The very next day I headed over to the hotel. My mind was racing, I had a million questions that needed answers, and I needed to make sure he was real. I pulled into the parking space and got out of the car, I stood there for a moment trying to calm myself. It wasn't working. I headed up to Nathaniel's room, knocked on the door and waited. When he opened the door, we just stood there staring at each other. All the questions I had planned to ask, now seemed silly, all that mattered was Nathaniel was here, alive. "Come in, I'm sure you have a million questions for me." He said moving out of the doorway. I walked in and sat on the couch, he took a seat next to me. "I don't even know where to begin." I said "What happened, where have you been?" "I had amnesia, I still don't remember everything, but I remembered you, so I came to find you."
I was more confused than before, "Why don't you start at the beginning." He nodded before continuing. "I remember being at home with you, heading home from the store with your ice cream, I was hit by a car that ran the light, both of us went over the edge of the road into the trees. Then I remember walking along the highway, and someone stopping to give me a ride to the hospital. Next thing I know it's two months later and I'm in the hospital two states over, I was told I had a broken arm, several broken ribs, and a severe concussion. Apparently I was close enough in appearance to be mistaken for someone else who had gone missing years before, since I had no memories, who was I to argue. I became Philip Green, lived as him and with his family up until three years ago, when they found the real Philip Green. At that point was more lost than ever, having lost a second identity. They were good people and offered to let me stay, but I needed to figure out who I really was. Driving in the car one day I heard this song on the radio, the voice was so familiar, yet I couldn't place it, once they said your name it's like these flood gates opened and all these memories came rushing out. I remembered my name, my family, you." I was speechless, he had been through so much.
"What about the last three years? You said you lived as Philip till three years ago, what happened during that time?" I wanted to know all that I had missed. "Once I remembered who I was I went home, needing to see my family, needing someone to confirm that I was finally me. But to my dismay, both of my parents had passed away. I said my goodbyes and moved on. I have to admit that it took me along time to decide to come here. I have a small house in Riverview, where I've been living for the last two and a half years." He stopped and looked at me. "Why didn't you want to come here, didn't you want to see me, meet your children?" I asked, not sure I really wanted the answer. "Of course I wanted to see you. It's just, when I saw you on TV you looked so happy, and it's been so long I was afraid that coming back would be a mistake. I figured that after all this time you were probably married again, and I didn't want to interfere. I finally decided that I couldn't live not knowing. I needed to be a part of my children's life, even if it late." I didn't know what to say, so I just sat there for the longest time. "Are you okay? It's a lot to take in, believe me I know." "I never did remarry. It's been just me and the kids this whole time, speaking of which I need to get going, they'll be home soon, and we need to talk." I said as I got up and headed to the door.
Nathaniel caught my hand and pulled me in for a hug. "Thank you for coming, just one last question, what are their names?"
"Tanner and Berlin." I said pulling away. I was out the door and in the car as fast as I could,shaking from the release of anxiety, and needing to get home to process all I had heard today.
I was more confused than before, "Why don't you start at the beginning." He nodded before continuing. "I remember being at home with you, heading home from the store with your ice cream, I was hit by a car that ran the light, both of us went over the edge of the road into the trees. Then I remember walking along the highway, and someone stopping to give me a ride to the hospital. Next thing I know it's two months later and I'm in the hospital two states over, I was told I had a broken arm, several broken ribs, and a severe concussion. Apparently I was close enough in appearance to be mistaken for someone else who had gone missing years before, since I had no memories, who was I to argue. I became Philip Green, lived as him and with his family up until three years ago, when they found the real Philip Green. At that point was more lost than ever, having lost a second identity. They were good people and offered to let me stay, but I needed to figure out who I really was. Driving in the car one day I heard this song on the radio, the voice was so familiar, yet I couldn't place it, once they said your name it's like these flood gates opened and all these memories came rushing out. I remembered my name, my family, you." I was speechless, he had been through so much.
"What about the last three years? You said you lived as Philip till three years ago, what happened during that time?" I wanted to know all that I had missed. "Once I remembered who I was I went home, needing to see my family, needing someone to confirm that I was finally me. But to my dismay, both of my parents had passed away. I said my goodbyes and moved on. I have to admit that it took me along time to decide to come here. I have a small house in Riverview, where I've been living for the last two and a half years." He stopped and looked at me. "Why didn't you want to come here, didn't you want to see me, meet your children?" I asked, not sure I really wanted the answer. "Of course I wanted to see you. It's just, when I saw you on TV you looked so happy, and it's been so long I was afraid that coming back would be a mistake. I figured that after all this time you were probably married again, and I didn't want to interfere. I finally decided that I couldn't live not knowing. I needed to be a part of my children's life, even if it late." I didn't know what to say, so I just sat there for the longest time. "Are you okay? It's a lot to take in, believe me I know." "I never did remarry. It's been just me and the kids this whole time, speaking of which I need to get going, they'll be home soon, and we need to talk." I said as I got up and headed to the door.
Nathaniel caught my hand and pulled me in for a hug. "Thank you for coming, just one last question, what are their names?"
Once home I sat the kids down and told them what Nathaniel had said. They were just as shocked as I was, I told them that Nathaniel wanted to get to know them, but it was their choice, they were both almost seventeen. Tanner was much more enthusiastic about it, but both agreed to get to know their father.
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