*Back to the present, 2 months later*

I have been home for nearly 2 months now and everything is slowly getting familiar. I have been staying in Jaime and I’s room while Jaime has been sleeping in the guest bedroom. Vic and Sarah have been such a big help with everything, looking after Ruby when I have been napping and Jaime has been working.

I remember some key memories now, like when Sarah and I went to a bridal shop to find her a wedding dress and we picked one out. There was that time Jaime, Ruby and I went on a road trip to see Mum and Austin who were in America for a while. I remember most things about Vic, Sarah, Jaime and my family now, little memories and just certain thing that really aren’t important.

Ruby is going to school today and I am helping her get ready. I am having such a fun time bonding with my little girl again. It is such a nice sensation hearing her call me mum. I look at her in such an awe that sometimes she reminds me that staring is bad.

We were sitting around the table when the doorbell rang. I got up and told everyone that I would get it. When I opened the door, there was no one there and looked around a little confused.

I was closing the door when a shiny object on the ground glistened in the sunlight capturing my attention. I picked it up and closed the door, locking it before returning to the kitchen where everyone was awaiting my return.

‘I found this at the door.’ I said, placing the object present on the table. Vic, Jaime and Sarah all looked around at each other before all looking to me.

‘They’ve been coming to the door for the past 5 months.’ Jaime said.

Everything went quiet, I was standing in room looking to out the back door window. A man was standing there, a smirk on his face before he vanished into thin air.

‘Nathan.’ I said. Sarah jumped up off her chair and stood in front of me.

‘No, no Stella. Not Nathan.’ She said, resting her hands on my shoulders.

In my mind, all I could think of is car. The word car over and over again. I looked to Sarah who looked very worried.

‘Car. Where are all my belongings from my car?’ I asked.

‘Upstairs. In our closet.’ Jaime said. ‘I’ll show you.’

Jaime walked past me, grabbing my hand as he led the way to the bedroom. I could hear Vic and Sarah following while talking to Ruby on the way. We reached the closet and Jaime walked in, pulling out a bag with my belongings in it.

I grabbed the bag from him and emptied the bag onto the bed. Many things fell from it but what I was looking for was the last to fall. I dropped the bag and picked up the box. I looked around to everyone who was there and they looked shocked.

‘Oh shoot. You better take Ruby to school.’ Sarah said, looking to her watch.

I walked out the room and headed into Ruby’s room, grabbing her bag before walking down stairs and walking to the kitchen, packing her bag with her lunch. After that, I walked out into the garage and got into the car where Jaime was waiting with Ruby.

I hopped into the passenger seat before Jaime took off and started driving to the school. The drive was a very silent one, the radio playing quietly in the background. There was nothing to be said. I could see Jaime thinking but what was he thinking.

We pulled into the carpark and Jaime pulled up the handbrake. We both got out and I opened the door so Ruby could jump out. She was stood next to me when she grabbed my hand and started leading me to the door.

‘Are you ready?’ I asked her as we walked.

‘Yes! I’m glad you are here with my mummy.’ Ruby replied. I smiled down to her and I saw Jaime standing next to her, hands held also. We made eye contact and he smiled to me. I returned the smile back before we stopped at the door.

Jaime pushed the door open and allowed us to walk through first. We found Ruby’s class and walked her in. There were students running around everywhere, screaming and yelling. We saw the teacher and walked up to her.

‘Hi there, this is Ruby.’ I said.

‘Hello, I am Miss Read. Nice to meet you Ruby.’ She replied. Ruby waved and then started running around looking at all the things in the room.

‘I think she will be fine.’ Jaime said. I nodded my head and watched my little girl run around with a big grin on her face.

‘Well, I’ll take that from you.’ Miss Read said before taking Ruby’s bag.

Jaime and I quietly walked out the door and returned to the car.

Once we returned home, I went up to the room and saw that there was may more presents on the bed. I kneeled onto the floor in front of the bed and looked at the rows of presents.

‘That’s every present that has been placed at the door.’ Jaime said as he walked slowly into the room.

‘Do you know what is in them?’ I asked, looking up to Jaime who was stood just in the room.

‘No. I never opened any of them, I was too afraid too.’ He replied.

‘Jaime, will you please come sit next to me?’ I questioned. He smiled a little and walked over to me. He sat down next to me, legs crossed, staring at the unopened presents too.

I grabbed the first one in the pile and opened it slowly. Inside the box was a puzzle piece. Every box that I opened, it was an extra piece. Jaime and I started putting the pieces together, the picture starting to look like a picture of a person.

Once most of the pieces were put together, Jaime looked at me and frowned. I could feel the tears in my eyes start to form as I looked at a picture of me with tubes and cuts all over my face.

I picked up the puzzle and started throwing the pieces around, yelling and screaming before Jaime held my arms and pulled me into my chest. He comforted me while whispering ‘shh’ as he did.

The tears I felt in my eyes became too much and I started to cry even more. I cried into Jaime’s chest as I could feel my heart rip into too. I had a strong pain in my stomach and my brain began to hurt.

It was a while after my break down that I looked up to Jaime and saw him with a sad look on his face. He looked so concerned it broke more of my heart. He wiped the remaining tears from my face and kissed my forehead.

‘I love when you do that.’ I said, widening my eyes and looking up to him with a smile.

‘Yeah, you do.’ He replied, with a chuckle.

‘I can’t believe I remember that.’ I stated.

‘You remembered it after I kissed you.’ He stated.

I looked longingly into Jaime’s eyes before I quickly moved my lips to his and connected them. I kissed him for a long time and he kissed me. The feeling I felt on my lips left them tingling when I moved away and my stomach exploded into butterflies.

‘Jaime, I love you.’ I said.

Jaime looked at me in utter shock. I saw tears form in his eyes and he couldn’t speak. I tear fell from his eye and I wiped it away before smiling to him, mentioning that I loved him once more.

‘Stella, I love you too.’ He replied.

Notes