Do I know you?

Chapter twenty-seven

„Better late than never"
Valerias sight

„Well, what a beautiful sight. Welcome back Mrs. Norris or is it still Miller?" the doctor says, entering the room. My head shoots towards Lando and I look at him with a very confused look. What have I forgot or missed. Do I still know everything from the last months? What time is it? „I will explain later wifey." Lando says suddenly and we look back at the doctor. „Could you guys please leave the room, so we can run some tests?" The boys leave and I am alone with the doctor. „Well Mrs. Norris it is really a awesome thing, that you are awake again. You took some time to wake up again." he states and I ask „How long have I been asleep?" „Actually for around three and a half weeks." I open my eyes in utter shock. Three weeks? It is already the new year? This is crazy and I don't even really know what happened. Everything is blurry and I can't figure it out.

They run some tests on me and after the check up the doctor says „Everything looks good and we want to transfer you to a normal room out of the intensive care." I nod and the doctor leaves the room. Shortly after the boys come back and Lando smiles at me. He seems to thinks that I do not notice the relief in his eyes, and even in his body language you can see it. It really shows me how much we grew together in this short period of time. I must say, I really like it and wouldn't change a thing about it.

They moved me to an other room, which isn't really better than the previous one but it is alright. I am lying in my bed and talk to the boys when suddenly three girls are running into my room. They are Lily and the two Norris sisters. I smile at them while Lando jumps up and stops them from running to me. „Stop, right here. Calm down and then you can go to her but I won't let you through if you are crushing her again." I smile shyly. He really is very protective over me and even keeps the girls under control. They laugh about his behaviour and walk around him to get to me. First Lily hugs me tightly and I say „ Sorry that I wasn't there for so long. I hope you still want to work for me." She looks at me and starts laughing, I am confused. „Do you really think I am mad at you for being in the hospital? I would never." She smiles and adds „It worked very well. I had a lot of help and the girls were there too." I look at Landos sisters just to see them, hugging their brother and looking at Lily and me. Lily steps away and the girls come to me. „I can't tell you how thankful I am to have met you girls and your brother." „You can't imagine how happy we are to have you in our family. You made changes that nobody knew were really necessary." We hug and I can't get the smile off my face for the time of their visit.

After they leave Lando stays and we talk a little. Carlos had to leave for Spain, because he wanted to visit his family before the season starts again and I could imagine Isa would like to see him as well. I made him promise not to tell anybody what we found out, because it takes time for me to understand all of this and also to manage the thought of finally having found my family. I lay in my bed while Lando sits at a chair next to me. „Come up here." I say. I want him near to me to have something to hold on to. So I can be sure, that this is real and that I am save. He smiles and gets up. I move aside and he lays down next to me. „Do you know how much I missed you?" He asks. I say „Why, I was here? It is not like I was gone again and you didn't see me." „But you weren't really there. You scared me, a lot. While you were in a coma you moved your arms and legs and you cried. Vally, you cried. Can you imagine how upset I was because I couldn't help you. You were there physically but couldn't be there for me." I smile and cuddle to his chest. „I don't know how I can ever repay you for what you done for me these last months. It is more than every thank you can do in the world." He hugs me tighter and we keep laying there and enjoying each other's company. It really is time to talk about whatever this is between us. I like how it is but it is somehow confusing.

„Do you know how it happened?" Lando asks me suddenly. I sigh and take a deep breath. „No. I don't know anything. Everything is blurry." „That's okay. Maybe it comes back someday." I mutter „I don't think I want it to come back." Lando has heard it and starts drawing circles on my arm. „Wait, how is my car?" it suddenly hits me. Everything I could ever call mine, from the start, is gone. To some people it may be just a car but to me it wasn't. It was no present, it was nothing I just got. I worked for it and I did everything that was possible to get this car. I saw it and it was like it called me, like it had a connection to me and now all of this is gone. I build a connection to the boy lying next to me through this car. We took our first ride in it. The memories that are connected to it are invaluable. I feel how the tears start rolling down my cheeks. „I have only seen pictures but it is gone. I managed to get all of the things that you had in it but it won't ever drive again." It is just a thing, it is something that can be exchanged quicker than a bedsheet but still the tears are flooding down my cheeks. „No, don't cry. Please don't do this, I never know what I should do. It is alright. We manage to find something suitable. I know it will never be similar to what you have lost but it will be okay. Even though it may be just a car it has memories right?" „Yes" I say, „Yes it held a lot of memories." It was with me when I flee from home because my adoptive parents argued again and tried to involve me, it was there when I had to drive to shootings, it was used for shootings, Lando and I had our first drive together with it. These are memories that can never be brought back in any way. We stay in silence and eventually fell asleep after some time.

The next two weeks we focus on me getting better and learning to walk again. Well, it feels like learning to walk again because due to me laying for over three weeks I have no muscles left in my legs. Lando has gone back to preparing for the season and still sleeps in the hospital with me. Carlos is also back in England and we chat over the day a lot. I got in good contact with Mick over the last weeks. We already met last year and got along very well. A week ago he reached out and asked how I was. I don't know how he found out but I assume one of the boys told or he noticed them being away. I really like chatting with him because he is very funny, not funnier than Lando though, and he is also pretty understanding. We talked out how I am feeling and also talked about my car crash. It is very good talking to somebody I don't have a deep connection to. It made me realise what I have gone through but also got trough and that I am on a new way because the old one stopped so it needed the crash to start over. It really is like therapy but in a much better way. I was in therapy for a long time, because my parents wanted me to go, but it never helped in any way. It only made it worse, if that is even possible. I stopped going to therapy a few weeks before I met Lando and Carlos in the park. I always believed that it would help, that my parents, huh-funny, parents, that the people who adopted me, were right but they weren't and they will never ever be again.

„Heyy gurl. Oh my god! You look terrible." Lily states while coming into my room. „Well, thank you for this amazing information in the morning." Lando left half an hour ago and now Lily is here. „I'm sorry, but how do you want to impress your man in that way?" I start laughing. I stop when my stomach starts to hurt. „Who do I have to impress? Lando? He knows me in a much worse state." „And? It is still not bad to look pretty sometimes." Lily walks into the bathroom and gets my brush as well as a the little bit of make up I own. We have a fun time while Lily brushes my hair and puts a little bit of make up on my face. „Lily, there is something I have to tell you." „Yeah, what's going on?" „I am able to stand alone again and a few steps are also possible. I am still scared to get out of the bed alone but it would be possible. I just have to leave my mind and thoughts behind. I trained doing that with Mick for a while now but it still is sometimes hard to do." „Whoa, whoa. You can what? Does Lando know?" „No he doesn't. He has to focus on the upcoming season and I don't want to bother him with my stuff." „You did not just say that. That boy loves you from skin to bone and deeper, so never say that he is not caring enough to listen to all your things, no matter how stupid, crazy or funny they are." I smile at what Lily is saying because she is right. She is damn right. We chat for a little until she goes back home. The shop is closed for a few days because of me and because Lily needs rest too.

It is already seven pm when I decide to finally get up and try my luck. I slowly pull the blanket away and move my legs so they hang from the bedside. Then slowly I put one foot on the floor and the second one follows. I get up in little steps and then I stand, a little wiggly but still I stand. In that moment as if the sky wanted it to happen, Lando enters the room and stops, looking at me shocked, behind him the doctor coming for the evening catch up. I smile at Lan and then take baby steps towards him. He does the same and comes nearer slowly. When we reach each other he hugs me tightly and I snuggle my face into his shoulder. „That looks very promising Mrs. Norris." the doctor says while coming in. „Thank you very much, doctor." „When will she be getting out of here?" Lando suddenly asks. He laughs and then says „Well, if your wife is passing the mobility test tomorrow she will be allowed to go home the same day. You just have to promise to keep an eye on her and she has to do the physiotherapy." I smile and say „That's the best thing I have heard today." The doctor does the casual tests and then leaves again. „You changed something?" I look at him and say „Well not much, just a little make up to cover the bruises and Lily has done my hair." „You are beautiful, you were before don't get me wrong, but it feels good to see you in normal state again." I smile and we keep talking for a long time. In the morning I get picked up by a nurse. She guides me to the physiotherapy room and I start the mobility test. Sounds funny, trust me it isn't. It feels like you are tested for a sport career. End of the story here, I managed to pass the test and I am finally free again. It is currently 12 o clock and I am in my room packing my bag. While doing that  I find a clear bag filled with different stuff. Those are all the things that were in my car, at least half of it. Looking at the bag, it seems like those things came from the police. Suddenly it hits me. I check my wrist as well as my ears and I am shocked. The bracelet as well as my earrings are gone.