Justin dragged himself from bed as sunlight poured through the window. Getting dressed held no enthusiasm, like most tasks lately. All he felt was hollowness.
The cold wood floors sent a shiver through Justin's feet as he wandered downstairs. It had been another restless night, haunted by memories of his brother. He replayed their last moments together, wishing he could change what happened. Grabbing a glass of water didn't help dull the ache in his heart. Justin sank into the couch, staring blankly ahead. Photos of happier times with Derek just made the pain feel fresh. How could he be gone? It didn't seem real. Footsteps behind him startled Justin from his daze.
Anna woke up a bit earlier than normal for a Sunday morning. She wanted to check on Justin before church to see how he was doing.
"Mom, Dad, I'm going to walk to Justin's house before church," she said, grabbing her purse and heading for the door.
Her mom looked up from her coffee, slightly surprised. "Oh, Anna, I thought you were meeting Justin at church?"
"I was, but I wanted to check on him before the service," she explained. "He's been having a tough time lately, and I want to make sure he's doing okay."
Anna’s dad nodded understandingly. "That's very thoughtful of you, Anna. Just be sure to get to church on time, okay?"
"I will, Dad," she promised. "I just want to make sure Justin is doing all right. This has been a really difficult time for him."
Her mom smiled, her eyes filled with warmth. "We're proud of you, Anna, for being such a good friend to Justin. He's lucky to have you in his life."
Anna smiled back, feeling happy that her parents understood and supported her decision to walk to Justin's house. "Thanks, Mom. I'll see you at church."
With that, she headed out the door.
