Im sorry, she said. I wish I could tell you when those kinds of dreams will go away. But Im still waiting for it to happen for me.

Hannah nodded before seeming to brighten.

Hey, she finally said in a sarcastically chipper tone, at least when Ryan gets here, well be too exhausted and stressed out by our current lives to focus on the past ones, right?

Before Jessie could respond there was a knock on the door.

I guess were about to find out, she said and walked over to open it.

When she did, she found that two hospital staffers and a nurse had already removed Ryan from the ambulance and guided his wheelchair up the ramp to the porch. Her boyfriend looked up at her and, in a slow, labored voice, spoke.

Would you…like…buy some…Girl Scout Cookies?

Jessie couldnt help but laugh. Hed probably been working on that the whole way over.

Come on in, she said after leaning down to give him a kiss.

She bit her lip, trying to keep tears at bay. It had been such a long road. Now he was finally home. The emotion of the moment was almost overwhelming.

The staffers pushed him inside, had Jessie sign some paperwork, and left again. The whole process took about three minutes. The nurse, a blandly pleasant forty-something woman named Patty, remained behind. She was here to help Ryan acclimate to his new surroundings. But when she left this evening, theyd be on their own. Luckily Jessie had contracted with a private nursing company to have folks in the house as needed.

Well show you around in a sec but I wanted to give you a moment to settle in, she said, wheeling him over near the couch where Hannah, who hadnt gotten up to greet him, still sat. Excited to be out?

Ryan nodded. He opened his mouth but it took several seconds for the words to follow. Each one was an effort.

I think…they are…excited…that Im…gone.

Im not surprised, Jessie replied. Everyone knows that your winning charm starts to fade around the six-week mark.

Ryan laughed, though it came out as more of a throaty rasp. As improved as he looked from even a month ago, it was still tough to look at him and not picture the man she used to know. Once muscular and tan, he was now pale and his skin looked pouchy over his flesh. His hair had been cut shorter than usual, almost like a crew cut, for easier maintenance. The one thing that hadnt changed was his deep, brown eyes. They still had the same warmth and intensity as always. But right now they looked troubled.

What is it? she asked.

He tried to get his mouth to form the words in his head but it was a struggle.

Phy…phys…ph… he seemed to give up on that word and skipped to the next, therapy.