These Lonely Streets

A streak of bright sunlight greeted my eyes, its intensity blinding me as though I'd been trapped in a dark cave for quite some time.

And truth be told, I had been.

The sliding glass doors closed behind me as I stepped outside onto the baking sidewalk, a cool hand rested on my shoulder as a tool of guidance. I glanced to my side, eyeing Dr. Walker with uncertain feelings. He offered a mere smile, the aging wrinkles in his face bending with his muscles. I offered no smile in return, but instead turned my eyes back onto the world in front of me. The sun appeared brighter than my memory could provide, its rays fresher and alive just as the baby blue in the sky appeared. Slowly, my eyes sunk back onto the sidewalk, the look of the world slightly overwhelming. It almost stung to see the beauty that stood before me.

"Cory?"

The voice that called my name sounded clear, almost melodic, causing me to look up.

They were here.

Jaycee stood in the line-up of the gang, her white teeth flashing in a brilliant smile in my direction. Next to her stood Buster, his towering figure inches above everyone else's and displaying his lead stature. Cluttered side by side then stood Randy, James, and Goliath. Goliath's face was stone set, not even his usually glistening blue irises as soft as I remembered.

What memory did I have left, anyway?

I felt as though I'd been drained of everything I once had and remembered. My past seemed to be wiped, although there were details that were glued to my memory and refused to leave. All my beatings, my surgery, and my ties to the five people standing in front of me.

Oh, and of course, the reason I checked into rehab in the first place.

Dr. Walker squeezed my shoulder gently, hoping some boost of confidence would flood my veins by his touch. Yeah, not really. My muscles could not even bring up a fake smile as the silence drug on between all of us. Buster took a step forward, his face as set as Goliath's was. However, his face was always stoic, a natural feature he possessed.

"Ready to go home?" Buster asked.

I nodded.

Again, Dr. Walker squeezed my shoulder, but this time released me from his invisible leash that had heeled me to his side for so long. My feet moved beneath me, almost without my consent, but it felt so natural and fluent. Buster's arms opened, welcoming me back into the real world. I threw my arms around him, feeling the warmth of family for the first time in what felt like eternity. Buster's arms never felt so welcoming, for he was not really the "let-out-all-your-feelings-to-me" kind of guy. He released me quickly as a tear rolled down my cheek, then he side stepped to let my eyes rest on the gang. Goliath stepped forward until he was a foot in front of me, his eyes looking down into mine. My hands shook, my lips trembled, and I remembered how we had left each other.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, just audible enough for him to hear. Goliath said nothing as he wove his arms around my back and pulled me into the tightest hug manageable. A few more tears, but each one worth it.

"Mr. Griffin?" Dr. Walker said. Buster looked up, barely phased that he was being summoned by the doctor. He made his way to Dr. Walker, instantly sucked into his words.

"Good to have you back," Goliath muttered into my hair. I felt frozen, like my voice box was iced over and it needed some time to defrost.

"Just a few guidelines you should follow with her," Dr. Walker was saying. "The basics, really. Just to ensure her on a full recovery."

"Mhmm," Buster hummed in agreement.

Goliath still had me crushed to his torso, but a new, warm touch was with us. I glanced up to find Randy's hand placed delicately on my shoulder, a brilliant grin lighting up his boyish face. However, my focus was on the discussion of my being.

"You understand that it's going to take time and your dedication for this to work, right?" Dr. Walker questioned.

"Completely," Buster replied.

"Good. Make sure you keep her away from the party life. No alcohol, drugs, smoking . . . y'know, all that sort of stuff."

Oh, so no life?