Left In The Dark

Chapter 20.3

"How long ago was that?"

"'Bout 3 years." He simply said with his head down.

For some reason that made me think about Solo and I. I reminisced on all the times we got into big blow outs and the times we stopped speaking to each other. But they never seemed to last long. It could have been the fact that we were under the same roof so it was inevitable that we would eventually reconcile. Yet now, I can say that I'm not too far off from Al. It's going on a year and a half since I've seen or spoken to Solo either. I sighed at the fact that I allowed for us to become estranged. Hell my mother and father too. Al nudged me gently with his shoulder.

"What you thinking about?" He asked.

I quickly dismissed him with a wave of the hand. I would much rather focus on his issues than my own. I've talked about my problems enough. It was nice to listen for a change.

"Nothing. Continue." I redirected.

He huffed and shook his head with what looked like there was a hint of amusement; but mostly it looked like disbelief.

"And the saddest part about it is that... I don't even remember why we were arguing in the first place." He laughed the weakest laugh. "I let all that time blow by us and you would think that I would've at least tried to remember why the hell we were fighting."

He hopped onto his feet and turned to rest his elbows on the counter top. I remained seated. We gazed at each other for a moment.

"So how did he die?" I asked noticing that he still didn't answer that question.

Al shrugged his shoulders and shook his head woefully. "I don't even know." He confessed. He sniffed sharply-probably trying to prevent the warning of tears. "I really don't even know."

"So how do you know he died?" I asked confused.

He folded his arm across his chest which propped his other arm up, and cupped his forehead. "My mother had called and told me. Apparently he had moved to New York and started some business out there and was living in the city."

"Your mom... how did she find out?"

"It was like one of those 'heard it through the grape vine' sort of things. She heard from a friend, who heard from someone, who heard from someone. At first she didn't want to believe it but then she told me how he never showed up to come see her like he had planned. She said something about how she was supposed to finally meet some girlfriend of his or something. So when he didn't make it, she started to wonder... and then as more time passed she started to believe."

I shook my head.

"Did she at least hear what happened to him?" I inquired with the story getting sadder by the second.

"No one was really sure since there were no witnesses, but she said what her friend told her was that they think he got mugged or something." He shook his head unconvinced like he couldn't believe his own story. "I mean none of it makes any sense to me. The body hadn't been found. Sometimes I wonder if he really is gone."

I could see his effortful attempt at remaining calm, but I could tell that it was something that ate away at him sometimes.

"We didn't even get to have a funeral for him." He whispered. "I just think maybe, you know... like, I don't know... maybe there's a chance..." He cut himself off and shook his head and began mumbling to himself. I managed to catch some phrases. "Impossible... been too long... he would have re-appeared..."

I scooted off my butt and interrupted his rambling with my hand rested on his arm. I figured I would stop prying because it was starting to get to him. I didn't want that. He stopped and smiled softly.