Watching Denny interact with Connor is breathtaking, he's over the moon that his father is alive and through his confusion we have to explain to him that he was never dead just in a coma. Stevie decides not to tell him that Mina lied to spare him the knowledge of his mother's deceit. Where it up to me I'd have told him everything but since he's only five he wouldn't understand the context. The best part is watching him sign over and over "My daddy's alive, my daddy's alive" each time he does he breaks into a massive smile. Like Stevie and me he holds Connor's hand, happy sounds escaping him every so often. When it's time to go I sense he's near tears "Daddy comes home with us?"
"Not today, he's sleeping. The doctor's will watch him" Stevie signs to him while I slip his jacket on, Denny bites his lip running back to Connor when I've finished with his jacket. Climbing into the chair by the bed he kisses his father's forehead then jumps down to follow us to the car. "He moved, and his vitals are good I think in another hospital with specialists he'll have a better chance" I'm hopeful but not too much, things have a way of going wrong where we're concerned especially with Connor.
"Karen called around, there's a highly rated clinic about ten miles from where he is now. They specialize in patients with traumatic brain injury and comatose states" it's also close to Denny's community center and St. Invictus, keeping us from having to dart all over town to different places each day. Reaching across the center console Stevie takes my freehand as I drive, an old habit from long ago when I had a different car and a lot more hair. Smiling I kiss her fingers gently staring in the rearview mirror at Denny looking through his coloring book.
"Lindsey our baby's alive, we finally have him back" I haven't seen this Stevie in a long time. A hopeful, excited, overwhelmingly happy Stevie with an eye toward the future. She's glowing almost, the prospect of getting a second chance at motherhood no doubt "I know-I wish" shaking her head Stevie cuts me short "No, no wishes Linds. He's with us now and so is Denny the past is the past" and the future is here. For the time being I've moved into Stevie's house, I can work on my music in her studio though she doesn't have all the equipment or instruments as I have. Each day we follow the same pattern, up by six so we can give Denny breakfast.
I usually pack his lunch while Stevie feeds him and makes sure he has all of his homework completed, he's a good student and eager to learn so we don't have to get on him about assignments. After Denny's gone we pack a bag and go to the hospital to sit with Connor, on the third week of our vigil the specialist we called arrived to asses Connor's condition. He tells us he's seen worse cases come out of their comas and that our son might benefit from being cared for at his clinic. We decide that's the best solution, and fill out the necessary paperwork. The price is outrageous, but for two people who are millionaires many times over it's not and obstacle.
Time passes us by and before I know it we're in the middle of September registering Denny for school at St. Invictus. It's a private school for children with physical disabilities who are otherwise "functional" he'll be in a class with other deaf children where he'll learn to speak and hone his ASL. As much as I've gotten used to silent communication with him I'm glad he'll be taught to use speech as well. When he's older it'll help him to interact with others much more easily. We decided to wait until he was older to ask him about an implant, with Connor it was a matter of trying to do one last thing for him as his parents before he was gone forever. With Denny, I want to make sure he's on board with the idea first.
"You look so adorable in your uniform sweetheart" as any five-year-old is likely to do in the face of such sugary compliments Denny kicks the ground and shyly signs a thank you to Stevie. The school colors are black and navy blue, which match his tie and suit respectively. He's much more excited about using his school supplies and meeting friends but on his first day of school Stevie has to gush over his outfit. Such a Stevie thing to do.
