Caleb Matthews
Ollie’s wake is at Colestone Memorial.
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Carmen Jamieson: Oh my, we send our condolences.
Danny Mitchell: Sorry to hear about your brother, Caleb. Our condolences go out to you.
CHAPTER 28:
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“I’m sure, Dean. I don’t want to cause a scene and if I’m with my boyfriend, they could lash out even more. I couldn’t risk you getting hurt too.” We sat in his car in front of where they were holding Ollie’s wake.
“It’s not your fault.”
“No matter how many times you say that, it still feels like my fault, Dean.”
He sighed. “Call me when you’re done, okay? I’ll be nearby.”
“Yeah, I’ll be quick.”
“I love you, Leb.”
“I love you too, Dean.” I leaned over and kissed him. He squeezed my arm before letting me leave the car. I walked up to the memorial chapel. Once I was at the door, I looked back and saw Dean look at me before driving off. It was going to be hard to face my family, but I knew I had to do this by myself.
I walked the empty halls and searched for the viewing room with Ollie’s name on it. I passed two more wakes on the way. They were filled with people that loved the ones they lost. It made me wonder how empty the room would be if I was the one in the casket and not Ollie. I reached the viewing room for Ollie’s wake. One person was standing outside and she was crying silently as she stared at the ground.
“Kylie, is that you?” I said softly. The silence in the hall made my voice seem loud. She looked up and ran to me. We hugged each other tightly as she cried into my chest. Hearing her whimper made me cry as well.
“Caleb, I’m so sorry,” she whispered. She was two years older than me and she was the big sister I wish I had. She and Ollie were very much alike.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Almost everyone in there is so awful. I couldn’t stand it in there. Our aunts and uncles are blaming you for Ollie’s death.” She sighed. “It’s utter crap. Aunt Camille keeps saying you pushed him into the road because he was trying to make you change.”
“That’s not what happened,” I said.
“Of course I know that, Caleb. I know you and Ollie. What she’s saying is absurd.”
“Should we go in?” I asked.
“I don’t think so, yet,” she said. “Jonathan is in there and riling her up. He’s a prick.”
“What about Dad? What’s he doing?”
“He’s been quiet, staring at the casket. He hasn’t said a single word about you or Ollie.”
“I can’t say if that’s a good thing or not.”
“Let’s just stay out here for a bit and calm down. We can’t both go in there looking like a pair of sobbing messes,” Kylie said. We sat on the bench next to the door. We could hear mumbles and shouts coming from within the viewing room.
“This is not how they should be behaving at my brother’s wake.” I buried my face in my hands. “They have a problem with me and not with Ollie. He’s already dead. It’s not like their curses on me will bring him back.”
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Teen FictionCaleb Matthews had a normal life until one mistake with a Facebook post changed it all. He was kicked out of his house, but he had his friends to help him up. In his journey through self-discovery, he will meet new faces, both good and bad. Like any...
