Train Wreck

forty one

REMINGTON POV

Taylor Morris was one of the local high school baseball stars back when I was in Little League. 

He was a god with a little g, as Dad would always say.

I remember being awestruck when he helped our team since his little brother was our idiot outfielder who would rather pick his nose instead of pay attention to the game.  I even asked for his autograph at one point which he thought was hilarious.  Naturally I apologized when I was older but that moment still remains as one of my most embarrassing.

Coming home was something I chose not to do for a long time because of all the triggers.  I had forgotten he lived next door, but kept up with him and Rebecca on Facebook over the years. We would like one another's posts once in awhile and even participate in a Fantasy Baseball League together each year.  Otherwise it's just talk about which player should be traded and whether the next action film is going to be decent.

That's the kind of friendship I like.

No need to deep dive or discuss anything intense, no pressure to constantly feel like I'm letting anyone down by not being physically present. 

I don't have to think about how Taylor was one of the pallbearers that helped me carry Reese's casket, or the fact that his wife is friends with Dana.  No need to look at his face and see the scar on his jaw from when a flyball connected with his face at a game my family attended.  As soon as I saw his face my eyes instantly zoomed in on that area of his temple.

"So, how do you feel after surgery?" Taylor asked, patting Trent's back while Daisy and Benji excused themselves to clean up dog toys strewn throughout the yard.

Almost by instinct I felt my ribs and winced, shaking my head. "I have never felt worse, man."

Rebecca's eyes widened and she made a tsk noise, shaking her head, "Remi, please take it easy on yourself. If you aren't able to heal then you can't really be here to appreciate Greg's last days..."

Her voice trailed off and guilt washed over me.

A soft hand wrapped around my back and I felt Lissy lean into me and sigh. She looked up and caught my eye with a reassuring smile, "I completely agree."

Taylor chuckled, "You've met your match with Alice, haven't you?" He shook his head and made lingering eye contact with his wife, sharing a warm grin before continuing, "Alice, how do you feel?"

She shrugged, her green eyes flicking to me a moment before answering, "Physically I think I'm doing okay.  Mostly it's my hips and back, but the stretches and physical therapy have already helped me a ton.  I think my brain has not caught up with everything that happened yet, but my therapist is incredible and Benji is also in therapy so at least that will help."

I noticed Rebecca's eyes light up and a smile brighten her face as she spoke. "Really?"

She let out a laugh, her posture looser now so I wrapped my arm more tightly around Lissy's waist.  "Of course. I mean, I lost my birth mom when I was a toddler then my Daddy and Clara when I was sixteen and have raised Benji on my own since then. You bet I need therapy!" Lissy almost laughed while speaking but we both noticed the looks of horror on both Taylor and Rebecca's faces at her admission.

They had no clue.

Of course they knew about the train crash.

Everyone did. It was all over the news, along with our names (which we did not want released but they were anyway), plus it's a small town.

Word had spread around town as well that they were orphans, but very few were aware of Benji's relationship to my Dad and me.

Taylor and Rebecca need to know, but not tonight.