Picking up the Pieces

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Of course they were my parents. How could I have forgotten? In that moment when my mother had told me this, everything came surging back to me, my memories returning like a hurricane of snapshots. A flash of a glittering sea swallowing the white Italian sea in long gulps. The touch of the crisp summer air whistling past my face, sweeping my hair in a trail behind my head as a mare beneath me rode in a perfect gallop. Beautiful memories of past summers surged into my mind and flowed into my being.

After checking my pulse and making sure I was well enough to go home, Dr. Longmire released me from the hospital. Neither mom nor the doctor were entirely convinced that I should have any longer in the dank white hospital room and I was more than happily to escape the oppressive air that protuded from the hospital. Longmire gave me my leave and soon enough I arrived home, the time melted away by sleep.

The weekend was just a daze too- between my long episodes of sleep, my days were filled with short bouts of exhausting socialisation: mother never leaving my side, family and neighbors coming round to visit. I was especially touched by Mrs Maus, the next door neighbor, who brought round a beautiful fruit cake, topped in a thick layer of soft mazipan, that she had made just for me. It was almost too beautiful to touch, and too dainty to eat. Don't get me wrong- I was beyond grateful for Mrs Maus' consideration, but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to eat it. Mom took it to eat with her friends at the office instead.

Although the weekend was pleasant but tiring, my first day back at school was a nightmare. I had dreaded it all week since mom had taken me home. I only went back so early in the end because she was so keen for me to "get back to normal ASAP." I think she was just keen to see me becoming my normaI self again - whatever that was. I really should have suspected that I would have been the talk of the town after my accident though- if that was even what it was- I still could not remember any of the details from that day. Well, except the image of the bright golden sun illuminating the crisp green grass of the front gardens. In fact, the more I think about my lack of memory, the more I think that anything could have happened in a theoretical sort of way. I guess I have to trust my parents and Dr Longmire about what they say happened and leave my irrational skepticism aside.

That thought is just stupid anyway. My memory loss is making me paranoid. I really shouldn't analyse everything so much. I remind myself the details mom had told me about the incident as I entered the gates of Epithson High practising my speech for the people who were sure to ask me what had happened.

I was hit headfirst by a red cadilliac. It was a hit-and-run. I spent 6 months in a coma. Mom came to visit me everyday. I had surgery on my back to fix my spine.

As soon as I opened the green door at the front entrance, I was met with twenty-odd frozen eyes staring right back at me.

"He-" i began, trying to diffuse the awkward atmosphere before all of a sudden, I felt a pat on my shoulder.

"Hey, Amy! It's good to see you again!" Paul from my English lit. class beamed, as he continued to pat me, much longer than what was comfortable in an attempt to somewhat comfort me.

Before I could even make a response, I was interrupted by Kelly, who was forcefully pulling James in tow. He looked like a boy being pulled along by a greyhund as he struggled to keep up with his impatient girlfriend in order to avoid being dragged across the crowded hallway floor while balancing his glasses on his nose in the process

"Are you okay?! Oh my God, I heared what happened. It sounds horrible, are you alright? Is your mom alright? And what about your dad? Oh my God," spluttered Kelly, bombarding me with so many questions I didn't know which one to comprehend first. I managed to nod before James took me off guard with his own questions.