Oblivion (Completed)

Ryan

A Few Months Ago

It's really early...or really late. Hell, it doesn't matter; I'm too charged up to even think about sleeping. The adrenaline running through my system has got me thinking I'll be awake for days. Or at least until I actually see her.

My eyes shoot up to the clock hanging on the sterile white walls and I sigh. It's just shy of 4 am. I'd say time has never passed this slowly, but the last four years have been nothing short of an eternity. I take a sip of my mediocre coffee and tell my heart to relax. It's going to be okay, right? It has to be.

Who am I kidding? There's no calming down. No closing my eyes for more than a few seconds, because nothing will ever come between me and my girl again.

Especially not sleep.

The call came when I least expected it. My music was cranked to nearly full-volume as I lie under the belly of a car, covered in grease and motor oil. It's a miracle I even had my phone in my pocket so I could feel the vibration of his call. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I missed it after all these years.

The news came fast and I could barely catch the details. I think I pretty much lost focus after the doctor said,

"Henley woke up..."

I didn't even say thank you or goodbye. I didn't say a word after that first hello. Hell, I dropped the phone before I even took another breath. Then, just like my phone, I crumpled. I sprawled out on the cold, cracked cement floor floor, staring up at the buzzing florescent light hanging in my shop. I stared until I saw dots when I closed my eyes. I stayed like that for awhile, then slammed my hands on the cold cement just to feel pain. Just to know I was awake and alive...that this is real. I'm getting my wife back. We're getting our life together back.

Holy shit. Holy shit. I'm going to black out.

Okay, I'm not a very religious guy, but there are some moments I can't let pass without sending up at least a little thank you. I don't know about karma and all that good deed shit, so I'm sure Henley coming back to me has nothing to do anything I did the past four years. It was all her, because she's just that damn strong and amazing. She's everything, and she's been everything since the moment I met her, the very first moment I saw those big, warm eyes. God, I've missed them. I've missed her.

So I got my self together in five minutes, and was up and ready to go. Before I knew it, I was punching my credit card number into my phone and booking a flight to Wyoming.

That was 9 hours ago, and I'm still shaking. I took a cab to the airport because I wouldn't trust myself behind the wheel so rattled like this. The first flight was short and boring, but the second felt like I was traveling overseas instead of just to the other side of the Midwest. I spent the entire time thinking, staring off into space. Looking completely crazy, I'm sure. I couldn't focus enough to read or watch a movie, and listening to music made it even worse. Every song, every lyric reminded me of us.

Now here, in a hospital I've come all too acquainted with, my phone vibrates. I quickly squeeze my eyes shut once so I can focus, then pull it from my back pocket. The first thing I see is Henley. Technology has evolved, but I've managed to keep this one, gorgeous black and white photo of her as my phone wallpaper the entire time she's been gone. She's laughing, covering her pretty smile with her left hand, so I have the perfect view of that ring I gave her. As always, her smile makes me smile, especially right now as I swipe my finger across the screen to see what the buzz was all about.

Anything yet? I can't sleep either.

It's Harlow, the second most amazing woman in my life. Her concern is palpable, and she was the first person I contacted when I got the call. She may be Henley's best friend, but she's also mine, and I love the hell out of her for how supportive she's been of me. Of us.