Purple - A Riff Lorton Love Story

Love and Loss

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling the warmth of my bed and the softness of my covers. I let out a deep sigh, not quite ready to start the day. As I blinked a few times, the soft morning light filtered into my room, gently illuminating everything around me. I stretched my arms up above my head, feeling my muscles loosen up. I sat up, still feeling a little drowsy, and took a deep breath.

The sun was already high up in the sky, and its warm rays were streaming into my room, casting a beautiful glow over everything. I couldn't help but smile as I basked in the warmth, feeling it wrap around me like a warm, peaceful hug. With a newfound energy, I made my way to my closet, sifting through my clothes until I found the perfect outfit for the day.

I settled on a soft pink dress with delicate roses embroidered on it. It was light and airy, perfect for the warm weather outside. I pulled the dress over my head and slipped into a pair of comfortable shoes. I ran a brush through my hair, letting it fall in loose waves around my shoulders. I applied a little makeup, just enough to enhance my natural features.

Once I was ready, I grabbed my purse and made my way out of the apartment. The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. A light breeze blew through my hair as I walked to work, carrying the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

As I walked down the block towards Doc's, I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin and breathed in the fresh air. I was enjoying the lovely weather and feeling grateful for the day. But as I approached the place where the events of last night took place, my body and happy thoughts came to a sudden halt. Memories of finding Papi, Tony's body hitting the ground, and still not knowing what state Riff was in flooded back into my mind. My happy demeanor crumbled, and tears began to fall from my eyes. I tried to stop myself from crying, but the images kept repeating in my mind. The thought that I was now alone kept repeating in my mind, and I couldn't hold back any longer. Sobs broke my lips, and the tears flowed uncontrollably. I knew people were looking at me, but for the first time in my life, I didn't care. I was too overcome by my grief to worry about what I must have looked like. My knees buckled, and I fell to the ground.

Suddenly, I felt arms embracing me, and I stopped sobbing. I glanced to my right to see who was holding me, and it was Diesel. His embrace was warm and comforting, and it felt like Tony was hugging me. I looked at Diesel, examining his face. His eyes were dark and sunken, red from crying. I embraced him back, tucking my head into the nook of his shoulder. We sat there, on the sidewalk, silent, embracing one another. No words really needed to be spoken; we both understood each other's pain in that moment.

After sitting there for a bit, I looked up at Diesel and released him from my embrace. "Deez..." The tears began to form again, and I couldn't think of any way to comfort him. I couldn't even comfort myself. "Jules, why don't we go back to your apartment?" he asked. I nodded in response, and Diesel stood up, helping me up too.

The walk was quiet, with Diesel occasionally squeezing my shoulder in reassurance. I appreciated his presence, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of emptiness that engulfed me. I kept replaying the events of last night in my mind, trying to figure out what I could have done differently. When we arrived at my apartment, he didn't say anything, letting me cry it out. After a while, when I had calmed down a bit, he spoke softly. "I know this is hard for you, Jules. Losing your Father and Tony, and-and Riff. But you're not alone. You have me, and the rest of the gang. We'll get through this together." I looked at him and managed a faint smile through my tears. 

"Thanks, Deez." And with that, we sat in silence, with the comforting presence of each other's company.

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling groggy and disoriented. As I looked around my small apartment, I saw that I was alone once again. The soft glow of the streetlights seeped in through the window, casting a dim light over the room. I noticed that Diesel had draped a cozy blanket over me while I was sleeping on the couch. The emotions of the day had exhausted me, and I must have dozed off without realizing it.

Just then, a knock at the door jolted me out of my daze. I furrowed my brows, wondering who would be knocking at my door at this hour. I stood up, feeling a bit disoriented, and walked over to the door. As I peered through the peephole, I saw that it was Mouthpiece. I slid the door chain and unlocked the door, opening it to see him standing there.

"Harvey, wha-" I started to say, but he interrupted me.

"Diesel said you didn't need to be alone," he said, giving me a gentle smile. I smiled back, feeling grateful for Diesel's kindness. I gestured for Mouthpiece to come in, and he stepped inside, holding a small bag of candy that I hadn't even noticed he had.

"That's very kind of you, Harvey, but please, tell me you didn't..." I trailed off, feeling a bit embarrassed by my question.

"I didn't steal it, Jules," he interrupted me with a chuckle. "Paid for it and everything."

"Thank you, Harvey," I said, feeling a bit relieved that he hadn't stolen the candy.

"Jules, I understand how you feel," he said, his voice filled with empathy. I remembered how he had been months ago when his mother passed away. "And I know snacks help."

I stifled a laugh, feeling grateful for his kind words. We sat there eating candy and talking for hours, caught up in each other's company. Another knock at the door interrupted our conversation, and Mouthpiece looked at me, asking what time it was.

I glanced down at my watch. "It's 6:00."

"My replacement is here," he smiled, standing up to answer the door.

"Your what?" I asked, feeling a bit confused.

"I told you, we're not leaving you alone, Jules," he said, walking to the door. I watched as Mouthpiece opened the door, revealing Balkan. The two of them began whispering, and I couldn't help but feel curious. I walked over to them, wondering what they were talking about.

"You two wouldn't be talking to me now, would you?" I joked, crossing my arms.

They glanced quickly at each other before Mouthpiece hugged me tightly. "Bye, Jules. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, walking past Balkan and out the door.

I turned to Balkan, feeling a bit hungry. "Do you want me to make dinner? I may have a few things lying around, I-" I started to say, but he cut me off.

"I went by the diner and picked us up some dinner," he said, his voice filled with kindness and warmth.