Remind Me

Chapter 3

Today was it, James was coming home. He was nervous; soon he would be going to a house he didn’t know existed. A house that was a home filled with many memories. Memories that belonged to him which had gotten lost like a crashed hard drive.

He still hadn’t seen his children and it was the fourth day since he had been awake. Kayli figured it would be better to wait till he was home to reintroduce him to his children. He agreed it would be best too. James still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he made four beautiful children.

“James are you almost ready?” Dr. Reid asked

“Yeah almost.” James said with a sigh and sat on the bed.

“It’s going to be hard at first. Take it a day at a time.” Dr. Reid said squeezing his shoulder in a fatherly way.

“I can only try.” James gave a light smile.

“Well your wife should be here soon. I’ll let you finish packing.” He smiled and exited the room.

James continued packing. He reached for the picture frame on his bedside table. It was this year’s Christmas picture of his four children. Staring at the four little faces in that frame was heart breaking, they all felt so unfamiliar. Today would be the first time he’s seen them since the accident, an accident that has changed his entire life.

“James you ready?” A man’s voice from the doorway said.

“Dad?” James said turning his head towards the door.

***
“Daddy coming home today?” Avia asked her mother

“Yes baby. He is.” She said.

This was it James was coming home. They had talked about what they would do when he came home. The doctors suggested they go on like they did before the accident. They said it might help him remember. He was also told that hockey would not be an option this season. Kayli knew it would be hard going about her normal routine and trying to help James remember.

“When will he be home mom?” Nash asked her.

“Soon grandpa just left to go get him.” She said as she went to go get her crying baby.

***
“You ready?” James dad Peter asked.

“As ready as am ever going to be.” James responded

“Alright.” Peter pointed the car in the direction of James’ home.

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m scared. I don’t know how to be a husband and a father.”

“It’s not going to be easy, but you’ll learn. You’ve been taking care of your family for almost a decade. You may not remember but you have and you’ve been doing a great job.” He tried reassuring him.

James had to relearn everything that happened in the past ten years. Not only did he have to learn about a 10 year relationship and fatherhood. He had to learn about world events and his career. James was missing 10 years, 3652 days or 87648 hours of information, whichever way you looked at it; it was a lot of information missing. As James thought about all he must have missed it felt like an eternity, then suddenly they pulled up to unfamiliar house.

***
“He’s here.” Kayli took a deep breath as she stared out the window holding her baby. The familiar black car pulled up and parked in her driveway.

“He’s here!” Deborah, James’ mother shouted across the house.

Tears began to form in Kayli’s eyes. This was it, he was home and she had to help teach him everything again and raise four children. It wasn’t going to be easy but these were the cards she was dealt and now she had to figure out how to play them. No matter what she still loved James just as much if not more as the day she married him. She was going to do her best to help him remember. She slowly started making her way to the front door with Emmy. Her mother-in-law and the three other children rushed to great him. She could hear the steps getting closer and then the door knob turned. He walked through the door and there he was in front of his family. Deborah put down Cam and walked up to hug her son.

“Welcome home James.” She smiled at him.

“Thanks mom.” He said hugging her looking over her shoulder at the four little faces that are his children.

The children must’ve known there was something different because they didn’t run to him or scream daddy. Kayli was surprised Cam didn’t run to hug his legs. A child’s intuition must never be underestimated. James mom let go of her son and he walked up to his oldest child. He stared at him for a moment then spoke.

“Thank you for taking care of your mom and siblings while I was gone buddy.” He said grabbing on to Nash’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

“Dad.” Nash started to cry. James did what felt natural and hugged him.

“Everything is going to be okay.” He whispered into his son’s ear.

James may not have known how to be a father just yet but he realized no matter what he loved his children. They were a part of him and he felt it. The minute he walked into the house and saw them
he felt it pull on his heart. There was love in that house and you could feel it.

“Avia were you good for mom?” He asked his daughter.

“Yeah.” She nodded and hugged him.

“And you little man?” He said kneeling down too his two year old.

“Dad! Batman!” Came said pointing to his shirt. No matter what decade it was boys still loved superheroes.

“Yeah that’s batman.” James smiled and Cam was off to the playroom screaming his pleasantries.

“And he’s off.” Kayli laughed.

James walked up to his wife and smiled at her. She smiled back at him.

“And who is this?” He smiled at his four month old baby.

“Say hi daddy. Emmy.” Kayli said to the baby.

“Can I hold her?” He asked cautiously.

“Of course. James she is yours.” She smiled

“Right.” He said as she passed him Emmy.

He held on to her carefully scared he might break her. It took him a few minutes to get comfortable with her and then she was resting on his chest in the living room while he sat on the reclining chair.

“Hey dad, come see the cool race track I got for my birthday.” Nash exclaimed. James had missed Nash’s birthday. It was two weeks after the accident.

“Sure buddy!” He said getting up and handing Emmy to Kayli.

“Everything will be fine.” Deborah smiled a Kayli.

“He’ll remember soon enough.” Peter chimed in.

“Yeah. Everything will be fine.” She smiled wipping away a tear.
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Sorry it took me a while to update. I'm back to school tomorrow. I have a few breaks and I am gonna try my hardest to bust out a few chapters and maybe even one for Back to December.

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