“Let's see,” I muttered, carefully packing the invitations I had created for Felix's wedding into a light purple cardboard box, “I think that's everything. Fuck. I hate this,” laughing bitterly to myself, I slid my business card inside, covered everything with tissue paper, taped the top and finally added the shipping label.

Making my way to my parents' living room, I added the box to a large stack I had in a wagon with a yawn, my heart low. Rio smiled at me from the couch before tilting his head, and I groaned, knowing he saw through me.

“Alright. Spill,” he smiled, and I shook my head, “Asher. Come on, baby. Tell me.”

“Um. I mentioned a friend I made in university a few times, right? Felix?”

“Oh yeah. The one from the islands, right?”

“Technically, all of New Zealand is an island, but yes. From Pitt Island. His uh… fiancé contacted me to make the invitations for their wedding two months ago. I'm sending them today. I'm just… I've been struggling with it. It only took Felix two months to get into my heart. Here we are three years later and… I haven't forgotten him. He was so cute. Sweet. Talented. Shy. Felix had so many secrets he kept from me, but I never cared. It just kinda… hurts to do this. I think I had feelings for him,” I rubbed the back of my arm, and Rio sighed, coming over to hug me, “It's stupid. I know.”

“But it ain't, Asher. Ain't nothin’ stupid about that. I'm sorry it hurts. But ya just… have to learn to let him go. Meet someone. Ya have a good life that lets ya do that.”

“I'm 25 and live with my parents.”

“But ya own a business, have a nice vehicle, and could move out anytime ya want. Ya make enough money. Ya are more than dateable, Asher. Ya just have to let yourself.”

“Yeah. I know. You're right. Um, I need to drop these fifteen packages off, then I'm going to stop and pick up more paper. Do you need anything while I'm out?”

“Nope. Just promise me ya will get home safe,” he smiled, patting my cheek.

“Yeah. I promise.”

After hugging Rio and loading the boxes into the back of my jeep, I processed everything at the post office and started for an office supply store to pick up my weekly order of paper, ink, and envelopes. But I never made it. There was a small honk, followed by a few more, and then my entire world went black and silent.

Ugh.

Oh God.

Tell me I'm not like Koa.

I don't want to be missing any limbs.

What the hell happened to me?

Groaning, I opened my eyes and looked around, finding a welcoming room full of machinery, flowers, and cards. Searching more, I realized Bailey and Kylie were asleep on a chair in the room, and I shakily knocked my fist against the metal support of my bed. Bailey immediately shot up before he started to cry and rushed over to me, touching my chest softly.

“Ash? Can you see me?” Bailey smiled, using sign language as my entire family had learned for me.

I nodded slowly, wincing, and realized my neck and head were stabilized.

“You were involved in a pile-up on the motorway. Your jeep is ruined. You broke your spine, but you're not paralyzed. They had to give you emergency surgery so you'll feel weak, but your life will return to normal. Just some scarring on your back. Dad and Matua are going to be so happy. You've been in a medically induced coma for four months.”

My eyes grew wide, and I pointed to what I realized was my cochlear case. Bailey immediately helped me put them on and I groaned as the sounds hit me, “Jesus it's fucking loud in here. Why was I under for that long?!”

“Swelling on your brainstem,” Kylie called softly, never moving from the couch, “They didn't want to wake you until they had it under control in case it caused damage to you. It's been two weeks since they started lessening the medications. You'll be able to leave in a month. Physical therapy is vital to get you on your feet again. But Bailey lied. You'll have one big change.”

“Which is?” My voice shook, and Bailey squeezed my hand.

“You'll have to use a cane for the rest of your life,” he whispered, “Your spine was damaged in a way that you'll have permanent leg weakness.”

“Is that it? Lee, I'm lucky to be alive! That's what I care about. I get what Matua meant after he lost his arm in the car accident. Your life changes. I have so much more to do once I'm able to do it. Thank God I made it.”

The door to my room opened, and Rio came rushing in, crying as soon as I smiled at him, Koa sniffling behind him. My parents wrapped me in a tight hug, and I held them back.

“It feels like I just saw you,” I laughed softly, relaxing back onto my bed, “But I know you've been waiting for me. How much therapy do I need altogether?”

“About six months. To feel steady and stable. But…” Koa wiped his eyes.

“Bailey already told me. That I'll have permanent leg weakness. I'm okay with that. I'm alive. You have a prosthetic arm. Dad has a prosthetic leg. If I have to use a cane, I do. It is what it is. I can still do my job, and that's all I care about. I can still live a full and heartfelt life this way. I'm still Asher, no matter what mobility devices I'm dependent on for the rest of my life.”

“I forgot how positive you can be,” Bailey laughed, looking at Kylie, who suddenly nodded, “Can I tell you something?”

“Always.”

“Kylie is pregnant. We're having our first child. We found out the day you were in the accident. She's not getting up because she has preeclampsia and issues with her blood pressure. She's not supposed to stand unless necessary. It's a little girl.”

“Oh my God! I can't wait to meet her!” I giggled softly, “She's going to be beautiful. Wait, why are you here? Shouldn't you be in bed, Kylie?”

“We traded off. Us and your parents. About who sat with you. We were never sure when you'd wake up. That's all.”

“Oh. Thank you guys.”

“Of course,” Koa softly kissed my forehead, and I smiled, “We'd never leave you here alone.”

“Mhm. I know.”

A year of healing later, that left me reliant on a cane, I was back to work, still living with my parents, albeit with a new companion. During one of my walks to try to regain muscle strength, a tiny orange kitten came running from a bush, attempting to climb up my pants as soon as it saw me. I brought him home tucked into my sweater pocket and named him Simon. He was incredibly affectionate, following me through the house regularly and sitting in my lap when I was working. My parents had contacted anyone I had contracts with during my time in the hospital, giving back their deposits and recommending a few other people in the area or websites with apologies. There wasn't a single person who caused issues about my accident; instead, most reached back out when I reopened my website and calendar, wanting to place orders. It was as though nothing had changed, truly other than the lack of strength I had by the end of the day, which left me in bed until I rested and a more positive outlook on my life.

“Where ya goin’?” Rio smiled as I came into the living room with my cane, Simon riding on my shoulders. Rio had done his five-year ritual of once again cutting all of his hair off and donating it, his waves now reaching his eyebrows on top, and everything else shaved to the skin. 

“I have to drop off a few boxes of flyers at the primary school and daycare center nearby. I already loaded them into my car. I'm going to stop and get a few shirts I saw online that I wanted. Do you want anything?”

“Ya ask every time ya leave and I tell ya the same thing.”

“My safe return?”

“Yes. Your safe return. For real, this time.”

“Alright,” I laughed softly, “I swear.”

We shared a hug, and I made my way outside carefully, Simon watching me from the kitchen window as he always did. My insurance had covered the replacement of my vehicle, but it was found that I couldn't physically climb into anything higher than my knees. This disappointed me as I wanted a new Jeep, but I settled on a shiny blue hatchback that I loved, often taking long drives on nights I couldn't sleep. I realized it was due to the approaching date of Felix's wedding, and as I reached the first primary school, I stopped, remembering that today was the day for him.

“Congrats, Felix,” I whispered to myself, climbing out of the car to unload the first two boxes into my wagon.

After making all of my deliveries, I decided to buy myself lunch at a cute bistro near downtown. I was humming softly, doodling the church settled in the park across from the bistro, when the doors to the church opened. I loved this bistro specifically because I enjoyed seeing people on what should have been the happiest day of their lives. A flood of people came from inside, racing around, and I tilted my head before going to my files on my tablet and finding that I had subconsciously stationed myself at the place and time of Felix's wedding, meaning I was watching his wedding party running around. Shrugging, I kept eating, and everyone filed back inside, still looking around.

“Weird,” I snorted as the doors closed.

“They're probably wondering where I am,” a soft voice called from the seat next to me, and I whipped my head over to find someone I slightly recognized, but I couldn't see their face, their hood covering it, “It's an arranged marriage after all. Couldn't break it off. Had to run away.”

“Oh. I didn't think those were legal anymore,” I cleared my throat softly.

“Apparently, if I wanted to keep my home, I had to marry the son of the mayor. A joke, right? You can't legally steal someone's property that way. But I'm naive, I thought they could. So I gave in and agreed. Until I did my own research.”

“Good for you,” smiling gently, I started to pack up to leave, “Make sure you get away before they come back out.”

“Can you help me with that?”

“I'm sorry, but no. I don't know you.”

“But you used to help me all the time, Asher,” they whispered before moving their hood away, and I gasped softly, feeling stupid, “Hi.”

“Hi Felix,” I wiped my eyes as I realized I was crying and scooted my seat closer, “I didn't recognize your voice anymore. I'm so sorry. I knew today was your wedding, it killed me to make the invitations.”

“Joshua insisted you do it. To hurt you. I talked about you all the time. They approached me as soon as you were gone. He took my phone away. So I had no way to contact you. They forced me out of University. I never finished. They want my house on Pitt Island. It's huge, would make a wonderful vacation property or home for the island's new mayor. I'm so stupid, Ash. I was scared.”

“I know. What do we do? They won't stop, I don't think.”

“Only way they will is if I get married, I think. Which I can't do. I have no one,” he wiped his nose, his eyes red from crying, “or if I left New Zealand, but they took my passport and documentation. I can get it back with the help of the police, but they won't do it unless…”

“Shit. What an issue this is. You got yourself into a mess, didn't you?”

“I didn't mean to! I had no one to guide or protect me. I was confused and alone!” He shouted, and I shushed him as other diners looked over at us, “Sorry.”

“It's okay. Come on," I fixed his hood and grabbed my cane, getting slowly to my feet, “I'll give you a place to stay, and we can work out how to fix this with my parents. Okay?”

“You'd do that? I abandoned you,” he scrambled up, his soft blue eyes hidden a bit by the true chestnut of his hair, making Felix even more beautiful than the first time we met.

“You didn't do it on purpose, and I never stopped thinking about you. Come along.”

“What happened to you?” He whispered as we climbed into my car together.

“Car accident. Broke my spine. Permanent leg weakness. I'm alive, got a few surgery scars on my back, but I don't care. I'm still here.”

“I'm so glad you are. I was scared you hated me.”

“Never,” I shook my head as I started for my parents' house, “We'll figure out how to get you free of this. I'll do anything you need, okay? Just make me one promise.”

“Whatever you need.”

“Don't disappear again. I missed you.”

“I swear. I missed you, too.”