I stood outside with the older siblings of the group, watching. My heart was in my throat, and I was sending up prayers to unknown deity on behalf of her. If I lost her...Is what popped into my head, but I couldn't finish the thought because right at that moment, she came running out of the building scanning the crowd. I nearly jumped out of my skin trying to get her attention, and then she collided into me. I wrapped my arms around her, not able to get her close enough.
"Rhye, I'm so glad you're okay." I whispered with my lips pressed against the top of her head. Then a wave of love and affection washed over all of the gang, as they went around hugging everyone they could get a hold on. Finally, Scarlett met up with us, and we drove home together. I was so happy to have my girls near me, and safe. If I were to chose anything to live for, Rhyan and Scarlett would be it. When we arrived home, I let them pick a movie and I went off to get some snacks from the kitchen. I returned and plopped down between the two of them to watch Brave. I draped my arms on their shoulders, and enjoyed spending time with them.
By the time the movie was over, both of their phones were buzzing relentlessly and they disappeared to their rooms to speak privately. Shortly after, Rhyan ran out of the house yelling something about going to get Audrey. I knew at that moment not to expect her back anytime soon. Especially since Audrey had just been released from the hospital early that morning, only to return to a school shooting. I went upstairs, and popped my head into Scar's room.
"Hey, Rhyan is gone, and I'm hungry. You wanna go get some food?" I asked sweetly. I must've scared her when I walked in, because she nearly fell off the bed trying to close her computer.
"Not right now, Owen!" She screamed.
"What? You tryna watch porn?" I laughed.
She glared in response, "No! If you must know, I'm on Skype. We can go when I'm done." She softened her tone, realizing that I just wanted to spend time with her, so I nodded my head, and left the room. As I was closing the door, she opened her computer and I heard her say, "Okay babe, I'm back."
I paused for a moment, curious to know who she was calling "babe," but I left it alone. I went to go watch The Walking Dead on the DVR while I waited for her.
About an hour later, she emerged from her room and we set off to the nearest fast food joint. As soon as we were finished laughing and eating, my phone went off. "Rhyan wants us to go to the Curtis'. You wanna party?" I asked, knowing that she was a girl after my own heart so her answer is always yes.
Upon walking through the door, we were handed a beer, and throughout the night our drinks were never empty. I found Bre at some point, and crept away from everyone else to be alone with her. That's when the door flew open and Steve, Soda, and Pony filed in. Bre and I quickly separated and left the room. I suddenly found myself next to Leo and Hunter right before we were alerted that Hunter would be fighting tonight.
"FIGHT NIGHT!" Leo bellowed across the room. Everyone dropped what they were doing, and took off to the fight.
When we arrived, shots were taken, punches were thrown, and drugs were passed around. I didn't realize how trashed I was until Scarlett had to drag me out with the help of some random guy. They tried to take my car keys, but I refused, grabbing the guy by the neck and slamming him onto my hood. "I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you who I am. Now piss off before I break you in half." I growled through gritted teeth only centimeters from his face. He stood up, and backed away slowly before sprinting away. Scarlett was hurling hateful words in my direction, but I didn't hear a thing.
"If you don't want to walk, stop yer bitchin', and get your uppity ass in the car!" I slurred, as I put the key in the ignition. "I don't care what you say.. I'm fine, and I know how to drive, skank." I retorted. I guess she didn't like what I had to say, because she punched my arm. I'm pretty sure I laughed, but I couldn't be sure because I started blacking out. When I thought that we were almost home, Scarlett let out a blood-curdling scream, "OWEN! LOOK OUT," was all I heard before I heard tires screeching, and metal clanging against metal.
I was then reliving some of the best moments of my life in the most lucid dream until I heard an all too familiar voice calling my name.
"Mom?" I asked as my eyes flickered open, and I saw Gemma hovering over me looking concerned.
"I'm here, baby. You must've been having a bad dream or something. You were yelling." She stated, sitting back down in her chair to the right of the hospital bed that I was lying in.
I lifted my hands, and attempted to sit up, but all of my muscles ached.
"What happened?" I questioned, my mind completely blank, providing no explanation of how I wound up in the hospital.
"You wouldn't remember would you? You had a lot to drink, and you were in an accident. Why the hell did you get behind the wheel?"
"The wheel? I don't drive a car. What happened to my bike? Did I wipe out?" All I could think about was my beautiful baby in shreds.
"Your bike? Owen you were driving your vintage Mustang, honey." Her voice was dripping with worry, and she didn't give me the opportunity to respond.
"Do you know where you are baby?"
I cocked my head to the side, and she saw how confused I was. "Charming? Gemma, what's goin' on?" I started trying to sit up again, this time achieving my goal despite the pain.
She wouldn't meet my gaze for a moment, and then took a deep breath. "Owen, what year is it?"
"It's 2012. What kind of a question is that?" I snapped.
She simply stood up, and left the room. My head was throbbing, and I was having trouble thinking. Gemma returned with the doctor behind her. "Owen, do you know who I am?" He asked softly.
I shook my head, and looked at Gemma. "Owen, I'm Dr. Winston. I'm Jelly's father." He said, and again I was drawing a blank.
"Your mother here said you think its 2012. Is that true?" He asked, and I nodded my head.
"What the hell is going on? Am I in Charming in 2012 or the fucking Twilight Zone?!" I yelled at them, irritated with what was going on.
"Owen, you are in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Today's date in July 31, 2013. You've been unconscious for a week. I think it's best to run some tests. You are showing signs of amnesia, and if that's really the case then we have to talk about some things." He walked out, only to be replaced by nurses ushering me out to have my head scanned. Hours later, after tests and a lot of waiting, the doctor and Gemma returned to where I sat all too patiently.
"Owen, from what we have gathered you have severe damage to your temporal lobe, which is the area of the brain that controls your memory. It seems that you have entirely forgotten the last year of your life, since you were entirely unaware you are in Tulsa instead of Charming, California. You even passed your friends in the hallway and didn't seem to recognize any of them. What is the last thing that you remember?" The doctor poured out.
I thought for a second, "Um, I was with Jax and Op, at..." I glanced at Gemma, not wanting to say where we were. But she raised her eyebrows, "Go on. Where were you?" She asked.
"We were at Cara Cara." I said, avoiding her gaze.
She slapped the back of my head. "You were at that God damn porn studio?! Jesus!" She yelled.
"Gemma, he already has brain damage, don't make it worse." Dr. Winston lectured.
"I'm sorry ma, but can we please go home! I don't want to be here anymore!" I pleaded, but she ignored me.
"Will he ever remember?" She asked the doc.
"It's difficult to say. In cases like this, it is possible that he could remember, but its also very unlikely. Every case is different. All you can do is try to help him, and be patient." He stated, and they talked for a few more minutes, and were finally on our way back to "my house."
When we walked through the door, I saw Rhyan sitting on the couch with her left arm in a sling, her faced bruised, and tons of pillows surrounding her. My cousin Scarlett was next to her, looking just as battered.
"Wait, what happened to them?" I asked Gemma.
Rhyan could barely turn around, and Scarlett yelled at me. "Are you fucking kidding me?! You're telling me you don't remember?" She was on her feet moving toward me in a rage. "You are what happened to us. You got fucking trashed at the fight, and insisted on driving home. YOU hit Rhyan's car, and almost killed all three of us." She squealed, and slapped me across the face. Then, from out of nowhere, a random guy hit my right side, taking me to the floor. He didn't skip a beat, and began throwing punches at my face. "Son of a bitch!" He yelled at me.
"Gemma! What the fuck?!" I whimpered. I had no idea what was going on.
Maybe I slept with his girlfriend.I thought, completely unsure of why he was beating the hell out of me.
I could hear Rhyan screaming at him, and that's when Gemma grabbed him by the ear and pulled him back.
"Look here, what the hell do you think you are doing jumping on someone like that in their own home. Where the fuck are your manners?" She chastised him as he winced from her tugging on his ear.
"Dude, who are you? Did I sleep with your girlfriend or something? If I did, she put the moves on me, man." I said smoothly while getting up from the floor.
"I'm his girlfriend, dumb ass. Why are you acting like you don't know him?" She snapped.
"Because I don't know him, Rhye! Who the fuck is he? You're his girlfriend?! What about Jax? You complain about him cheating, but yet you do the same?! That's fucked up!" I yelled back at her.
She stopped and stared, and Gemma let go of Dallas' ear. Everyone but Gemma, gawked at me.
"Bullshit, Owen! Fuck you! I tried to tell you not to drive!" Scarlett screeched in my ear, and slapped me again.
Gemma then stepped between the two of us. "Scarlett? I've never liked you very much, but because you are related to my two babies right here, I tolerate you. I don't care if you are his cousin or not, if you lay your grubby, slutty hands on my boy again, I can guarantee that no man will ever pay more than two cents to get in those nasty pants of yours again. Now, do us all a favor, and leave. We have some family matters to attend to." Gemma swiveled around to Dallas. "And as for you, young man, I'm going to assume that you're the new boyfriend, but regardless of who's bed you're slipping into at night, this is my son, in spite of blood. And I can promise you, that you have never met a mother like me before. So if you ever pull some shit like you did today, I will shove my fist down your throat, and pull your sad little ball sack out through your mouth. Got me?" She asked. His eyes wide, he nodded, and she smiled her charming smile. "Good, I'm glad we are all the same page." He turned to leave but she grabbed his arm before he reached the front door. "Oh, and honey, thank you for sticking up for my girl, here. I'm glad she has some one that's willing to beat the daylights out of someone who hurts her, and that includes her brother." She smiled genuinely and he reciprocated.
After he left, Rhyan screamed until someone told her what was going on. So Gemma decided to sit her down and explain. Rhyan sat there dumbfounded, when Gemma finished.
"Owe? You really don't remember anything about our last year here in Tulsa?" She mumbled, her eyes full of tears.
I shook my head, and reached out for her arm that wasn't in a sling.
"Rhye, I'm sorry I hurt you! I swear, I wouldn't have done it on purpose."
She nodded, "I know..." Her voice trailed off for a moment. "But dammit, Owen! You did hurt me! You could've killed me, and Scar! I feel like I shouldn't be mad at you considering your mental state, but I am. Fuck it! I'm pissed!"
"I understand. I'll leave if that's what you want." I murmured.
She stared at me long and hard, as if she were trying to decide what she wanted.
"No, stay. I need you here, and the gang will miss you. Give them a chance to help you remember." She said quietly, as she got up and hugged Gemma.
"It was good to see you, mom. I'm going upstairs now. I'm tired." She slurred and trudged upstairs, leaving Gemma and I in the living room.
I looked at her, and said, "I know what I need to do."
