on the mend

It was starting to happen. Maybe. Spencer would get excited at the thought that maybe Gage would start communicating. Only his words were slow, but it was still a miracle.

"How do you know if he..even remembers you?" Keith was still pessimistic about the ordeal. But Gage was making progress. He was learning to walk again. Use of his hands. He was left handed now.

Of course, Spencer wondered if anything else would be different. There were times, he wasn't even sure if Gage was right in the head. Especially, with that goofy grin of his. Maybe Keith was right, but Spencer couldn't let himself think that way. At least the state wanted to rehabilitate him. He was moved to a center for other young people trying, to get back on track with lots of challenges in daily living.

He could see there were lot worse off people. Many had been in motorcycle accidents. One girl had had a seizure in her own kitchen and broke her neck. She'd had a stroke. Her words slurred now, but she was friendly and she was always upbeat, especially around Gage.

"It'll happen." She said it like a promise. Spencer wished he could think like her, but as it was, Gage was so quiet. It was as if Gage was out there, like a ghost and he'd visit his body ever so often. Spencer couldn't be quite sure if Gage knew exactly who he was, or even where he was.

There were simple handshakes, but it was all so slow. But Michelle, the girl who had the stroke, seemed to think Gage was making progress. Spencer wanted to believe this. He did. He just wanted things back the way they were, but he knew he might be hoping for too much.