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Another hurdle I’d have to jump over—along with trying to remember where my damn room was.
“No, no, it’s fine. Just not something I expected you to ask.” Her eyes crinkled with her smile. “I don’t have much time for dating. All things social flew out of my life the day you flew in it. I mean, I was always in your life but once you were my responsibility, I didn’t bother with friends or dating anymore.”
“I’m hurt. I thought I was your friend!” Ralph cried out, dropping out of the chair and onto his knees.
“Sure, Ralph.” Her phone screen came to life and she stood up. “I have to take this. I’ll be right outside, guys.”
I leaned my head back. The things I was learning from Dex’s past were haunting me.
“Don’t let what happened before bother you, bro. We can only go up from here, right?” Ralph picked up a bottle of Coke from beside his feet and took a sip, shrugging when I looked at him. “You’re freaking out but what’s done is done. What’s ahead of you, that’s the real adventure.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Yeah, I’m on a cosmic search for the right girl. That should be an adventure all right,” I muttered, leaning back.
“We’ll just try each flavor until you find the one that suits you,” he said easily, causing me to laugh. “What? That’s legit. Baskin-Robbins had it right. Try all thirty-two flavors!”
* * *
“You come visit me anytime, Dex,”Sessie whispered in my ear as she pushed my wheelchair out of the elevator.
I was worried about going home. But when Tracey pulled up in her car, bright-faced, I took a deep breath and smiled in return.
“I will. I promise.” I looked up at Sessie and she helped me stand, handing me my crutches once I was steady. I leaned on them, ready to head out.
Sessie hugged me tightly and told me to stay out of trouble.
Tracey held the passenger door of her car open, and I leaned against it, taking one last look at Sessie and the hospital. It was going to be okay. I sat myself inside, making sure I didn’t hit my leg in the process.
Tracey shut the door and rounded the car, a grin on her face. When she was settled and started to drive off, she said, “Excited?” Her eyes flicked to mine and back to the road. “I’ve been lonely at the house.” She let out a chuckle that didn’t quite seem humorous, the sound dying quickly.
A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small house. I noticed a shiny car in the driveway.
“Whose car is that?” I asked as I opened the door, crutches in one hand.
She ran around and helped me out, setting my crutches right. “Yours. I washed it while you were gone. I know you hate when it gets dirty.” She paused, and then, “At least, you used to.”
I appreciated her acknowledging that maybe I was different now. “Seems like a stupid thing to hate,” I said as we made our way past it.
When she opened the front door, I felt a small sense of having been there before. I turned and looked out, noticing the tree across the street had been cut. It was still fresh, the bark splintered and lighter than the rest of the stump. There were remnants of police tape. I heard the sounds of brakes pumping and tires screeching followed by the ambulance. I shook my head.
“I’ve been here before,” I said, pushing my way into the house.
Tracey followed closely behind and stated, “You have.”
I didn’t want her to think I was remembering. I wasn’t. At least, I wasn’t remembering as Dexter. “No. I don’t have memories of…my past. I can just remember the house. I don’t know. It’s hard to explain.” I stood there, unsure of what else to say.
“It’s okay. No one’s pressuring you to remember.” She led me down a hall and helped me up the steps. “I do want to take you to your room, though. I’ll move you downstairs to the guest room while you heal, but I figured it couldn’t hurt for you to be around your things for a moment.”
She opened the door, and I hesitated on the threshold. She didn’t understand that it wouldn’t help.
Rather than hurt her feelings with rejection, I adjusted my grip on my crutches and hobbled into the room.
Gray walls, a bed, a computer, and a couch. Gadgets covering a desk.
Nothing stood out.
I was standing in a bedroom that belonged to a guy who would never claim these items again. I sat on the bed. At least it was comfortable.
