He got a call from Rosa one afternoon. Her voice carried news that demanded sobriety and attention: her father had passed away.
"Tommy, my dad died," she cried.
"I'm really sorry for your loss, Rosa; my deepest condolences. I hope you're okay with everything," he comforted her.
Having been in a committed relationship for around three years, Tommy and Rosa had known each other's families well, making this loss a shared, deeply personal one.
Not long after the emotional call with Rosa, Tommy received another call, this time from his mother, Beth, confirming the news. It appeared that Rosa had contacted Tommy's mother before calling him directly, reinforcing the fact that Rosa remained close to Tommy's family despite the breakup.
In the call, Beth didn't hesitate; she asked Tommy to visit her family to attend the funeral.
Tommy didn't hesitate; he agreed to her request. The call to support Rosa, his first love, in her time of grief had shattered the haze of his isolation and addiction.
The trip was straightforward: Tommy and Rosa lived in the same state, California, though in different cities. The coincidence that pulled Tommy immediately into the crisis was that Rosa's father had passed away at a hospital located in Tommy's very own city, Los Angeles.
Bypassing any time for sobriety or preparation, Tommy rushed out and joined the ambulance that was transporting Rosa's father. Inside the vehicle, he found Rosa and her mother, Mary, immediately placing him at the center of their raw, immediate grief.
Despite the painful way their relationship had ended, both Rosa and Mary warmly welcomed him like they always did. There was no tension, no awkwardness, only the immediate, profound need for his comforting presence in this shared tragedy.
They finally arrived at her house in San Diego. After the funeral had concluded, everyone went back to her house. Tommy, welcomed by Mary, was immediately offered to stay over at her place.
The moment Beth asked him to visit Rosa's family, Tommy knew he would have to stay over, an arrangement that instantly triggered a flood of memories from their past.
...