Broken

Chapter 2: Reunion

The sun was already set and the moon already rose. Yet, Eddie still sat down on the ground, in front of his parents' gravestone, staring at it.

All of a sudden, his phone rang again. Groaning, he took the phone, thinking it was probably Addyson calling, asking for an apology, which Eddie felt very reluctant about. But his expression changed when he saw the caller's ID. It was his high school friend, Alex Chandler.

Eddie hesitated for a moment before answering the call.

"Hey, Alex," Eddie said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Hey Eddie!!!"

"It's been a while, Alex. How have you been?"

"I've been good, man. Just busy with work and stuff. What about you?" Alex replied.

Eddie hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much he wanted to reveal. But he trusted Alex and decided to open up.

"I've been...okay. It's been tough since I've returned to an empty house. I'm currently at my parents' graves, just... sitting," Eddie explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Eddie. If you need anything, just let me know," Alex said, his voice filled with empathy.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it," Eddie replied, feeling a sense of comfort from Alex's words.

There was a brief moment of silence between the two friends, and Eddie took the opportunity to look around the cemetery. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the gravestones. The breeze was cool and refreshing, rustling the leaves of the trees nearby.

"So, what's up? Why did you call?" Eddie asked, curious.

"I was actually calling to see if you wanted to grab dinner tonight. I heard that you just came home this morning, and I thought it'd be nice to catch up, don't you think?," Alex replied.

Eddie smiled, grateful for the invitation. "Yeah, that sounds great. Where do you want to meet?"

"How about we meet at my restaurant? Since this is your homecoming, Imma treat you to something tonight. What do you say?" Alex suggested.

Eddie chuckled, "Sure thing. If it's free, sure thing."

Alex laughed, "Yep, it's free, brother. So how about I pick you up at seven?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then," Eddie replied, feeling a sense of excitement for the first time in a while.

As Eddie hung up the phone, he looked back at his parents' grave and smiled, feeling grateful for the memories and the love they had shared. He stood up and made his way out of the cemetery, ready to catch up with an old friend and possibly, create new memories.

After half an hour of waiting, Alex Chandler finally pulled up in his sleek black Mercedes to pick up Eddie. The former NAVY SEAL couldn't contain his excitement as he hopped inside the car and immediately enveloped Alex in a tight embrace. "It's so good to see you, man!" Eddie exclaimed.

Alex grinned from ear to ear. "You too, buddy. It's been way too long. How have you been?"

Eddie leaned back in his seat, a wistful look on his face. "Honestly, it's been tough adjusting to civilian life. But I'm doing okay. How about you? How's the restaurant business treating you?"

Alex chuckled. "It's a lot of work, but I love it. And I can't wait for you to try the food at my place. It's nothing short of amazing."

Finally, after twenty minutes of driving, they arrived at Alex's restaurant "Silver Chariot". Alex ushered Eddie inside the restaurant, where the aroma of spices and sizzling meats filled the air. He requested the chef to serve Eddie the best menu in the restaurant.