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“Hello? — Yeah, this is Anthony, what— Bee? Bee, why aren’t you— Bee. No.”
Anthony collapsed into the closest armchair like a marionette with its strings cut, the broken look on his face all Asa needed to know he should inch a bit closer, take Anthony’s hand in his own and squeeze as reassuringly as he could while Anthony tried not to drop his phone.
“She’s gone? When— Bee, this is our Ma, When’s the funeral, I’ll cancel the bloody lectures, I don’t care— Asa, love, go grab my notebook I need to—”
* * * * *
Asa’s Aunt Tracy had once told him that you never really know someone until you see them sick, poor, or grieving— Asa never hoped to see Anthony in that sort of pain, but this funeral was inevitable, it seemed. His stepmum had been so sick, at the end; Asa had gone to visit her a few times at Anthony’s side. She was a formidable woman, bright and loud, and she’d welcomed Asa as a son so easily.
Anthony stood at Bee’s side, accepting handshakes and hugs and condolences, so Asa stood with Gabriel, sentinel, just behind them, ready to break the emotional fall the moment this became too much for either of their partners.
Asa was determined to be here for his partner, never let him go through a moment of it allowed. That meant letting him stand alone with Bee when he asked, it meant holding his hand as scripture was read from the pulpit, it meant wrapping a strong arm around his waist and being a stable shoulder to lean on as the body was lowered into the earth.
Aunt Tracy said never know someone until you see them sick, poor, or grieving— Asa and Anthony knew each other quite well enough to come through this.