"Johnny, I'm so sorry. That sounds... awful. How are you standing here listening to me, when you're in so much pain?" Lulu Spencer frowned as she noted the way he carefully chose his words, a ghost of a young boy in his brown eyes.
"Just because I'm going through something, doesn't mean other people aren't." Johnny simply shrugged.
"You know you are allowed to have emotions. Right? It's okay for you to be upset. If you don't talk about the things that are bothering you, it'll eat away at you. I just, I want you to know that you can come to me." Lulu's tone softened as she arched her face upwards, in an effort to look at him.
"I...it was a lot. You know, seeing Claudia again. It brought up a whole set of things that I just don't want to remember. When I think of my sister I just think of someone who left me, when she promised to stay. I'm going to be honest with you Lu, sometimes I'm still that little boy. I just wanted someone to love me but, with my mother gone? All the love and light in Crimson Pointe was snuffed out." Johnny wasn't sure what made him open up to her but, it felt good to let all of this information out.
"I know how hard it is for you to open up but, I'm glad you did. I understand, in a way. When my mom went to Shadybrooke, she took the good times with her. I remember my dad just crying all the time, and drinking. Lucky and Nikolas would usually be at school, work or with Elizabeth and Emily to escape the chaos. I was left alone with him most days, back them dad could barely force himself to look into my eyes. I was a constant reminder of everything he'd lost. I remember wishing that something would happen to me, so I wouldn't feel like a liability or a problem." Lulu didn't mean to change the subject but, hearing how he felt had reminded her of something that she had been through.
"Maybe I'm not the only one who needs to let some things off his chest. Have you ever talked to Luke about any of this? I'm sure that he wouldn't blame you for Laura going to Shadybrooke... because you're not to blame. For the record I'm ecastic nothing happened to you... Because, you're the only person that I truly care about. My life would suck without you." Johnny placed one hand on her arm, knowing that part of her was somewhere a million miles away.
"I know, I just feel like my dad wouldn't want to relive the past. My mom's been in a coma for twenty plus years, as each year passes I doubt more and more that she'll ever wake up. Even if she does, will she have memory problems? Will she need 24 hour care? What if she wakes up but, just goes back to the way she is within a couple of days? It's a never ending cycle...it just makes me sad that she's just stick in limbo. It's cruel." Lulu sighed, wiping a few stray tears away from her cheek as she spoke, mind racing with endless scenarios.
"I think Luke would be more worried about setting the record straight, your dad loves you to death. I'm sorry about what happened to you're mom that's no way to live but, you never know. Laura could be the exception, she could wake up with every memory in tact and shock everyone. It's getting cold out, we should get you somewhere warm." Johnny began to notice the mid November rain falling around them, placing a hand on the small of her back.
"Where are we going?" Lulu didn't much question Johnny, knowing she'd follow him to the ends of the earth.
" You'll see. Up for an adventure?"