“It’s up here on the right,” Mitch instructed after Avi had turned down the road that his old apartment building was on. They drove past several parks that abutted the bay, and Avi gave a low whistle.

“Wow, you were right across from the ocean, huh?” he asked.

“Yeah, views are pretty good,” admitted Mitch. He didn’t want to say that there was any merit to be had here, but what option did he have? Lie, and have Avi see it 5 minutes later for himself? No need for that. “Pull into this garage.”

“Sure,” Avi nodded, putting his blinker on. Part of Mitch was annoyed that it was such a beautiful September day, with mild temperature, blue skies and large cumulus clouds above. It didn’t match at all what he was feeling. He begrudgingly accepted that not everything needed to be doom and gloom, and he may as well treat this as what it was: a new beginning. But a little overcast gray would have been nice, if simply for effect.

At the entryway of the garage, Avi stopped at the gate. A gentleman in a neatly pressed uniform requested Avi’s information and which resident he was visiting, but ceased questioning when he spotted Mitch. “Hey Hector,” Mitch greeted. Hector perked up, and commented that it’d been a while since he’d seen him. Wincing, Mitch informed him that this would actually be the last time.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that!” Hector frowned. Goodbyes were exchanged, Avi was handed a badge for parking, and the gate was lifted for him to drive into the garage.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“God, this is so weird,” lamented Mitch.

“What is?” Avi asked while he followed signs and sought out the guest parking spot that he’d been assigned.

“I’ve seen Hector almost every day for over 2 years. Now I’m probably never going to see him again. You ever think about that? Final farewells?”

Avi’s lips pursed. “In retrospect, of course. I’ve had a few friends that have died. That last interaction tends to replay for a long while after, and never really goes away.”

“Fuck, that’s morbid,” Mitch commented, and Avi chuckled softly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up sad shit.”

“Sorry for making it sad,” Avi retorted while putting the car into park. “And I know that wasn’t the intent. Just. Never gave it much thought otherwise, that’s all.”

“You’re good,” Mitch waved him off with a smile. The engine was killed, and then it was silent. Remaining slumped, Mitch stared out the window at the concrete walls all around them, ignoring the way that Avi fidgeted and kept glancing over at him. There was some stretching with accompanying sighs, followed by a few coughs as well, and Mitch wanted to snap at him and tell him to shut the fuck up, but refrained. Even if his anxiety was at critical mass, nothing had been done to warrant a verbal lashing.

“So we doing this?” Avi finally asked.

“No, we live here now,” Mitch flatly replied, rubbing his temples. “Give me a second,” he mumbled, and hesitantly pulled his phone out of his pocket. The conversation with Calvin was selected, and he sent a reply saying that he was there and that someone was with him to help move the stuff out. He then followed that up with a request to please please not be a total dick.

‘Ok.’ was all Mitch got back, and he groaned aloud.