There's No Snow in Southern California

As much as it has hit me – my parents are dead – it hasn’t. I’m still expecting to see them walk through the front door, my mom smiling, excited to see me and tell me all about their trip, and my dad, relieved to be back at home and waiting to hear all about my time alone. I miss them so much.

It was the day of their funeral, and I was lost. I didn’t know what to do. My aunt had come to California to help with everything – I wasn’t much help when it came to making decisions. She was staying at our, well my, house, although I had only been back there once since the night I found out it happened.

I had been staying at Joe’s house ever since. After his mom had found Joe holding me while I cried in his room she had insisted that I stay with them. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met. At the moment, I was staring at my new clothes spread out on Joe’s bed.

I didn’t want to put them on. Because if I did, then it would mean that it was all real. And I did not want it to be all real. I turned my head, as there was a knock on the door.

“Hey, can I come in?” Joe said from the other side.

“Yeah,” I said, and he opened his bedroom door. He was dressed to the nines in an elegant black suit. I half-smiled at him. Over the past couple of days, Joe and I had gotten really close. I know, I know, how could that be? I used to hate him.

Well, when tragedy strikes, your mindset changes. And over the last couple days, he had been there for me. Sure, the rest of his family and mine, as well as my friends were there for me too, but with Joe it was different. Like he was the only one who really got what I was going through.

“I forgot my glasses. Why haven’t you gotten dressed yet?” He asked. I shrugged, sitting down on the bed. He sat next to me and waited for me to speak.

“I guess because that will make it real. Because after I get dressed, we’re going to leave for the church. And then, well, you know.” I was looking down at my hands when I spoke, and I could see Joe nodding from out of the corner of my eye.

“Well, they aren’t ever really going to be gone. I hope you know that, Kaden. You will see them again. Hopefully not for a long time, but you will. And they will always be in your memories and in your heart. They won’t ever be gone.” I looked over at Joe, slightly speechless. Not to sound rude, but I didn’t know he was capable of something so deep.

As it turns out, I’m really starting to like this boy. Who knew?