The half-hour silence I keep with the buddy I lost

Every Friday night, same hour, same two chairs on the porch. I go out with a cup of coffee and a second one for him. We don't talk — we never needed to. For months it felt like I was just tormenting myself. Tonight I noticed the silence isn't a hole anymore, it's a room we're both sitting in. That's the first thing I've made in years that isn't meant for anyone else.