What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 31

ADALYNNE

What was I supposed to say? That I should've been told three, almost four years ago. Here I am, wondering why I don't remember anything from my childhood. I don't recall anything from my past, the people I've encountered, even memories. This made me angry because my brother didn't tell me and it shouldn't have been left to Baylor to tell me. Not that it wasn't his place, it should've been Aiden's. I thank Baylor for telling me, but Aiden should've told me a long time ago because he's the only one I've relied on since the crash.

"Why didn't Aiden tell me?" I ask.

"I don't know, but please don't be mad at him. Maybe he had a reason why he didn't tell you," Baylor responded. I should've been told when I woke up in the hospital bed, not now.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to be left alone for right now until I can wrap my mind around this situation. How have I not realized? This nightmare that I've been having, with the last thing that I remember is hitting the left side of my head on the window seriously hard. It's crazy how I haven't realized because I don't recall birthday celebrations, Christmases, Baylor even.

I stood, and as my socked feet hit the hard cement floor, I trailed into Baylor's condo. I heard the door close shut and a presence walked behind me. I couldn't help but pause in middle of the living room when two arms connected around my waist and as they pulled me back, Baylor kissed the side of my head. "I shouldn't have told you; I'm sorry."

"No," I said sternly. "Don't be sorry. Thank you for telling me."

"Please don't be mad at Aiden." Baylor kissed the temple of my head as he pulled me tighter to his body.

"I don't know if I can promise you that because he should've told me a long time ago," I barked. The tears that welled up in my eyes were unstoppable. I wanted to keep them from falling but it felt impossible.

"Maybe Aiden had a reason behind it. He knew that you were too young to understand so think of that as the reason," Baylor soothed.

"It shouldn't have been about my age. I was in the crash, not him. It was my right to know, not Aiden's! He shouldn't pick what I need and don't need to know - it's not his place!" I fumed in fury. The whole situation isn't even Baylor's fault, yet I'm screaming at him. I realized it wasn't his fault, which made me feel guilty for yelling at him

"I'm sorry," I cried. I turned so I planted my face in his chest and was hugging him. He buried his face in my hair and pecked the crown of my head.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it," he paused. "I think you need to talk to your brother, though. He has been there for you as long as I can remember. Be happy that you have someone like Aiden. Don't let this screw your relationship up with him. Just give him a chance to explain." He laid me on the couch.

I only sighed because I knew it was true.

***

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you after you woke up," Aiden apologized in a soft tone. We were both sitting on the couch, the only sound was the rain echoing through the apartment.

"Why didn't you?"

"You were only thirteen at the time and by the time you woke up, I knew you weren't going to remember anything. I'm surprised you remembered Mom, Dad and me. That took me by surprise. You scared the shit out of me."

"How long was I asleep?" I implored about information that I have no clue about.

"You were in a coma for a year and seven months. By the time the tenth month came by of that span, the doctors asked if I could let you go. You were on life-support for the whole time you were in there; day after day that you didn't wake up, my positive thoughts began to shrink, but I never gave up hope on you. I felt selfish for holding you on that damn machine for so long, but it kept you alive."

Before I let my thoughts overwhelm my mind, I couldn't help but ask what really caused the coma.

"When you hit the left side of your head on the window, you suffered a serious brain trauma. You're very fortunate of surviving unlike a majority of the passengers on the plane." The whole part that Aiden just described explained my nightmare. The only part I wake up to is the point to where I hit my head on that window.

"Since Dad didn't have a window by his side, what caused him to die?" I asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Aiden looked at me for assurance. I hesitated at first, but nodded.

"The person who was sitting next to the both of you survived, and he watched the whole thing happen to you and Dad right after," Aiden paused.

"Keep on," I beseeched.

"A suitcase fell from the boots above in the front area, and the impact was so strong that it snapped his neck," Aiden whispered.

***

BAYLOR

At two o'clock in the morning, I knew that Adalynne would be asleep due to the fact of Aiden texting me at midnight, telling me she had just fallen asleep. I left my place to go over to theirs' and once I got there, I sat on the couch with Aiden until it was almost three.

"So you told her everything?" I inquired.

"Yeah, she deserved to know. I told her about the brain trauma, the coma, memory loss, and such. I also included Dad, but she didn't take that part easily," Aiden retorted.

"You're not mad at me for telling her, are you?" I glanced at Aiden. He didn't look back; he's been staring at the carpet for the last few minutes.

"No, you had the strength to do it. It was time to tell her, but I just couldn't. So thank you," he consoled, which relieved me.

"No problem." As I stood from the couch, Aiden called my name. I looked back before heading to Adalynne's room to lay with her.

"Look, we're best friends," he paused, possibly trying to figure out what he's about to say. "But just don't hurt her, man. That's my little sister."

I nodded. "I won't."

I headed to Adalynne's room, but then Aiden called me again.

"Thanks for staying with her, I know it means a lot to her," he concluded. I nodded my head in return.

I opened the door to Adalynne's warm, dark room. A lump under the sheets illuminated due to the darkness of her bedroom. As I made the way to her bed, I noticed that she was laying on her stomach. I only grinned, and I pulled the comforter back. I watched her every move until I was laying right beside her. Due to her light weight, the bed didn't dip in until I was resting right beside her which caused her body to lean in toward me. Adalynne stirred but didn't say anything. She propped her head on my chest and snaked her arm across my core. I kissed her, my lips coming in contact with the cold skin of her forehead.

"I don't mean to be rude, but why didn't you just stay at home instead of coming over here so late at night?" Adalynne asked. Her tone was light and shaky like she'd been crying.

I ran my thumb beneath her eyes, collecting moisture. "I knew you'd be upset and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Thank you." She returned a kiss on the corner of my lips. And as she slept, I didn't realize I'd drown myself in my thoughts as it was already passed five AM. As she slept peacefully through the night, I wondered if she could get used to sleeping without another nightmare.

Just before I felt myself falling asleep, I picked my sleepy body up from her bed. I decided to go home and at least get a good two hours of sleep.

***

As I awoke from the thirty minute power nap later this morning, I dreaded getting up to get dressed. I didn't fall asleep until 6:45. My phone buzzed next to my head which was propped beneath the pillow. I groaned as I sat up on my forearms.

Babe: I don't wanna go to school this morning :'(

Me: get your lazy bum out of bed ;)

Babe: Good morning sleeping beauty

Me: You mean Prince Charming?

Babe: Definitely.