Troubled Soul (manxman) *Completed*

Ten: Noah

"Its one of my favorites too. I didn't think he could get any closer to me."

She laughed as she said, "He was never one for the cold." She was quiet for a few moments before she said, "I'll have to get a copy of this."

We looked up when voices were making their way into the apartment. My dad and Wes looked at us when they walked in, worry crossing their faces.

"Is everything okay?" Wes asked.

My mom then looked back at me, placing her hand onto my cheek once again. "We'll be okay." She then looked down at the picture frame and smiled. "We'll be okay."

*

I stared blankly at the casket, my eyes wandering over to the picture of Greg displayed next to the casket. The picture was from a few years ago, after he had been released from a local rehab. I remembered the day like it was yesterday, mainly because it was one of my favorite days. Picking him up from the rehab, I had never seen him so happy. He found me in the parking lot and ran over, instantly wrapping his arms around me in a hug. He was feeling really good that day, and was really like his old self. Before he got into the car I had quickly snapped a picture of his smiling face. Who knew that picture would be used at his funeral.

After taking a deep breath I turned back towards the people all silently watching me. My entire life was sitting in the front row, all sadly looking at me. My parents were dressed in black with tears in their eyes. Wes was sitting next to my mom, his arm around her as she kept fidgeting on the pew. Cameron was next to Wes, his big brown eyes filled with tears as he kept looking at Greg's picture. Cleo was holding Cameron's hand, Sebastian's arm around her slender shoulders. At the very end of the pew, Hugo was sitting with a sleeping Huck in his arms. Sitting in the pew behind everyone was Perry and Aaron with Gabriel and Pete.

There were some of Greg's friends spread out in random seats. Besides that the small church was empty. During the past few years Greg had become religious for some reason. Personally I had never been religious and being in this church was already making me feel a little weird. But I knew being in a church would have been important to him. And he is important...he was important to me.

"Noah?" Looking up I saw Wes worrying staring down at me.

It was then that I realized I had been just standing here, not saying anything. I hadn't even heard Wes walking up. However instead of responding to him I stared at his black button down shirt. My hand ended up on his arm as I felt the tears coming. I then stared down at the small piece of paper in my free hand. The eulogy I wrote for my brother. The one thing I never thought I'd have to do.

As I looked back up at Wes, I finally cried when he pulled me into his arms. I silently cried into his chest as he kissed the top of my head. "I can't do this," I said as my voice cracked.

"Why don't I read?"

Not trusting my voice I simply nodded as he gently took the paper from my hand. I kept my head in the crook of his neck as he kept one arm firmly around me. He took a breath before his deep voice started reading.

"Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life. –Anne Roiphe.

Today we're gathered here to remember Gregory Steven Sullivan. Son, friend and most importantly, my brother. When I was a little boy I always thought I had won the lottery because I had a twin. How cool was it that there was someone out there that looked exactly like me? Being a twin, we always joked that we had twin powers with each other. While we joked about it, it was actually true. We could tell when each other was upset, or extremely happy. While our relationship lost touch for a few years, we found our way back to each other. In true twin fashion.

I never thought I would be having to give this speech, I never thought I'd have to see my brother die. I really never thought I would be losing a part of me that had always been there.

Greg might have been absent from my life for awhile, but now its forever. And while I know trying to get through the rest of my life without him seems impossible, I know he'll be looking out for me. Not only me, but our parents and for his niece and nephew. As well as Wes, who Greg thought of as another brother.

I will always love my brother and I know he will always be with us. I sincerely thank everyone who came here today; I know that Greg is watching down on all of us."

When Wes was done reading my crinkled piece of paper, he gave me another hug as I wiped my eyes. "Thank you," I whispered before walking over to the casket. I rested my hand on top before resting my head on top of the casket. Heavy tears then rushed from my eyes so fast I thought I was going to throw up. "I'll always love you Greg. See you later."