My heart pounded in my chest and I clutched at the sheets.
“I hope it’s okay that I came,” Connor continued when I didn’t respond. “We’ve been coming to see you over the years, Blake and me. When I came this morning, they told me that you’d woken up … I couldn’t believe it.”
His eyes misted with emotion, which shocked me further. Connor crossed to my bed and looked down at me, pleadingly.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t thank you enough for what you did. You saved me in more ways than one, and I’ve been praying every day for your recovery. I hope that we can talk, and that you’ll allow us to continue to visit you, but I’ll understand if you can’t or don’t want to see me.”
I looked up at his earnest face and finally found my voice.
“Connor, will you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Take me to the cafeteria? We can talk there, but I’d really like to do so with coffee and something sweet.”
“Yes, absolutely,” he said eagerly, then looked back at the door. “As long as it’s okay…”
I laughed lightly, the feeling foreign in my throat.
“Don’t worry, I’ve been cleared by the doc. I’m not asking you to break me out or anything,” I assured him.
Ten minutes later, I’d wheeled my wheelchair to the cafeteria and was sitting with a coffee and muffin in front of me, and a smile on my face.
“Thank you,” I told Connor as he sat across from me with his own coffee.
“No problem. Anything I can ever do for you, I will, all you have to do is ask,” he said and I chuckled again.
“That seems like a broad statement to make to a total stranger.”
He nodded, his expression thoughtful.
“I get that to you I am a stranger but, like I said, my daughter and I have been coming to see you for five years. We’ve read books to you and carried on one-sided conversations. I’ve basically told you my life story, although you won’t remember it. My daughter goes to school with your son and we’ve been to his open mic nights…”
I’d been listening, thinking it was crazy that someone who I knew nothing about, felt like I was such a big part of his life. It was a bit daunting, then what he’d said registered.
“Open mic nights?” I asked, latching on to this new information about my son.
Connor nodded.
“Yeah, he’s really good. Sings and plays acoustic guitar. If I’m honest, I’m certain Blake has a crush on him, but I don’t really like to think about that, ya know?”
He let out a nervous chuckle.
“Wow,” I breathed, utterly baffled. Jake had never played an instrument before, unless you counted the recorder in elementary school, and I’d never heard him sing. “He’s a musician?”
Connor’s smile fell.
“You didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “No, things have been a little strained between us. To say I was floored when I saw him would be an understatement. He’s completely different, and to me it’s like it happened overnight.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said again, hanging his head, and I had to know...
“What happened that day? I remember that it was raining and you were driving too fast…”
I also remembered his daughter screaming for him and the faint thread of his pulse beneath my fingers, but I didn’t mention that.
Connor sighed and looked away, then seemed to steel himself as he brought his eyes back to mine.
“I’d been drinking,” he admitted. “I was an alcoholic. My drinking almost killed not only me and Blake, but you … the brave stranger who saved us. You’re my hero, my angel, my savior, and even if I live to be a hundred and thank you every day, it will never be enough.”
“I’m not –” I started to argue.
Connor placed his hand over mine and insisted, “You are. To me and to Blake, you are.”
I felt a lump in my throat, but swallowed it down and asked, “And now? Are you still drinking?”
Connor shook his head.
“I got probation, community service, and went to rehab once I was released from the hospital. I haven’t had a drink since that day. No more sports cars either. I drive a sensible, safe vehicle now.”
I felt my lips turn up.
“That’s fantastic, Conner.”
“Thanks. And I hope you can forgive me. I also hope you’ll allow me to come back with Blake. She’d love to see you and thank you herself.”
I thought about it, searched my soul for my reaction to all of this information, and realized that I would like to see him again, as well as the little girl I’d pulled from the car that day.
“Yes, I’d like that,” I replied, and he broke into a grin.
I noticed his grin was a little crooked and he had one dimple on the left side.
“Great,” Connor said happily, and again I felt a sense familiarity and realized that I liked him, which may be weird considering how we’d met.
Maybe it was because my subconscious knew his voice, or maybe it was because he was the first person since I woke up to talk to me like I was a person, instead of an invalid.
Whatever it was, I looked forward to seeing him again and getting to know him better. You could never have too many friends in this life.
Seven
Jacob
I looked at my phone to check the time, bored and eager to be done with this damn class.
AP English wasn’t the worst class in my schedule, with its focus on American Literature. We mostly read books, discussed them, and wrote papers. But it wasn’t my favorite either.
Plus, it was the last class of the day, so I was usually ready to get the hell off school grounds and either hang with Ally or work on my music. Today, unfortunately, I wasn’t doing either of those things.
I was going to visit my mother.
“Jake, your mom wants to see you. You’re hurting her feelings by staying away. It’s time to grow up and do what’s right,” my father had told me that morning before school.
Luckily, I hadn’t seen him much since Mom had woken up. Unluckily, he’d been waiting for me in the kitchen when I went in to grab a water.
I wanted to tell him that she’d hurt my feelings when she’d screamed at the sight of me, but I knew it would be in vain. He didn’t care about me and I knew he wouldn’t see my side. So, I kept my mouth shut and nodded.
“I’m not playing. You’d better go,” he’d kept right on lecturing. “If I find out you didn’t, you’ll lose your keys.”
Ever since I’d gotten my license and the Jeep, taking the keys was his go-to punishment.
“I said I’ll go,” I muttered, then grabbed the water and left him standing there in the kitchen.
The bell rang, and as I stood and grabbed my things, the teacher said, “Don’t forget to finish The Crucible this weekend. We’ll discuss on Monday and your papers will be due by the end of next week.”
“Hey, babe,” Ally said as she bounded up to me in the hallway.
I leaned down and kissed her offered lips, then stood back up and took her hand.