Nice to Meet You

Chapter 15

Tom walked up to Austin's grave and saw Bruce's prone figure laying on it. He was face down on it, an empty bottle of vodka next to him, he had never seen Bruce in such a state...whatever state he was in. He knelt down beside him and saw that he had urinated himself, "Damn it Son, you really did try to kill yourself, didn't you." he whispered to himself. He put his hand on Bruce's shoulder and tried to shake him awake, "Paul, it's Tom. Please Son, come home." Bruce groaned, but stayed put. Tom shook him a little harder, "Paul, please, I need you to come with me. You'll catch your death cold out here." Bruce mumbled incoherently, "Good...death is good...." he slurred his words as he rolled back onto the grave. "Paul, think about Monica, she needs you. Please get better so you can go see her. Think about your Grandad. He wouldn't like to see you like this." Bruce managed to open up his eyes a bit when he heard Monica's name. "Dad? You came for me? After...after what I said to you?" Bruce brought his hands to his head, he felt as if it was going to explode. "Of course I did. You're my son. I was worried sick about you." Bruce tried to sit up but stumbled. Tom reached over and grabbed him from under the arm and helped pull him up. Bruce grimaced and tried to offer him a smile, but couldn't muster one. He saw the bruise on Tom's face, he brought his hand up to it, and felt his face turn red with shame, "I'm sorry. I did that to you. I'm so sorry..." Bruce threw his arms around Tom's neck and began to sob, "Paul, it's OK. You had every right to be mad at me. I should have spoken to you before I did anything. Please Son, let's just go home and get you washed up. We can rest and tomorrow we'll go see Monica." Bruce pulled away from Tom and looked at him, "How is she?" Tom saw the pain in Bruce's eyes, it hurt him to see him so heartbroken, "I called the hospital and spoke to one of the nurses. She's still in a coma, but they said she's out of danger. They don't think she'll have to be in it for 2 weeks like they initially thought, she's healing a lot quicker than they expected. She's going to be OK." Bruce smiled and hugged Tom, "Thank you, thank you for everything. Can you please take me home?" Tom hugged Bruce back, "Of course Son." Bruce looked back at his Grandad's grave, he went up to it and put his hand on the headstone, "Thank you Grandad for listening to me. I miss you. I'll come by more often. I'll bring Monica so you can meet her. I love you." He turned to Tom and smiled, "Let's go, I have a fucking killer headache! I need a shower and a nap."
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It had been a week and a half since Monica had been attacked. She had been healing a lot quicker than the doctors had first expected. Her skull fracture was on the mend, she was wearing a brace around her torso to keep her ribs in place, and the surgery to close up the tears from where she was anally and vaginally raped were healing nicely. Bruce had spoken to her parents on a few occasions, they didn't blame him, they knew how much he loved her, they just wish someone had been with her that late at night. Bruce was by her side now. The doctors had began to slowly put in the reversal medication in her IV to wake her from her coma. She would still have to remain in the hospital for a bit, but she was well enough where she could be awake for it. Bruce sat with her hand in his. He was dozing off, he'd been there all night, not wanting to fall asleep just in case she woke up. He wanted to be there when she first opened up her eyes. Bruce felt a very slight squeeze to his hand, so slight that he thought he was dreaming. He involuntarily squeezed back. The hand that was in his squeezed again, this time just a little bit harder. Bruce jumped up in his chair, he looked at Monica, her eyes were fluttering, it looked like she was trying to open them. He looked down at his hand and squeezed her hand, he saw her hand give him the slightest squeeze. Bruce started to laugh. "Nurse!" he hollered from her side, he didn't want to leave her. "Nurse! Please come here! Nurse!!!" The Nurse ran in, "What's going on? What's all this commotion?" Bruce smiled and looked down at Monica, "My girlfriend is coming around. Look!" he squeezed her hand and Monica squeezed back. "Did you see that? She squeezed my hand! Nurse? Did you see it?? She's coming around?" he laughed as he squeezed her hand again. He bent down and whispered in her ear, "Monica, love, it's me, Bruce. I love you Honey. Please, open up your eyes. Show me that beautiful smile of yours. Please love. I love you so damn much." he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Bruce looked back up at the nurse and gave her a huge smile, "Did you see that? Nurse?! Did you see that?!" The nurse rolled her eyes at Bruce, she started to take Monica's vitals. As she began to check her pulse, Monica opened up her eyes, blinking them several times, a confused look on her face. Bruce let out a squeal, "Nurse! Look! Nurse! Her eyes are open! Can you see them?" he bent down and put his face up to Monica's "Monica, love? It's me, Bruce. Do you remember me? It's your boyfriend. I love you so much. I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you." he brushed his hand through her hair and gave her a soft kiss. Monica looked around, confused as to where she was, she tried to speak, but her voice came out hoarse. "No, love, don't speak. I'll be your voice. I can read your mind." The nurse chuckled as she gave Monica a pad of paper and a pen, "Just in case his "mind reading skills" don't work." she stepped out and left the two alone. Monica scribbled down a note and gave it to Bruce, "Where am I? What happened?" Bruce didn't want to give her too many details. "You're in the hospital. You got hurt, but you're better now. I'll explain it when you get out." She scribbled down another note, "I'm sorry." Bruce looked at her, a confused look on his face, "Sorry? For what?" Monica sighed, "I really don't remember who you are. You look familiar. You feel familiar, but I don't know why." Bruce's felt his heart crush when he read that last line. She didn't remember him. "That's OK. I'm nobody." he gave her a fake smile. Monica scribbled another note, "No, I know you're important to me, very important. I can feel it, I just don't know exactly who. Please, help me remember who you are. I want to get to know you again." Bruce looked at her and smiled, this time giving her a genuine one. "OK, I promise you I will try to make you fall in love with me again." Monica smiled back. Bruce reached over and gave her a small kiss, "For now, I guess you're getting kissed by a stranger." Monica let out a small chuckle. She liked this young man with the long hair, she felt comfortable with him, she found him interesting and handsome. She couldn't wait to finding out everything about him once again.