Save Me

One

“You know Dad’s furious, Seth,” Adrian said, his voice low and stern.

I rolled my eyes and looked at the window, “Why does he care? It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. I just partied with my friends, Addie. He lets you go to parties, why can’t I? But well, you’re his favorite, of course you’re always off the hook.”

I looked at Adrian, my older brother. His green eyes were fixed on the road but when I said that, he looked at me, his eyes weary and stern, “Seth, you know that’s not true.”

“Is it not, brother?” I said, my voice on edge. Of course I was getting piss off. The great John Andrews was pissed at me again for going to a party that had a lot of alcohol in it. Of course there were a lot of alcohol, we were in college!

Adrian sighed, “Seth, he’s just concerned.”

“About me or his image?”

“Seth,” Adrian started and I knew I was gonna hear another earful sermon of how our father, the great businessman of his time, John Andrews actually loved another one of his children except for Adrian.

But before it could start, a loud honk startled me and my eyes widened, a huge truck was coming our way and we were on the bridge.

“Addie, look out!” I screamed.

Adrian swerved out of the way, but he drove too much to the right. And we shot right to the waters of Boston. The last thing I heard was Adrian’s scream and mine and everything went black as the water swallowed us its darkness and deepness.

I shot upright on my bed. I was sweating too much and my hair was in disarray. Even the coolness of the air-condition in my room didn’t stop the perspiration from my bad dream.

Nightmare.

Actually, it wasn’t exactly a nightmare. It was more of a bad memory. I shuddered at the thought, the thought of me being the reason of Adrian’s death. If I hadn’t gone to that party or if I just left earlier, Dad wouldn’t have asked Adrian to fetch me, he wouldn’t have been killed and I wouldn’t have been stuck in his shoes.

My eyes then rested on a figure sleeping beside me. She was blonde and really beautiful, but had too much make up. I woke up and slipped on my boxers. I then shook her awake. She woke up, her brown eyes opening sleepily and sleepy smile spread on her face at the sight of me. Well, I was the Seth Andrews.

“Good morning,” she said sleepily, sitting up and pulling me into a kiss.

I quickly broke it though I have to admit, she was a damn good kisser, “You have to go.”

I handed her clothes and she changed into them, pouting, “You’ll call me right?”

I nodded awkwardly, didn’t she get that this was a one night stand? “Sure, Nancy.”

“My name’s Sab,” she replied, seemingly hurt. I just shrugged, showed her the way out of my door and my condo. I headed back to my room but I passed the kitchen and my sister was sitting on the counter.

“Another hoe?”

I rolled my eyes, “Good morning to you too, Louise.”

Louise rolled her eyes back at me, “Geez, Seth, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get STD one day.”

“Hey I get my check up every month!” I argued playfully.

She shook her head, “But that doesn’t mean you can just f**k any girl you want.”

I smirked at her, “I’m Seth Andrews, of course I can.”

“One day you’ll find a girl that’ll tie you down,” she said, taking a bite of her pancakes.

“Not if I tie her down on bed first,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

I laughed as she made a face and gagged, “You’re such a pig!”

I laughed and gave her a back hug and she struggled to get out of it, “But you love me still.”

“Ew! Go take a bath. You smell of s*x!” she said, struggling out of my hold but laughing.

I laughed and kissed her briefly on the cheek before running to my room and taking a shower. I sighed. I hated getting ready for the day because that would mean I have to face the impending demands of my father. I dried myself and my short dark brown hair. I changed into my gray suit pants, black dress shirt, white tie and gray coat. I brushed my hair up. Dad hated seeing me with my hair down, he always said that I looked like a rebel. A year ago, I’d just ignore him but now, that wasn’t the case. I couldn’t ignore him. Not after what happened.

Louise was still getting ready as I ate my breakfast. After I was finished, I placed it in the dryer and then watched with amusement as my little sister basically destroyed our condo. She was searching for something and I had no idea what. But it was amusing watching her scramble around the house, looking all flustered. She was just so tiny, five flat, and slim that made her look almost like a pixie, especially with her long brown hair tied in a high ponytail.

“What are you looking for?” I finally asked, sipping my coffee.

“My car keys,” she said with a whine, “I can’t find them. And my class starts at 7:30.”

I checked my watch. It was 7:15. I needed to be at the office before eight, “I can drive you to school, but I don’t know if I can pick you up.”

Her face lit up, “Thank you! I’ll just catch a ride with Mich when I go home.”

I nodded and we both dashed to the basement. I drove her to school and then I drove directly to work. Upon entering the office, I was greeted with the warm good mornings of my employees. I headed to the elevator and pressed fourth, it was where my office was. I reached it and Gerard immediately greeted me with phones in his hand.

I sighed, well; this was going to be another boring day. I immersed myself with work throughout the day. Besides all the phone calls I had to answer for possible sponsors and inquiry about our airlines, hotel and publishing company, I had to busy myself with the new marketing strategy our marketing editor gave me.

By two, my obligations lessened and I was able to breathe again. I was so hungry I could’ve ate a horse whole. Good thing my assistant already prepared a late lunch for me. It was 2:30 when I started eating. I scoffed mentally, I was lucky enough today to even have lunch.

“Sir, your Mom is on the phone.”

I smiled and picked up my phone, “Hi Momma!”

“Hi honey,” my mother’s voice floated in my ears and in some ways, it was soothing, “Are you busy?”

“Nope, I’m having lunch.”

“At this time?” she said, scolding me, “Seth, don’t tell me you’re throwing your health away too.”

I sighed, “Mom, I’m not throwing away anything.”

“You threw away your freedom of choice by following your father,” she reminded me softly.

“Momma,” I said sighing. I hated it when the conversation turned that way. It reminded me so much of why I was tied down to Dad, “Let’s not talk about it, okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered defeated, “I just called because I missed my son.”

“He misses you too,” I said laughing lightly, “And Collin. And everyone else.”

I could hear the smile in her voice, “Everyone misses you too. When will you and Louise visit?”

“I promise when we’re free, Momma,” I said but I knew that it was a lie, she knew it too.

“Both of your sisters misses you. And Louise too,” she said quietly.

“I miss them too,” I replied, closing my eyes. Actually, Caitlyn and Kathryn weren’t exactly my sisters per se, they were my half siblings. Mom and Dad separated when I was fourteen. Mom went home to Australia and Collin, Louise and I lived with her until I went to college. Collin was mentally challenged so it wasn’t exactly easy for us at the beginning, with no one tending for him. Dad sent us money for our education but only for that. The rest was all my Mom’s money.

By sixteen, I was a working student so I can help Mom. She met a guy at that time and became her third boyfriend when we got to Australia. She even married him and that’s how Caitlyn comes in the picture. But like her and Dad’s marriage, it didn’t work out too. She then met Joseph, married him, and had a child, Kathryn. But this time, it worked quite well for the both of them.

When I got to college, I moved to Boston because Dad wanted me to study here. He made me take up business and I always wondered why. He had Adrian with him, he didn’t need his black sheep to make him proud or make his business prosper. Louise moved here four years ago and we occasionally visited Mom and our siblings in Australia and always had Thanksgiving with them.

“Kathryn’s turning nine soon,” Mom said, “Her wish is to see you both again.”

I smiled but felt an ache in my heart. It seemed like a wish that won’t be granted, “We’ll try Mom.”

“Alright.”

Gerard, my assistant, came in suddenly, “You father wants to have a word with you sir.”

“Umm, Momma the boss wants to talk to me.”

“Why?”

“I dunno,” I said, “I’ll call you later. Tell my siblings I miss them. I love you, bye.”

“I love you too Seth, and honey?”

“Yea?”

“Take care of yourself,” she said, “You have a freedom to choose.”

She hang up and I sighed, my eyes landing on the two picture frames resting on my table. The first one of my real family. Dad was sitting between Mom and Louise. My mother and sister were both wearing black elegant gowns. Dad was wearing an all-black suit. So were Collin and Adrian but Collin didn’t wear his coat, I remembered he preferred to wear the vest. But I seemed to stand out among all of them. I was also wearing black. Black slacks, black shoes, black polo, but rather than a coat, I preferred to wear my leather jacket. I remembered that Dad was so furious with me at that time but I couldn’t care less.

The next picture consisted of me, Louise, Collin, Mom, Joseph, Caitlyn and Kathryn. It was Thanksgiving, I think. We were all wearing casual clothes and we all looked happy. That was the main thing that you can point out from the two pictures. The first one was serious, intense but the second one was relaxing, happy, the way a real family should actually look like.

I grabbed my coat and shrugged it on. Upon heading out, I stopped at Gerard, “What did he say he wanted?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. Sarah just told me to tell you you’re needed.”

I nodded and headed to the elevator and pressed the fifth. Once it opened, I headed straight to Dad’s office. Sarah smiled warmly at me and giggled like a school girl once I entered. Yep, she had a crush on me. Who wouldn’t? I was handsome and hot and rich. I was perfect.

“Seth!” Dad greeted cheerfully at me. Unusual. What was even more unusual was his wide grin, like the one the Cheshire cat in Alice in the Wonderland usually wears, “I have good news.”

Upon hearing the words good news, two things came in mind. One, that it was actually good news and it would be for the company, and two, it would mean an imminent darkness for me. I think I’d rather hope for the former.

“What?” I said, trying to sound curious rather than anxious.

“Do you remember the Tyler Co.?”

“Our biggest competitor,” I replied, “Our rival.”

He nodded and the smile on his face never left. Usually, the name Tyler would make him grunt and look so scary but now, that didn’t seem like the case, “Mark and I found a solution to stop our childish rivalry.”

“What?” I asked again, feeling like I was on edge with watching the climax of a movie.

“You’re getting married,” Dad said smiling ever so happily at me, “To Johanna Tyler.”