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I don’t question him.
I take a swig. The beer is kind of warm. It’s a little gross.
I hand the bottle back.
“See those trees?” Mac asks. “Of course you do. It’s like a forest back there. He went out there and made a trail. That’s where he’d make me run in the mornings before we went to the rink. And I’m talking… run… I’d put some serious mileage in out there.” Mac looks at me. “One morning I was in a bad mood. So I asked him why he doesn’t run it too. If he’s able to force me to do it… he should do it too. I’m not sure if that was the first time he really went after me or not. But he grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me nose to nose with him. He challenged me to a fight. A real fight. Me against him. He wanted to go punch for punch. It scared the hell out of me. Funny enough… the next morning I woke up and he was already outside. Running. I really don’t know when he slept. Ever. I have no idea why I’m telling you this, Jax.”
“I’m here to listen,” I say. “Anything and everything.”
Mac sips the beer and makes a sour face. “This tastes like shit.”
Mac quickly throws the beer bottle as hard as he can. He makes a small grunting sound like he’s ready to burst into tears.
I grab his left shoulder.
“What a fucking bastard though,” he says. “You know?”
“I can’t even imagine it,” I say.
Mac then looks at me. “Hey. At least I get to bury him, right?”
I appreciate Mac offering me that moment with him. Knowing I could hear that kind of stuff and let it roll off my back. Knowing Mac was just blowing off some steam and feeling the pain.
And now I’m at the actual funeral.
In a cemetery.
The casket. The flowers. The whole thing.
It’s not the most pleasant feeling and experience of my life.
It also doesn’t help matters that Mila is here too.
I mean, of course she’s here.
Mila, Ruby, and Violet are close.
Violet is with Mac. Ruby is with Gabriel.
Even aside from that, Mila is the kind of girl that would show up to a funeral to offer support. Just to show she cares.
And damn if that doesn’t feel like someone punching me in the gut…
Because she’s here alone.
Can you believe that?
After all the nonsense…
And Ward still can’t show up? Not even to a fucking funeral?
You’re telling me that guy can’t stand next to his girl and be there for her?
If that were me…
It could easily be me.
I can just walk right over there to Mila. Slide my hand around her waist. Grab her by the hand. Pull her close and let her know without saying a word that she’s safe.
