Wishing on Dandelions

Chapter 15

"I hope she does."

****

After he leaves, I feel different, more at peace, and also like I have more. I start thinking about how I can come back and I realize maybe I have to say that I want to come back, that I have reasons to do so. I admitted this to myself and even said it aloud when I went into the living room by myself.

I feel myself fading, like I'm going somewhere, am I going back to my body?

I have to tell Adam but I don't think I have much time so I just yell for him to go to the hospital.

Suddenly my eyes are opening, the eyes that haven't opened in so long, I try to sit up but I'm too weak. I hear a gasp and look over to find my mom who just looked up staring at me in shock.

She gets up and hurries to my bed, "Jolene, baby, thank god, you're okay. I was so worried. I love you, I'm sorry I haven't treated you right, I really am."

"Mom, I know, it's okay, I forgive you and I love you too."

She bursts into tears of joy and I awkwardly hug her from my sitting position. The doctor comes in, "glad to see you awake, took you long enough." We laugh a little but the air is still tense.

"I didn't get brain damage or anything right?"

"No, miss."

"Well that's good."

"Well, I'll just unplug this doohickey here since you can clearly breathe on your own and be going.

"Thank you."

I tell my mom everything about my out of body experience and how I got back.

"I was high, that's why I kicked him out, but I swear once I found out I was pregnant I stopped, I started again a few months after you were born."

"It's okay. I heard you talk about rehab, have you been doing anything?"

"Actually yes I have, the hospital has a rehab program so I'm doing that now and if all goes well I should be home in a month."

"Wow, I'm proud of you, I really am."

"I think your friends are here," she points to the other side and I turn my head slightly and see Adam and Olivia waiting for her to say they come in. She gestures them forward and I'm immediately tackled by Olivia's hugs, "Oh my god, thank goodness you're okay, I guess I should back up now and let Adam talk to you," she gets off of me and Adam gives me a hug that seems to last for hours, but yet not long enough.

"Jolene?"

"Yes?"

"Please never do that again."

"I promise."

"Thank you, I love you."

"I love you too."

"Whoa- love? Ok I need to be introduced now," my mom introduces herself to them and I see a new side to her- a motherly one, I don't think I've seen her real personality before and if I did I was too young to remember.

The doctor comes back in and tells me I can go home after a week. I ask him if I can have a shower because well I've been in a coma and I stink. They all laugh and the doctor tells me that my humor is back and that a nurse will come in soon to give me a shower.

***

It is so weird having a person help you shower because you are too frail to stand by yourself.