Once Upon a Normal Day ((RECENTLY REVISED 6/29/2015))

Chapter 4

My heart throbbed. My mind spun. Not in the way that it had before the coma, but in a lovesick way. I couldn't stop thinking about Luke...He said he kissed me, had I really had my first kiss while I was asleep? How could this even be possible? I felt the butterflies in my stomach, sweat beading on the back of my neck. I couldn't breathe every time I thought about it. 

My parents came in after from work. My guess is that the hospital bills haven't been cheap. But like most hospitals and people with comas, they probably had me in my house for the majority of the time. I guess when I started to show signs of waking they moved me back into the hospital. It made sense somehow.

"Honey, have you forgotten what today is?" My dad asked, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Ummm... Yes?" I replied.

"Sweetheart, you get to come home today."

My heart stopped. The monitor didn't register it, but I felt it. "Home?"

"Yes. We are going to take you home right now."

"Right now?"

My parents nodded. "Are you ready?" My mom asked. I wasn't sure. Was I ready? What would happen if I wasted even more of my life in another coma? I calmed myself down, reassuring myself that everything would be alright. I had lived in my house for the majority of my life. I would be fine.

I nodded. "I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay, I'm going to go get the car while your dad gets you into the wheelchair......" My mom drifted off of her sentence, thought about it, smiled at me and walked out of the room.

"I don't think you need a wheel chair, do you, hon?" My dad asked me. I shook my head. I was going to be out of this hospital actually walking. Not riding in a chair with wheels. Dad smiled. "Okay, I need to go get a nurse to help unhook you from all of this equipment though." He turned, only to almost run head on to a nurse in the hallway. He talked quietly to her and she went to ask someone if it was authorized or something.

"She'll be back. Don't worry hon, it will be great being home again." Home. My heart ached to be in the familiar place of my childhood. I had pretty much missed all of my teen years. No bikini tan lines, no going to the movies with my friends, no getting in trouble.... dang. My golden years were gone. I only had my 20s to look forward to. And that wasn't very long away!

The nurse came back in with my doctor. "So, you're ready to get out of here, are you?" He asked.

"Yes. Very much so." I said. "No offense."

"None taken. If you feel woosey for no reason at all tell your parents and we will get you looked at again. You are completely stable and free to go home." He nodded to the nurse and she went to unhook me from the monitor. I had been taken off the IV earlier, as they needed to see I could actually eat.

My dad helped me stand up. We walked slowly down the hall to the elevator, my dad with my suitcase, me in my ballet flats and hospital clothes. It probably looked really taky, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get outside and smell the fresh air. When we got in the elevator, I pushed the button. I remember I would race Luke to the elevator to be the first one to push the button. Oh, the memories.... It made me smile to think about it.

Mom met us at the elevator on the first floor. "Ready?" she asked, taking my hand and squeezing it tightly. I nodded, taking a deep breath. The big automatic glass door felt like the entrance to a new life, which it pretty much was. We stepped out into the open. The breeze blew, making my hair fly calmly. I closed my eyes, enjoying every second of it. It felt amazing. It had a small chill, reminding me that it was still April. Taking another deep gulp of air, I looked over at my mom. She had tears rolling down her face while smiling. I smiled a reassuring smile at her and she hugged me. I had grown to be almost as tall as her, even in my sleep. It felt strange but amazing at the same time.

We found our car down the road in the loading zone. "I call Shotgun!" I yelled, feeling wildly free. I ran with the breeze to my car. It felt so good to actually run outside instead of in a stuffy gym. The joy that followed me was so strong that I almost started crying. Curse my mother's emotions she gave to me! I laughed to see my parents running to catch up. All of it felt like it should be a fairy tale. The happy begining to the end. The end of one life, the begining of another.