Page 18 of Save You

I roll my eyes and pull one loop of the face mask off my ear so that it partially hangs down, making me feel like a surgeon taking a break in the middle of a major operation.I open the door a crack and squeeze out.Mum looks at me and the mask with raised eyebrows, and I spot her standing on tiptoes in an attempt to peek round the door.I hastily shut it behind me.

“Who is it?”I ask quietly.

In an instant, Mum’s face is serious again.“It’s the Beaufort girl.”

My heart plummets.I’ve got déjà vu for the evening when Lydia came here looking for James.Surely there can’t have been another disaster.

Not again.Please, not again.

“Where is she?”I ask.

Mum nods toward the hall.“In the living room.Your dad and I are in the kitchen if you need us.”

I nod and take the mask off completely.I walk down the hall toward the living room with cautious steps.This time, I’m bracing myself, Ember’s wise words still fresh in my memory.

Lydia is sitting on our old, flowery sofa, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes fixed on the coffee table.She’s wearing a loose, floaty chiffon blouse with a black pleated skirt, and her hair is in a ponytail, as usual.Not a strand is out of place.As ever, Lydia gives the impression of having everything perfectly under control.

But the apathetic expression in her eyes tells a different story.

“Hi,” I say quietly, not wanting to startle her.

Lydia looks up and sees me in the doorway.She summons up the energy for a weary smile.“Hi, Ruby.”

For a moment, I’m not sure what to do, but settle for sitting down next to her on the sofa.I resist the urge to make small talk, to ask her how she is, or if everything’s OK.I just wait.

After a while, Lydia swallows.“You said I could ask you if I needed any help.”

For a moment, I’m confused, but then I nod hastily.“Yes, right.Anything at all.”

She glances uncertainly toward the living room door, like she’s keeping an eye out for someone.She’s probably afraid of my parents or Ember coming in or overhearing us.I budge over a fraction toward her.

“What is it?”I ask.

Lydia exhales audibly.Then she straightens her back and sits up tall.“I’ve got a checkup tomorrow, and I need someone to come with me.”

It takes me a second or two to realize what she just said.“You want me to go with you?”I ask in surprise.

She takes a shaky breath, presses her lips tightly together, then nods.“You’re the only person who knows.”

“Is there something wrong?Does it hurt or something?”

Lydia shakes her head.“No, it’s just routine.But I…don’t want to go there alone.”

I wonder how hard it was for her to come here and ask me that.This is the first time I’ve really understood how lonely Lydia must be.I’m the only person she can ask to go with her to an appointment that must be scary, and nerve-racking.

There’s only one answer to her question, and I give it like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Of course I will.”

The only word to describe the room is “sterile.”The walls are white and there’s only one picture up.On the left-hand side, there’s a desk in front of a wide window with closed blinds; to the right, there’s a pale blue curtain screening off one corner.I presume Lydia’s going to have to undress behind there soon.

We’re sitting on the two chairs in front of the desk, watching Dr.Hearst as she types on her computer at lightning speed.

At first it was weird to be here with Lydia.But the moment she was asked by a nurse to pee into a little cup, I realized that we were long past the point of embarrassment.

Now Lydia is fiddling with her tartan scarf and squinting at the door.Maybe she’s toying with the idea of getting up and running away.As her eye catches mine, I give her a reassuring smile—or try to.I don’t know exactly what my job here is, so I try to act the way I’d want her to if our roles were reversed.It seems to work, because Lydia’s shoulders relax a tiny bit.

Once Dr.Hearst has finished with the computer, she rests her hands on the desk and leans toward us slightly.Her face is friendly, however severe the bun holding up her dark hair may be.She has lots of laugh lines; warm brown eyes; and a pleasant, calm voice.