The Right Side of Tanner (Available through the end of Feb. 2025)

Chapter 51

Tanner

I feel strange like I've been stuck in a haze for the longest time. The fog is starting to lift, and I remember something. I remember a loud crash, pain, and darkness. I try to move my body, but it feels so stiff. It's hard to make my limbs do anything.

The frustration inside me starts to build, and I feel myself starting to panic. Then, I hear something- I've heard that noise before. What is that?

I hear it again. It's not a noise but a voice. Someone is close by. They sound so sad. Are they talking to me?

The voice keeps talking, sounding sadder and sadder as she goes. Her words stop, and she makes a strange sound. Is she crying?

No, please don't cry, angel. Your voice is too beautiful to sound so sad. Please, don't cry.

The voice keeps saying, "Come back." She's so close. I have to find her. The haze is getting thinner. I have to keep trying. I have to get to the owner of that voice.

I'm fighting hard against my body, trying to win the battle, trying to move so I can comfort the angel who keeps speaking to me. That's when I feel it, something so soft, so sweet against my knuckles. The angel- she kissed me! I have to get to her!

I try to move again. This time, I win the battle. I feel my fingers twitch. The fog is almost gone now. I'm almost out of the darkness.

Come on, Tanner. One. More. Time.

I try to move again, and I do! I have control of my fingers. Now, it's time to see if I can open my eyes...

It's harder than moving my fingers, but I need to do this. I have to lay my eyes on the owner of that beautiful voice. I need to see my angel.

I try to open my eyes again. After what feels like a lifetime, they cooperate. My eyelids peel open, and I can see only brightness at first. I blink a few times, hoping this isn't a dream, praying that I'm truly doing this right now.

After the third blink, I see a face. It's a woman. My angel? She's beautiful, but she's been crying- I can tell by the redness in her eyes and the dried tears trailing down her face. I smile up at her- at least, I think I do. Then, I'm flooded with memories.

So many voices, talking to me, begging me to wake up. So many hands, holding mine, lending their strength to my ailing body. I've been unconscious. I left them all, made them worry for me. None more than the woman staring down at me.

No, no one tried harder than her. She stayed. Every day she was here. She fought for me, for us. My angel called me back from the darkness. Except, that doesn't sound right. Not my angel. No, that's not her name. She's my Jenna.

I look up at her and see the fresh tears starting to well. Oh, no, she's going to cry again! No, baby, don't cry. I'm back, and I'm never leaving you again! Jenna. Jenna, please. Jenna, don't cry.

I open my mouth to speak, but before the words can come out, a flurry of doctors and nurses rushes in. They start checking me over, shining bright lights in my eyes, asking questions, talking about tests and scans that need to be run.

It's overwhelming, and they're making me angry. They made Jenna move to a chair by the door. I didn't even have a second to talk to her before they bombarded me. All I want is to see my girl, talk to her, and hold her close.

I hear one of them tell Jenna she has to leave, that they need some space to check on me before I have visitors. That pushes me over the edge. I find my voice.

"No!" It comes out more ragged and weak than I hoped, but they all heard me.

One of the doctors turns to me. "Sir, we need to run some tests to check on you. We need to see if anything is going on that will affect your healing going forward."