In a Heartbeat
Never Promised You a Rose Garden
"Could Things Be Looking Up?"
* * *
"Do you realize how annoying you are?'
Tyler sat up eagerly. He had just returned to rehab after his bought with pneumonia and all of his efforts to regain use in his legs had failed- as immeasurable as they where- was lost.
"Val?" he uttered, shaking his head not believing she was there.
"Very good. So you haven't become completely brain dead."
"What are you doing here I thought you -"
"I hated you? I did for awhile and I still can't believe that you would ever want to kill yourself. But, I also love you and because of that I couldn't say away."
Tyler couldn't believe it. After all that had happened, months and months of being apart so he simple asked… "How was the prom?"
She smiled at him, he could be so cute sometimes. "It was…an experience."
"That bad huh?"
"Well I ended up going with Dean and all he talked about was sports, himself, his car, himself and all I could think about was you. Needless to say it was a pretty uneventful night."
Tyler smiled to himself happy that she hadn't forgotten him.
"So, are you okay now?"
"Well the pneumonia's gone it that's what you mean."
"That's good. Now all you need to do is start walking."
"Before or after hell freezes over?"
"Before please." she grinned and reached into her pocket. "I got you a present."
"For what?"
"A gift for being born silly. You didn't remember your own birthday?"
"Well let's see what it is." he said ripping the paper off.
"It's a picture of us on our on our first date. Remember? It was you're birthday and you invited me to eat dinner with your parents."
"And I acted like a total jerk."
"Naturally."
"Thanks Val."
"No problem. Now you have to do a favor for me."
"What is it?"
"See my parents have a wedding anniversary coming up in three months and they want to get married again. The church, bridesmaids and a reception. I was hoping you could escort me and be my dance partner?"
"Val you know I won't be walking in three months to dance with you."
" Well if you'd try-"
He turned sharply in her direction giving Val a look of frustration, anger, and defiance. She had hoped her offer would be a push for him to try and walk, now she realized that any pushing would have to be from Tyler himself.
"Alright. But I'd still like you'd to come."
* * *
That night the dream came to him. The feeling of it, the fire, smoke, the endless calling for a brother who would never come, it filled his night and days…
Never Promised You a Rose Garden
"Could Things Be Looking Up?"
* * *
"Do you realize how annoying you are?'
Tyler sat up eagerly. He had just returned to rehab after his bought with pneumonia and all of his efforts to regain use in his legs had failed- as immeasurable as they where- was lost.
"Val?" he uttered, shaking his head not believing she was there.
"Very good. So you haven't become completely brain dead."
"What are you doing here I thought you -"
"I hated you? I did for awhile and I still can't believe that you would ever want to kill yourself. But, I also love you and because of that I couldn't say away."
Tyler couldn't believe it. After all that had happened, months and months of being apart so he simple asked… "How was the prom?"
She smiled at him, he could be so cute sometimes. "It was…an experience."
"That bad huh?"
"Well I ended up going with Dean and all he talked about was sports, himself, his car, himself and all I could think about was you. Needless to say it was a pretty uneventful night."
Tyler smiled to himself happy that she hadn't forgotten him.
"So, are you okay now?"
"Well the pneumonia's gone it that's what you mean."
"That's good. Now all you need to do is start walking."
"Before or after hell freezes over?"
"Before please." she grinned and reached into her pocket. "I got you a present."
"For what?"
"A gift for being born silly. You didn't remember your own birthday?"
"Well let's see what it is." he said ripping the paper off.
"It's a picture of us on our on our first date. Remember? It was you're birthday and you invited me to eat dinner with your parents."
"And I acted like a total jerk."
"Naturally."
"Thanks Val."
"No problem. Now you have to do a favor for me."
"What is it?"
"See my parents have a wedding anniversary coming up in three months and they want to get married again. The church, bridesmaids and a reception. I was hoping you could escort me and be my dance partner?"
"Val you know I won't be walking in three months to dance with you."
" Well if you'd try-"
He turned sharply in her direction giving Val a look of frustration, anger, and defiance. She had hoped her offer would be a push for him to try and walk, now she realized that any pushing would have to be from Tyler himself.
"Alright. But I'd still like you'd to come."
* * *
That night the dream came to him. The feeling of it, the fire, smoke, the endless calling for a brother who would never come, it filled his night and days…