Two Deaths and A truth
"Gabriel is dead." Mama says with a regret I don't quite understand. "Okay." I say. I hand her the steaming cup of coffee I've just prepared and sit down on her bed. She looks as if she's going to cry. "Are you okay, mama?" I ask. It's a stupid question but I don't know what else to say to her. I can't bring myself to even pretend that I'm sad. Mama sips her coffee, "He died alone." She mumbles. "Ma, you did everything you could do for him and you gave him far more than he deserved. He made his own decisions and that's not your fault." I say and stare down at the floor. I don't want her to look into my eyes and see my lack of grief or my annoyance at her ever-bleeding heart. "You know his friend Karl... Karl said his kids took over everything then left him alone to die. Nobody knows where his body is. Karl said they might've shipped it somewhere south and had him cremated... they left him to die alone... Nobody deserves that." Mama says and begins to cry. I nod, "Nobody deserves that but it isn't like he didn't put himself in that position. He told you he didn't want your help anymore. What could you have done for him after he said that?"