The Garden of Vacant Dreams

Time Stands Still - Pt. 3

A/N: Saban/Disney own the characters you know. I own the ones you don't.

CHAPTER 21

TIME STANDS STILL - Pt. 3  

My heart was pounding. I wasn't ever expecting this day to come, I had given up hope that it ever would. But now that it had I didn't know whether to feel elated or horrified.
I looked down at my speedometer while simultaneously allowing my lead foot off the gas. The last fifteen hours on that plane had given me a lot of time to think and by think I mean worry and fret over every possible outcome this new development would bring.
That phone call had changed everything. 
I could see the house in the distance as I continued down the dirt road. Memories came into focus, memories I had tried every day to forget but couldn't. I had become hopelessly plagued by my past and I knew that, I had accepted it. My daily struggle now was just trying to bury my feelings as deeply below the surface as I could.
I drove up the gravel driveway and parked in front of the garage. As I got out of my car I couldn't take my eyes off the front door.
My hands were shaking. I couldn't get them to stop.
I leaned against the hood of my car as I pulled my smokes out. My eyes veered down at the tip of my cigarette as I lit it. I exhaled, my breath following closely behind the smoke through the brisk autumn night.
I looked up for a moment as I silently noted how much clearer the sky looked from here. The full moon was stunning, its glow enveloping everything around me.
I felt my phone vibrate then and pulled it out of my pocket to see I had a new message.

"Have you seen him yet?" It read. "I am still on the road, should be there in about half an hour."

I didn't respond. I didn't have anything to say. Despite driving like a maniac to get over here, I had been standing outside of this house for almost ten minutes. I still hadn't gained enough courage to face this; to face him.
My mind wandered. 'Would he understand me... would he even remember me? Would he be able to speak... to walk?'
I shuddered as I tried to brush the thoughts away. I then tried to convince myself I wasn't ready to go in and face the gut-wrenching pain waiting for me.

"Jason... is that you?"

And just like that the moment had come.

"Yes." I tell her softly as I throw my finished smoke into a nearby trashcan.

"Come on in, sweetheart. It's cold out there."
Laurie was one of the nicest people I had ever met. She took care of him every day as if he was family and she had my complete trust. She was a hard working, dedicated mother of four. She was understanding, caring, respectful. She knew her job here was a special case and never asked questions.
But Laurie didn't realize what she had just done. Those emotions I had tried so hard to bury were being dug up with each step I took behind her. Before I knew it she was closing the front door behind me. She continued to walk ahead of me but I didn't follow. I stood in the foyer as my eyes landed on a photograph hanging on the wall. Laurie walked back over to me as she crossed her arms and gave me a sympathetic look.

"Kimberly told me you were flying back early." She quietly began. "That sure was quick."

"Is it true?" Came my immediate response as I looked back at her.

She nodded. "He woke up three nights ago... he's very disoriented when he's awake and usually doesn't keep his eyes open for very long."

"Has he said anything?"

"...No." She sadly replied. "He hasn't made any effort to communicate."

I could tell she saw the disappointment in my face. I looked back up at the photo on the wall next to me.
The grey clouds soiled the light blue sky above the San Francisco Bay in the photograph. Jamie could be seen sitting on top of Tommy's shoulders, their backs to the camera, as the Golden Gate Bridge stood there in front of them.