Saving Lost Hearts (Inspired By Savior by Rise Against)

“Liam Tuckers,” the name was familiar.

Doctors, nurse, and a man and women who claim to be my parents are saying the name.

I turned my head slightly to the right to see my right arm bounded to my side by a metal rod to prevent any movement. I turned my head slightly to the left to see my left arm bounded in a similar position.

“What happened?” I asked in a hoarse voice that apparently belonged to me.

A woman with brown hair similar to mine smiled at me and returned to conversation as if saying “Shut up”. You could see in her sunken cheeks that she was depressed. This woman was the one who introduced herself as “Mom”. I didn’t believe her though wouldn’t I remember the women who birthed me into this world.

Then again, I don’t even remember my name.

She watched me out of the corner of her eye as if to make sure I don’t fall asleep again.

This woman, my mother stood next to a man who claimed to be my father. I hadn’t believed that at all. There was no shared resemblance between us. His hair was blonde mine was brown. His eyes were a piercing blue and mine were a warm hazel (at least that’s what I’ve been told). Regardless, I’ve ruled him out as a potential candidate from my biological father.

I sighed, “Excuse me.” I said stopping the ongoing conversation.

The group turned and faced me all eyes awaiting my follow up.

“Why are you all in my room?” I asked, “As far as I’m concerned you’re all strangers,”

The brown haired woman’s eyes grew wide, “Honey, we’re no strangers, I’m your mother remember?” she asked hopefully.

“No, I’ve never seen you in my life. I’m awake now and I have been for a week now.” I said, “Doctors, nurses, and “’parents’ alike, get out.” I ordered.

Worried glances were exchanged between the people that I had just kicked out.

“Now please,” I said sharply.

They sighed and retreated out of the room leaving a girl behind them, with a folder and sweets in her hand.

I shot her a look, “Didn’t I say that nurses should leave?” I demanded.

I saw fear in her big brown eyes that were a little hurt by that statement.

“I’m not a nurse,” she said, “I’m a volunteer and if I remember correctly I wasn’t dismissed,”

I laughed a bit, “How cute I have a volunteer that bites. What's your name?” I asked.

She tucked her long dark hair behind her ear, “Mia, my name is Mia. What’s yours?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I though to myself quietly as Mia looked at me expectantly. “Niall,” I said repeating the first male name that popped into my head.

She smiled sadly and shook her head, “Liam, your name is Liam and my name is Mia. Please try to remember that.” She begged.

“Fine if it means that much to you,” I said.

Mia smiled a bit, her smile was pretty and warmed the room a bit.

“Liam I made you brownies, would you like some?” she asked.

“Brownies?” I repeated confused. The word felt foreign on my tongue.

She smiled, “Perhaps not everything has come back yet.” She thought.

“Yea maybe.” I said agreeing with her.

Mia walked over to my bed and stood on my right side. She rested the folder and sweets which I presumed to be brownies on the side table.

Up close I saw her features, her brown eyes with specks of gold in them, her long dark hair that fell perfectly behind her ear. That smile that was so bright and comforting and her figure wasn't bad either. Overall her looks were a bit more than decent.

“Here,” she said holding a brown square in front of my mouth. It was moist and had chuncks in it.

“This is a brownie?” I questioned skeptically.

“Yes, It’s really good. Try it and you’ll see,” she said thrusting it in my face again.

I sighed and opened my mouth. She put the brownie in my mouth and I chewed and swallowed it.

“See?” she asked.

“It was okay.” I told her trying to mask the fact that I had loved it and wanted another.

She saw through my act and gave me another which I ate and savored. “Your mouth,” she said and wiped a crumb off of the side of my mouth gently.

I blushed lightly, “Thanks.” I said.

“You’re welcome,” she smiled blushing a bit herself.

“If you want I’ll bring you something else tomorrow. I can’t help you physically, but I can teach you what it means to be a teenager again.” She said optimistically.

“Okay thanks” I said.

“Hey do you want to see your file?” she asked.

“I’m allowed?” I questioned.

“No, but you must be curious. It’ll be our little secret,” she giggled putting her index finger up to her lips.

I laughed, “Fine I’m a bit curious. Let me see,”

She smiled and grabbed the tan folder off the table and opened it. A picture was paper clipped to a piece of paper and a birth certificate was on the other side.

“This is you Liam Tuckers.” She smiled pointing to the picture.
“You have brown eyes,” she read pointing to each word, “Your middle name is Sean. You have brown hair and are 5’’7.” She said.

“Excuse me Miss Mia,” said a voice. Mia closed the folder immediately and looked up at the door.

A nurse stood in the doorway and I glared at her, just when I was enjoying Mia’s company the nurse came and interrupted it all.

“It’s time for Liam’s checkup I have to ask you to leave.” The nurse said.

Mia smiled and got up, “Understood.” She said, “Well I guess that I’ll see you tomorrow after school then.”

The word school sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember its definition.

I nodded, “Okay I’ll see you tomorrow, Mia,”

She grabbed the garbage from the brownies and the folder off the bed.
With it she skipped out of the room happily.

The nurse must’ve heard about the previous fiasco because she left as soon as she retrieved Mia.

Short after Mia left doctors came in and began undressing my casts and bandages. They worked with my right side first. When they fully removed the cast I saw that my arm was covered in cuts and bruises.

“What happened to my arm?” I questioned.

I was ignored, they wrapped my arm in bandages again and put a thinner cast on it. The same procedure was done with my left arm.

Once the doctors were finished they left without a word turning off the lights on their way out leaving me in the dark.

I missed Mia, she seemed to be the only person who treated me like a person rather than a young and naive child.

I sighed and fell asleep with that thought in my mind.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of a nurse’s voice, “Liam wake up,” she cooed.

I opened my eyes slowly and focused on her face. She had dark skin and brown eyes.

I groaned and she smiled, “Hungry?” she asked.

I shook my head, “No when is Mia coming?” I asked.

The nurse’s smile faded a bit, “Later sweetie, you should eat.” She said.

“No thank you I’m fine.” I said once again.

She sighed and walked out.

I sat in the hospital bed alone except for the nurses that came in to check up on me or offer me food.

Once 3:00 rolled around I was becoming impatient. When does school finish anyway?

The door to my room opened once more and Mia stepped in with a backpack on her back covered in snow. She was dressed differently also. Her hair was pulled back into a braid. She wore a white polo shirt, a red and dark brown patterned skirt; white knee high socks, and black shoes.

“Hi Liam.” She smiled and walked in.

“Hey,” I said. She sat in her
chair beside my bed and put her backpack on the floor.

“I heard you didn’t eat today.” She said and she opened the bag and took out a brown paper bag.

“I didn’t want to, I wasn’t in the mood.” I said.

She opened the bag and took out brownies.

“I bought you 3 today.” She said.

“Thanks.” I said. She fed me the brownies and I took my time taking smaller bites than usual.

“Glutton,” she said after I finished the last brownie.

I swallowed, “I am not.” I said unaware of what glutton meant.

She laughed and I smiled.

“Let’s do this every day.” I told her.

She stooped laughing and smiled, “Okay we’ll do this everyday,” she smiled and wrapped her pinky around mine, “Promise.”

“Promise.” I said.

We kept our promise everyday. She made it a point to come visits me and bring a treat along with her. I learned to read once more and she refreshed my memory of meaning of words like school or sports. I grew to have an attraction to Mia and waited for her everyday. She helped me learn a lot about my past and uncovered information that the doctors and my parents kept classified.

One day in the spring I sat in the patients lounge waiting for Mia to arrive. It was past 3:00 she didn’t have anything after school today I was starting to worry. I sighed as I waited once again I became impatient.

Than I felt a tap on my shoulder it was my mother, “Liam are you waiting for Mia?” she asked.

“Yes.” I said avoiding eye contact.

“Liam, Mia got into an accident on her way over here and won’t be coming today.” My mother said.

The word accident sent a chill down my spine. “What do you mean?” I asked looking at her.

“Mia was hit by a car and is in the ICU right now and is not pulling through,” she said, “I’m sorry honey.”

Feelings that I’ve never experienced before began to bubble up inside me. Feelings of anger, fear, sadness, and agitation bounced around inside of me.

I got up and walked past my mother, “I need a walk.” I said.

“Liam, Liam,” she called, but I ignored her.

I walked outside of the lounge and into the hallway into my room. On the bed there was an envelope. I walked over and picked it up.
To Liam it read in Mia’s handwriting. I opened the envelope and inside there was a letter.

Dear Liam,

There are a lot of things I need to tell you, but I don’t have the ability to say them directly so I wrote them instead. I’m afraid that you’re beginning to slip in a way. You don’t smile as often anymore and brownies only taste good not great. I’m beginning to worry that there are some things your aren’t telling me, we’re friends and you can tell me anything.

Secondly I think that I’m beginning to develop feelings for you. Please don’t think I hate you; I just want to be there to save you from this mess while I still can. In fact I care about you a lot so that’s why I’m going to tell you this. Most likely you’ve all but just forgotten our history as kids. We’ve always been best friends I guess that the signs of age are a bit too much for you to connect with the 7 year old who claimed to be a princess huh? Regardless please know that the present is the best time for everything and that if this friendship of ours doesn’t continue that I don’t hate you just want the best for my friend. Also please know that I truly do care and will try to uphold those morals that you’ve shown me.

Love,

Mia Donaldson

My cheeks and eyes were wet and I held the letter she had written in my hands tightly. The only girl that I’ve ever had feelings for is in the IVU practically dying. Her last name rang a bell though and those childhood memories that she referred to came back in a rush and my chest started to hurt. I missed Mia and I didn’t want her to die. “Please live Mia, please,” I begged. I turned the envelope and a picture fell out. I bent down to pick up. There we were Mia in a princess costume and I was prince. It was Halloween we had baskets full of candy and big grins on our faces. As I looked at the picture a nurse came in and reported the death of Mia. She apologized and I thanked her meekly. I felt tears roll down my cheeks and onto the picture I wiped them feverishly and leaned on the windowsill near the bed. “I don’t know what I was feeling, but whatever it means I like you to Mia. I know I’ve failed you before but I’ll try to uphold you best I can. Just like you said live today and live to the fullest.” I said.