He's Gone

Sophia

My lips were swollen and hot from Luke kissing me. I wanted him to bring me over to the couch to make love to me, but with his mother’s phone call, I knew those plans were gone for good.

My chest tightened as Luke picked up the phone and put his mother on speaker. That little gesture meant a lot to me. He trusted me with personal family business, and I could have kissed him for it if it were an appropriate time.

“Hello, Mother?” Luke said into the phone.

There was a long pause, and then a sharp inhale mixed with what sounded like a sob.

My hand clamped over my mouth and tears welled in my eyes. Luke’s eyes didn’t move from the phone as his mother spoke.

“Luke,” she said. “Your father passed away a few minutes ago.”

Luke’s chest heaved with the effort of breathing. It was a good thing that my legs were still around him. If he passed out or something, then I could at least try to prevent him from smacking his head on the marble tile.

“What happened?” he asked.

“It was peaceful,”