The week went by quickly, a perpetual living nightmare for them all. Abbey had almost fully recovered physically, except the daily migraines that had appeared. Everyone was trying their best to be supportive, each taking turns talking to her about things they remembered. Joey always showed his sweetest side. He was always the first one to offer a shoulder to cry on. He wanted to help. Lance didn’t talk to her much. A certain fear was always present when he did talk. He was always afraid he was saying the wrong thing, so silence seemed to be a much better option. Chris was the only one that made her laugh. He had a humorous approach to everything, apparently, even this. He was also the only one who didn’t walk on eggshells around her. To him, she was the same woman he used to tease the week before. This was strangely comforting to her, but she was glad they all didn’t treat her like that. Whenever Stephanie came to visit, Abbey would breathe a sigh of relief. It was nice to have a close female friend, even if she was a little crazy like Chris. Stephanie made Abbey forget about her worries, if just for an hour. They gossiped, played stupid little games, and had fun. It was almost like they were in high school or something, and it was just what Abbey needed.
Justin was always the first one to the hospital in the morning and the last one to leave at night. There was no doubt in Abbey’s mind that he would have spent the night if she would let him. But being alone with him continually made her the slightest bit uncomfortable. This was a man that she loved, supposedly. A man that she had been close to. Intimate with. He knew so many things about her that very few others could ever have known. And she knew nothing, save the things she’d been told the past few days. He told her all about things they used to do, time they spent together. But it all seemed like it was happening to someone else. Everyday, he returned with that glimmer of hope in his eyes. Every night, he left with only sadness.
JC’s presence was the most comforting for her. She knew him, and that was something tangible in her memory. He would always arrive early with Justin and stay until the nurses practically dragged them out. But he always stayed a bit standoffish. Abbey and Justin needed to reconnect, he knew that, so he tried his best not to interfere. Feelings of guilt consumed him. His eyes couldn’t hide the liability he felt about that night. He blamed himself for not making her get in the car. Bribing her, forcing her, throwing her over his shoulder. Nothing seemed out of the reach of possible things he thought he should have done. On the second day, he brought it up to her, barely getting the words out before crying uncontrollably. She assured him that it wasn’t his fault, nothing he could have said or done would have changed her mind. Her stubbornness had always won in the past, so she could admit with all honesty that she knew he wouldn’t have been able to convince her that night. As hard as she tried to relinquish his guilt, it still remained. And so everyday, there he was again. Watching, hoping, praying that she would remember.
Dr. Machado came to check on her everyday at the same time. He poked and prodded, asking questions and then scribbling on her chart. Every single day he offered words of encouragement to Abbey, never letting her get down on herself and give up hope that the memories would one day return. He reminded her just how truly lucky she was, even if she didn’t feel like it. Deep down, she knew that she was lucky. She could have easily been killed that night. An occasional fleeting thought would make her question if death would have been better for everyone involved. The hurt in Justin’s eyes alone made her think death might have been the better choice. At least if she were dead, he could grieve and move on.
“Ms. James, you’re recovery is coming along just fine. I think we can have you released by tomorrow morning, maybe even this afternoon.”
“Really? I’m so ready to be out of this hospital. No offense,” she smiled.
“None taken. I’ll send the nurse in with a contact sheet for you. Let us know where you’ll be staying so we can get in contact with you. And I want to see you first thing Monday morning to see how you are doing.” He smiled at her as he walked out the door.
“Finally, I’m going home,” she said, stretching her arms over her head.
“No you’re not.”
“Excuse me?” She raised a questioning eyebrow.
“You’re going to come stay at my house with me. I already have the guest room all made-up.”
“I appreciate it, Justin. Really. But I need to go home. I need to get back to my life.”
“You can get back to your life, but you shouldn’t be alone.”
“Justin has a point, Abbey. Going home to a strange apartment might not be the best thing right now.”
“And going home to a strange house is somehow better? Thanks, JC, but I’m going to my apartment. And you guys can either take me there or I’ll take a cab.”
It was obvious that arguing with her wasn’t going to get them anywhere, so they both reluctantly agreed. That afternoon, she signed her release papers, and changed into some clothes that Justin had brought her. The nurse handed her a plastic bag of her personal items and smiled.
“Okay, hop in.”
“Excuse me?”
The nurse smiled again as she gestured to the wheelchair.
“I’m not riding in that. I can walk.”
“Hospital policy ma’am. We have to wheel you to the door.”
Abbey looked over at Justin who was visibly amused. “Hey, you heard her. Get in the chair.”
Reluctantly, she sat in the chair and the nurse pushed her down the hall. When they got outside, she saw Stephanie standing there by her Escalade.
“Wow, this is my ride?”
Stephanie laughed, opening the passenger door. “You’re riding in style today.”
She climbed into the car and smiled to herself. Before she could close the door, Justin walked over to her and grabbed her hand. “I’ll see you later.”
A slightly perplexed look came over her face. “You’re not coming?”
“Nah, Steph’s gonna get you settled in. I don’t wanna intrude.”
Abbey breathed a sigh of relief to herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Justin around, she just wanted a little time to herself. He brought his lips tenderly to her hand, leaving a soft kiss before he walked away.
“I hope you don’t mind that it’s just me. I convinced the guys that having them hover over you in your apartment probably wasn’t the best thing.”
“Mind?” She laughed, “No, no, no. This is exactly what I needed right now.”
Chapter 8: Remnants of Normalcy
Take Me Home!
