The Rawsone Residence, Denver, Colorado....
Coming home was a surreal experience for Hadrian as he found that he seemed to be out of place with everything he remembered about his life before the incident and hospitalization took him away from the people he loved. He had taken his time getting out of the car as Julia took the lead in getting him into the house only for him to be surprised via his family. Julia's parents were very concerned about him in his three month absence and were the first to greet him at the door. Jasper Renwald was a proud old timer but even he couldn't hide the emotion behind his eyes when he saw his son in law walk into his home of his own free will safe and sound. Ann didn't hesitate to pull Hadrian into a long awaited hug and he reciprocated it.
"It's about time you came home." she said with her green eyes filling with tears as she attempted to fight them back.
"Don't cry Mom." said Hadrian treating her to a sweet smile before wiping the tears from her eyes and hugging her once more. "I'm home."
She'd been the only mother whom had ever cared for him since the day they met. He was a rather nervous and socially awkward sixteen year old boy with intentions to marry her only daughter and terrified about the up coming prospect of being a father for the first time in his life.
Jasper settled for shaking his hand trying his best to maintain his manly stance in front of the women but Hadrian knew all too well what would have been more appropriate given the situation. The old man was the father he never had and always wanted and it only made it all the more right to pull him into a separate hug himself.
"Welcome home, Son." said Jasper attempting to keep the emotion out of his voice despite his best efforts to appear as though it were only the women whom were emotional.
"I see you've kept the women from getting hysterical Sir." said Hadrian also treating the older man to a smile. "You have my gratitude for that."
Julia narrowed her eyes at him and he chuckled knowing all too well that she'd make him pay for it later once the party was over.
"Welcome home Hadrian." said the voice of Dr. Rawsone's colleague and partner, Dr. Maureen Welch.
She was a pleasant looking woman, late in age with a gentle voice and piercing blue eyes. She wore a white blazer and pants suit with matching heels. Her fingernails matched her outfit and her long blonde hair draped down to her shoulders.
"Reen!?" said Hadrian delighted to see her. "Sorry about sticking you with all my patients for three months."
"It's not a problem...although next time you want to go on a vacation I suggest you include your wife and a few weeks notice." jested Maureen as she smiled in his direction.
"I wouldn't exactly call what happened a vacation, but you'll get no argument from me on bringing Jules along and the week notice." replied Hadrian pleased to be back among the familiar faces he'd come to depend on over the course of his long association with them.
As the party got underway, Julia approached Hadrian and instructed him to retrieve the phone as their daughters were on the line and insisted upon hearing from their father. Delighted to hear from them at last, Hadrian rushed over to the phone and put the receiver to his ear.
"Hi girls." he said pleased to be home. "How's school everything going well...you situated with your respective classes and living arrangements?"
{"Hi Daddy."} they both said in unison.
Hadrian delighted in hearing their collective voices. He'd been worried that they wouldn't have much time for each other with their respective schedules and interests to keep them busy.
{"We're good...it sounds like you and Mom are throwing a party."} said Samantha, she'd been as suspicious as ever it seemed.
{"They totally are partying now that we are out of the house."} added Jessica laughing in the background.
"It's not like that, we miss you girls very much." Hadrian said in defense of himself and his wife. "This just happens to be something to take our collective minds off worrying about you two being off to college."
{"Sure Dad."} said Samantha not at all buying it. {"It's good to hear your voice by the way, I can't speak for Jessie, but I've been swamped with the current work load and hadn't had much time to talk or do anything fun for that matter."}
{"Daddy, Sammie listens to your song when she misses you."} added Jessica in the background. {"Which is like all the time and I listen to it too."}
Hadrian smiled at this. Normally he'd be getting flack for his taste in old music and told to "get with the times."
"Really now?" he asked as if he'd won a small victory. "Apparently, my musical taste isn't all that bad these days."
{"No way Dad it's still pretty terrible."} remarked Samantha. {"I just happen to like that one song is all."}
Jessica was laughing hysterically in the background for several minutes.
Hadrian smirked amused by his daughters and grateful to be home in time to take their call.
"Don't work too hard Sammie and Jessie don't waste too much of your art supplies up in one go." he said falling into his usual "Dad routine" it was as if he'd never left and if they didn't know about his disappearance all the better.
{"We're going to let you and Mom get back to your party Dad."} said Samantha.
"I love you girls." said Hadrian a bit sad that their call had come to an end.
{"We love you Daddy."} they said in unison before hanging up.
Julia walked over toward her husband, she was delighted that he got to speak with the girls it was far too long since they'd heard from him.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HOURS LATER.....
The Master Bedroom, Rawsone Residence, Denver, Colorado....
The homecoming party had come to an end and everyone shuffled out the door back to their respective residences. Julia set about cleaning up with Hadrian pitching in every so often before she shooed him away to find his own projects to see to. He had not known how to feel about his return. He wanted more than anything to see the house and his family again, but he couldn't help but feel as thought something was different about his life somehow. A quick shower followed by painstakingly redressing his wounds via Julia and her careful hands, Hadrian climbed into bed beside his wife after all those nights of being apart.
It was strange being back in his own bed after having to endure the stay at the hospital for so long due to surgery. Julia seemed to fall right asleep, of course she had to be lying nearly on top of him in order to feel secure enough to fall into a contented slumber. Hadrian had been slightly amused but he understood all too well that there was a fear in her that she'd awaken the next morning and the horrible nightmare of him being gone would begin all over again.
While he had no plans to go anywhere any time soon, he couldn't deny that there was always going to be a constant measure of concern about his whereabouts when it came to her. He simply hoped that they could eventually get to the bottom of what had happened to him in the first place so that they would be free to just get on with their lives.