I got a general understanding of the situation. As for why it played out that way, I had no clue. Since it was a matter of his family, I decided to ask what happened before taking action which later on, might deem to have been a reckless choice. I didn't want to be the one who hurt him.
I went out of my working studio and found Caleb seated on the couch. He was staring blankly while fiddling something in his fingers. I watched him a little before I went ahead and sat next to him.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" I carefully asked.
He looked at me, then the floor. After some time, he slightly nodded. I caught it because I was staring at him the entire time.
"Did someone hurt you?"
He shook his head and looked at me. As if I could read his mind I asked. "Did someone hurt anyone close to you?"
He simply continued looking at me. I knew he wouldn't really answer that. "Then let's have a drink. Just the two of us here. If you are ready, just know I'm always here for you. Don't ever question that."
I said in a serious voice to make sure my point got home.
I stood up and went to take some beer from the special fridge. I put it there mainly because I wasn't a drinker. I hated not being completely sober. I just loved having them there, just in case. They came with the side dish package.
"Come here." I beckoned Caleb to come to the set floor. I had placed a mat on the floor. In the middle stood a short table with several cans of different beers. Then there was a snack that I quickly warmed up. Then if needed we would just order food from outside.
It was silent at first but soon he began to talk more. He was having a bit of fun even smiling then the mood suddenly changed as if he had done something wrong.
"I'm sorry. I want to be happy when I am with you, but I feel that I don't even deserve that anymore."
"Why?" I asked
"I wasn't there for the person who was supposed to be more important than anything else. I could even hear or be there at their last moments."
"What do you mean? Who is?" I knew a rough bit of it, but I asked, nevertheless.
"My mother. She stayed at my uncle's place. They never informed me of her illness for the sake of my concentration for the successor rights. To make matters worse she was against me doing that, so they never let me in until she actually stopped breathing. I Know I was late getting there but I was never there to begin with. I have memories with her from when I was young, but I didn't remember her facials up until I saw her motionless on her deathbed. I'm scared now." Caleb said way more than I expected but it was good to know he wasn't concealing anything from me.
"Of what?" I asked.
"I wasn't even sad when I saw her like that. It's like I never loved her at all, but I know that isn't true. I know at some point she was my entire world. Until I realized she isn't anymore. I was simply angry that they hid things from me. I wasn't even sad."
"Then there isn't anything wrong with that?"
"Jade... Aren't you sad, angry, surprised even?" I could feel his voice tremble so slightly, but I ignored that for now.