Reliving Summer (Short Story)

Guest Post by George Arthur Davis

Daniels’s cellular telephone ring tone gets his attention. He answers it with the hope that he is able to hear clearly on the downtown street.

"Daniel speaking," he says.

"Is this Daniel Anderson?" The female voice asks.

"Yes it is."

"This is Lorraine, Summer’s sister."

The breeze of bad news chills him. "Yes?"

"She was in an automobile accident."

"Is she alive?" He asks loud enough to draw glances from people passing him.

"Well. Yes. She’s in a coma," she sobs. "The drunk bastard hit her side of the car and put her in a coma."

The coffee house waitress mixed up their order that day, and afterwards he and Summer was a couple for thirty months. Near the end of that time, his love for her made him search for the best engagement ring.

"Her husband is okay but we can’t get her to come out of her coma," Lorraine says. "The doctor tells us that the kind of coma she is in, if she hear a familiar voice she may snap out of it, but I tried, my mother and her husband."

It was twelve months after they stopped being a couple and walked away from each other that they had a chance encounter in the subway.

"Daniel," he heard her call him and he looked around.

"Summer."

She walked closer to him.

"How have you been?" 

"Great. I’m a writer for a magazine now," Daniel said looking at her prettiness that he missed so much.

"I’m still a paralegal," Summer says.

"That’s good."

"Yes it is and for you too."

He saw her wedding band and wish he had not. "I see you’re married," he said.

"Yes, three months now."

"May I ask you something?"

"I met him the last four months of our relationship," she said.

"Why him?"

"I guess it was love at first sight for the two of us."

He looked away from her so she could not see his eyes water. He regained his composure and faced her.  

"Are you dating?" She asked.

"No".

"Are you looking?"

"No."

"You should so you will have your love at first sight."

"Love is a many splendid things." 

The EL cars rumbled in sight and stopped. She got onto a car. He stood on the platform. They waved goodbye to each other. He wishes it were hello like their second day as a couple. 

"I thought maybe since she dated you longer than anyone else, even her husband."

"What hospital?" He asks.

Lorraine greets Daniel in the corridor and walks with him to Summer’s room. The Husband stands. "I want to thank you," he says in a choked-up manner, with a hand extended for a handshake. Daniel hands stay at his side. With true animosity, he tells the Husband "I’m not here for you." The Husband looks at Daniel through tired, teary eyes and says, "I understand." 

Daniel looks at Summer; she seems asleep even with tubes and wires around her. He sits on the bed and whispers, "Summer." There is no response. He leans closer to her ear and whispers, "wake up sleepy head," as he wiggles her nose with his thumb and pointing finger. Her eyelids flutter and then open wide.

Her Husband, Lorraine, the Doctor and the Nurse crowd Daniel away from the bed. He walks away, fighting back tears. END

George Arthur Davis born in Philadelphia PA (presently resides in Tampa FL); recipient of the Community College of Philadelphia Fall 2001 Judith Stark Creative Writing Award for Script work; Third Place in Scripts – Tampa Writers Alliance 23rd Annual Writing Contest; Black Short Stories Editor's Pick, Author of the Month; Fiction Writers Platform Editor's Choice Award and Number One Most Read Story; http://gadavis-writergeorge.blogspot.com