Impact

Chapter Twenty-Six

Nate couldn't see. 

The exhaust had flooded the garage and thickened around him. When it started pouring in through the cracked windows, he thought for a second that he could roll them up and go back inside. But what was the point? Without Tommy, he just couldn't see the end. And the jock and Stacey living so close? It would be a constant reminder of what she had taken from him; the prize always thrown in his face with a wicked smile, no doubt. He continued crying. 

As his throat began to burn and he started to doze, he thought about his mother and Tommy. 

Forgive me....

And then there was nothing. 

********** 

Tommy ran down the sidewalk, his heart pounding. He suddenly remembered with a resurgence of anger how much he hated his father. The man had taken so much from him. Not just with Nate and his memories, but his entire life. He never wanted to see the man again. If he did, he wasn't sure what he would do. 

He pushed the feelings for his Old Man aside without effort as he thought about Nate. He hoped that the nerd hadn't moved on. He knew it had been nearly a year in total, but he was praying that maybe Nate hadn't found someone. If the nerd had, what would he do? Would he still proclaim his love? Or step aside and let Nate be happy? He wasn't sure. 

All Tommy cared about right now was getting to Nate. 

The rain was pouring as he pounded the pavement, running through crosswalks, ignoring the illuminated red hands on the other side. The cold Fall rain didn't bother him. Tommy could only think of Nate's smiling face and the swirls of honey that danced in the nerd's eyes when the sun hit them just right. He couldn't wait to reunite. To pick Nate up and hold him in his arms. To kiss his lips. The warmth that Nate washed over his soul was far more powerful than even Mother Nature herself, the chilled rainstorm was nothing. 

Tommy finally rounded the last corner of sidewalk that turned from the main street into Nate's neighborhood. He stopped for a second to catch his breath. He looked up, moving the wet hair from his eyes, and gazed up the street. Six or seven houses away, even in the down pour, he could see Nate's Jeep parked on the street in front of his mother's house. He couldn't help but grin to himself then he took off again. 

Regardless of where it was going to go, he was happy to be able to tell both Terri and Nate that he remembered. Even it if it was as a friend, he wanted to be in their lives. They were the only ones in his life that had ever truly cared and he wanted that; he needed it. 

After what seemed like an eternity of running, he was at their doorstep and he was mildly impatient as he knocked on the door. For a brief moment, the only sounds he could hear were the rain smacking the pavement around him and the low roll of occasional thunder. 

When the door opened it took Terri a minute to process that it was him staring at her. 

"Tommy? Darlin' what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the church. Come inside here before you catch cold." She asked 

"I remember, Ms. Lewis." He said as they stepped inside. 

"You what?"

"Everything. I remember everything."

Terri brought her hands to her mouth and he eyes filled with tears. 

"I know it took a long time to get my memories back but we both know I don't belong at that church. I belong with Nate." Tommy said.