Gone

When Sebastian got home from Dreams today, he sat me down on the couch, and settled in next to me.

“I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you,” he said. His eyes were red, like he’d been crying. Yes, this news was going to be bad.

“Travis is gone.”

“Gone where?” I started to ask, then it sunk in. “Oh.” I could feel the tears well up, and I just let them come.

It’s hard to believe. Travis has been one of the constants here on the ranch since I first started coming here. He has come to every party, and helped Artemis with her homework. According to Sebastian, he’s the only reason Dreams even exists. And now, he’s… gone.

I didn’t ask Sebastian how it happened. He was obviously very upset and I didn’t want to make things worse for him. Besides, this was a day we had known was coming. Travis was quite a bit older than Sebastian and I, and in recent years it had really begun to show on him. Still, as much as we knew this day would come, it didn’t make it any easier. I leaned into Sebastian, and let my tears flow into his shoulder.

The memories came flooding back: Sebastian’s misguided jealousy towards Travis when we first met. His role as both best man and maid of honor at our wedding. His joy at the birth of our daughter, and the bond he and Artemis shared.

I felt a pit in my stomach as I realized we were going to have to tell Artemis. She and Travis had been the best of friends almost since the day Artemis was born. Losing Travis is quite possibly going to be harder even on Artemis that it has been on me, and it breaks my heart that we’re going to have to be the bearers of such bad news. But it’s late, and she’s sleeping, and it can wait until morning. Maybe by then my tears will have stopped.

Farewell, Travis. You were a good friend, and a good uncle, and a very good man. You will be missed.