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“Including us,” Mom said pointedly.
“Yes, including you.”
Mom sighed. “I’m going to miss you. I like having you around here, where I can look after you.”
I set down my mug and stepped forward to hug her. “I love you, Mom. I really do appreciate everything.” We pulled apart. “I don’t know what I would have done after the accident without you guys.”
“You’re stronger than you think, Mon. I’ll always bet on you.”
Her confidence in me never wavered. She really was the best. “Thanks, Mom. I’m right down the road, okay?”
I packed my things throughout the day, and Dad helped me take them over to my apartment on Wednesday. I lived in a little two-bedroom loft above the hardware store on Main Street. Minden didn’t exactly have huge apartment complexes. The duplexes on the outskirts of town where Jake lived were mostly rentals, and there were a few other houses around town. My favorites were the handful of second-floor apartments that were on the upper floors of the old downtown brick buildings.
Dad gave me a hug before leaving me blessedly alone in my apartment. The original hardwood floors and exposed brick walls felt like home. I’d lived here for five years, ever since I graduated nursing school and got my first job. I worked as many extra shifts as I could to afford furniture and rent alongside my student loan payments when I first moved in.
I ignored the duffel bag I’d haphazardly thrown clothes in and collapsed into the corner of my small blue sectional. I grabbed a throw pillow and settled in, reaching for the remote from the coffee table.
There it was. The first memory.
Jake was there, on my couch, holding the remote control over his head, out of my reach. His smile was broad and teasing. I reached for the remote to no avail. “Come on, Jake! It’s my turn to choose.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is it? You chose last night. Poorly, I might add. That was the cheesiest Christmas movie I’ve ever seen. It didn’t even make sense!”
I pouted. “Fine. What are we watching then?”
“Basketball,” he replied with a wink.
The memory of my laughing groan faded as the vision ended.
A new memory. Despite the pain in my skull, I smiled. I’d been right about coming here. But it was more than that making me happy. It was the memory itself. Feeling how happy I’d been with Jake.
I really had loved him, and I had to believe I could again.
Unable to resist, I texted him.
MS: I moved back to my place.
JB: Really? Need anything?
MS: Not sure yet. Probably groceries at some point.
JB: I’m at the station right now, but after I finish my workout we can head to Greencastle.
JB: If you want, I mean.
MS: That sounds great. Thanks.
I debated telling him about the memory but figured I’d save that for in person. He’d be excited about it. I wasn’t ready to proclaim that I loved him, but I really liked the idea that I had the ability to make Jake happy. I wanted to be the reason he was smiling. That sounded an awful lot like progress to me.
ChapterFourteen
JAKE
Iwhipped through my last reps and showered as quickly as I could. After Monday night, I had wondered if maybe Monica would wake up and take back all the things she admitted under the influence of her super-strength pain killers.
She had texted me though, and we were going grocery shopping together.
“Where are you headed in such a hurry?” Bryce was still finishing his workout when I came out after getting dressed.
