“Hey, Lawrence,” Lizette texted. “Are you doing anything right now?”

“Not a thing,” he answered. “What’s up?”

She paused a little before she answered. “You know that friend of mine? The one whose parents died from COVID? I’m making a grocery run for him and his girlfriend. Want to come?”

“Yeah! It will be good to get out of the house,” Lawrence replied. “Will you pick me up?”

“Not a problem. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t forget your mask or hand sanitizer.”

Lawrence noticed Lizette’s pensiveness when he got into her car. “Bae, are you okay? What’s going on?”

Lizette burst into tears. “COVID didn’t seem real to me until Rufus’ parents died. The deaths that occurred always happened to someone else, not anyone we know. My friend Penn is an ER nurse and he deals with death from COVID all the time. Maybe he’s used to it by now. But I don’t know how anyone could get used to all the death.”

“Death seems like an abstract construct. We can talk about it, dread it, mourn for those who die,” Lawrence said. “But once it becomes personal, it hits hard. Not only are you dealing with an actual loss, but you’re also feeling vulnerable. If your friend’s parents died, how safe are your parents? How safe are you?”

Lawrence pulled Lizette close to him and she cried onto his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m making such a mess on your shirt.”

He wanted to say something to her but this was just not the time. But deep in his heart, he knew he loved her. 

To be continued..