Lost Souls

Chapter 4

I walked through the front door after a long day out of town with Jedd and his girlfriend, and saw Fletcher, Dylan, Tom and Jay playing video games on the couch. I was greeted with head nods and shouting between them all.
"Hey Sammy, how was Jersey?" Dylan asked without taking his eyes off the TV screen.
"It was alright. I'm exhausted though" I sat my handbag on the kitchen bench and walked back to see what they were playing. I was clearly not going to get anything out of them by standing here watching them, so I made a move to go shower or lay down, but something caught my eye.
I've made a habit out of glancing at Dylan every now and then, and usually I don't see anything different, but this time I did. It made me do a double-take and I scurried away to my room and locked the door behind me, shutting out their competitive threats to one another.
I held my breath as I turned on the shower and undressed, but as soon as I was under the streaming water, I curled up on the cool tiles and the tears started flowing.
Soon it became hard to tell if I was still crying or if it was just shower water on my face. Either way, I was choked up all night, so much so that I skipped dinner and went straight to bed.

I was lingering around the side of the large elegant room, a glass of champagne in my hand, avoiding eye contact with everyone.
I'd been here an hour at least and Shane still hadn't shown up.
Getting sick of standing like a complete loser, I headed out to the patio and pulled my phone out of my small bag to call Shane.
"Hey babe, I'm almost there, I just had to make a quick stop"
"Okay, well I feel so awkward, I don't know anyone here" this made him laugh as I heard movement in the background.
"Well I'm just getting in the elevator now so I'll be there in twenty seconds"
"Okay well I'm outside on the patio"
"Nineteen... Eighteen..."
"Bye Shane" I hung up, laughing at his goofiness.
Next thing I knew, his hand was on my shoulder. I turned around and grinned.
"Hey babe" I greeted him and kissed him quickly.
"I got something for you" he says, beaming. I frown, confused and he pulls out a black velvet box. "Cause I know I've been such a dick lately, missing dinner with Gracie and Tom, being late tonight, flaking on our lunch plans all week... So this is an 'I'm sorry and I love you so much and please don't forget it' gift" he blurts out before opening the box to reveal a gorgeous diamond necklace.
"Oh Shane! Oh I love it" I gush and hug him tightly before kissing him.
"Here let me put it on you" I turn around and pull my hair to the side. The necklace was cold on my skin and looked more radiant against the navy dress I was wearing. "Beautiful" he says as I turn back around.
"Thank you so much Shane. I love it, and I love you" I kiss him again.
"Come on, we better go in" he says and places a hand on the small of my back before leading us inside.

We were three hours into the event when my phone rang, interrupting a conversation between myself, Shane, and a client and his wife.
"I'm so sorry, excuse me" I step out onto the patio again and answer. "Hello?"
"Sammy? It's Dylan"
"Hey, what's up Dyl?" he didn't respond straight away. He was breathing heavily and shaky and sniffing like he was crying. "Dylan? What's wrong" I was now extremely worried.
"Sammy..."
"Yes Dyl I'm here, what's going on"
"I was fine... I swear I was doing great. And then there was this... bump in the road, and now my wrists are bleeding and I'm trying to control my breathing" my stomach dropped and my body went numb.
"Dylan, what are you talking about..."
"I love you, Sammy. I love you so much. You and Gracie... You were so good to me after Kenzie... It's just all too much now. Tell the others I love them a lot. More than they think I do. I really do" and the phone went dead.
I tried calling his number again twice before going back inside to Shane.
"I have to go" I whisper in his ear. He frowned at me.
"What why? This is a very important night for my career"
"It's Dylan... I... I just have to go" he rolled his eyes. "I'll see you at home" I spat out at him and walked away.

When I got to Dylan's apartment, the door was unlocked. I ran inside and found him in the second bedroom where he kept most of Kenzie's things. When I saw him I fell onto the floor screaming.
I don't remember doing it, but I rang 911. The paramedics took him out on a gurney with his whole body covered up. I stayed in a crumbled mess on the floor until long after they left.
I rang Jay first. He was in Maine, but still awake.
"Hey Sammy! What's up? Set a date for the wedding yet?"
"Jay" I blubbered. "It's Dylan"
"What" his expression dropped a hundred levels.
"He... He's... D-d-d" I couldn't say it, I only burst into tears.
"Oh God..." he muttered. "Oh God oh God oh God no... No" he began crying. "I'm getting on the first plane. I'll drive if I have to. I'm coming home now" he said. "Sammy. Sammy, you need to call the others... I love you, okay? Sammy, it'll be okay" I nodded but then realised he couldn't see me.
"Okay. I love you too, Jay" I hung up and stood up. I composed myself before leaving and driving an all too familiar route.
In the elevator on the way up, I rang Gracie and Tom.
"Hello?"
"Is that Declan" I say with a happy voice.
"Aunt Sammy! Mommy it's aunt Sammy!" "Pass me the phone please Dec... Hey Sammy what's up? It's so late"
"Gracie it's Dylan" there was a moment of silence and I heard her tell Declan to go to bed and send Tom downstairs.
"When?" she sniffled.
"I found him just before... He rang me and I left but I didn't get there in time and-"
"Sammy, do not blame yourself. Don't be ridiculous" she said sternly, but I could still hear the brokenness in her voice. I heard Tom in the background, and I listened as she told him, and I waited while he sobbed before he grabbed the phone, and in a shaky, destroyed voice he said; "Sammy you need to tell him. You need to be the one to tell him"
"I know... I'm in the elevator right now..." the doors dinged open and I took in a deep breath. "I'll call you later. Love you both" and I hung up and stepped out of the elevator.