It has been two weeks since Tyler went into his coma. Never have I hurt so much. Everyday after school and on the weekends I go over to the hospital and stay with him and talk to him. My mom hasn't really cared, as if she ever has. Mike and Lynette have helped me through this. Of course, it's probably just as hard for them. Mike would always check up on me when I'm visiting Tyler. Lynette came in every other day. I could tell she wasn't handling this very well, but she was healing.
"Jared, you should go home now. It's getting late and you have school tomorrow." Lynette said.
"No, I'm fine, it's only nine. Besides, do you know what tonight is?" I asked her. Smiling to myself I didn't think she'd get the right answer.
"Sunday?" she asked confused.
"Yeah, but it's Desperate Housewives tonight, Tyler's favorite show. Every Monday when we'd see each other in the morning, and throughout the day, he'd be talking about the amazing episode the night before. The show never really interested me, but now I'm gonna start watching it just for him." I said softly. Tears started to swell in my eyes and I couldn't hold them back. My hand was still in his and every once in a while I would switch sides.
"Jared, that is very sweet, but school--"
"Lynette, please, I'm going to stay here and watch it with him." I said firmly, but not rudely.
"All right then, I'll see you tomorrow." she said.
I turned the TV on and started to watch his favorite show. About half way into the show, I really got interested. I was completely lost, but interested. I'm guessing that the episode I was watching was the first one of the third season. It was about 45 minutes in when the part of someone named, "Susan" was talking to her boyfriend in a coma. That part made me tear up even worse. Thoughts of Tyler ran through my head. What if he stays in a coma for six months? Forever?
It has now been six weeks since Tyler fell into his coma. A month and a half without this incredible person is terrible. I need him back. The boy I love, I need him back. I've been praying and praying, but God doesn't seem to answer them. I'm questioning my faith. My life has become a total blur. School hasn't been going well. All my grades were dropping from A's to C's. Friends have left me because they haven't seen me in a while. Mom has started to say she misses me. That confuses the hell out of me, but I'm not too worried about that right now.
Mike and Lynette are being supportive, but nothing is denying the fact that I'm growing depressed. My sleep cycle is totally out of whack. I'm always exhausted. My eating habits have changed dramatically. And, to top it all off, I've been crying every single day.
I came home form the hospital last night to take a shower. I'm planning on going back in a few minutes as soon as Lynette picks me up. It's ten in the morning on Saturday. Today marked the four month anniversary, well, anniversary sounds too happy, but it still has been four months since Tyler fell into the coma.
I heard a car pull up. Quickly, I got my jacket and my wallet. The doorbell rang and I was greeted by a smiling Lynette.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm all set. Let's go."
The drive to the hospital wasn't a quiet one. We were talking about funny stories between her and Mike. They have had some funny times it sounds like.
"I had to give a speech at the library I raised money for and I was so nervous, but Mike and Tyler made it a lot better." she laughed.
"You know, I am the only speaker, and by standing up there, it's like I'm saying that I'm the most important person in the room." Lynette said.
"Well, you are." Mike said trying to reassure his wife.
"Well, I don't feel like it. I mean, it's not like I'm the president of anything. I don't own a corporation. I'm not a celebrity. I'm just your wife and Tyler's mother."
"You're the chairperson of the most successful money laundering..."
"Fundraising!"
"...fundraising drives in library history. You're the CEO of this family, you're my career manager, and you're a life manager."
"Life manager?" she asked.
"You manage to live your life with me." Mike smiled.
"And I should get an award for that."
"You should get an award for the money you made."
"Tyler walked in a little while later and it got funnier." Lynette laughed.
"It's just, I'm so nervous about being in front of all those people guys."
"Just pretend everyone is in their underwear." Mike said.
Tyler started to take his pants off.
"Don't take off your pants it's just a technique." he said. "So, honey, just pretend we're the library association."
"No, most of them are women." Lynette said.
"Okay, we'll be women. Tyler, come over here for a minute." Mike said as he went to Lynette's dresser. He started to rummage through her jewelry box.
"What?"
"There, these go with your hair," he said, giving Tyler a pair of earrings, "oh, and these are me. Look at that."
"Mike, what are you doing?" she asked.
"We are supporting our woman by being women. Tyler, you don't do this outside the house, okay?" Mike said.
"I'll leave it at that. Oh, but after my speech we went to the hospital so Mike could pick up some paper work and his friend, Al, was there."
"Hi, Tyler. How are you?" Al asked him.
"Good," he replied.
"Do anything fun this weekend?"
"Dad and I dressed up like women."
Al looked up at Mike with a blank look and said, "Oh, really?"
"It's not like it sounds, Al." Mike said.
"Dad had moms hat on and we both wore earrings." Tyler stated.
"Well, of course, earrings would complete the ensemble."
"It's not like I had a bra on or anything, Al." Mike said firmly.
"Well, maybe next time, Mike."
"It was very funny, Jared. Those were the fun days back then. I mean, we still have fun days, almost everyday in fact. But the 90's were easier to live in." her eyes looked like they were getting glossy. "Oh, there was this one Halloween when Tyler was 12 I think. Mike and I got into a little spat after he was joking with his haunted house he made in our basement, or, Mike's Terror Tomb."
When Tyler's guests get here tonight, they're gonna be down there with their hair bleached white, their eyes bugging out, and that look of horror on their faces." Mike said. He was making gagging noises and making scared faces.
"That's how you looked at our wedding." Lynette said arrogantly.
"I shouldn't have lifted the veil." he said.
"Who told you to wear it?" she replied.
"That's too funny. You guys sure are happy all the time. I think that's Tyler's best quality. He's usually always happy, unless, I do something stupid." I trailed off as I said that. "He must hate me when I don't call or I don't write him back at school. Even when I hug someone else besides him he seems to despise me."
"Jared," Lynette said softly, "Tyler never hates you for anything. He just has been through a lot and he can get insecure about those things. I'm going to tell you something very private. Maybe Tyler's told you this before, but...he's adopted."
I just looked at her blankly. Tyler hasn't ever told me anything about it.
"What?"
"We adopted him when he was twelve." she started to sob gently. "This isn't my place to tell you this, though, Jared."
"I understand, but he's never said anything to me about it."
"Well, it's a hard subject for him to handle. His depression gets the best of him most of the time. Every once in a while he has nightmares of the night that..." she had to stop. This obviously wasn't easy for her either.
"Lynette, it's okay, you don't have to talk about it." I smiled at her and she smiled back.
We arrived at the hospital a few seconds later. I was anxious to see Tyler. It's been a whole four hours since I had seen him last. Being away from his side was killing me. Lynette parked the car and both of us were quickly walking in and up to his room. When we got there Mike was taking some kind of data.
"Hi, honey." Lynette said as she went up behind him and gave him a hug.
"Oh, hi, dear. I thought you guys were coming, but I didn't know when."
The day went by pretty quickly. Lynette and I talked about all sorts of things. She told me more funny stories of her and Mike, even some about Tyler. Before we both knew it, it was ten o'clock.
"Lynette, before we leave can I have a minute alone with him?"
"Sure, I'll just be outside waiting when you're done."
I crawled onto the bed next to him and started talking to him.
"Tyler, I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you. I'd never intentionally hurt you. You're my bestest friend and my boyfriend, I love you so much. Please, I need you to come back to me. It's been four months. I need my Tyler back. So, I'd like nothing better than for you to just wake up. Wake up right now!" I started to cry. I placed my head on his chest and listened to him breathing. So calming and perfect it was.
I slowly got up and kissed him on the lips. My emotions were all jumbled up and I couldn't control my tears anymore.
I started to walk out, but before I did I turned around and looked at him one last time.
"I miss you so much, Tyler, please come back to me." I slowly crept to the door.
We all carry something with us. Of course, it's nice if we travel with someone who can help lighten the load. But usually, it's easier to just drop what we've been carrying, so we can get home that much sooner. Assuming, of course, there will be someone there to greet us when we arrive. Why do we clutch at this baggage when we're desperate to move on? Because we all know there's a chance...
"Jared..." Tyler whispered.
...we might let go too soon.
This chapter, I thought, was extraordinary. Thank you so much to everyone who have been leaving me mail and comments about this story. All your words keep me inspired to write these stories. Please, e-mail me your comments and such. Thanks!!!