My heartfelt gratitude and thanks to Tall Poppy for helping me with the editing of this story. Hope you guys enjoy.
*****
Rachel stood outside the door of the apartment. Her right hand moved up and down the side of her jeans, wiping off the wetness on her palm. Coming here... making the decision to be with her would end up hurting another. 'But it's how I feel... What I want!' She thought to herself. Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, Rachel lifted her hand, unlocking the door to enter. A door that slowly opened to her new life....
*****
A year ago...
'Head hurts.... What are those noises?' Rachel's head felt like someone had poked a hot iron into her skull, making it hurt to open her eyes. She could hear sounds like a machine humming and a beeping noise that was close to her side. She tried to move her arm but the searing pain brought on by her movement made her gasp out loud.
"Oh my God! She's awake! Call the Doctor!" A female voice said loudly. Then she felt a hand brushing back her hair tenderly. "Rachel? Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?" The same voice asked her.
As she slowly opened her eyes, Rachel saw an Asian woman in her 60's standing beside her bed. "Oh thank God! Taylor! She's awake! She's awake!" The woman started to cry. "We thought we'd lost you!"
Rachel tried to say something to console the woman, but had difficulty finding her voice. As she cleared her throat, she saw another woman hesitantly approach the bed from the same side. This one was younger, probably in her mid 30's with brown curly hair, round brown eyes, and creamy white skin.
Clearing her throat again, Rachel tried to speak. "Who are you?" She asked both women who looked shocked at her question. "You called me Rachel. Is that my name? What happened to me?" She asked the older woman.
Before either woman could respond, the Doctor came in with a nurse in tow. "Well now! I see our patient has finally decided to join us! You gave your mom and your partner quite a scare there." He said, smiling at the women then asking Rachel: "How are you feeling?"
"Ummm... I don't remember anything. Who am I? Why am I here? Who are they?" She answered. "I'm sorry." She apologized as she saw the two women wince at her not being able to recognize them.
"Ok let me see if I can fill in the blanks: you are Rachel Reyes. You are here because you were a victim of an attempted robbery of a grocery store across the street from where you live. You were shot, but luckily for you, the bullet grazed your head -- the furrow was pretty deep, but no actual brain tissue was injured by the bullet. However, due to the impact, you had massive swelling in your brain. Initially, we could not be certain if there was a bleed in your brain, so for your own safety we induced a coma as you weren't responding to the usual meds. You have been in a coma for just over a month. It seems you have amnesia and we won't know if it is temporary or permanent until we complete a battery of tests." The doctor responded in a kind voice. "Also because of the coma, you will most definitely need physical therapy before you walk again as your muscles have atrophied. However, with therapy and your determination we will have you mobile in no time. As for these two beautiful ladies, this is your Mom, Agnes and this is your partner, Taylor. Now that the introductions have been done, I will leave you ladies alone so you can talk." With that, the doctor left the room.
Rachel looked at the two ladies again. Her mom was on the left side of the bed. "So... you're my mom?" Rachel asked and her mom nodded. "I'm so sorry I don't remember you." Agnes just tenderly brushed back the hair from Rachel's face and said with a quivering voice: "It's alright. The important thing is that you are back with us and we will have you better in no time."
Looking at Taylor beside her mom, she asked "So...you're my partner? How long have we been together?"
The other woman looked like she was in pain when the question was asked. Clearing her throat, Taylor responded: "Ummm... Close to ten years." Her eyes teared up as she said this.
"Hey...are you ok?" Rachel asked worriedly, seeing the expression on Taylor's face.
Agnes looked from her daughter to Taylor, smiled and grabbed hold of each of their hands, bringing them together. The moment her hand touched that of Taylor's, Rachel felt an electric current go up her arm and flood through her body. "She's OK. Aren't you, Taylor?" Agnes said, looking at Taylor and giving her a wink. "She was just really worried about you, dear." She let go of both their hands, leaving them still linked together.
Rachel, loving the feel of the skin on skin contact with Taylor, continued to hold on. She slowly started to rub her thumb across the skin of her partner, feeling her shiver just a bit. "I'm so sorry I worried you."
Taylor half-smiled, her body reacting to the touch of Rachel. 'God! It has really been a while since we've had any type of contact like this! I never thought I could actually miss such a simple touch.' She thought to herself. Realizing that she had yet to respond to Rachel's apology she squeezed her hand to reassure her.
"It's alright...you couldn't have known what was to happen. Just don't do anymore ice-cream runs late at night." Taylor replied trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, I most definitely won't be doing that considering I can't use my legs." Rachel replied with a smirk. 'It's funny that even though I don't remember these two women I feel a certain kinship to them.' She thought to herself.
"Now don't you be saying that! You have to be positive!" Agnes inserts. "The doctor said that with a little therapy and a whole lot of determination from you we can get you mobile!"
"We? Don't you mean me?" She asked.
"No. I mean exactly what I said and I did say we. As in, you, me and Taylor. Isn't that right, Taylor?" She turned to Taylor as she asked the question.
"Yes. Yes of course. I will be bringing you over to your sessions in the morning and if I have to go in for work then Mom here could take my place."
"Well that settles it then. We will do this!" Agnes stated emphatically, her face beaming, making her look younger than her years.
*******
A week later....
Rachel was riding beside Taylor on their way home after being discharged from the hospital. Taylor's face was serious as she manoeuvred the small red car along the busy highway. Her left hand was on the steering wheel and her right hand was on top of the stick shift. Her thumb lightly tapped on the wheel as the sound of 'Freshly Ground's -- I'd like' played softly in the background.
Rachel, for lack of anything to do was looking at the dashboard of the vehicle. Inspecting all the dials and buttons, she was suddenly struck by the funny thought that the emergency light button looked like something you would see on an espresso-maker.
'Either I'm that bored or I'm losing it.' She thought wryly. As she looked down to her left she saw Taylor's right hand holding on to the stick shift and began admiring the soft white skin and long fingers of her partner. It looked smooth, delicate and beautiful. She suddenly had a vision so clear in her head of two hands - brown one atop the white one with fingers intertwined as they were holding on to a stick shift. Before she could stop herself, her left hand lifted from her lap and moved on top of Taylor's hand, startling her.
"Oh!" She jumped a little as she said this.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Rachel quickly took her hand away.
"It's alright. I was just so concentrated on the traffic. What's wrong?" She asked but in actuality was deep in thought and so very nervous to be bringing Rachel home. 'What if she starts to wonder and ask about us? What if she starts to remember little things about how we really were as a couple?'
"Nothing's wrong. I... I just saw your hand and...ummm....wanted to touch and hold it as you drove. Stupid huh?" She said sheepishly, looking down.
"No. It's not stupid. When we drove anywhere together you would put your hand on top of mine and intertwine our fingers as I hold on to the gear shift." Rachel noticed the slight blush on Taylor's face as she said this.
"I did? I do? I just saw that vision in my head right before I placed my hand atop yours. So I do that huh?"
