Close to You

Laying Down Guilt

"What?" Gu Wei swallows hard and his knees go weak. He plops down on the bed and watches a worried Chen Yu scurry to his side. He skims the article's and looks at Chen Yu confused. "Yu'er, I don't understand. What does this have to do with my parents death?"

"Baobei..." Chen Yu's pained expression makes Gu Wei nervous and they both swallow hard. "Okay, let me explain what I think happened." He takes the first article and points to a name listed near the bottom. "This article talks about a developer wanting to build a strip mall on the south side of the city. The area mentioned happened to be on the edge of your family and Uncle Benny's territory." He takes Gu Wei's hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "The article talks about rumors that Uncle Benny intended to buy the land cheap and sell it at a high profit to the developer." Chen Yu smiles softly and turns to the second article. "Unfortunately for him, when he began to try strong arming residents out of a tenement building, they reached out for help. That was your mother's old neighborhood and when she and your father heard that an elderly woman was injured because she refused to leave, your father stepped in. He purchased the building, put the residents in nearby motels, and had the building brought up to code. Many of the residents worried they wouldn't be able to afford the rent after the remodeling, but your father made special contracts for each resident. Guaranteeing that the rent would remain the same as long as they lived there." Chen Yu sighs, seeing the proud tears in Gu Wei's eyes. "Uncle Benny had bought the buildings on either side of that tenement, but the developer decided to go elsewhere when the residents resisted. So, Uncle Benny lost a lot of money, worse, he lost the respect of the citizens."

"So... my parents were killed... because they were good people." Gu Wei chokes on a sob and collapses into Chen Yu's arms. "A part of me, after finding out who they really were, wondered if they were... but they weren't bad people at all."

"No baobei, they had big hearts and they couldn't turn their backs on their community. They would be so proud of the man you are." Chen Yu soothes, pulling Gu Wei onto his lap and cuddling him close. "Lao gong..." Chen Yu sighs and raises Gu Wei's chin to search his eyes. "I know we don't want to keep secrets from each other, but what if telling you the truth about something... hurt you?"

"Yu'er, I'd rather be hurt hearing it from you... than to find out from someone else." Gu Wei flinches, seeing tears in Chen Yu's eyes. "What you're worried about telling me, it's bad isn't it?" He wipes a fallen tear from Chen Yu's cheek.

"I've been struggling for days, but I don't think it's right to keep it from you. I'm afraid you'll find out soon anyway. I just... I don't want to be the one that puts that hurt look in your eyes." Chen Yu wipes a hand roughly over his face, trying to wipe away the tears.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me, tell me and if it's to much for me... hold me?" Gu Wei asks with a shaky voice.

"It's about the night your parents died." Chen Yu watches Gu Wei jolt and tremble at the mere mention of that night. Then he simply nods for him to continue, snuggling into his arms more deeply. "They had just returned from a trip to a park and a picnic... with their young son." He pauses and watches Gu Wei's eyes widen and his jaw tremble. "It had been your first family outing." He stops to kiss Gu Wei's forehead. "You'd fallen asleep on the way home and the driver went to park the car, as your father carried you toward the house, your mother by his side. Something must have alerted your father, because he suddenly pushed your mother in front of him and tried to shield you both. Nanny heard your mother scream and rushed to the door. Your father was shot in the back and your mother, she was shot when he slumped over. When Nanny opened the door..." He stops to swallow the emotions clogging his throat. "Your mother was falling from his arm and he shoved you into Nanny's arms and slammed the door shut. He did his best to protect you and Nanny, she's been living with the guilt for thirty years. I swear, I'll find the shooter... not just for you and Uncle, but for your parents and Nanny too."