"Twenty-three?" Renee said aloud to herself.
The two-foot-tall orange pony still laid close to her, watching as the expressions on her face dramatically changed. Again, the tears were beginning to resurface. Applejack knew she had to calm her down before the nurses came in. Surely, they had to hear her crying only moments earlier. She stood up and used her snout to wipe the semi wet streams off her cheeks. "I told ya' I'd help ya sugar cube," she said softly, "ease those tired eyes." She used her head to push the hospital's bed mechanic to where she could sit up and still relax.
Renee shifted to where she was leaning against the bed rest and closed her eyes again before opening them slowly, trying to calm herself. Where are the memories of the past 7 years? She wondered.
"Look, I can't let anyone else see me. I have to go for now but just remember, you're not alone." The cartoon character winked and as her room's door clicked open she looked up to see a nurse hurriedly bringing over medical supplies to check her and looked back to see the horse was gone.
Was she dreaming? Renee had to question her grip on reality. The woman checking her vital signs started to ask questions but fear struck her silent. She had the strange urge to call out for her Mom. The image of her behind the screen door was prominent as well as the boy on the porch. She thought that was her boyfriend. Is Syd even a part of my life? Since she was twenty-three, a lot of things could've happened to change that. It was hard to imagine a life without him in it. He was her high school sweetheart.
"Miss? Miss? What is your name?" the nurse asked for probably the fifth time.
"Renee?" She answered, questioning it herself for a split second.
The nurse sighed softy, "Good, good. Now, when's your birthday?"
She had to strain for this information but it came back to her, "March 25, 1992."
"Great! How old are you?"
Renee paused. If she answered honestly, she'd say sixteen… but Applejack told her she was twenty-three. That still floored her. Instead she asked nervously, "What year is it?"
The woman stared at her in wonderment but didn't answer. Instead she smiled at her, patted her arm, then told her she'd be back.
"I think you should answer stuff honestly for now," Applejack reappeared on the chair by the door, "Even if we both know your age, the quickest way to solving a mystery is with the facts."
Renee contemplated the pony's advice, "But, I'll sound crazy."
She shook her mane, "Trust me, after what you've been through… your truthful answers will be a breath of fresh hair for these folk."
What I've been through? Renee started to question why she was even in the hospital in the first place. "What exactly happened to me Applejack? Was I in an accident?"
"It's probably best I let the professionals answer that one darlin'."
In the blink of an eye she had disappeared again. At first she was panic stricken until the nurse entered, with a doctor, and her mother.