A Rider's Recovery {Book Two of The Little Brown Mare Series}

Chapter 2

Lilah's POV

Finally, I'm home.

I kill the engine of my new car, almost identical to the one I wrecked in that crash, and sigh with happiness. It looks just like I remember.

I take a moment to think about everything that brought me back here.

When my heart stopped last year, the doctors did manage to revive me. I'm told they immediately rushed me to HOL-the Hospital of Lampriss-because they have superior equipment. I fractured my spine in several places, broke three ribs, and had a severe concussion. I also had a broken upper arm, and a twisted ankle. I had a large cut on my side, where the car door apparently stabbed me. The doctors at HOL managed to fix my spine, and after a long, painful three months, my ribs and arm healed. My ankle was fine after a week. I needed stiches for my stomach, and there's a thin, white, ribbon-like scar up my left side, starting just below my belly button and reaching almost to my ribcage, under my arm. It's barely noticeable, the doctors said. But I don't care how it looks-I'm just happy to be alive. It took another three months for my head to fix itself, with the help of multiple machines.

And then there was the therapy.

I needed both physical and mental therapy after the accident. Physical came first, of course. I had been paralyzed from my waist down for a while, so it took time and work and a lot of pain for me to learn to walk again. And then I started having frequent panic attacks and nightmares, which got me sent to a mental therapist. I only started driving again last week.

And then, yesterday, I started the ten-hour drive back from Lampriss, in my new car courtesy of my parents. I stopped at a hotel overnight, and then drove the last six hours after lunch. 

And that brings me here.

I step out of the car, my hair tangling in the wind. I lick my lips nervously and look around. Gemma stands beside the front field fence, utter shock evident on her face. I smile, almost crying in happiness at my friend. Her platinum blonde hair is braided and her blue eyes are full of shock. I think she might faint. I shove my sunglasses onto my head and smile even more brightly, nodding to her.

She drops the saddle on her foot. I wince and offer her a small wave.

That seems to break her out of her trance, and she drops the bridle, too, tugs her foot from under the saddle, and practically flies toward me. In an instant she's hugging me so hard I feel like my ribs might crack again. I hug her back, wincing a bit. A tear drips down her face onto my shoulder. 

Finally she releases me. "But you're dead."

I laugh. "Definitely not the first thing someone wants to hear arriving home after a year."

Gemma shakes her head. "But you died."

I purse my lips. "Was there a funeral?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Did you see a grave?"

"Well-"

"Did my parents actually come right out and tell you I was completely, utterly dead?"

"Not exactly-"

"Well, there you have it," I say smugly. "I must not be dead after all."

Gemma blinks. "I guess not."

I'm curious about something. "What did Mom and Dad tell you?"

Gemma raises her eyebrows. "They... avoided the topic, mostly. I suppose they knew?"

"Yeah," I answer. "HOL called them and told them I had a small chance of making it. They were great, really. They bought me that car." I wave my hand behind me to my new convertible. "When I started driving again."