Finding Dylan

Chapter 4

Tanner led Dylan outside to the backyard the next morning. He was excited to introduce a new activity, one Dylan could enjoy right away while his language skills were still rudimentary. Tanner got on the trampoline, instructing Dylan to stand back and watch for a while. Tanner bounced at first and then started flipping. Dylan's eyes lit up as he watched his boyfriend demonstrate his talent. He'd been in awe of Tanner since they met, but this was the coolest thing he'd ever seen. Each flip was so beautiful.

"Now it's time for you to come up here. I'm going to teach you how to flip."

Dylan got used to the feel of jumping on the trampoline and loved it already. He bounced and fell and giggled and got up and did it again. Tanner instructed, demonstrated and guided Dylan through his first flips. He then watched patiently as Dylan tried to land one on his own, giving additional pointers as needed. They were both ecstatic when Dylan landed his first flip.

"You did it!"

Dylan still needed some more practice, and Tanner continued to supervise until Dylan felt like he had it down. Then they both flipped for a while, with Dylan continuing to giggle and Tanner finding his laughter contagious. Tanner realized it was the most fun he'd had in months. Something about the way Dylan was enjoying it made something he already liked so much better than usual. They played around and fell down and held each other until Tanner realized it was time to take Dylan to his doctor's appointment.

*

"He really doesn't remember anything?"

Tanner explained how he found Dylan. "All he knows is what I've been able to teach him the past four days. If he remembers anything else, he doesn't have the words to tell me about it."

The doctor turned to Dylan. "What's your name, son?"

"Dylan!" He was happy for an easy question.

"Nice to meet you, Dylan. I'm Dr. Thompson. Do you know why you're here?"

"Dylan brain not working."

"We'll see about that. Who's the handsome young man who brought you here?"

"Tanner boyfriend."

"How long has Tanner been your boyfriend?"

Dylan paused. He knew this one. "Years."

"How do you know that?"

"Tanner told."

"How long do you actually remember being with Tanner?"

Dylan counted on his fingers and held up five. "Five days. Today is five."

"Today is five, so you met Tanner four days ago?"

Dylan nodded.

"And where were you before that?"

"Outside. Alone."

"Do you know how you got there?"

Dylan shook his head. "Dylan woke up there."

"What's the first thing you remember?"

Dylan put his hand on his head. "Head."

"What about your head?"

Dylan tried to remember the word. "Hurt."

"It sounds like you suspected," the doctor said to Tanner. "A traumatic brain injury. We'll need to run some tests. Everything he just said, you taught him those words?"

"Yes. My brother has been helping and he found an app that Dylan has been using to learn on his own. But as far as what he said, I think that was mainly me."