Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 10:29:35 -0800 (PST)
From: Bobby <brokendreamboi@yahoo.com>
Subject: A Promise Kept ch.7

It has been two weeks since Tyler went into his coma. Never have I hurt
so much. Everyday after school and on the weekends I go over to the
hospital and stay with him and talk to him. My mom hasn't really cared,
as if she ever has. Mike and Lynette have helped me through this. Of
course, it's probably just as hard for them. Mike would always check up
on me when I'm visiting Tyler. Lynette came in every other day. I could
tell she wasn't handling this very well, but she was healing.

"Jared, you should go home now. It's getting late and you have school
tomorrow." Lynette said.

"No, I'm fine, it's only nine. Besides, do you know what tonight is?"
I asked her. Smiling to myself I didn't think she'd get the right
answer.

"Sunday?" she asked confused.

"Yeah, but it's Desperate Housewives tonight, Tyler's favorite show.
Every Monday when we'd see each other in the morning, and throughout the
day, he'd be talking about the amazing episode the night before. The
show never really interested me, but now I'm gonna start watching it just
for him." I said softly. Tears started to swell in my eyes and I
couldn't hold them back. My hand was still in his and every once in a
while I would switch sides.

"Jared, that is very sweet, but school--"

"Lynette, please, I'm going to stay here and watch it with him." I said
firmly, but not rudely.

"All right then, I'll see you tomorrow." she said.

I turned the TV on and started to watch his favorite show. About half way
into the show, I really got interested. I was completely lost, but
interested. I'm guessing that the episode I was watching was the first
one of the third season. It was about 45 minutes in when the part of
someone named, "Susan" was talking to her boyfriend in a coma. That
part made me tear up even worse. Thoughts of Tyler ran through my head.
What if he stays in a coma for six months? Forever?

*        *        *        *        *        *        *        *
*        *        *        *

It has now been six weeks since Tyler fell into his coma. A month and a
half without this incredible person is terrible. I need him back. The boy
I love, I need him back. I've been praying and praying, but God doesn't
seem to answer them. I'm questioning my faith. My life has become a total
blur. School hasn't been going well. All my grades were dropping from
A's to C's. Friends have left me because they haven't seen me in a
while. Mom has started to say she misses me. That confuses the hell out
of me, but I'm not too worried about that right now.

Mike and Lynette are being supportive, but nothing is denying the fact
that I'm growing depressed. My sleep cycle is totally out of whack. I'm
always exhausted. My eating habits have changed dramatically. And, to top
it all off, I've been crying every single day.

*        *        *        *        *        *        *        *
*        *        *        *

I came home form the hospital last night to take a shower. I'm planning
on going back in a few minutes as soon as Lynette picks me up. It's ten
in the morning on Saturday. Today marked the four month anniversary,
well, anniversary sounds too happy, but it still has been four months
since Tyler fell into the coma.

I heard a car pull up. Quickly, I got my jacket and my wallet. The
doorbell rang and I was greeted by a smiling Lynette.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm all set. Let's go."

The drive to the hospital wasn't a quiet one. We were talking about
funny stories between her and Mike. They have had some funny times it
sounds like.

"I had to give a speech at the library I raised money for and I was so
nervous, but Mike and Tyler made it a lot better." she laughed.

"You know, I am the only speaker, and by standing up there, it's like
I'm saying that I'm the most important person in the room." Lynette
said.

"Well, you are." Mike said trying to reassure his wife.

"Well, I don't feel like it. I mean, it's not like I'm the president
of anything. I don't own a corporation. I'm not a celebrity. I'm just
your wife and Tyler's mother."

"You're the chairperson of the most successful money laundering..."

"Fundraising!"

"...fundraising drives in library history. You're the CEO of this family,
you're my career manager, and you're a life manager."

"Life manager?" she asked.

"You manage to live your life with me." Mike smiled.

"And I should get an award for that."

"You should get an award for the money you made."

"Tyler walked in a little while later and it got funnier." Lynette
laughed.

"It's just, I'm so nervous about being in front of all those people
guys."

"Just pretend everyone is in their underwear." Mike said.

Tyler started to take his pants off.

"Don't take off your pants it's just a technique." he said. "So,
honey, just pretend we're the library association."

"No, most of them are women." Lynette said.

"Okay, we'll be women. Tyler, come over here for a minute." Mike said
as he went to Lynette's dresser. He started to rummage through her
jewelry box.

"What?"

"There, these go with your hair," he said, giving Tyler a pair of
earrings, "oh, and these are me. Look at that."

"Mike, what are you doing?" she asked.

"We are supporting our woman by being women. Tyler, you don't do this
outside the house, okay?" Mike said.

"I'll leave it at that. Oh, but after my speech we went to the hospital
so Mike could pick up some paper work and his friend, Al, was there."

"Hi, Tyler. How are you?" Al asked him.

"Good," he replied.

"Do anything fun this weekend?"

"Dad and I dressed up like women."

Al looked up at Mike with a blank look and said, "Oh, really?"

"It's not like it sounds, Al." Mike said.

"Dad had moms hat on and we both wore earrings." Tyler stated.

"Well, of course, earrings would complete the ensemble."

"It's not like I had a bra on or anything, Al." Mike said firmly.

"Well, maybe next time, Mike."

"It was very funny, Jared. Those were the fun days back then. I mean, we
still have fun days, almost everyday in fact. But the 90's were easier
to live in." her eyes looked like they were getting glossy. "Oh, there
was this one Halloween when Tyler was 12 I think. Mike and I got into a
little spat after he was joking with his haunted house he made in our
basement, or, Mike's Terror Tomb."

When Tyler's guests get here tonight, they're gonna be down there with
their hair bleached white, their eyes bugging out, and that look of
horror on their faces." Mike said. He was making gagging noises and
making scared faces.

"That's how you looked at our wedding." Lynette said arrogantly.

"I shouldn't have lifted the veil." he said.

"Who told you to wear it?" she replied.

"That's too funny. You guys sure are happy all the time. I think
that's Tyler's best quality. He's usually always happy, unless, I do
something stupid." I trailed off as I said that. "He must hate me when
I don't call or I don't write him back at school. Even when I hug
someone else besides him he seems to despise me."

"Jared," Lynette said softly, "Tyler never hates you for anything. He
just has been through a lot and he can get insecure about those things.
I'm going to tell you something very private. Maybe Tyler's told you this
before, but...he's adopted."

I just looked at her blankly. Tyler hasn't ever told me anything about
it.

"What?"

"We adopted him when he was twelve." she started to sob gently. "This
isn't my place to tell you this, though, Jared."

"I understand, but he's never said anything to me about it."

"Well, it's a hard subject for him to handle. His depression gets the
best of him most of the time. Every once in a while he has nightmares of
the night that..." she had to stop. This obviously wasn't easy for her
either.

"Lynette, it's okay, you don't have to talk about it." I smiled at
her and she smiled back.

We arrived at the hospital a few seconds later. I was anxious to see
Tyler. It's been a whole four hours since I had seen him last. Being
away from his side was killing me. Lynette parked the car and both of us
were quickly walking in and up to his room. When we got there Mike was
taking some kind of data.

"Hi, honey." Lynette said as she went up behind him and gave him a hug.

"Oh, hi, dear. I thought you guys were coming, but I didn't know
when."

The day went by pretty quickly. Lynette and I talked about all sorts of
things. She told me more funny stories of her and Mike, even some about
Tyler. Before we both knew it, it was ten o'clock.

"Lynette, before we leave can I have a minute alone with him?"

"Sure, I'll just be outside waiting when you're done."

I crawled onto the bed next to him and started talking to him.

"Tyler, I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you. I'd never
intentionally hurt you. You're my bestest friend and my boyfriend, I
love you so much. Please, I need you to come back to me. It's been four
months. I need my Tyler back. So, I'd like nothing better than for you
to just wake up. Wake up right now!" I started to cry. I placed my head
on his chest and listened to him breathing. So calming and perfect it
was.

I slowly got up and kissed him on the lips. My emotions were all jumbled
up and I couldn't control my tears anymore.

I started to walk out, but before I did I turned around and looked at him
one last time.

"I miss you so much, Tyler, please come back to me." I slowly crept to
the door.

We all carry something with us. Of course, it's nice if we travel with
someone who can help lighten the load. But usually, it's easier to just
drop what we've been carrying, so we can get home that much sooner.
Assuming, of course, there will be someone there to greet us when we
arrive. Why do we clutch at this baggage when we're desperate to move
on? Because we all know there's a chance...

"Jared..." Tyler whispered.

...we might let go too soon.

*        *        *        *        *        *        *        *

This chapter, I thought, was extraordinary. Thank you so much to everyone
who have been leaving me mail and comments about this story. All your
words keep me inspired to write these stories. Please, e-mail me your
comments and such. Thanks!!!