The Color Blue

Chapter Nineteen - "I've missed you so much"

I sat in the passenger seat of Robin’s car. The warm late August breeze came in through the open window and whipped my hair all around. My feet rested on the top of the dashboard and my arm rested on the car door, my hand letting the wind rush through my open fingers. My other hand rested in Robin’s. He talked to me as he drove about all kinds of things; mostly stories about his younger sister, Lucy.

We were on our way to Athens, Ohio. Robin had found Lucy through Facebook and told her that he wanted to see her. In her messages she sounded very excited to see him and gave him her phone number to call when we got into town.

Robin was ecstatic. He didn’t expect Lucy to have that kind of response. So, as Robin pulled into a gas station that he said was right outside of Athens, I couldn’t help but smile. As he dialed the numbers into his cell phone he told me that he was shaking. I could hear how his voice shook as he talked to his sister.

“Hello? Lucy?” he asked. “Yeah, yeah it’s me.” His voice was shaking uncontrollably. He sounded as if he was ready to burst into tears, “Yeah we’re right outside of Athens…okay…okay…give me a second let me find something to write that on.” He laughed nervously, “Okay…okay…okay sounds good. I’ll see you in a few minutes then.” He chuckled again, “I can’t wait to see you either, Luce.”

After fifteen minutes we pulled into Lucy’s very bumpy gravel driveway. Robin helped me out of the passenger side and down the rocky walkway. As he helped me climb a couple steps we heard a squeal come from inside of the house.

“Robin!” a young girl’s voice shrieked. The door squeaked and squealed as it opened and Robin led me across the threshold and into the house. It smelled like pumpkin and vanilla. Robin let go of my arm as he embraced his little sister.

“Hey, Lucy.” He choked. I could tell that he was trying his hardest to keep back the tears.

“Robin, I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too, little girl.”

Lucy laughed, she had a sweet laugh, still full of innocence. “I’m not the little girl that you remember me being, Robin. I just turned seventeen, you know.”

“Seveteen?!” Robin sighed, “Seventeen…wow…”

“Yeah,” Lucy’s voice suddenly turned sullen, “time goes on without you, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah I know.”

Excitement came back into her voice as she said, “Well come in, come in, and introduce me to your pretty lady friend.”

We all walked into the living room and I took a seat on an uncomfortable and scratchy couch.

“Lucy, this is my pretty lady friend, London.” Robin said as he sat down next to me and draped his arm across my shoulders.

“I prefer the use of the term “girlfriend”, actually.” I smiled.

“Well it’s nice to meet you, Robin’s Girlfriend Named London.” She giggled. After a couple seconds of silence she cleared her throat.

Robin chuckled, “Lucy, she’s blind. If you want her to shake your hand you’ll have to reach for it yourself.”

Blood immediately rushed to my cheeks, “I’m sorry,” I said to Lucy. I held my hand out for her to shake.

“No, no, I’m sorry.” Lucy said. I could tell that she was just as embarrassed as I was.

“No, there’s no need for you to be sorry. You didn’t know.” I smiled at her, reassuring her that it was alright.