Time After Time~Ben Hardy

Chapter 12

Alli's POV

We stepped out into the hallway with the nurse. I held Michael's hand while I kept repeating the words in my head. 

"Everything's gonna be okay...everything's gonna be okay..."

But I shouldn't get my hopes up.

"Your son" she began to say. It felt like ages until she spit out the rest of her sentence. "He's alive."

We all let out a huge sigh of relief. Mrs. Jones grabbed Mr. Jones and engulfed him in a tight hug, tears spilling from her eyes.

"C-can we go see him?" Mrs. Jones asked immediately.

"Well, I must warn you. He's in critical condition right now. He broke his left arm and his left hip, fractured a knee, and cracked his skull. He's suffering severe head trauma and lost most of his memory, but you can go see him if you'd like."

Mrs. Jones dragged all of us back to Ben's room. I didn't want to see him, especially in this condition.

When we walked through the door, my heart sunk. He looked awful, almost to the point where I had to walk back out. It's difficult seeing your best friend hurting like that.

"Oh my god! Benny please tell me why this happened, please." Mrs. Jones grabbed his hand tightly.

"Hey honey, just let it rest. He doesn't need to be talking about that now. He doesn't need to be talking in general." I was happy Mr. Jones said that. He was right, Ben needed to be left alone. "He still looks a little out of it. Maybe it's best if we leave."

He had some trouble getting Mrs. Jones to leave the room. We were walking out the door when we heard someone faintly say "wait" behind us. We all turned around to Ben again. He was wide awake.

"I want Alli to stay with me." His words stung my heart. I knew he was going to make me tell him what happened to him and why it happened.

Without saying a word, they all nodded their heads at me. They left me alone with him.

"Alli, why am I in a hospital?" He didn't remember.

"It's a long story, Jonesy. Are you sure you want me to tell you?" 

"Please."

So I told him. He sat looking at the ceiling most of the time, closing his eyes every so often.

"I really threw myself off a balcony for that? Jesus Christ." The disappointment in himself was obvious.

We sat in silence for another couple of minutes. I gave him time to process everything I said.

"Ben, I have a question for you." 

"Hm?"

"If you forgot almost everything, then how do you remember my name?"

He took a deep breath. "You're unforgettable, Alli. Even someone who cracked their head off the sidewalk can still remember you. I love you and I always will."

It brought tears to my eyes. I grabbed his hand and interlocked our fingers. 

"I love you too, Jonesy."

I stayed with him that night. It was hard to part with him the next morning.