Help Me (sequel to Save Me)

Chapter 106

Trigger warning.

Remington sits up in bed as Andy gets in beside him, and sighs. "I saw Alex again," he says suddenly, after not saying a word about it since Andy first asked what was wrong.

"Oh?"

The boy hums. "I just wanted you to know. That's all."

Andy lies down and Remington settles on his chest. "Did he talk to you?" Remington doesn't answer, and Andy reaches for the lamp, turning it off and returning his hand to the younger's hair. "Sweet dreams, princess, and if they aren't so sweet, I'm here to protect you."

A tired smile sits on Remington's lips. "I know," he mumbles, "you always protect me."

"Damn right I do." He ruffles his lover's hair and Remington whines.

"Stop," he complains, "don't like it."

Andy smiles. "Don't you?" He does it again.

Giggling, Remington digs his face into the man's shoulder. "I do actually," he admits, though Andy already knew that.

"I know."

The following day, Andy drives his husband to therapy, agreeing that after, they can go and see the cats in the animal rescue centre just out of town. He waits until Remington steps into Abigail's house before pulling out of her drive.

Remington sits on the couch and accepts a glass of water. "I saw Alex yesterday," he says after a moment, "from the mental hospital."

Abigail takes his notebook. "What happened? Did you talk to him?" She flips through to the recent pages while Remington tells her about the encounter.

"He bumped into me the day before, as well. He is desperate to be in my life and I don't want him in my life. He scares me."

The woman glances up at him. "He was the reason you were sent home early, yes?"

Remington nods. "Yep, and I did tell him a lot that I didn't like him and he didn't listen." He puts the glass down. "Anyway, yesterday, he wouldn't leave me alone and I kept telling him to go and he didn't. He said that I wasn't really abused because apparently men can't be abused, and then I screamed at him."

"Were you on your own when this happened?"

Again, he nods. "I was meant to be having lunch with Andy, Lonny and Em, but I got a bit-I guess-worked up, and went for a walk to calm down. I was calm until he turned up." He takes the book back. "I had to call Andy to get me."

Abigail notices how calmly he's talking about it, even despite it being a distressing situation. A year ago, he'd probably have been shaking and crying about it. "Okay. First, men can be abused and he has no right to say they can't. Second, you did the right thing going for a walk when you felt worked up. That's a good way to calm yourself."

"People keep saying men can't be abused and it just-it kinda makes me feel pathetic for being so affected by-by Holly." He looks down, mood dropping at the thought of it. His mood drops easily.

"You're not pathetic," she says simply, firmly.

Remington doesn't look up. "It's just that if so many people say it, then are they-are they right?"

"Answer this for me, Remington. Were you in a relationship that made you feel trapped? Were you being hurt?"

The boy nods slowly. "Yes," he answers.

Abigail hums. "Right. You were in an abusive relationship. You were abused. It doesn't matter what anyone else says about it, Remington, you experienced abuse and no one else has the right to tell you otherwise. You were the one trapped in the relationship, and only you experienced the awful things she did to you. No one else. So don't let other people tell you that you're wrong, because you're not wrong, Remington."