Short Story Sunday: Forever Friend-Episode 3 . . .

Marlowe started seeing a therapist. Since she was scared, I went with her to her first appointment. I sat in the lobby and waited for her to get done. There were only a few people in the waiting area and they were all very quiet. I wanted to say something, but I didn't want to disturb them. It was really boring just sitting there, so I got up to get some water. When I turned back to go to my seat, the woman who was sitting next to me looked up and smiled.

"Hi," I said.

“Are you ready?” Asked a voice from behind me.

The lady stood up. “Yes,” she said, and followed the therapist back to a room.

I felt so embarrassed, Marlowe would have loved to have seen that. I just sat back in my chair, hoping no one else noticed my mistake and waited quietly for Marlowe.

She walked out with her therapist, Kelsie Butler. She was a little younger than Marlowe’s parents, but she was really pretty and had a sweet calming voice. I bet that made talking to her a little easier for Marlowe.

“I will see you next week then,” she said.

“Yes, thank you,” Marlowe said. Her head was low, and she almost looked embarrassed.

“Are you okay?” I asked, standing up and walking towards her.

Before Marlowe answered me, she looked back at Kelsie. "Yes, can we please just leave?" Marlowe asked in almost a whisper.

I looked back at Kelsie, she just watched as Marlowe and I left.

“I don’t want to go back there. I didn’t like what she was saying.”

“I know, but maybe if you give it more time she can help you,” I encouraged her.

“You don’t understand. I just can’t go back there. Things will be different if I do,” she said with tears.

“Give it some time. You have a lot to talk about, especially with how things have been at home. Maybe she can help you feel better about what is happening with your parents. Please, Marlowe, for me.”

Marlowe smiled and hugged me real tight. “For you.”

Marlow has been seeing Kelsie once a week for a month, now. She has been making sure Marlow keeps up with the coping exercises they’ve talked about. I’m so glad that she’s talking to someone. I can see that she is getting better, but she has been very distant lately. Sometimes, when I ask her a question or comment on something, she ignores me like I am not even there. I know she needs the help and I was afraid she was going to hurt herself if she didn’t see someone, but for her to ignore me is not normal behavior.

Marlowe is starting to raise her hand in class and she even shared a poem she wrote. It was amazing, it talked about friendship and how the hardest part is letting go, sometimes. I couldn’t help but wonder if the poem had to do with us.

It’s been two months, now, and Marlowe is ignoring me at school. She tried out for the track team and has been doing great, but she won’t even look at me anymore. The only time she talks to me is when I am over at her house after school and, even then, she tells me that I should go because she’s busy.

This evening I went over to Marlowe’s house. It’s been a couple days since I have seen her. I figured she needed some space, so I gave her some. When I showed up, she completely ignored me. I was getting so angry with her.

Finally, she said, “You have to leave. We can’t be friends anymore. You have held me back long enough and I have to let you go. Goodbye, Molly.” She had tears running down her face. I tried to plead with her, asking her what I did wrong, but she wouldn’t answer me.

I was a mess. I didn’t know what I would do without Marlowe. We’ve been the best of friends since kindergarten. We planned on going to the same college, starting a business together, and even buying houses right next door to each other. I couldn’t imagine what the therapist has been saying to her to make her feel like I have been holding her back.

Today at school, I just wanted to know why she was closing me out. I walked right up to her.

“You are no longer hers,” a voice said before I could speak.

Marlowe was walking towards me with a couple other girls. Then she walked right through me, like I was a ghost. I started to panic. I didn’t know what was going on.

“You are no longer hers,” the voice said again.

“Who is saying that? What do you mean I am no longer hers?”

As I spun around to find out where the voice was coming from, everything disappeared and I was standing in a white room. No one was there, except the voice.

“You have served your purpose and now it is time to move on,” the voice said.

“What do you mean? Who are you?” I pleaded.

“Who I am is not important. You have to get ready for your next child,” the voice said.

I was stunned. I am not even real, I thought to myself. I was just in her mind? She is the only one who could ever see me? As my memory played back, I couldn’t believe I didn’t notice.

“You weren’t meant to know. You were real to her. Now, it’s time to go.”

“But I have so many questions. Please, I want to. . .”

I was really nervous about making new friends. Everyone had someone to play with except me. I was looking around and saw a little girl all by herself, she looked very sad. I to be brave and talk to her.

“Would you like to play with me?” I asked.

She looked at me and smiled. “Yes. Do you like the swings?” she asked shyly.

“They are my favorite," I replied.

“Mine too!” she said with enthusiasm.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Amber.”

“I’m Molly.” I took her hand and we skipped to the swings.