It was a couple weeks into the new year. Elyssa was sitting in the couch scrolling through Zillow on her laptop. Jack in the kitchen making something for himself. Elyssas phone buzzes. She picks it up to read the heart breaking message. She sets her phone on her lap, not knowing what to do. Not knowing how to react. She stares off into space, not having an immediate response. Her chest grows heavy as she tries to sort her thoughts.
"Hey Ty asked if we wanted to go over there tonight." Jack breaks their silence.
"Mhm," Elyssa breathes, not focused on the conversation with her husband.
"Lyss, do you want to, or not?" He approaches her.
"Huh?" She snaps out of her stare, seeing Jack standing in front of her.
"What's going on?" He questions her demeanor. She hands him her phone.
Teddy
He's gone.
Teddy
Like he's dead.
Teddy
Idk what to do
"Baby," Jack coos, setting her phone down and wrapping her in a hug. Elyssas heart breaks for her little brother, but she doesn't know what to feel. It's not that she's happy he's dead. But he was basically dead to her before. But now it's real.
E
I'm sorry.
E
Are you with mom?
Teddy
Yeah
E
Good. Please don't force being alone
E
Do you want to talk?
Teddy
Not really...
E
Just call me if you do. Doesn't matter when.
Teddy
How are you doing?
E
I don't know what to feel. It's real now
Teddy
Please don't shut down
E
I won't. I'm here and I always will be
Teddy
You don't have to put on an act for anyone.
E
I'm supposed to tell you that
Teddy
I'm just saying. You have me and everyone else who loves you
E
Thanks bro. It does mean a lot
Teddy loved a messgae
"Now what?" Jack asks, rubbing her back. Elyssa chuckles at his comment, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.
"Hell if I know." She leans back into his side. "We hangout with Ty and Megan?" She offers.
"Do you want to?" He furrows his eyebrows.
"I'd rather not sit at home and mope." She shrugs.
"Alright. Let's go then. But if you want to leave at all, we will." He tells her.
"Heyyy guys!" Megan greets the couple as she opens the door to Ty's place.
"Hey" Elyssa musters up a smile as she and Jack go inside.
"What?" Megan notices her low energy and sad demeanor.
Elyssa takes a deep breath before saying, "he's gone." Megan is quick to wrap her arms around her best friend.
"Woah." Ty breathes, listening to what Elyssa just said. Jack watches Elyssa, concerned with her emotions, or lack of.
"Lyss I'm sorry." Ty breathes.
"Thanks. It's just life I guess. What can ya do?" She shrugs with the rhetorical question.
"Let's just do something fun, get your mind off of it?" Megan offers.
"Yeah." Elyssa nods. They turn on a movie that they watch while also making jokes about it. Jack watches Elyssa laugh at a joke Ty made. He's happy she can have this time to relax.
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