Affinity (RDJ)

Chapter 28 - Something is Wrong

'Hey, I'm home!' you call through the hallway to no response - not that you expect one nowadays. Rolling your eyes, you slump down on your bed. It's Thursday night and you're already crabby. Robert is having Avery tonight so you couldn't meet after school like you usually do. You're so pleased that he's getting his time back with her though. You just need that happiness to outweigh your want to see him and you'll be fine.

You hear footsteps outside in the hallway and sit up expectantly. Your dad walks in, looking tired and carrying a pizza box. 'Hey, honey. Pizza tonight, hope that's okay.' He sounds exhausted and you feel so bad for him. He's been run off his feet with your mom and it's really starting to take a toll on him.

'That's fine, Dad.' You smile and take the box from him. 'Thanks. Did you go to rehab with mom today?' you ask, taking a slice. He nods and takes a slice for himself, sitting down next to you

'Yeah. It's hard seeing her like that, ya know? Reliving it all again.'

'Does she remember?' you ask.

He shakes his head. 'Not really. The doctors said her memory loss is pretty extensive. She has no recollection of the crash or even the events leading up to it. There's snippets of stuff that she says she can remember, like the screaming and the sirens.' You nod, understanding that all too well.

'And she knows that it's Robyn who died? That I'm still here?' you ask, almost afraid of the answer.

'Yeah. She knows. She doesn't seem to think it's real, though. Like it's a movie she saw once or something.' He sighs, shaking his head. 'Doc said that the memory is like a bookshelf. That all her old, important memories are at the bottom and every new memory she's made after that kinda get shelved on higher and higher shelves. The top of those shelves is where the accident happened.' He takes a deep breath before continuing.

'Only, the doc said that her memory is like that bookshelf if it were in an earthquake. All the books at the bottom are safe and secure - although they do still muddle around a little with the shaking. And those books at the top, the unsteady ones, they're the ones that fall out and need putting back in again. That's her memory right now. That's why she's not... Laura... any more.'

You nod. You understand the comparison. It's just a little more complex than that, but you get it. 'I'm sorry I've been so tired lately...' he sighs, rubbing his eyes and pinching them together.

'Dad, nobody is expecting anything from you right now. You're doing amazingly with mom. I don't know how you're doing it, but you get up every day and just do it. You're a rockstar dad. I love you.'

Tears well up in his eyes as he takes a shuttering breath. 'I love you too kiddo. Now come on, eat your pizza,' he says, patting your leg and getting up to leave in an attempt to hide his tears.

You wish you could help out more but you know it'd do more harm than good right now. You spend the rest of your evening studying and deciding what to base your thesis on, while in the back of your mind you hope more than anything that Robert is having an amazing night with his little girl.

The next morning, you head straight to Robert's classroom, hoping to sneak in a couple minutes before class starts to get an update on how his little date with Avery went last night.

Peering inside, you notice that the lights are off. Weird - he mustn't be here yet. Shrugging your shoulders, you wait outside until class starts and it's not long until you're joined by your friends and head to your seats.

As the minutes tick by, you feel on edge as you check your watch, wondering why he's not here yet. He's always here by now. 'Hey, Father Time, you got somewhere to be?' Lexi jokes, signalling towards your watch. You attempt to laugh along although you know how unconvincing you sound.