Chapter 1: First Things First: Escaping the Hospital

David had been in the hospital since December 17th, 1980. He came out of his coma on, interestingly enough, April 1st, 1981. He was released from the hospital on Thursday, the 7th of April, in spite of his physician wanting him to stay longer, but could not show cause, due to how healthy David was doing, although his mother promised to bring him back in if anything happened.

David's birthday was "Tax Day", April 15th. Just over a week away, when he went home. Meri, his closest friend for many years at this time in their lives, (his wife in the other life before she died), had visited him frequently, once he'd come out of his comatose state. They'd talked about school, what he'd missed, and the attack by the thugs who put him in the hospital. There was something odd about the way she acted, however. It was like she was hiding something; as if she had secret she couldn't share. He never asked about it, while in the hospital. Now that he was home, he planned on finding out what it was she was hiding.

David and his mother came home for lunch, which they picked up at a Wendy's. He'd missed a decent hamburger and convinced his mother to take him to get a Double with cheese, and the works, including onions. Previously, David would eat them, if he had to, but never did so by choice; his mother was a bit surprised by this change, but didn't press the issue. He'd also gotten a large fry and a Frosty. As soon as they got home, he tore into his food with relish.

While he was eating, his mother went to answer the door; a moment later she came back with Meri, who ran up to him and gave him a huge hug and a seering kiss that just blew his mind. Sure, he knew how to kiss. He'd been married to Mari, in the other life, but in this life ... they'd never even held hands. They joked around; they'd played games together; they'd even gone to the zoo and had fun in the reptilian section where they practiced at being budding herpetologists. This kiss, on other hand, was something new and unexpected.

The kiss lasted for an eternity; but was really only a few seconds and left David breathless and his mother with her eyes raised in question.

"Wow, Meri. Miss me much?"

"Well, you did save me from those assholes. I had to thank you in an appropriate manner."

"Kids, I'd rather you keep that thank you to kisses. That one looked to be shaping up to become more."

"Mom," David exclaimed, because we all know how embarrassing parents can be.

"Anyway, I'm going to let you two get re-acquainted. Keep in mind that we need to go shopping soon. I don't believe your cloths will fit you now."

"That's fine. When did you want to go? Oh, and can Meri join us," he asked looking at Meri to see if she wanted to join them.

"Sure, if her parents are fine with that. I though we'd go Saturday. Unless you'd rather go tomorrow after school."

Looking at Meri whose look and tilt of her head told him what he needed to know, and with that David said, "Tomorrow works for us."

"Great, now that, that is settled, I'll leave you both to get caught up. Remember, no hanky panky!" The smile and glint in her eyes flashing merrily.

Growling, David responded, "Mom, do you really need to embarrass me like that?"

"Yes, I do. I can see the way she's been looking at you. Keep it in your pants, both of you," Sandy told them, laughingly, as she headed out of the house.

Once David was sure his mother was gone, he turned to Meri and said, "You've been hiding something from me. I could tell when I was still in the hospital, every time you came to visit me, and we talked, I could sense you were holding something back from me. What is it?"

Meri looked at him for a moment, then making up her mind, looked him in the eyes and asked him a simple question, "What comes to mind when I say, 'Nekita'?"

You could have pushed David over with a feather. The surprise on his face was plain to see, but he tried to be casual in his response, "Should it mean anything to me? Isn't it a movie?"

"Yes, David. Nikita," she pronounced it as the proper name, "will be a movie in 1990, but I asked about 'Nekita', our lovely Djinni."

"You remember?" Again, the shock was written on his face in bold letters. He didn't have any reason to believe Meri would have come back, too. Nothing hinted at it, until now, and this was more than a hint.

"Everything up to the impact of the crash, for which I am thankful. It was instant; no pain or suffering, David."

His curiosity taking hold, David started asking questions in quick succession, not considering that she couldn't answer them if he wouldn't stop to let her. She waited for him to run down, crossing her arms and shaking her head. Finally he noticed and smiled his half smile she'd always found appealing.

"Okay. Okay, I get it," he said, with a self depreciating laugh. "I couldn't help myself. I have so many questions. We missed you, when you were taken from us."

"I've missed you, too. The assault on me by those boys, and your ending up in the hospital, did not happen in our first life, as I'm sure you know. So, we know things have already changed in the world immediately around us. I just hope that there are no huge ramifications.

"Anyway, I returned just before they attacked me. I was lost at first. A moment before, I had been in my car and the accident; then I was there. It was confusing. We'd graduated decades in our past, at the time of my death, when I suddenly found myself leaving school at the end of the day. I was in a bit of a daze and wandering aimlessly, when I ended up where I shouldn't have been. I was lucky that you came along, though I'm fairly sure luck had nothing to do with it now. Well, it wasn't this you, it was your old you. Everything went from there. So, I've only been back a few months longer than you. Does that answer your questions?"