Invisible

Carol said her goodbyes to her mother, they hugged each other and cried until Carol decided to pull away.

“I’ll call you whenever I can.”

“Ok. Please be careful.” Mrs. Russell kissed her cheek and hugged her again.

“Mom, I have to go.” Carol giggled. “I love you, mom.”

Mrs. Russell opened her door, “Get it before I don’t let you go anymore.”

Carol sat in her car and shut her door, “I’ll miss you. I’ll be back for Christmas.”

“You’re flying back home. You are not driving.”

Carol grinned, “You got it.”

Carol started her car and drove away with a honk before she turned the corner.

Three Days Later….

I climbed through Jeremy’s window to find him on his computer. I peaked around his shoulder; he was finding the cheapest airline tickets to Florida. I sighed.

“Got em’.” He whispered. He ran down the stairs, opened the front door to find his mother just about to stick in her key.

“Oh!” She clutched her chest and juggled with the groceries in her left arm. “You scared me.” She laughed.

“Sorry.” Jeremy tried to get around her, his flight left in 30 minutes.

“Mind helping your mother?” She handed him the groceries. Jeremy sighed in frustration; he took the bags from her and placed them on the table.

“Where are you off too in a hurry?”

“Airport. Do you need anything else? I need to go.”

“Why are you going to the airport? Jeremy Noel! When I’m talking to you, you look at me.” His mother stopped putting up the groceries, her hands were on her hips, and her eyes narrowed. “Tell me now.”

Jeremy sighed, “I want to talk to Carol.”

Roseanne arched an eye brow, “Carol? Lindsey’s friend?”

He nodded, “Yes.”

“Why do you want to talk to her? Couldn’t you call her?”

Jeremy groaned, “It’s different mom. I have to say this face to face. I can’t let her go.”

Roseanne walked closer to her son, “What are you talking about Jeremy?”

“I love her. I can’t let her leave without…”

“You love her?” She interrupted.

He nodded, “Yes. I love her.”

Roseanne sighed, “Jeremy…are you sure? This isn’t because...”

“No it’s not because of Lindsey!” He shouted.

“Don’t yell at me Jeremy!”

“I’m sorry.” He sighed. “Please mom, let me go. I need to talk to her.”

She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left leg. She didn’t take her eyes off of Jeremy.

“I can’t let you son.”

Jeremy took a deep breath, “Don’t you want me happy?”

“Yes of course I do.”

“Then what’s the problem?!”

“Quit acting like a child Jeremy. You know exactly what the problem is!”

He snorted, “No I don’t mom.”

“Jeremy, have you thought about everything? Lindsey? Everything?”

“Lindsey would want me to be happy again, mom.” He said between clenched teeth.

She nodded, “Yes I know that. But don’t you think it’s too soon? It’s only been a month, going on two, since she died. Are you sure this is what you want? Are you positive that you can handle another relationship?”

Jeremy bowed his head, starring at the ground. I stood next to him, waiting for him to say ‘yes, I’m ready.’

He looked back up at his mother, his blue eyes filled with pain again. “Mom, I do miss Lindsey with all my heart. Not a day goes by that I don’t. Yes, I still love her very much. It’s not ever going to go away, because she was just taken away from me so soon. But…”

I ran the back of my hand along his cheek, “I will always love you, too.”

Jeremy gasped, chills spread along his skin as my hand left his skin.

“But…” he took a deep, shaky breath. “When I’m with Carol, it’s just like I’m with Lindsey. I know how that sounds, but the feeling is ten times stronger than it was with Lindsey.”

I closed my eyes to let the tears fall.

“I didn’t know what was happening at first, I could just feel it whenever I was with her. I can’t explain it, it’s so different. New.”

Roseanne’s expression softens.

“Mom…” Jeremy laid his hands on her arms, “Please let me just tell her how I truly feel. I can’t keep this bottled up. She needs to know.”

Roseanne studied her son; she opened her mouth to say something when the phone in the kitchen rang.

“Wait.” She whispered to Jeremy. Jeremy glanced at the clock above the stove; he had only ten minutes left. Their was no way he was going to get their in time.

“Hello?” Roseanne’s soft expression changed quickly, suddenly she was worried.

Jeremy was about to ask what was wrong when his phone started to buzz. He pulled it out to find Roger’s name flashing. Roger is his best friend.

“What’s up man?”

“Jeremy…..they found him.” He whispered. Jeremy froze. I pressed my ear against the phone to listen.

“They…what?” He croaked.

“They found Mr. Robin. He was in New York….Maggie spotted him. She was lucky that a policeman was standing next to her. She called him out and they arrested him this morning. They’re flying him back here to Texas.”

Jeremy dropped his head, he couldn’t say anything. I starred at him, waiting for him to collapse or anything. But he didn’t, just covered his face with his hands.

“Jeremy?”

“Yeah. When will he be here?”

“Tomorrow. Are you alright?”

Jeremy shook his head but told Roger he was fine. Roseanne hung up the phone, by the expression on her face, she learned the same thing.

“Listen man, I’m really sorry. I just thought you would want to know…If it was me, I would want to know too.”

“No, yeah. It’s ok. I’m alright. Thanks for telling me, Roger.”

“No problem. Hey, if you want, I could meet you at the station? Just give me a call.”

Jeremy nodded, “Yeah. I will.”

“Alright. See you, then.”

“Bye.” Jeremy snapped his phone shut. He slowly lifted his head to stare at his mother.

“They found him….Maggie…” He couldn’t finish his sentence.

Roseanne nodded, “I know. That was Rachel on the phone, they just called her.”

Jeremy walked slowly to the counter in the kitchen, he sat down slowly.

Roseanne rubbed his shoulders, “You ok?”

He shook his head, “They found him. Mom…” Jeremy bowed his head.

Roseanne wrapped her arms around his shoulders, “I know. It’s ok.”

I ran outside to get some fresh air; I couldn’t believe this was happening. They found him.

“Because I helped.”

I turned to my left to find Raven walking with the sun setting behind her. “You?”

She nodded with a smile, “I could see that you had no idea how to start. So I helped.”

I crossed my arms, “Well…um thanks.”

She giggled, “You’re welcome.”

I tucked my hair behind my ear, “He’ll be here tomorrow.”

She nodded, “Yes. You have little time then Lindsey. You understand? I know you can do it.” She winked as the light hugged her.

I sat on Jeremy’s front lawn, wrapping my arms around my knee’s to watch the sun set beautifully in my town. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears fall…I wasn’t sad…I was happy.