I woke up choking. I started to freak out. Jacob was in the room. He grabbed my hand and told me that I had to calm down, and not talk. He reached over me and hit something. A nurse came in the room.
"Is he awake?" The nurse said.
"Yes! He woke up and started choking."
"Ok Zac. Do you want me to take this out of your mouth?" She said walking over to me.
I nodded.
"Ok this is going to hurt a little. Your throat is going to be sore. Don't talk unless you have to. Are you ready?"
I nodded again. I squeezed Jacob's hand. The nurse started to take the tube out it felt very uncomfortable. When she got it out, I gasped for air.
Then I tried to talk to say something but it came out all funny. It didn't even sound like me.
"I will leave you two alone. I am going to let the doctor know that you are awake." The nurse said as she walked out.
"Oh my god. You are ok. I was getting so worried about you. It has been three weeks. No one thought that you were going to wake up again."
I tried to talk again, but nothing came out.
"Don't try to talk, it is ok. Everything will be ok now. I promise you."
I leaned up and kissed him. He returned the kiss. I closed my eyes and went to sleep. I dreamed a lot that night. I don't know what exactly about, but I know I woke up in a sweat. I tried to get up to go to the bathroom, but then I remembered that I was in the hospital. So I turned over and went back to sleep. The sun started shining on my face. That is what woke me up. The nurse was opening the blinds. I sat up. "Good morning!" I said. "And a good morning to you too. How are you feeling today?" She said. "I am feeling fine, thanks. Can I go out for a smoke?" I said starting to stand. "How long have I been in here?" "About three weeks." "Wow, I really need a cigarette then." "Of course. Let me get you a wheel chair." She said as she walked out the door. Rachel walked in. She is my best friend from Seattle.
She has medium long black hair, stands about 5'8". She is totally awesome. "Hey butt." She said. "Hey Ray. How you doing?" I said. She came over and gave me a hug. "I am doing ok. Your mom is an awesome cook. She has been cooking for us every night. Where have you been hiding her?" She smiled. "I am glad you are here Rachel. I missed you." I said as I hugged her again. "Yeah, well don't do that again, ok? I will have to kick your ass." The nurse came back in with the wheelchair. "I'll take him out Sandy." Rachel said. "Ok kiddo, but don't keep him out too long." "I wont." I got into the chair with Rachel's help. She wheeled me outside, and started smoking. "Gimme one of those please." I said reaching for her pocket. "No way! You don't need to smoke." She said as she handed me hers. "It's the last menthol that I have. I got it from your mom. She said you would want it when you woke up." "So where is everyone?" "Tasha and Crystal went back home. Aaron and Jacob are out doing something. Melinda had to go back home yesterday so Ayn took her home." She said. "But I am still here, and that is all that matters." She sat in my lap. "How come you haven't left yet?" I asked her concerned. "Did you quit Denny's?" "No. I had some extra vacation time. Your mom said that you owed her some money, so she took it out of your account, and paid a couple of my bills with it. I will pay you back Zac." "You know I am not worried about that Rachel. I am just glad that you are here. When do you think they are going to let me go home?" "Probably not for a while Zac. You hit the tree going pretty fast. Your car is totaled. Your skull was fractured. Then when you woke up from that wreck, you had like a stroke or a seizure or something. That knocked you out for about two and a half weeks. You know just as well as I do they are going to want to run more tests on you to make sure that you are ok." "Oh wow. Why did I hit the tree? Where was I going? I don't know Zac, no one knows but you." "Zac!" I heard Aaron and Jacob shout. They came running towards me. "Hey guys." Rachel said. "Hey boys." I said smiling. I looked over at Aaron and smiled at him. Jacob came up and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "How ya doing buddy?" Jacob said. "I am doing." "Jacqui says hi Zac." Aaron said. I smiled. "Tell her I said hi." I looked up at Rachel. "Can we go in please, I am starting to get cold." "Sure." She pushed me back to my room. Waiting in there was my friend Ty and the nurse. "Ok guys, only one person in here at a time. You know what happened last time. Who knows if he can take it again." Sandy said. "I just have a something to say real quick. I will only be a moment." Ty said. Everyone left the room and Ty helped me back into my bed. "I thought I lost you." He said starting to cry. "Hey, do I give up that easy?" I replied. "No, I guess not. But can you hurry up and get back to work. I am getting my ass kicked. Don't get me wrong, I am making a lot of money. But we all want you to come back to work." He got up to leave. "I will call when I know more ok." "Ok, Z. Take care man. I love ya!" "I love you too Ty." Aaron came in next. "Hey how ya doing?" He asked. "I am doing good. Would you do me a favor and make a sign that says I am doing good. Wait, make one that says, The cookie is well. Then tell Jacqui I am thinking about her. Ok. I don't know how many more times I am going to be able to say that with out getting pissed." He started laughing. "Rachel told me that you don't remember anything." He said concerned. "I don't really. The last thing I remember was wanting a bowl of cereal, not having any milk. Going for a walk. Crumbling up a piece of paper, and then running. That is all. It seems more like a dream then anything else." I said burying my head in my hands. "It is very frustrating." People came in and out all day. Telling me to hurry up and get better. I just wanted to know what had happened. The doctor ran a couple more tests and said I was doing just fine. That I was going to be able to go home tomorrow. I was really excited. This hospital food was a bit too much. It was about nine p.m. and I was feeling tired. I heard a knock on my door. Then it opened. It was Jacob. He came in smiling. "Hey Zac. I just wanted to come in and sit with ya for a bit. Do you mind?" He said walking over to me. "No, not at all. I was just getting ready to go to bed. You are more then welcome to join me." I said winking. "I want to tell you something first." He said moving over to the chair. "Ok, what is it." "I have been here every night with you. I have been thinking about you everyday for the past three years. I want you to be in my life forever. The day you were born I wished you in my life. I want to share everything with you." He started to cry. "I can't imagine my life with out you in it. I don't know what I would do if you had died in that car accident. Please Zac, say you will be with me. Zac, will you be my friend, companion, my lover?" He said walking over and grabbing my hand. I closed my eyes. Visions filled my head. I remember everything now. "Jacob where you there when I was on laying on the hood of my car?" "What?" He looked at me scared. "Why would you think that? You were going to the grocery store." I stood up and pushed him off of me. "Liar! You fucking liar. I was out on the beach talking to Aaron. You were out doing something. He pissed me off, so I went inside turned the radio on and fell asleep. Aaron woke me up and handed me a note. You had left. He said you left about ten minutes ago. So I took off trying to find you when I hit a tree. I didn't want to lose you again. Then I remember you holding me, telling me it was going to be ok. You fucking LIAR!" "Zac, don't..." "Don't what? What is it with you people? Why in the hell couldn't you tell me all this shit, when you all found out that I couldn't remember? Then you have to go and lie about it. That is messed up." I got a really sharp pain in my head. I closed my eyes. "GET OUT NOW." I screamed. Just then Aaron walked in. "Zac don't do this, you are hysterical. You are acting all crazy." Jacob said. "I think you should just do what he says Jacob. He doesn't need this right now." Aaron said, walking Jacob to the door. "I am going back to Zac's. Will you please try and calm him down." "I will do my best." Aaron said. As he walked out the door, I heard the lock click. "Ok Zac, this is what happened." I opened my eyes and started crying. What were they trying to cover up? "Yes please tell me Aaron." "Ok, we were out on the beach talking. It got pretty intense. I didn't know what to do anymore. I was so jealous and confused. Losing you was the last thing I wanted to do. Jacob was leaving town. I called your mom, and she went after him after your accident. I gave you the note, and then you took off. You were really angry with me. Zac, I do love you. I don't know maybe I am scared of what would happen if we hopped into a relationship. I feel so comfortable with you. You are so happy with whatever I do. I have had some time to think. I want to be with you Zac, but I am really scared. The relationship we have right now is fucking awesome. I don't ever want to lose that. But I know right now, that you are the one for me. So I am asking you. Zac will you share with me what I can offer to you. Will you be my partner in life right now, hold my hand and be my boyfriend, my best-friend, and my lover?" I was shocked. Did those words actually come out of Aaron's mouth? Was I dreaming? Could it possibly be real? I felt extremely tired. I was floating. Aaron said the words I have been waiting to hear for so long. But I don't know if my hear is in it anymore.