Comforting My Friend John

Death

I stood behind John with my hand on his shoulder. John sat on the table in the middle of the room staring blankly at the bed where Stuart had been laying. I stood in a position that would show that I was protecting him, and I guess I was. I was protecting his shattered pieces, his vulnerable self until he could put the pieces back together.

I was faintly aware of the pitter patter of two sets of feet and looked down to see Shane and Georgie, John and Stuart's twins. They had asked John's ex girlfriend to be a surrogate mother. Cynthia agreed. John wasn't completely surprised and it was much to Paul's displeasure.

Paul was hopelessly in love with John. John, at one point, did love Paul before falling in love with Stuart. That only put tension on the already breaking tether of Paul and Stuart. Paul was incredibly jealous of John's closeness to Stu. Paul felt as if he were taking a back seat to him. He was even more jealous when he learned they were starting a family together.

I glanced down at them. Michael Shane Lennon-Sutcliffe, who we called Shane looked just like Stuart. From the facial structure and attitude to the clothing style, pompadour and Ray-Ban sun glasses that we too big for his face. They had been an old pair of Stuart's. Shane was the older of the two and like Stuart was quiet and impulsive. On the other hand little Georgie Anne Lennon-Sutcliffe looked like John. Her long, wavy hair the exact shade of John's mop-top. Her eyes the exact color and shape, her little nose had the same sharpness. All in all pretty much a female John. Also, like her papa she was loud and destructive. She was an absolute papa's girl. Together they were the perfect example of the terrible twos.

I moved from behind John and picked up the twins taking one in each arm and walked out of the room to give John time to himself. To no surprise Georgie started kicking and screaming.

"Papa! Papa"

She continued to kick and scream when John made no movement to get her or to acknowledge her. As I continued down the stairs she let out an ear-piercing scream causing Shane to cover his ears. I was loosing my grip on her as she continued kick me. She was sliding down my hip.

"C'mon love stop it! Papa will be down soon!"

She finally stopped screaming half way down the staircase but in turn started sobbing and kicking harder. By the time we reached the bottom of the steps I had to let the kids slide to the floor and I fell to my knees, tears in my eyes as I held my hands over my crotch that was throbbing in pain from the repeated kicks the little girl gave me.