Miles POV:
The rest of the summer Olivia recovered. From physio to speech to cognitive therapy. I was there for it all. I had never been a patient person; it took days before she could even talk again. But the tiny precious milestones made it all worth it.
It was kind of funny. Her first word had been 'please'
I had shown up one day with two coffees from the dot, I thought it would have been a sweet surprise for her because her nasal cannula had finally been taken off as well as her morphine and I figured she'd need an extra pick me up. I didn't even check if it was even allowed.
When her eyes saw the coffee she went wide-eyed, hopeful.
'Uh uh uh Olive, you can only have it if you say the magic word.' I had teased, little did I know her and her speech therapist had held their own joke.
'Please.' She had whispered, her voice small and dusty. Both the coffees had fallen to the floor and had created a brown puddle that I had to wade through to come over to her.
"You're amazing." I confirmed leaning over her.
And she was, from then on, she continued to astound and amaze. I had filmed her first step, the nurse had got her to the walking frame and then she had gone solo from there. One foot in front of the other like the true badass she is. I put it online and everyone went mad. My phone would not stop buzzing for days. It wasn't THE perfect summer we'd planned but it was OUR perfect summer, and to top it all off, three days before school started, right in time for her birthday, she came home.
Olivia's POV:
'Miles!' I waved my hands around as he put a scarf around my eyes as a blindfold.
'Sorry, no can do. Emily said it was non-negotiable.' He replied into my ear from behind and felt at my shoulders.
'Fine but I am never going to make it into the house, there are steps remember. We hate steps.' I answered pointing madly to we, being my left and my right feet. They were placed into the foot holders of my wheelchair. I could walk a little way now, but steps still defeated me, and I got tired easily. I wish I had hit the gym more before all of this.
'Oh I forgot about them, I'm guessing we aren't going to your not-so-surprising, surprise welcome home/birthday party.' He answered I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
'I guess we aren't.' I played along shrugging.
'Except...' He trailed off
'Except?' I asked.
'Except you have a super strong boyfriend who could carry you up instead.' He finished.
I screamed as he picked me up suddenly, one arm under my legs the other under my armpit, I guessed we were going bridal style.
'This is just another excuse to show me how much you've worked out this summer,' I laughed clinging onto him tight, the blindfold was making every sudden movement feel more threatening.
"Am I that transparent?" He scoffed.
'What are we going to do about the wheelchair?' I added.
'Well Olivia, that is a problem for the younger, less strong brother of said boyfriend.' I heard him speak and I let myself laugh. He was so excited today, he had been all week, but particularly today. Me coming home meant everything to him, it was for me too, but especially for him. I had pushed myself extra hard to get signed out before school started again.
He put me down at what I gathered to be the door step and held me to keep me up. I heard a jangle of keys and the door opened before he aided me though the house. When I figured I was outside again, he gave me a little squeeze with arms around the stomach and whispered: "Welcome back Olive."
I could only reach up for my blindfold as the sight of everyone appeared and the cheers had erupted.
"Surprise!"
I jumped slightly, sensitive to the loud noise, and Miles' hold on me became a little firmer in a protective way.
I immediately recognised the familiar smiling faces: Tiny and Frankie, and Zoe, and Tris and Yael and Diana and my father and Emily all holding up glasses to toast me. I saw the others that had changed a little, Lola with the new blue hair, Jonah with the natural curls, Shay with plaits and Hunter with the long hair.
Despite the changes they may or may not have made, one thing was the same, their smiling faces looking up at me as they cheered me.
'Oh my goodness.' I beamed looking around. Everyone was standing with flowers and presents all for me. I was overwhelmed by love.
My beaming father immediately came over with crutches that I put my arms through.
'I'm so proud of you sweetheart. Happy birthday, I love you! ' My father said into the hug. He had been so strong, pulling through when I was in a coma, taking therapy on his own. 'Courting' Emily without me. He had done it, I was more proud of him than me.
Miles Pov:
I knew it, Olivia had hugged everyone, twice.
Mum had gone overboard decorating Olivia's house with ribbons and bunting and balloons. Not to mention the abundance of food and cake in the kitchen her and Emily had spent time preparing. It wasn't just a party it was a celebration, of the end of this crazy mixed up summer we'd all had.
Everyone had the perfect spirit, it wasn't sad or sympathetic. It was just pride at what Olivia had overcome and the appreciation of getting her back. As well as, the additional birthday celebration just for her, I was obviously all for it.
People had grouped into conversation and Olivia had been socialising for a while with my mother. I felt her shoulders and she gave me a small smile. Everything she did now since the accident seemed delicate like she was a gentle flower.
"Come with me." I whispered in her ear.
"Miles I can't escape my own party." She frowned and I started backing into the house keeping direct eye contact.
She smirked to herself, blushing before using her crutches to follow. She glanced back watching the party was in full swing, Frankie and Hunter even shared a hug.
"Why are you taking me to my father's study?" She asked looking at me confused. I watched as her eyes followed down to the doorknob, only it wasn't the same one, not the same wretched doorknob anymore.
"Although I appreciate the thought, you took me away from my party to show me you changed the knob?" She smiled furrowing her eyebrows. Me and James had fitted a new one, pretty quickly after we decided about our plan. Our brilliant plan.
"I may have a present of my own for you." I smirked and pushed the door open for her.