14: Hot Baths: Lindsay and Tyler
After "Total Drama", things in Lindsay's life changed drastically. When she got home, her parents sat her down and had a talk about her memory loss. Although they always laughed off her forgetfulness, while on the show they noticed just how bad it was and were concerned. The blonde didn't think it was anything severe. After all, she'd always forgotten things and it was just chalked up to her "ditzy" behaviour. All her life she was told she wasn't smart but she had a "great personality" which covered up for her lack of intellect. Yet once she her parents took her to have some tests done, she started to really think about what could be wrong.
Tyler was worried too, and he helped her do some research, mainly because she never remembered how to turn her computer on. He listed off the possibilities of what she could have and by the end she was crying because oh God what if she had a brain injury or schizophrenia? She spent that night in Tyler's arms as he reassured her she was going to be okay.
He went back with her later in the week when she got the tests back. The doctor asked her if anyone in her family had dementia. When she said yes, her mother's parents did, the doctor's smile faded and he told her what he suspected was wrong. Lindsay had early onset dementia. To make sure, they ran through a boat load of tests and Tyler waited until she was done. When she came out, she was told to come back in another week when they had the results. Until then, she wasn't supposed to do anything too strenuous, which meant no cheer practice the whole week.
When she told her parents, her mother couldn't stop crying. Her father just got this quiet, sad look in his eyes and hugged her tightly. The results came back, and the diagnosis was confirmed. Her doctor prescribed her a variety of medications and arranged for her to start a trial that could help reduce the severity of her symptoms. Lindsay wasn't sure what to think of all this, but she went along with it with the hopes of getting better.
Her friends from school didn't visit her when she went to stay in the hospital for tests. She rarely saw them, even when at school. All she had was Tyler and her family. Until Tyler called up their friends from "Total Drama" and told them what was going on after a year with her diagnosis.
It was Christmas break and Lindsay was helping her family decorate. The medications she took often made her dizzy so standing up were an issue some days, but her memory was intact for the most part. The doorbell rang and when she got it, she saw the whole cast, even newcomers Sierra and Alejandro, at her door with gifts and smiles.
"Do you remember us Lindsay?" Owen asked. Everyone else glared at him, Lindsay didn't mind.
"Yeah, I remember you guys. What are you doing here?" Tyler popped out from somewhere in the group and explained he invited them.
"I wanted you to be surrounded by familiar faces for the holidays," he stated with a light blush. His girlfriend hugged him tightly and swallowed a lump of tears.
"Hey, are we comin' in or not? My feet are freezing!" Duncan butted in, ruining the sweet moment.
Lindsay giggled and nodded her head. "Make yourselves at home. Mom, Dad, we have guests!"
That night, in between decorating and early gift opening, was incredibly hectic. By the end, most people passed out in the living room with blankets haphazardly tossed over them. Lindsay felt the need for a soak in the tub and snuck up to her bathroom to see Tyler already drawing her one. She settled on his lap and buried her head against his neck.
"Thank you for all this Tyler. It was really sweet," she muttered.
He turned off the water and kept a grip on her waist. "It was nothing, really. I mean, I just thought it would be better than some trinket."
"It was, it really was Tyler."
She wanted to stay like this forever. She wanted to remember this. Sometimes, when she thought about her disease and how bad it would one day get, she wanted to cry because what if she woke up one morning and had no idea who Tyler was? What if they had children, and she couldn't remember them either? Lindsay knew that Tyler was the one for her, but could she put him, and her future children, through the turmoil of her disease?
"When we get a house one day, can we have lazy Sundays where we have bubble baths together?" She asked quietly, her lips brushing across his fair skin. Tyler nodded eagerly.
"Yeah, after we take the kids to swimming practice."
Lindsay hugged him a little tighter then slid off his lap. "I'll be done in ten minutes. You can wait in my room. I think Mom got me a copy of 'Zombies from Space'."
Tyler nodded and kissed her forehead lightly. "Take your time." His red track suit retreated and she was left alone. With a sigh, Lindsay tossed off her Christmas sweater and sunk into the bubble bath.
Maybe she wouldn't remember everything in the years to come, but some things she refused to forget, and this day was one of them.