Someone To You

Chapter 2

{ TW: Death, grief, Funerals}

Lenny lost his father at age 7.

Lenny lost his sister at age 16

Lenny lost his grandma at age 19

And yet Lenny stayed an optimist. It was one of the traits Carl admired most in the man.

Lenny doesn't remember much from his father's funeral. He was only seven at the time and it was really his first experience with death. Lenny remembers his mom crying. Lenny remembers his older sister hugging him tighter than she usually hugged him. Lenny remembers his friend's parents bringing over gross casseroles and pasta dishes.

But the thing Lenny remembers most from his father's funeral was Carl holding his hand all throughout the service.

Lenny's sister's death affected him more than his father's did. It was freak accident and no one saw it coming. Lenny tried to be strong for his mom but that proved to be a challenge in itself. He broke down in front of his friends the day after he found out about the accident. They all supported him in their own ways; Marge held him as he cried, Moe stole him a couple of Duff's from the local liquor store, and Homer and Barney made stupid jokes to get him to smile.

But Carl, Carl stayed at the Leonard household for weeks helping the grieving family any way he could. He stayed up late with Lenny holding him as Lenny processed his sisters untimely death. He made sure Lenny went to sleep every night, cuddling him and singing to him. Basically doing anything and everything to take care of Lenny.

When Lenny's grandmother died, Lenny was halfway across the country studying nuclear physics. He had gotten the call when he was walking back to his dorm room. Lenny walked into his room desperately trying not to cry. Carl, his dorm mate, had heard him come in. Carl soon noticed Lennys sad demeanor and quickly engulfed his childhood friend in a tight hug. Lenny explained to Carl what had happened which made Carl hug him tighter.

Carl slept next to Lenny on the Airplane on the way back to Springfield. Lenny told Carl he didn't have to come seeing as he barely knew the woman but Carl insisted and Lenny was glad to have such a supportive friend.

When Maude Flanders passed suddenly it shocked the whole town. Lenny wasn't necessarily close with the woman nor her bible pushing husband but here he sat somberly at her funeral. He looked around surprised to see most of Springfield in attendance. He saw Ned, he reminded him of his mother, all sad and grieving. Lenny then looked over to Ned and Maude's two young sons, Rod and Todd. He frowned remembering what It felt like to be in their shoes. As the service progressed Lenny began to feel more and more agitated. There weren't many things that upset the usually positive man but funerals were definitely one of the things Lenny loathed. Lenny was taken out of his thoughts by a hand rubbing tiny circles on the small of his back. Lenny looked to his left to see his favorite person Carl Carlson. Carl smiled reassuringly at him and continued rubbing circles once again providing support for him. Lenny leaned his head on Carl's shoulder watching numbly as the funeral progressed. Carl wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders, almost shielding him from the harsh realities and destruction death can bring.

Sure tragedy and death would always be a part of Lenny's life but as long as Carl was there to pick him up on the rough days Lenny would be ok.