Blink Of An Eye

Chapter 7

Six days later, Ryan was discharged from the hospital. The doctors felt his recovery would be facilitated by familiar surroundings, and I couldn't agree more. The doctors and nurses here had been amazing, but I was more than ready to go home, and I knew Ryan was as well.

We were given referrals to doctors in the Charlotte area that specialized in Ryan's type of head injury. He would need some follow up scans to insure that everything continued to heal as in should, as well as other therapies. Finally, we were on our way.

Ryan was quiet on the plane home, he slept a little. Dave and Lisa offered to take Makenna for the night to hopefully make the first night home for Ryan as calm and smooth as possible.

I noticed Ryan break into a smile when we pulled into the familiar driveway of our home. I took that as a good sign.

"What happened to my dog? Do I even still have a dog?" He asked.

I was actually a bit surprised that this was the first he had asked about Sturgill. He really loved that dog.

"Sturgill is fine. He was in a boarding facility when we left for Daytona. Erin picked him up when she got back into town and has had him since. I was planning on picking him up tomorrow." I explained.

"Good. I really missed him. I'm sure he's gotten really spoiled by now."

I figured I would unload the car later. I just wanted to get Ryan inside and settled first, maybe take a little breather myself.

"Looks different in here." Ryan commented, as he looked around the room.

Of course it looked different to him. He would not recognize the inside of the house now that this had become my home too. I hoped it didn't make him feel too uncomfortable.

"All of your old things, the leg lamp, Darth Vader, trophies and stuff are in your man cave." I said

"I have a man cave?" He asked, looking slightly confused. Of course he was confused. His last memory of his home, the entire place was a man cave.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

He shook his head. "I think I'm gonna go rest up. I don't know why I'm so tired all the time." He said walking to our bedroom, which had probably undergone the most change over the last three years.

So much for familiar surroundings. His whole home, except for the outside, was completely foreign to him.

Our friends were anxious to see Ryan, but I talked them into putting it off for a day or two because I wanted Ryan to take it as easy as possible for at least the first day. I think seeing Chase and Bubba would be good for him. At least they were familiar.

Ryan's POV

I felt like I was living in a nightmare that I could not wake up from. What has happened to my life? All I had ever wanted to do was drive a race car. Suddenly I'm waking up in a hospital. I was told I had a bad accident and I was in a coma for a week. I had no recollection of the race leading up to the accident, and surely didn't remember the accident itself, which I was told that was probably a good thing. As if that wasn't enough, I find out I'm married to my high school friend Livvy, who was suddenly drop dead gorgeous, and we have a daughter together.

I had been so excited when we pulled into the driveway to see my home. However, walking inside was a complete culture shock. Nothing was as I remembered it. I couldn't help but wonder just how much I had missed throughout the last three years I had no memory of. Why the last three years anyway? If I was supposedly so happy during that time, why was it that span of time that had been completely erased from my memory?

Suddenly, I wasn't so tired. I was curious. Knowing I probably shouldn't do this, I turned on the laptop that was sitting on the desk in the corner of the bedroom. Fuck? I don't even know the damn password. I wasn't even sure if this was my laptop or Olivia's. Where was my damn phone anyway?

Maybe I should just take a nap and give my brain a rest. I could ask Livvy later.

Livvy? She was the biggest piece in this crazy puzzle that had about five hundred other missing pieces. She was probably my closest friend in high school. I had always thought that was cute, in a slightly slightly dorky and extremely brainy way. I had such a crush on her back then, and it tore my heart out when she went off to college without saying goodbye. I know she gave me the condensed version of how we got together, but I was anxious to hear more. I know she was reluctant to give me too much information all at once, but I had so many questions.

I knew my accident had been serious. Serious enough to require emergency surgery and serious enough to leave me in a coma. I was told I was lucky to have survived. I guess there are worse things in life than coming out of a coma to find out you have a beautiful wife and child, but why couldn't I remember them? I just wanted my life back. I wanted to see my friends. I wanted my dog. I just wanted something, anything familiar.

The bedroom door softly opened. It was Livvy. God she was so pretty. I knew I liked her, but did I love her? My mom told me she never left my side while I was in the coma. That had to count for something. Obviously she loved me.

"Hi. I hope I didn't wake you. I was just checking on you to see if you needed anything." She was so sweet too.

"I wasn't asleep." I replied. I had at least a million more questions, but I had no idea where to even begin.

She looked exhausted, which was understandable. When she wasn't with me, she was caring for our daughter. She also looked nervous, and I couldn't blame her. This had to be as awkward for her as it was for me.

"When was the last time you got any sleep?" I asked her.

"I think I want a long hot shower before anything." She said, ignoring my question.

I could have sworn I heard her crying before the shower turned on. I didn't know if I should say something, or even what to say. She's stressed, I know, but I just didn't know how to comfort her. This woman...my wife was practically a stranger to me.

I heard the shower turn off. I waited several minutes for her to come out, but she didn't. I decided I should probably check on her, at least make sure she was okay.

Looking back, I really should have knocked first, but I didn't. Hell, why should I knock in my own house.

She was naked. Gloriously naked. In the process of getting dressed when I walked in...without knocking.

"Shit. I'm sorry Livvy. I didn't know you were...sorry." I averted my eyes, but not before I had seen all of her. It was silly really, because we were married. Shared a child, so obviously I had seen all of her and then some, but in my mind, I was seeing her for the first time.

"Maybe we should get some sleep." She suggested. Choosing to ignore the obvious elephant in the room.

I nodded in agreement, and climbed into bed. She did the same, at first climbing in next to me, then immediately moving further away to what I assumed was "her side." Awkward indeed.

"Are you okay Livvy?" God that was a stupid question. Nothing about this was okay.

"I'm exhausted. I think we both need a good nights sleep." She replied.

Before I drifted off too sleep, I could have sworn I heard her crying again.