This all happened because of that damn diamond ring.

Chuck thought as he laid back on his living room sofa and cracked open another bottle of beer.

None of this would of happened, if it wasn't for that damn diamond ring.

Today had been his wife's wake. At least a good hundred people showed up between the two viewings. One in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Tomorrow she would be buried in St. Michael's cemetery. Laying there, feeling the weight of the day still heavy in his heart, he tilted back his bottle and raised it up to the air.

"To Lucy…"

Taking large swallows of the beer, Chuck felt his stomach roll before he stared off into the darkness. He never knew something could hurt so bad before in his entire life. Somehow it seemed to hit him over and over at every moment. It just wouldn't go away. He couldn't escape it. Everything in this apartment reminded him of her. Glancing across the room, he saw their wedding photograph, framed in crystal on the fireplace mantle. Staring at it, he felt tears begin to build behind his eyes. Wiping them, he cleared his throat and finished his beer.

That's when there was a knock on the door.

Glancing at the clock, he saw it was nearly midnight. Putting down his beer, he stood up and walked to the front door, unlocking the bolt. Opening, he saw Gary.

Holding a brown bag, he looked across at Chuck.

"Hey…"

Chuck motioned for him to come inside.

"Come on in, got some beer chilling in the fridge."

Gary silently walked in, before holding up a brown bag.

"Marcia sent these over…bagels, muffins, some coffee…"

Chuck took the bag before walking into his kitchen.

"Tell her thanks…"

Chuck stood by the counter and silently began to unload the food. Gary meanwhile stood in the kitchen, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"So…Marcia sent you out here in the middle of the night to make sure I had muffins?"

Gary stared at the floor.

"No, she knew I was worried about you…said I should come over and check."

"What? Check if I'm hanging from the bathroom shower rod?"

Gary sighed before walking over.

"That's not funny Chuck…"

Chuck went towards the fridge and opened it, cracking open two fresh bottles. Handing one over to Gary, he began walking back to the darkened living room. Gary followed him silently. Both took seats across from each other. Gary watched Chuck as he drank his beer. His eyes seemed exhausted.

"You look like you need some sleep."

Chuck only nodded, looking off into space.

"Yeah…I guess I do…"

"Didn't the doctor leave you valium?"

"Yeah…been thinking about taking another one, but my mind won't seem to shut off."

Chuck then pointed to the bottle and let out a dry laugh that didn't seem to have much humor in it.

"I think I can't help the fact I'll most likely go to the burial with a terrible hangover."

"You you want to spend the night at my place? You shouldn't be alone…"

"This is my first night really alone, and trust me Gary…I need it. I just need some time to have my peace and let everything sink in, I'm hurting pretty bad…"

Gary had pity in his eyes as he looked down at his beer.

"It's my fault…"

Gary looked up, somewhat caught off guard by this comment.

"What?!"

"That stupid ring…I knew she didn't like jewelry that flashy, she even told me. But no…I had to be the big shot who used his commission for the year to buy it for her. I had to show off and have her know how much I cared…and for what? For her to get killed?"

"Chuck, it wasn't your fault…"

"That's what everyone keeps telling me, but I know…I can see it in their faces…oh Jesus…"

Chuck's words trailed off as he lowered his head for a second. Gary watched, waiting to hear him cry before Chuck looked up again, his eyes slightly bloodshot.

"Why did I go inside? Why didn't I wait for her…then maybe I would of known something was wrong…why?!"

Chuck's voice began to sound uneven and cracked. Finishing the last of his beer he got up for another. Gary stayed seated, holding his nearly filled beer and looking down at the carpet. He had known Chuck ever since they were kids. He was his best friend, they had been roommates, each other's best man's, and worked together. They had shared plenty of ups and downs. For once Gary finally thought that this was what it was like to live a normal happy and somewhat dull life. He was married down, planning on children, and making good money. He enjoyed the city, and usually hung out with Chuck at the sport's bar while their wife's went shopping or out to dinner. They were all friends and everything seemed to be looking forward towards the future. Until…

Chuck returned from the kitchen with his next beer and twisted off the cap. Laying back down on the sofa he raised his bottle again.

"To Lucy, my wife. The woman who I loved, who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the woman who I wanted to have children and grow old with…cheers to her fucking stupid husband who killed her!"

Gary stared at him as Chuck's voice cracked and took big gulps of his beer. Laying back, his eyes seemed to fill with tears before he quickly wiped his face with his sleeve. Gary took a moment before looking across at him.

"How bad are you Chuck? No bullshit."

Chuck glanced at him, his face looking old for a man in his mid thirties.

"Pretty bad Gary…awful in fact."

"Then I'm spending the night…"

Gary said as he stood up and began walking towards the kitchen. Chuck looked over, slightly confused.

"What?"

Gary grabbed the phone off the wall and looked at him.

"To call Marcia and tell her I'll meet her there tomorrow, you shouldn't be alone."

"Gary come on, I'm just tried…go home…"

Gary turned away, pretending to ignore him. Chuck sat up and right away and grabbed onto the coffee table, the beers seemed to be getting to him. Gary mumbled something over the phone before hanging up. Turning, he stared at his friend and felt his heart ache.

Chuck sat back down, his head lowered.

He had called Marcia, who was just getting ready for bed. He explained how bad Chuck seemed to be doing and how he didn't trust him alone. Marcia offered if he needed any help and Gary told her just to get to sleep, and that he would meet her at the cemetery in the morning. Giving a quick love yous, he hung up and thought what if would be like if the tables had been turned. What if Marcia had been the one to die. Could he have taken it? They hadn't been married long, but they been seeing each other ever since Gary could remember. He loved her and was now planning on starting a family with her. Would he be in the same state Chuck was. Looking over at his friend, he couldn't even think about it.

Lucy was really gone.

He had known Lucy for nearly four years now. Something about her was different from the start. Something made Gary look at Chuck and her and know this was meant to last. In fact there were times Gary often felt jealousy deep inside whenever he watched the two of them together. They seemed so right for each other, so in love. Never before in the entire time Gary had known Chuck, had he seen him so happy before. He loved Marcia, but often felt distance. Something just about the way they looked at each other.

But not with them.

Lucy had been his friend as well, so many memories Gary seemed just as hurt and stunned by her death. It wasn't fair, most of all to Chuck.

Why would God let such a terrible awful thing happen to such a good person?

Gary began taking his jacket off, before rolling up his sleeves. Walking into the living room, he joined Chuck.

"I think I left some sweats here, when I help paint your office?"

Chuck slowly nodded.

"Yeah…Lucy…"

He paused for a second, looking down at the floor.

"Lucy…washed them and put them in the linen closet, top shelf."

Gary nodded before Chuck looked across at him.

"Gary, really you don't have to spend the night…"

Gary shook his head before getting up again.

"Shut up Chuck…"

Gary left the room for a few minutes to change. Sitting there alone, Chuck reached over and snapped on one of the lights. Sighing, his heart ached deeply. The beer wasn't helping. Feeling somewhat dizzy, he put the bottle down and rubbed his face.

Gary came back out, dressed in sweats.

"Got coffee?"

Chuck nodded.

"Yeah, still warm in the pot."

Gary walked into the kitchen.

"Good I'll make us some…"

Chuck laid back before shutting his eyes. Over and over again it replayed in his mind. Only this time, he saw himself getting her out of the pool just in time, grabbing onto her and swimming to the side. Not the other way…

He was hurting, and he felt himself really loosing it. This terrible grief didn't seem to wanna let up, not even for a second. Feeling fresh tears whelm up in his eyes, he tried his hardest to fight them back.

Gary came back with the coffee and placed them down. Sitting beside him, he put his arm around his friend and let him cry. Chuck lowered his head, somewhat shaking as he let everything out. Crying, he put his hands to his face as Gary looked ahead, holding his friend and trying his hardest to be supportive.

An hour or so later, after Chuck got some coffee into him he forced him to take his last pill. Before morning, Chuck was fast asleep on the sofa. Gary meanwhile stayed awake. Watching the television, and laying on the loveseat. Eyeing Chuck, he saw him sleeping on the sofa, almost curled up. A look of terrible pain beneath his sleeping face.

Gary watched early morning television before watching the last of the night began to break away. In a few hours Lucy would be buried.

And maybe, just maybe Chuck would begin to get a grip of what really happened.