Two Boys in Love

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

It was quiet, deathly quiet in St. Joseph's Catholic Church as Mom and I arrived for Don's viewing. We entered through the front door and were greeted by two novices who showed us to the viewing area. Several people in black whom I did not recognize were speaking to each other in hushed tones. I looked around to see if Adam and Maddie were around, but I didn't see them. We went to the viewing area and I saw a closed oak casket surrounded by candles. Mom and I kneeled before the casket and then crossed ourselves. We retreated to the lobby and were led into the church. We sat at a pew on the left hand side towards the back. I looked around and still saw no sign of Adam, Maddie, or Sherry anywhere. I saw Rich and James and several other acquaintances of Don's that I recognized from the house. The rest of the people sprinkled throughout the church I didn't recognize.

It had been a week since Don had died. Toxicology reports were still pending, but a preliminary autopsy showed that he likely died of an accidental overdose of a combination of cocaine, morphine, and alcohol. His blood alcohol level when he died was .30, which by itself probably would have killed him. His death was ruled accidental, but I really wondered if he had given up on life and decided to end it all in a binge to end all binges. Marco was believed by the authorities to have provided the drugs that killed Don, but they couldn't gather enough evidence to charge him with anything. The entire house had been cleaned top to bottom. Marco was absolutely devastated and moved out of the house. He was not at the funeral today, as he couldn't bring himself to face Adam and Maddie. It was discovered that Don owed two years of back taxes on his business, and was about to be sued for five months of back rent. His "estate", such as it was, was a tangled mess of debts, overdraws, and liens. In short, Don was absolutely penniless. Despite all of this, he never once missed a child support or alimony payment, he always made sure that he could pay those.

The organ started playing and the service then started with the funeral procession. Two alter boys led the casket, which was being pulled on a cart by a sacristan. It was followed by the priest and then the family. It was then that I saw Adam. My breath caught in my throat when he walked in. He was dressed in a sharp, black suit with black polished shoes. He now had flowing long blond hair down to his shoulders. He looked the same, but was a little taller and a little bigger. He looked absolutely golden, and I was mildly tempted to call out to him. He looked grave and had a maturity about him that I don't remember seeing before. Behind him was Maddie in a black dress. She had matured into a beautiful and graceful young woman just like her mother, whom I saw following behind. I also saw two older women who I assumed were his sisters Linda and Catherine. Catherine had her husband and her three grown daughters with her. Linda was by herself.

During the service, between all the rites and the mumbo jumbo, the priest talked about Don's life. Most of the stories I had already heard, about how Don's father supported his mother, himself, and his two sisters as a professional gambler, and was away for months at a time. He talked about Don's efforts to become a professional musician, his time on a commune in Italy growing figs, his first marriage, and his estranged twenty seven year old son (who did not attend the funeral). I sat there thinking about how much bad luck and wasted potential there was with Don, and I really felt sorry for him.

After the service we all gathered for the reception in the lobby. I was standing near the door with Mom watching the mourners filing out. We then saw Sherry and Maddie come out, with Adam behind them. They were all being given condolences as they walked out. It was Sherry who saw us first and the three of them walked right over to us. I hugged Sherry, and then Maddie. I then saw Adam there, with a serious look on his face and his hands in his coat pockets. I walked over to him and we hugged. I was glad to see him, but the circumstances allowed little joy in our reunion.

"Adam I'm so sorry about your dad..." I whispered in his ear. He tightened his embrace a little and we stepped back and looked at each other for a few moments before another mourner came to give Adam his sympathies. Adam accepted the sympathies with a mature and gracefully stoic dignity. He seemed like a wizened old man in a 12 year old boys body.