Save Me

Chapter 26: Save Me

Lucas

We were driving back tomorrow so we could be back in time for school. We were on our way to Mrs. Robertson's house because after she got word of our arrival, she wanted us to come see her. I hadn't seen her in years, since the end of middle school. Thanks to Erika, I got back in contact with her and we emailed each other on occasion.

Connor knocked on the door and a woman with dark hair, olive skin, and brown eyes opened the door. I recognized her as Mrs. Robertson's wife, Claudia.

"Oh, you must be Lucas and Connor. Come on in," Claudia tells us, making room for us to go through the door. She led us into the living room, where Mrs. Robertson, or Jessica as she has told me to call her, was sitting in a living chair and reading a book. When she saw us, her face lit up.

"Oh my gosh, my boys!" She said, opening her arms. We leaned down to give her a hug so she didn't have to get up. "I'm so glad you came!"

"It's nice to see you, too, Jessica," I told her, signing to her.

"What brings you back in town?" She signed, even though she could speak perfectly. It aided her in making her speech clear.

"Well, we came to visit Alex and his parents," Connor explained, signing. "And when we got your message, we knew we had to come see you before we drove back down."

"That's very nice," she commented. "I remember you three boys, always so sweet. You three were enthusiastic about music, too. Lucas, well, you always wanted to volunteer to help me sing a song. Connor, I remember, always snuck off to play the drums in the back of the room, scaring the whole class. And Alex, he was such a sweetheart. He always helped me after school and he was so nice to everyone."

"Yeah. Yeah he was," I agreed.

"Do you guys want to go out for some coffee?" Claudia asked, putting on her jacket.

"Sure," Connor said, getting up. We all put on our jackets and Mrs. Robertson settled into her wheelchair. We walked over to the local shop and Connor, Claudia, and I bought coffee and Mrs. Robertson bought a Diet Coke. We all sat together on a park bench, admiring the new and vibrant colors of spring.

"How are you boys? What's new?"

"Nothing much, really. Just getting ready to go away for college," Connor told her.

"Oh, what school?"

"I'm going to SVA in New York," Connor told her.

"Frost School of Music in Florida for me," I told her.

"That's good! You guys are doing so well. How's the home life?"

"Getting by, as everyone does," I told her.

"How are you and Erika doing?"

"We broke up..." I told her. "A week or so ago."

"Oh, why? She was so nice. I thought you guys were really cute together," Mrs. Robertson told me, putting her hand on my leg.

"She...she thought that she was a burden on me, so she ended it."

"Why would she think that? She was very bright and smart," Mrs. Robertson—Jessica—asked, confused.

"She's being treated for MDD and panic disorder in a mental hospital," I told her, my tone not wavering.

"Oh, I see," she said, retracting her hand before going silent. She moved from beside the bench and rolled right in front of me. "Lucas, listen to me. I've known you since you were very young. You were bright, you were wild, and you were carefree. I always thought, 'Whoever this boy falls in love with, they will be special, because he is special.' I knew it would take a phenomenal person to corral this free spirit and when I heard about you two, I knew she was the one."