Part Two of The Wake

Jake Landon downed his cup of Guinness as he looked around at everyone around the table. Each person there had once been a huge part of his life, especially with helping him through his gambling problem. It was because of them that he had quit. Marcus had done the most though. When he’d first quit and was trying to get in the habit of doing things other than gamble, Marcus had been there. He’d stay in contact with him, doing whatever he could, that is until she died and they all fell apart.

Jake jabbed his hand into the pocket of his gray suit jacket and found what he was looking for, his lighter. He knew smoking was another one of his bad habits, heck Andrew had always said something about his smoking, but he had to or he’d go crazy. He hated the feeling of tension; every since he was a little boy whenever he felt it, he’d feel sick inside and when he got older he found a way to relieve the tension in himself.

No one was talking as Jake continued to look around, knowing that at some point he would have to bring up what Andrew had wanted done with his things. That was his job and sometimes he hated, like he did now. Jake was a lawyer, how that happened he didn’t know because he’d always been the bad boy, but that’s what he ended up being. Andrew had given him his will about a month before he died, making Jake promise not to say a thing about it until now. Before he did anything though he had to have a smoke, give them a little more time to be silent and for him to calm his nerves.

“I’m gonna have a smoke.” Was the only thing he said as he got up from the table and walked towards the pool table.

Pulling a cigarette out he thought about what Cassandra had said the group the last night they were all together.

“Each of you is the glue that holds this group together, you stick together. I think if something happened to any of us, y’all would still be together.” That was one of the few things she’d been wrong about. When she died they were through, more than hope would allow them to be more than just civil to each other.




By Mel

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