Welcome to Blissville

by Walker, Aimee Nicole

  “It won’t be long now,” Memphis said in relief.

  It had taken another forty minutes before the pager went off signaling that it was time to meet with Dr. Rosenau. “Here,” I said, handing it to Memphis since he was Emory’s medical power of attorney, “you’ll need this.”

  “Hang on to it because you’re coming with me.”

  Memphis and I approached the desk and handed the buzzer to the guy who had checked Emory in when we arrived that morning. He thoroughly matched the buzzer to his computer and a written patient roster in front of him. He placed some stickers with a barcode on the roster and then gestured for us to follow him back to the room where Dr. Rosenau would speak with us.

  My legs bounced nervously while we waited for her, but luckily, she entered the room not long after we sat down. She introduced herself to Memphis first, who identified himself as Emory’s cousin and POA, and then she turned to me.

  “Jon Silver,” I said, shaking her hand. “I’m Emory’s boyfriend.”

  “It’s good to meet you both,” she said cheerfully. “I have good news and great news. Which would you prefer to hear first?”

  “Great news!” Memphis and I both said at once.

  “Okay, the great news is that Emory’s tumor tested benign. The good news is… Hell, who am I kidding? It’s all great news today. The other great news is that I was able to remove all of the tumor so he will not have to undergo additional treatments to remove tentacles that might’ve attached to inoperable parts of the brain. We also discovered that his tumor wasn’t compressing the brain as severely as we first thought. Emory should make a full recovery without any side effects. However, it might take him a while to get there. He could be tired and weak for several weeks, possibly months. His speech and motor skills might also be impacted. We’ll provide any kind of therapy he needs while he stays in our Neuroscience Critical Care Unit. He’ll be taking medication for at least the next six months or longer to minimize swelling and inflammation. He may require additional physical therapy for an extended period. We won’t know that until we examine him. We’re also going to restrict driving until we’re sure he isn’t having seizures.”

  Relief washed over me, and I slumped back in the chair. “That is great news,” I said. “How long before we can see Emory?”

  “He’s sleeping off some pretty serious sedation, so it might be a little bit longer still. I promise you that we’ll call you back as soon as possible.

  “He has quite a few people waiting to see him,” I told her.

  “We have to limit them to two visitors at a time for the first twenty-four hours, but tomorrow he can have as many as he’d like. We’ll take you back to see him in recovery before he’s moved to his room in the NCCU,” she told us.

  “Okay, but you need to know something very important, Dr. Rosenau. I’ll sleep in the waiting room if I must, but I’m not leaving this hospital without Emory.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” she assured me. “I’ll make sure a cot is brought into Emory’s private room for you. I’m sure that knowing you’re close by would make him feel better and rest easier.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Do either of you have any more questions for me right now? I will be by Emory’s room to check on him after I make my rounds.”

  Memphis looked at me, and I shook my head. “I guess we’re good for now, Dr. Rosenau.” We both shook her hand again before she headed off to check on her patients.

  Our friends rose to their feet when we returned to the waiting room. The smiles on our faces must’ve told them that we had great news because they were hugging us in relief before we even told them anything.

  “He can only see you guys two at a time, but I know he’ll be so happy to see you when he wakes up.”

  “I’ll have my phone ready in case he says something funny,” Adrian said, but we could tell he was joking.

  I was a lot more talkative once I knew Emory was out of the woods. I took the first steps at making a real connection with the people who cared enough about us to give up their day to hang out at the hospital. I opened the gate and welcomed them in.

  I jumped out of my chair when the buzzer went off because I was minutes away from seeing Emory again. “We’ll let you know when we learn his room number so you guys can come see him.”

  I handed the device to the nurse who met us at the door to escort us back to Emory. She double-checked the buzzer number against her patient roster and smiled. “I’m sure he’s going to be thrilled to see you guys. He’s mumbling quite a bit as he comes out of anesthesia. Which one of you is River?”

  Her words were like a knife to my heart, and I jerked to a stop. I might’ve left the hospital had Memphis not placed his hand on my shoulder. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he assured me. “Who knows where his mind went during anesthesia. Maybe he’s saying goodbye.”

  I swallowed hard, wanting to believe him. I plastered a smile on my face and nodded. I opened the door to Emory’s suite, and Memphis went inside first. I stayed back for a second as I tried to bolster my courage. Please let this be real. Let Emory be the one I finally call my own.

  “Hey, Em,” I heard Memphis softly say. “How are you feeling?”

  “High,” he slurred. “Where’s Jon? Did I dream him?”

  Tears of relief burned the back of my eyes as I stepped into the room. “I’m right here, Em.”

  When Memphis first came into my room, it felt like déjà vu. For a few heartbeats, I was back in that hospital room five years ago expecting to see River walk through the door. Memphis’s blinding smile was what snapped me back to the present day. It was nothing like the expression he wore the last time. Once again, I looked over Memphis’s shoulder in search of the man I loved.

  “Hey, Em,” Memphis said. “How are you feeling?”

  I looked at my cousin as I struggled to process my thoughts. “High,” I slurred. “Where’s Jon? Did I dream him?” Had I dreamed up everything that happened since the accident?

  “I’m right here, Em.”

  Tears of relief and joy slid down my face as I raised my hand off the bed and reached for him. “You’re real. I didn’t dream you.”

  Jon came to my side in quick strides and lowered himself into the chair by my bed. He took my hand in his then kissed it before holding it to his cheek. “Some people might call me a nightmare,” he said.

  “Huh-uh,” I said. “Not me.”

  “Give it time,” Jon replied softly then kissed my hand again. “Did they tell you the great news?”

  “The basics,” I said. My voice wasn’t quite as sluggish, but I sounded anything but alert. “I think they’re waiting for me to be fully awake. My nurse said that Dr. Rosenau would stop by later.” I shifted my eyes between Memphis and Jon. “According to your dopey smiles, it went okay.”

  “Better than okay, Em.” Jon leaned over and kissed my forehead just beneath the bandages they had wrapped around my head.

  “I’m really tired still.”

  “Well, damn. I thought we’d leave here and go clubbing tonight,” Memphis remarked.

  “Let me take a nap first,” I replied. My eyes felt so heavy that I could barely keep them open. “On second thought, we better make it tomorrow.”

  “Rest, Em,” Jon said tenderly. “I’ll be here when you wake up. You have some amazing friends who showed up and waited with us all day. They want to say a quick hello once you get moved to your room. Is that okay?”

  “I’ll always have time for Josh and Gabe.”

  “They didn’t come alone, baby. They brought half of Blissville with them.”

  “They did?”

  “Yep,” he replied. “John, Deanna, Adrian, Sally Ann, Kyle, Chaz, Mere, and Harley have been hanging out with us all day.”

  “I love your friends,” Memphis said. “You have an amazing life here.”

  I kept my eyes locked on Jon’s when I replied. “I’m very lucky.”

  “You’re also very tired,” Memphis told me. “
Do you want them to come back tomorrow when you’re feeling a little more alert.”

  “No!” My reply sounded loud in my brain, but it was a hoarse whisper when the word passed through my lips.

  “How about you take a little nap first then,” Memphis said.

  “It’ll probably be another hour before we move him to his regular room,” the nurse informed us. “He might feel a little more alert then.”

  “Close your eyes and rest, baby.” Jon leaned over and pressed his lips to my ears. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “Promise? I don’t want this to be a dream.”

  “I promise, Em. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  His assurance spoken in a dark, velvety voice eased my mind, and I stopped fighting sleep.

  The next time I opened my eyes, I did feel a little more alert. As promised, Jon’s face was the first thing I saw. Jon raised my hand that he still held to his mouth for another kiss. I looked around the room and noticed that at some point while I was sleeping off my anesthesia high they had moved me to my hospital room. The television was playing a college basketball game, but I was still too groggy to follow the action on the screen.

  “Are you ready for your visitors?” Jon asked. I nodded slightly. “You can only see two at a time, so I’m going to step outside and let them say hello to you.”

  “Okay, but don’t go far.” I would’ve rolled my eyes at the neediness I heard in my voice, but I saw how much Jon liked it.

  “I’ll be right outside the door.”

  Memphis was right. My friends were awesome, and I had an amazing life in Blissville. I sent up a silent thank you to River for sending me there and pushing me into Jon’s arms. That thought sparked a memory of something—a conversation I had with River while I was under sedation. As happy as I was to visit with my friends and accept their gentle hugs and warm wishes, I needed to tell Jon something very important.

  “Hey, baby,” Jon said when he and Memphis entered the room after the final two visitors left. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired, but okay. I think these meds are strong enough to keep the worst of the pain at bay.” I waved him over. “I need to tell you something.”

  “What is it, Em?”

  My eyelids felt weighted down again, and I knew sleep was just around the corner. I wanted to tell Jon before I forgot. “River kept me company while I was in surgery and he…” I felt Jon’s hand stiffen in mine and I paused. I reopened my eyes and turned my head slowly to look at him. “He sent me to you, Jon. There’s no need for you to be afraid. I love you. He told me something important; a few things, actually. One of them is a message for you.”

  I felt Jon relax before he asked, “What did River have to say, Em?”

  “Well, it was strange because we were sitting on a bench in a lovely park that overlooked a river. I’m not sure where it was because I didn’t recognize it. He joked and said he chose it because of its name, River’s Edge. Anyway, it was a lovely place, and we had a nice chat.” Jon’s grip tightened on my hand, but it relaxed just as quickly. “River took my hands and said, ‘Atta boy, Emory. I knew you still had a lot of love to give some lucky guy. You just needed to come to terms with the fact that you were the love of my lifetime, but I wasn’t meant to be yours. I want you to smile and be happy when you look back on our life together, but I need you to always keep your focus on what’s in front of you and the future you’re building with Jon. He’s a good man, even if he doesn’t know it.’ Then he got a crooked smile on his face then said, ‘Tell Jon that Nate is okay and he’s happy that Jon found you. Nate said to start with Yankee Stadium.’ I tried asking him what he meant, but he said that Nate was waiting for him.” I smiled at Jon. “I got the idea that they’ve become quite friendly. That makes me really happy.”

  Jon was quiet for so long that I worried I had upset him. He closed his eyes and tears slid silently down his face. “Me too.”

  “What did Nate mean when he said we should start with Yankee Stadium?” I asked.

  “Nate and I planned to visit every MLB stadium because we both loved baseball so much,” Jon said. “You probably think it sounds silly.”

  “I think it sounds wonderful,” I said on a drowsy sigh.

  “Sleep now, baby. We’ll talk about it later.”

  The rest of my stay at the hospital followed a pretty consistent pattern. Sleep, wake up and rejoice that I didn’t conjure Jon up in a dream, eat a little, try to chat with my visitors, do my physical therapy exercises, then sleep again. I felt stronger each day and looked forward to going home. Dr. Rosenau’s enthusiasm about the success of my surgery made me hopeful that this would just be another speed bump in the road of life. I had some amazing plans to carry out with my guy.

  Jon. True to his word, I don’t think I opened my eyes one time when he wasn’t right there by my side. That cot had to be miserable to sleep on, but he wouldn’t listen when I suggested that he go home and get some sleep at night in his comfortable bed.

  “I’ll return to my comfortable bed once you’re able to sleep beside me,” he had replied. “Or, we can go straight to your house.”

  Jon’s house was closer to the hospital where I would need to return for therapy, scans, and other tests over the next few weeks, so I chose to go there with him rather than have him drive me back and forth to Blissville. It didn’t surprise me when Jon invited Memphis to stay with us, but Memphis accepting the offer did take me by surprise.

  Memphis simply shrugged and said, “I like your people. Maybe Blisstucky would be a great place for me to make a fresh start too.”

  “I’d love to have you here with me,” I said excitedly. “You can stay with me until you can find a place to rent.”

  Memphis smiled sheepishly and said, “I found a place already. Chaz told me that his aunt Sandra’s house on Maple Lane is available to rent at a low cost. He warned me that I would be surrounded by overbearing, meddling women who would only want what’s best for me. Sounds like a great place to live.

  “I’ve done some research, and independent stores do well in that tiny little town. Somehow, someway they’re not gobbled up by the chain stores. There’s an open retail space, and I’m thinking about accepting someone’s very generous offer to help me start my own business.”

  “Memphis, that is so exciting. I will love having you so close by.”

  Later that night, I worried that my excitement over returning to Blissville would hurt Jon’s feelings. I loved the weeks we spent at his house in Hyde Park during my recovery, especially watching the sun rise through the amazing wall of windows while he slowly made love to me, but the house wasn’t his home.

  “It doesn’t feel like home to me either,” Jon said when I brought it up to him that night. “I feel more at home in Blissville than Hyde Park too.”

  “My house doesn’t afford an amazing view though,” I told him.

  “Oh yes, it does.” Jon dropped a sweet kiss on my nose and added, “I’ll be happy as long as you are the first thing I see each morning. Your sexy body and tender heart are my home, Em. Where you go, I go.”

  “What about your job?” I asked him. Vibe was a thriving club that would need his attention.

  “Michelle has done an amazing job of running things while I’ve been home with you. I have every confidence she can run the club with very little input from me. I’ll still pop in there a few days a week during the day to conduct staff meetings and make sure everything is running smoothly, but I don’t need to be there in person every single night. Vibe was Nate’s dream, and it’s time that I find my own.”

  By the time mid-March rolled around, I was strong enough to go back to my home and start living again. Each scan and test showed that I was healing beautifully. I had very few side effects, and they became less and less noticeable as time passed. Memphis had already settled into his new place on Maple Lane the week before, and I was eager to see it and talk about his plans for his comic book and vinyl record
store. I wanted Jon to move with me, but I was afraid it was too bold of a move or too soon. I searched for ways to bring it up the night before I planned to return home but kept chickening out.

  Jon pulled a suitcase out of his closet and started packing it with his clothes. I perked up when I noticed he was taking a lot of things, not just a few pairs of pants for a weekend stay. “Do you mind if we keep this house? Maybe use it like a vacation home or something? Especially when we come to the city for ballgames and theater.” I didn’t miss the change in pitch at the end. I smiled because he was answering the questions I was afraid to ask. Jon looked up from packing when I didn’t answer right away. How could I with that joker grin spread across my face?

  “I think that’s a great idea.”

  The next morning, we loaded his trunk with the things he wanted to take to my… our house. He didn’t take the exit for the interstate like I thought he would but drove to an empty park instead. Spring was on the horizon, but it was still a bit nippy to hang out in the park. I looked at him with a raised brow, and he pointed over to an ornate park sign that read: River’s Edge.

  My mouth fell open in shock, and I got out of his car. I walked straight to the bench that I sat on when I last talked to River. I sat down and rubbed my hand over the smooth wooden planks. What did it mean? Were my psychic abilities still intact? It wasn’t abnormal that I’d gone a few months without a vision, so I wasn’t sure what to think. I heard Jon walk up behind me. He came around the other side of the bench and sat down.

  “This park was my first revitalization project to honor my brother.” He ran his hand over the golden plate that read: In Loving Memory of Nathan Thomas Turner. “Nate loved this city and thought she had potential to be the finest one in the Midwest. Since his death, I’ve had two goals: honor him by revitalizing his city and make sure he got justice. Gabe and his team took care of one of them, and I’m still working on the other.”

  “It’s beautiful, Jon. He must love it too, and that’s why River brought me here for our final chat.”