The Brother

7

All I could think about was Seth.

Going to Dr. Hunter’s office was no help. My mind was somewhere else while she was babbling away on stupid questions like usual. If being a therapist was this easy, I wouldn’t mind joining that field. Then I thought about all those over emotional people crying non-stop. That changed my mind.

“Audrey, are you okay? You look distracted.” Dr. Hunter dropped her over used pen and scanned me over with her calm green eyes that seemed to match the colors on the wall.

My body language was saying it all. My hands were all over my arms scratching away, or they would move up to my hair and tug at the dead ends. I kept tapping waiting for the time to just move on. My lips were always wet with saliva as I kept licking them.

I stopped doing it all. Would I tell Dr. Hunter about what happened last night? I wasn’t even sure I was going to tell Kristen. Sure she was my best friend, but I felt bad for even saying it out loud.

I kissed Ray’s brother. If Ray was alive right now, he would not like that one bit, I knew him. But he’s not alive

“Y- Yeah, I’m fine.” I broke out of my croaked voice and into a loud confident one, but I don’t think she bought it.

Her kind eyes broke away from me and she started to dance the pen again. “Audrey, you can tell me anything I hope you know that. I wouldn’t be allowed to say anything to anybody about what happens in this room. This is your safe place, I hope you know that.”

“Yes, I know that.” My shy voice took over once more. She eyed me one last time. My eyes moved over to the clock, two more minutes. Relief washed over me. To change the subject, I asked her something.

“I bumped into Ray’s brother the other day here.” I rushed into saying. “He says he’s an intern here. His name is Seth? Seth Chambers?”

She gave me a confused look then shook her head. “I know every person who works here. Never the name Seth Chambers popped up. We don’t hire interns here anyways.”

“Oh?” I said. I was completely muddled. Then why was Seth here? Was Dr. Hunter just making a mistake? Was Seth just following me around? Or was Seth a patient?

A few days passed and I got a phone call from an unknown number while I was reading a book on the couch. I picked it up anyways, just in case it was my mother who lost her phone again. It was bad habit of hers. She always ended up finding it in the black bottom pit of her purse.

“Mom, are you sure you emptied out your entire purse?” I asked before she could say anything else.

“I’m sure I don’t have a purse.” A deep laughing voice answered back.

“Who a-“

Then it hit me. It was Jared. The pre-med student I had met at the college campus. “Oh, yeah, hey Jared.” I tried to put on my best flirty voice. I haven’t tried that voice since Ray died. I only used it on him my whole life.

“Hey, Audrey, right?”

“Yup.”

“So, how have you been?”

“Not bad, you know just relaxing at the pool and stuff.” No way was I telling him about my depressed summer. I had to drop the depressed girl around him. If he found out, he would always be so sorry, and probably just go out with me out of pity.

“Ah, I miss those days. When college hits, the only thing that matters to you is your future. The fun dies out.” He sighed.

“I never want it to end!” I pleaded. I actually really wanted it to end.