Daisies

A few days later and I am allowed out of the hospital. The time felt like nothing to me.

"Let's go home." Something in my voice has changed. It's not so soft and dreamy anymore, not so foreign. It has turned normal.

My mom hugs me one last time before Luke takes my hand. I have trouble walking, and I probably always will. He lets me lean on his shoulder heavily, leading me out the door of my room and into the busy hallway. I sag before almost falling. He catches me and then decides to pick me up with such gentle care. The back of my knees feel slick against his bare arm, the other wrapped firmly around my back, pulling on my long dark hair. I feel so frail, so fragile. It will take me the rest of my life to fully recover.

When we get to the house, I am surrounded by yet another flood of memories and my eyes turn blank for a moment as a vision comes to me. The white room, the ceiling dripping water into my eyes. The water begins to pour, and suddenly I am surrounded by the black upholster of a car. Then the water begins to pile up around me, flooding me. It raises slowly, engulfing my upper body and making my clothes sway. I am motionless, stricken with fear. It covers my clammy neck next, and then tries to tickle my chin. I let it rise farther and farther, covering my head and making my hair fan out around me. Bubbles drift around merrily, on their way to the surface, where they will die. My breath leaves me and my chest burns. Death.

I shudder before blinking and then looking up at Luke. He's smiling down at me like an idiot.

I can forget my nightmares for him. I can forget it for them all. But I won't.

My mom goes to make us some lemonade while Luke carries me out to sit on the bench in the backyard.

There is a fence around the backyard, but it is old. There are daisies growing everywhere. My daisies. Luke takes my hand after setting me on the bench. He smirks slightly. "Welcome home, Libby."

I smile to myself, sharing a secret. Somewhere in the shadows of the fence I catch a glimpse of a younger Libby, her eyes worn and her face crumpled. She smiles at me before disappearing forever.

My mother then comes out, carrying three tall glasses of lemonade. She squeezes in to sit on the bench beside us and I take a sip of my drink. We stare contentedly into the distance, the peace too satisfying for words. Luke rubs circles on my hand and I feel love for them both. All is well here. All is well.

But I'll never be the same. I'll always remember the white room, the dreams, the tears, how the daisies saved my life, and how no one would ever know.

No one except you.