a chained heart

17 | decisions

Adam was wearing a legitimate suit for the second time in his life now, and this experience was no better than the first. He had his back against a tree as he stared past Larry into the distance.

"You okay?" Lawrence stepped closer to Adam, placing his hand on his arm.

Adam looked down at the ground, ashamed of himself. "I don't like funerals."

"I'm not a big fan of them either." Larry smiled sadly.

Adam bit his cheeks.

"Here," Lawrence mumbled, moving in closer to Adam. He began fiddling with his tie, making sure it was tight and straight. "Better." he smiled, planting a fat kiss on Adam's forehead.

Adam smiled in return as a thank you and interlaced his fingers with Lawrence's.

In the distance, he could see everyone else dressed in black gathering together. It was time for the service to begin.

"You ready?" Adam questioned Lawrence, raising his brows.

Lawrence nodded and they walked hand in hand to sit with everyone else. Larry found Alison and Diana sitting in the first row of chairs. She'd saved seats for him and Adam.

"You look beautiful," Lawrence sincerely complimented his ex wife.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You too princess," Larry put his hand on his daughter's head.

She stayed quiet and looked at the ground.

Alison and Lawrence both felt it to be appropriate that she attended David and Ron's funeral service. Although she was young, she knew Ron like a second father, and David would have soon become an influence in her life. This was something she would have to face someday, so she may as well do it now.

The first one to speak was Ron's mother.

She couldn't stop crying which made it harder for Lawrence to keep it down. He had to hold it together, especially for his own turn to talk in front of everyone.

When she was finished, the father spoke.

Then both of David's parents.

Then it was Larry's cue to stand.

"You got this, babe." Adam whispered to Lawrence before he walked away.

Ron's and David's photos where placed on opposite sides of the podium, and as Lawrence drew nearer to it, his legs threatened to give out underneath him.

Lawrence cleared his throat and leaned into the mic.

"If there's one thing I can say about Ron, it's that he was always right."

This earned a collective chuckle from everyone at the service.

Lawrence smiled a little and continued. "We all laugh, but it's true. Back in high school, he told me he could land the both of us the hottest cheerleaders on the team. And he did."

Everyone laughed again.

"And just this year, he wouldn't stop ragging on me about his suspicion that I liked a certain someone." Lawrence eyed Adam. "He was right—again—and without him, I probably wouldn't have built the courage to admit to myself that I really did love this man. Now we are happily together, and I thank Ron for that."