Chapter 5
Two days later, Jackie was sitting up in her bed feeling much better. Her
stomach and face still hurt but less. Less to the point that she could
talk almost normal now, wasn't falling asleep in the middle of
conversations or could almost open her right eye as the swelling went down.
No one had given her a mirror, when she had asked the nurse, she said it
wasn't necessary and they didn't have any. When she had asked Steven all
he had said was she didn't need it, he had seen her sleeping without make
up and it would be hard to look worse then that. Jackie laughed and told
him to shut his pie hoe.
The weird thing was the way people were acting around her. Everyone was on tip toes, like there was something they weren't telling her and they kept asking her weird questions. Like what the date was and if she was still in school. What was with these people? She was getting mad and nervous. Something was going on because Steven looked guilty every time he thought she wasn't looking. Kitty came in then and sat at the end of the bed with the Doctor and Steven behind her. This was not good.
"Jackie" Kitty began "We have something to tell you. Well, honey, it seems that you don't remember anything after March and well, honey, it's August."
"What-" Jackie said in shock, looking at them like they were crazy.
"Jackie," the Doctor stepped forward, "you were unconscious with a severe concussion for over 6 hours with internal injuries. We expected some possible problems but with the brain it is hard to predict what they would be. Your mind could have taken you back to a happier time as a way to deal with the trauma. You don't remember anything about the accident, do you?"
"No"
"Well, we think that your memory will come back over time or maybe it won't. It's hard to say, we just don't know enough about how the brain works to truly predict. Just take it slow and see what happened, okay?"
"I - I guess so. So when exactly is it?"
"It's August 25th, honey. You have been living with Donna since March when we found you and Steven in the basement together." Kitty told her. None of them told her about the breakup with Steven. Kitty had made that decision. She had seen the way the break up had affected the two of them. Jackie had been a wreck for most of the summer and Steven had barely spoken to anyone, even Eric. The romantic in Kitty also thought this might be a way for them to work things out. To give Steven a second chance and fix his mistakes. He desperately wanted it, even if he would never say it to anyone. Kitty knew her boy. He may not be hers biologically but emotionally he was her son. This might be a way to fix old mistakes. Plus Jackie had gotten upset whenever Steven left, like she was worried he wasn't coming back. It was a trauma she didn't need to deal with right now.
"So when do I get to go home?"
"In 4 or 5 days as long as you continue to make good progress and then rest at home after that."
"But if it's the end of August doesn't school start right away? I'm a senior now and I have cheerleading duties. I was voted head cheerleader again so I have to be there to make sure all the girls do their hair properly and-" Jackie stopped as the Doctor interrupted her.
"Jackie, you won't be able to do much physical activity for about a month as you need to heal. I would say it will be the end of October before you can start cheerleading full time again."
"End of October!!! I have to be head cheerleader or that slut Pam Macy will be head cheerleader then she'll be elected homecoming queen and my life will be ruined!!!!"
"Sweetie that might be a slight exaggeration," Kitty said. "Right Steven?" During this Steven had been standing quietly off to the side. He wasn't really sure what to say, about any of it. He kind of nodded reluctantly. He had seen the cheerleading thing coming; he knew Jackie wasn't going to be happy about that. Hyde's problem was he didn't know how he was going to continually lie to Jackie about them being together. Before Steven could think of anything to say the Doctor spoke.
"Jackie you are very lucky to have come out with as little injuries as you have. You are a very lucky girl to be alive. Now, as long as everything goes well you can go home Wednesday morning. Then you have to take it easy for another 2 weeks and you should be able to go back to school." The Doctor then left the room.
"Sweetie, we are going to bring your stuff over to the house and you can stay with us. That way there will always be someone there and you don't have to stay on that cot at Donna's. Now get some rest and you can go home soon." With that Kitty left the two kids alone in the room.
"Steven, I can't remember 5 months of my life!! Plus what is the point of cheerleading if I can't cheer until October, I mean, I'll miss everything. That football games and everything. This is awful. And why can't I remember? You have to tell me everything. How did we spend our summer? Did we go anywhere? Was I the most popular girl at cheerleading camp again?"
"I . . I"
"Oh Steven please hold me," she asked in a quiet voice before Steven could think of anything to say. He sat down on the bed and gently wrapped his arms around her, lifting her out of the bed. Happy he didn't have to say anything.
The weird thing was the way people were acting around her. Everyone was on tip toes, like there was something they weren't telling her and they kept asking her weird questions. Like what the date was and if she was still in school. What was with these people? She was getting mad and nervous. Something was going on because Steven looked guilty every time he thought she wasn't looking. Kitty came in then and sat at the end of the bed with the Doctor and Steven behind her. This was not good.
"Jackie" Kitty began "We have something to tell you. Well, honey, it seems that you don't remember anything after March and well, honey, it's August."
"What-" Jackie said in shock, looking at them like they were crazy.
"Jackie," the Doctor stepped forward, "you were unconscious with a severe concussion for over 6 hours with internal injuries. We expected some possible problems but with the brain it is hard to predict what they would be. Your mind could have taken you back to a happier time as a way to deal with the trauma. You don't remember anything about the accident, do you?"
"No"
"Well, we think that your memory will come back over time or maybe it won't. It's hard to say, we just don't know enough about how the brain works to truly predict. Just take it slow and see what happened, okay?"
"I - I guess so. So when exactly is it?"
"It's August 25th, honey. You have been living with Donna since March when we found you and Steven in the basement together." Kitty told her. None of them told her about the breakup with Steven. Kitty had made that decision. She had seen the way the break up had affected the two of them. Jackie had been a wreck for most of the summer and Steven had barely spoken to anyone, even Eric. The romantic in Kitty also thought this might be a way for them to work things out. To give Steven a second chance and fix his mistakes. He desperately wanted it, even if he would never say it to anyone. Kitty knew her boy. He may not be hers biologically but emotionally he was her son. This might be a way to fix old mistakes. Plus Jackie had gotten upset whenever Steven left, like she was worried he wasn't coming back. It was a trauma she didn't need to deal with right now.
"So when do I get to go home?"
"In 4 or 5 days as long as you continue to make good progress and then rest at home after that."
"But if it's the end of August doesn't school start right away? I'm a senior now and I have cheerleading duties. I was voted head cheerleader again so I have to be there to make sure all the girls do their hair properly and-" Jackie stopped as the Doctor interrupted her.
"Jackie, you won't be able to do much physical activity for about a month as you need to heal. I would say it will be the end of October before you can start cheerleading full time again."
"End of October!!! I have to be head cheerleader or that slut Pam Macy will be head cheerleader then she'll be elected homecoming queen and my life will be ruined!!!!"
"Sweetie that might be a slight exaggeration," Kitty said. "Right Steven?" During this Steven had been standing quietly off to the side. He wasn't really sure what to say, about any of it. He kind of nodded reluctantly. He had seen the cheerleading thing coming; he knew Jackie wasn't going to be happy about that. Hyde's problem was he didn't know how he was going to continually lie to Jackie about them being together. Before Steven could think of anything to say the Doctor spoke.
"Jackie you are very lucky to have come out with as little injuries as you have. You are a very lucky girl to be alive. Now, as long as everything goes well you can go home Wednesday morning. Then you have to take it easy for another 2 weeks and you should be able to go back to school." The Doctor then left the room.
"Sweetie, we are going to bring your stuff over to the house and you can stay with us. That way there will always be someone there and you don't have to stay on that cot at Donna's. Now get some rest and you can go home soon." With that Kitty left the two kids alone in the room.
"Steven, I can't remember 5 months of my life!! Plus what is the point of cheerleading if I can't cheer until October, I mean, I'll miss everything. That football games and everything. This is awful. And why can't I remember? You have to tell me everything. How did we spend our summer? Did we go anywhere? Was I the most popular girl at cheerleading camp again?"
"I . . I"
"Oh Steven please hold me," she asked in a quiet voice before Steven could think of anything to say. He sat down on the bed and gently wrapped his arms around her, lifting her out of the bed. Happy he didn't have to say anything.
