March 25, 2004
The day had started off as any other would have. The sunlight slowly poured itself into Jodi and Adam Abram's room, sweet like summer tea. Jodi slowly stirred awake, sitting up and enjoying the unseasonably beautiful weather.
"Adam," she kissed his cheek softly, "Come on, we have to get ready for church."
"Mmmm," He groaned, turning over and flopping the comforter sloppily on top of his head. "Get Artie up first. I'll be down for breakfast."
"Oh come on now, you know we always go to breakfast after church on the first Sunday of the month"
"I know," He mumbled, creeping up above the covers long enough to give a cunning smile. "Can't we just go to breakfast this morning?"
"Adam," Jodi sighed, "Artie and I will go to church alone today, okay? We'll bring you back a Grand Slam"
"Polish sausage!" He declared, raising a finger in the air. Jodi rolled her eyes and laughed lovingly, walking down the hall to Artie's room.
"Artie, sweetie, get up." She rubbed the sleepy 8 year old back, appreciating the quiet times. "It's family-church-and-breakfast-morning," she paused, smiling at his innocent, tired, face. "Today It's just you and me though." She got off the bed, and tousled Artie's soft, brown hair. "Get up kiddo."
Over a the Hummel household, life was far from quiet. The Hummels were never really super religious, so instead of a peaceful, church filled morning, Elizabeth was scrambling around trying to get ready for a grocery run.
"Kurt, will you please pick up your power rangers? The next time I see them on the floor, I will throw them away." Elizabeth maneuvered around the toys, only to trip over her husband, Burt's, foot.
"GODDAMMITBURT," She picked herself up, dusting off her floral skirt, "Could you maybe help? I need to go to the grocery store then come home and cook breakfast. Could you please at least help pick up Kurt's power rangers?" She limped over to the counter where she wrote down a simple list of groceries, including milk, eggs, bread, potatoes, pepper, peanut butter, and paper towels. "I'm leaving," she huffed, "Kurt, pick up you TOYS!"
"Jeez, mom. Can't you just leave me alone?" And with Kurt's sassy remark, Elizabeth slammed the door and drove to the store
March 25, 2011
Kurt sniffled as he stared down into his cereal bowl, which was filled with soggy corn flakes. He stared around the room trying not to remember absolutely every detail of that morning. Every smell was more pungent, every edge more sharp. Burt slowly waddled into the dining room, looking more like a zombie than Kurt's tough-guy-mechanic father. He walked over to the cabinet, opened it slowly, listening to the creaking. He grabbed two coffee mugs, the glass clinging shrilly. The soft drizzle of hot coffee didn't help distract either of them. Burt brought over the two black coffees, pushing one at Kurt slowly. Kurt slowly sipped the bitter, hot liquid.
"I love you," Burt tried to smile.
"I love you too, dad."
Artie slowly lifted his heavy lids, only to find a blurry image of Adam and Jodi.
"AHHHH! What are you guys doing in here?" He demanded, lifting his glasses off the nightstand and pushing them onto the bridge of his nose.
"You know what day it is?" Jodi frowned, looking down at him.
"Um, Tuesday? Which means school?" He flicked his head around, spying the time off the red digital alarm clock at his bedside. "SEVEN THIRTY? CRAP," Artie proceeded to reach into the drawers of his bedside dresser so he could get dressed. "Leave, please." He demanded.
"Artie, Today is March 25th." Adam mumbled, silencing the room.
"Don't you remember?" Jodi inquired.
"Please leave," he stated again, rubbing his temples. He did remember. And it hurt.
March 25, 2004
The rides to church were always quiet ones. Simple, boring, drives consisting of a bleak suburban view and some small talk between Jodi and Adam. With Adam still in bed snoozing lazily, the trip was even quieter.
"Mom, do you think I'm special?" Artie interrupted the silence. Jodi looked into the rearview mirror, puzzled.
"Of course. Why would you ask such a silly thing?"
"I'm like everyone else, mom. Everyone else."
"Don't act so wise now, you're only 8." She added, a perplexed scowl conquering her sweet face. "Absolutely everyone is different" She stopped there, turning on a music station to stop the conversation. At least the music could hide the pain.
Once church ended, they were on the way to breakfast, finally. Artie licked his lips, already tasting the thick buttermilk pancakes and gooey syrup.
"Can't we get there any faster?" He whined. Jodi turned around for a split second and just began to open her mouth, but Artie screamed.
Elizabeth, calm now, gently rode the highway. She enjoyed the simple, suburban trees and the bitsy rolling hills. She chuckled aloud for a second , flashing back to her life as a farm child. Baby lambs, nestled in her arms, fresh eggs at breakfast. She realized she had even shut her eyes for moment, her beautiful childhood memories slipping away into a vast world of loud car horns and the finger.
"Shit." She proceeded to push the gas, but the light was already red. The irritated groans grew louder as the angry drivers slumped back into their seats. Desperate to ignore the harsh comments, Elizabeth looked across at the other side of the intersection, spying a car with a mother and young boy, possibly Kurt's age. Then it happened. A giant Semi, with a grocery store logo on it, began to push forward when it wasn't his go. The mom had turned around to face the boy for a split second, still pushing forward. Elizabeth could hear the boy screaming and pushed the gas without thinking. She sped in-between the semi and family car, the semi ramming into her car side. Suddenly, time ran slow. Her car door bent, broke and jolted into her side. But the damage was painless. Elizabeth had hit her head on the dashboard, causing a serious concussion and knocking her out painlessly.
Jodi turned around at the scream, to find a Semi heading directly toward them. But before she could even pray to god for an angel, A woman with one hell of a determined look on her face swooped in, and got hit by the semi. Her car then ran them into the car behind them but with slight less severity than the angel-woman's. But although Jodi found herself with nothing more than a few bumps and bruises, Artie was writhing in pain in the back seat.
"Artie! What happened?" She squeaked, surprised at the low level of her voice.
"I d-don't know." He whimpered, "My back hurts". And with that, The fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances arrived.
Down at the hospital, about 3 hours later, things had calmed down dramatically. Elizabeth laid restfully in a coma, Artie slept soundly after hours of tests. Family and friends stressfully snored in chairs or checked their emails on laptops. Jodi clutched the final test results for Artie in her tired arms, not sleeping like the others. She wouldn't read them. A doctor walked in, slowly stirring everyone in the waiting room awake.
"Mrs. Abrams, have you looked over the test results?" The doctor spoke quietly , or at least quieter than the sound of everyone quickly turning their heads at Jodi. She shook her head, gripping the paper tighter. "He's awake, and he wants to know what's going to happen." Jodi slowly lifter herself up, limping down the hallway, arm cast to her chest.
"Artie?" She creaked the door open, eyelids heavy.
"Mommy, what did the tests say?" His blue eyes twinkled sullenly, showing maturity beyond his eight years. Jodi sighed.
"I don't know." Exhale, "Let's see together."
April 8th, 2004
Kurt wasn't surprised when he got the news Elizabeth had died. He knew it was just a matter of time, and it had taken a long 2 weeks. As the news sank in, it hurt more and more, and even though he had told her everyday that he loved her, she never said it back.
Artie sat, bored, in his room. He had no where to go, and if he did, it would take the tiny remainder of energy left in his arm muscles. He would never move his legs again.
And Elizabeth would never say she loved Kurt back
March 25, 2011
Artie cried.
Kurt cried.
They sucked it up, and headed off to school, just like they had 7 years ago.
It hurt too much to remember, anyways.