Painted to Life || Julie and the Phantoms

CHAPTER 17: Therapy

FUNERALS PROVIDE CLOSURE. At least, that's what I have always been taught. I don't feel at peace after saying goodbye. My hopes are dashed.

"I suppose that's that," I say to Bobby sadly. "They've been buried. We aren't going to find them."

"I know, Astrid," Bobby replies, staring at me with a certain depth I hadn't seen before. "You are all I have left."

"Except your family, of course," I remind him gently, sitting next to him on the sofa.

"Yeah, but you see how Candy has been acting," Bobby responds. "And my parents...they try to be sensitive, but they just don't understand."

"I know," I say softly, "but I do."

"This week has been rough," he tells me grimly.

"But the worst of it is over now," I say. "Maybe we can start to relax. We need a break from of all this pain."

Bobby presses his lips together in a firm line, nodding. Just then, his mother bursts through the door.

"Bobby, we have something to tell you." Mrs. Loman fidgets nervously with the ends of her blouse and I get a bad feeling. "Let's have a family meeting."

"A family meeting?" I repeat, looking at Bobby with concern.

"Yeah," he says.

"You know?" his mother asks in confusion. "I guess you know part of what we need to talk about."

"No, I-I don't," Bobby answers. "What do you mean?"

"I want to wait until we are all together to talk," she replies. "That way everyone hears at once."

"Okay," he responds suspiciously.

Something bad has definitely happened. We head inside the house and I don't bother teleporting. I want to stick with the only best friend I have left. He needs me to support him through whatever else life has to throw at him.

Plus, it might affect me too.

"What do you think it's about?" I ask him, not bothering to lower my voice since I know she can't hear me.

"I don't know," he whispers.

"Hmmm?" Mrs. Loman hums. "I didn't hear what you said."

"Oh, nothing, I was just whispering song lyrics to myself," Bobby lies. "Sometimes new ones just spontaneously pop into my head. I don't always notice when I sing them out loud."

The last part is true. I've caught Bobby singing to himself on numerous occasions. It used to embarrass him, but then we both got accustomed to it. I feel like that helped us grow closer as friends. We don't feel like we have to hide our special little quirks.

I frequently come over to the studio to paint and get my mind off of my issues. During that time I talk to myself. We are the same kind of crazy.

The same could be said about Alex. When he had major freak outs that were anxiety related he would mumble incoherently.

With Luke, he just loves to hear the sound of his voice, talking to people regardless of whether or not they are listening. Reggie is similar.

Well, they were similar.

Mr. Loman and Candy are already sitting in the den. Bobby and his mother sit on the couch. Her back is rigid, straight as a board as she tweedles her thumbs. Mrs. Loman is very anxious about something.

I sit on the edge of the sofa, warily observing the scene.

"Bobby," Mr. Loman begins, "we have some bad news."