A Penny For Your Thoughts

Chapter Twenty-nine

A steady heart beat tapped gently on the screen. The Hartford's had been waiting two long days for their daughter to wake up, their only hope was the rising and falling of Michelle's chest.

As the spring breeze flew in through the window, Mrs. Hartford could feel a sort of peace rest on her soul. A bit of mumbling had fallen from the lips of Michelle over the past couple of ho hours, they took it as a sign that she would wake up soon. When Mr. Hartford glanced tired at his daughter, he noticed slight movement of her fingers.

Her eyes were moving rapidly under her eyelids like she was struggling to wake from her two day slumber. With an exhale, all at once her eyes flew open.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Michelle Sweetheart," her mom could barely speak through her tears, "You're in the hospital." Her dad came rushing in with the doctor and he said, "Do you remember anything?"

She searched within her memory bank and could only say, "It's September. We just moved here and I'm in my third year of school." Flashbacks of autumn breezes and summer came flooding her mind.

"Doctor what does this mean?" Her mother said worried. "Give her some time. She just woke up," he said.

A few tests happened hours after she woke up. Around four in the afternoon she waited patiently in her room for further instruction. After speaking with the doctor and her mother she realized it was no longer her beautiful autumn, the dead winter had gone by and now it was spring.

The truth is, when she woke up, she had forgotten about many things. But when the doctor started naming events that had occured, they came back one by one. After the tests, her father was out in the hallway speaking with her mother on what now. They'd been talking about continuing school until the summer or homeschool her.

Michelle knew deep within her heart that she wanted to walk down the aisle of Kennedy to receive her diploma. Life felt good for now, it wasn't too bad not remembering bad events unless someone brought it up. Her heart was content with the life she had now, until she heard her father say:

"Should we call Luke?"

As much as she wanted to deny herself o knowing that name she couldn't. Sure, there were many Lukes in the world but that one particular name resides with the feeling of heartbreak and sadness. Maybe he was the one thing she couldn't forget about.

Staring out the window, listening in the background her parents and the doctor discussing "what next" She asked herself that question.

The Hartfords decided to keep Michelle at home over the next three weeks, enough time for her spine and skull to slightly heal from its being demented. During that period Melanie came to visit, so did JJ, even Abby tagged along with some chicken soup and a sympathetic smile.

No kind look from Abby could heal what had been hurt. And for the record, Michelle thought she could cook better chicken soup than her.

Well one day when she was up in her room working on Algebra two, a familiar rythmn of knocks knocked on her door. She felt the turning of her stomach.

"Come in!" She called while sitting on her bed.

In walked the still, most beautiful creature she'd ever lay eyes on. Luke leaned against the door post with a curious look on his face while keeping the door adjared. Even when she was mad and confused about him, she felt herself being in love with him.

She might as well have pooped her heart out of her butt.

"Are you just gonna stand there or you want to talk about something?" She asked. He took all the time in the world to answer the simple question. "I have many things to say Michelle, I just don't know where to start." "Begin anywhere," She said gently.

He closed the door silently and walked over towards her. He knelt down beside her fragile body and said, "You're probably gonna hate me for this but here's your Biology homework." She couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. "But on a serious note..." he trailed off.

And she waited for him to speak. She watched him think about the millions of things that he wanted to say, but only gave him the freedom to say one thing. She could see him struggling to form words. To collect his thoughts.

Finally he spoke. "Do you, Michelle, in any way still love me? And could you forgive me for misusing your trust?"

A heavy weight was lifted off of both of them as he finally said the words she so desperately waited to hear. At an impulse she almost said "Yes." But right then a random ray of sunlight shone through her open window. It enhanced the beauty of her now colorful flowers that were once dead. It reflected off the leaves on the trees and there was not a cloud in the sky.

And in that moment; from the time that she first saw Luke, the time she realized she had fallen in love, all the mistakes and happiness in-between and all the sad desparate moments- had suddenly collapsed and died.

Her winter was over. Spring had come to bring new life.

She held his gaze- those green eyes she'd fallen in love with- and said, "No. I don't love you anymore." His eyes saddened as she said those words. "But I do forgive you," She said, "It'd be a waste of my time to focus on your mistakes. I want to hate you. I want to hate Abigail. But I'm tired. I'm tired and I don't want to do that anymore. Another part of me wants to love you, but I don't think I'm that person."

By his look, she knew he understood.

"Goodbye Luke. I'm tired and I'm going to sleep now," She said like a lost child. He rose up and kissed her forehead. He gently tucked her in and walked away closing the door silently behind him. But before shutting the door completely, he said "I still love you, Michelle."

They never saw each other again.