Eli was still the one person he goes to, the one he talks to about everything. So he drove five hours to Goldstone to visit him in the lavish cemetery where they buried celebrities families, billionaires, politicians and anyone who can afford a space that’s worth more than most people can buy a new home.
Instead of a real talking person, Marlon was getting used to talking to a grey tombstone erected above the ground where his brother’s body laid to rest under the well trimmed green grass.
He laid on his back next to Eli’s grave. He lit his joint and blew the first smoke up in the air as he looked at the bright blue sky above him.
“I don’t know how long I can put up with their bullshit anymore … it’s getting worse,” he said. “They made it all about you now … they always hated each other, and now they hate me too …” he let out a sigh. “Hazel was there … she was shocked … to say the least … I wish she didn’t have to see that.”
Marlon was quiet for a moment. He was picturing Hazel in his mind. “Hazel is my new friend from school by the way.” The terrified look on her face was still fresh in his memory. “No … she’s not that kind of friend … I know what you’d be thinking,” he chuckled.
“She’s smart … funny … and super sweet … you’d like her,” he swallowed hard. “You’d probably steal her away from me … she’d probably like you better than she likes me …” he laughed lightly.
“She’s been helping me with study … dad wants me to go to college, can you believe that?” he paused. “I wanted to tell her she’s wasting her time with me … but … I like being with her … she makes me feel good about myself … you know what I mean?”
He rubbed his face with both hands, “I know … I’m such an asshole for dragging her into this mess … maybe I should tell her … about our plan?” He felt a knot in his stomach as he imagined it. “She’s the only decent friend I ever had … and no … she’s not interested in me,” he chuckled, “She’s such a good girl … her family is so … normal and loving … the kind we always dreamed of having … I envy her in that way.”
Marlon flicked his lighter, his joint needed relighting. He took a deep drag and held it in for a moment. “She loves the joint tho,” he coughed a bit as the smoke made its way out of his lungs, “Shut up … I’m just introducing her to some fun and she loved it, she’s adventurous I can tell … she likes to try new things and she’s not afraid of it.”
The pot was starting to take effect and he was relaxed. “Mom’s going to rehab next week … dad forced her to … that was what they were fighting about today … he’s probably going back to work as soon as he can and that leaves me … all alone in Chestnut … of all places …” he laughed sarcastically, “You left me alone in Chestnut dude, … but that’s where Hazel is …”
“I feel like I can talk to her the way I talk to you … that’s how much I miss you man,” he was holding back tears. “I wish I can hear your voice again … this one way conversation is making me feel like I’m losing my mind … ” he felt a lump in his throat. “I hate doing this alone man, I hate it … why did you have to leave me?”
He sat up, he couldn’t hold the tears any longer. “Shit … now I have to go get laid,” he laughed and wiped his tears away.
Marlon stood up. He brushed off the back of his pants. He didn’t want to cry while talking by himself in a cemetery. Though in his mind Eli was right next to him and replying to him the way he knew he would be, people would think he was crazy.
“I have to go … I can’t keep doing this man … I need to talk to someone who can actually talk back to me … dad said I need to go see Dr. Seymour again,” he sighed deeply, “Maybe I should.”
He rested his hands on his waist and looked down on his feet. Every time he had to leave Eli’s grave, he felt it, he was going back to the world alone again. He knew he had to move on and start a new life without his brother, but it was still very hard. He nodded, “I’m really thinking about that plan we made … I think I’m gonna do it bro … I have to get back to the life we left behind … well … I left behind because I can’t see myself doing it without you.”
With a heavy heart, he took the first step away from the site. He was the only one there that day. The day was turning grey. He knew he couldn’t go back to Chestnut right away, the drive was too long. He took his phone out of his pocket and put it back inside. He wasn’t going to turn it on just yet.
He took his lonely steps toward his car and slowly drove away. Goldstone was turning bright as the sun went down. The lights were starting to glow as if to welcome him back home. This was where his life should be, he never planned to leave the city if it weren’t for what happened.
He knew the streets like the back of his hand. He passed familiar buildings and traffic lights aimlessly but subconsciously he knew exactly where he was going. He drove into an apartment building where the security guard recognize his car.
“Good evening Mr. Reynolds, long time no see,” he greeted him.
Marlon smiled at him as he passed.
“It’s good to see you again … enjoy your stay,” the security guard added and let him through the apartment gate.
He parked his car at his usual parking spot and walked over to the elevator. He put in the codes to get access to the floor he was going. Just like old times. When he got to the floor, he walked out of the elevator and walked along the corridor to apartment 9B and pressed the bell button.
After the third ring, the door opened in front of him and Mandy was on the other side wearing just a thin white T-shirt where he can see her bright pink underwear beneath it.
“Well … well … well … look what the cat dragged in,” she smiled flirtatiously.
“Hey beautiful … I was in the neighborhood … I thought I stopped by,” he leaned against the threshold waiting for her to invite him in.
She bit her bottom lip and tilted one side of her lips, “Is this a booty call?”
He looked at her in the eyes and pouted, “This can be whatever you want it to be,” he laughed lightly.
“Did you bring anything?” she asked.
Marlon reached into his pocket and took out his leather pouch. He took it back from his dad’s study and of course he had his other stash too. He dangled the pouch in front of her and the girl jumped in delight.
“I have a friend here though … ” Mandy said glancing over her shoulder.
She widened the door and Marlon peeked inside. There was a girl in a thin shirt exactly like what Mandy was wearing sitting in front of the TV. They waved at each other.
Marlon raised his brows, “The more the merrier,” he said before stepping in to the apartment and didn’t come out until the next day.