some difficulties, but all in all it went pretty good.
The moment of truth came: They were about to taste of what they just made.
"Okay ready?"
"Ready."
"1"
"2"
"3"
...
"Wait, why does this actually taste good?"
"It does-"
"We should be chefs!"
"For real"
They laughed a lot and enjoyed the food. Everything seemed great. They were both happy. But something always has to ruin good moments...
Max heard his phone ring. He quickly stood up and went into another room.
When he came back, he looked really upset. He looked confused and sad.
"Hey everything alright man?"
"I-"
He started crying. Luca quickly stood up and hugged his friend.
"Hey hey hey what happened?"
"M-my mom... she-"
Max started crying even more. Loud sobs were coming from him.
"She died. The doctors couldn't find out what's wrong with her and now she's- now she's dead."
Luca was shocked. He felt bad for his friend but also was upset himself. Max's mom has always been like a second mother for him. His mom wasn't the greatest and Max's was always there for him. He saw her more as a mother than he did his own. Dead? He couldn't imagine it but it was true.
"It will be alright. You will be alright. Hey it's okay to cry. You'll be fine. She's in a better place now. She won't have to suffer anymore. Come lay down. I'll bring you in your room. I'll take care of the kitchen and stuff. You need some sleep."
Max couldn't say anything. It was like he's paralyzed. Luca walked him into his room and changed his clothes.

The days went by and Luca and Max barely talked. Max stayed the whole days in his room, while Luca gave him food and water. Luca understood Max but he just wished he could do something. He tried his best to help but Max obviously wouldn't be okay immediately. It would obviously take a long time. It was also hard for Luca to help Max and comfort him, while being sad himself, not showing it in any way. He wanted to cry and stay in his bed just like Max but he wasn't allowed to do that. He didn't allow himself to do that.
Eventually Max got better. He started realizing the things and noticed he had to move on. He started going out of his room to eat. Not for anything else but it was a start. Luca organized all the funeral stuff for Max, since it would hurt him too much.

Two weeks later was the day of Max's mother's funeral. It was Luca's time to speak. He slowly stood up and went to the place.
"Well... I thought about what to say and I couldn't think of what exactly I would say-" his voice broke a little. "I have so much to say but at the same time nothing. This feels like my own mothers funeral. Lou has always been more of a mother than my mother has been. She was the person who raised me. She was a wonderful person. She always did her best to make everyone feel welcomed. It's just unfair how she didn't get the happy ending she deserved. She deserved way more than this. Way more than dying this early. She deserved good last days. Not months of pain, not even knowing what's going on. The doctors should've done better- I'm sorry-" Luca started crying and quickly got to his seat again. He promised himself not to cry but he just couldn't help it.

After the funeral they both went home. They didn't talk a word.
"Hey I-"
...
"She was my mother, so I didn't think about how you would feel with the situation. I just stayed in my room and completely ignored you. I somehow forgot how important she was for you too. She was our mother. And I should've asked you how you were feeling. I shouldn't have ignored you. You were so patient with me the past weeks and took so good care of me. Thank you and sorry."
"Hey don't apologize, what the fuck! Yeah she was really important and me and she was like my mother but she was your mother. Not like your mother, but your mother. So don't apologize for not thinking about how I felt. You're definitely in a worse situation and that's not even what it's about. It's hard dealing with something like this and you're being really strong. You've always been strong. And I know you'll get trough this. And I'm not saying you should forgot about her. I'm saying you will get to the point, when you'll be thinking of the good memories. You'll be sad and happy at the same time. Sad that she's gone but happy she was there once and gave you those good memories. The good once will overtake und you'll be smiling. You don't have to be there now. You don't have to be there tomorrow. You'll be there someday. And it doesn't matter when."
"W-we're home."
They ordered pizza and ate it, before going to bed.