Cassie and Natalie had been ushered out of Blaine's room, left to wait in the hallway while the doctor examined him.
Cassie's relief at Blaine being awake had been short-lived. She was devastated that he didn't know her. For a second she had him back, but just as quickly she had lost him all over again.
"Maybe he just needs a few minutes to wake up and adjust before he remembers," Natalie offered.
Cassie nodded slowly. She hoped Natalie was right.
"There you are," Reese said as she walked up from the waiting room. She was about to ask Natalie if she was ready to go home, but when she saw the looks on their faces she knew something was wrong. "What's going on?"
"He just woke up. The doctor is checking him now," Natalie answered.
Reese just nodded. Neither of them offered more details, so she didn't pry. "Do you want to wait until there's news?"
Natalie seemed conflicted. "I do, but what about the neighborhood meeting? You said you would support Vince."
"Simon will be there," she assured her. "And I can call him to make sure."
They waited in silence, Cassie seemingly in her own world, until the door opened and the doctor stepped out.
"His vital signs look good and he seems to be recovering well," she announced.
"But his memory?" Cassie asked anxiously. "He didn't recognize me."
"He is having memory issues," the doctor admitted. "He doesn't seem to remember what happened or who he is, but it is too soon to tell if these issues are going to be permanent. His brain is still recovering from his injuries and his surgery and medication may be having an impact. We're going to keep monitoring him for changes."
"Can I go back in?" Cassie asked.
"Yes," the doctor agreed. "But don't try to pressure him to remember. If he is going to progress, he is going to do so on his own timeframe."
Cassie rushed to the doorway, but as she started to enter the room she was suddenly hesitant. She stepped forward cautiously, hoping Blaine would speak up first and reassure her that he knew her and was glad to see her, but it was the nurse who was assisting him and helping him sit up more comfortably that spoke.
"It looks like your wife is back," she said comfortingly. "She's been sitting with you the entire time you were out."
He squinted at Cassie, searching for some familiarity. "Are you sure? I don't remember being married."
Cassie felt the tears welling in her eyes and felt like she couldn't breathe.
Blaine looked past Cassie and saw Reese out in the hallway with Natalie. "Wait. Don't I know her?"
* * * * *
"And that concludes our old business," Lawrence declared as he stood in front of his neighbors at their neighborhood association meeting. He had been dreading this moment, but he couldn't put it off any longer. "That brings us to new business."
"Yes. I have some new business," Shayna spoke up as she took the floor. "As we all know we have very specific neighborhood bylaws in place to ensure that Arrendale Heights is a safe and respectable place for all of its residents to live." She began passing out papers to the others in the meeting. "This is a copy of the bylaws that we all signed and agreed to with the relevant sections highlighted. You will see these sections prohibit criminal activity, disruptive activity, and negative publicity for our neighborhood.
"I have documented evidence that one of our younger residents has repeatedly violated these rules and after several warnings to their guardian these violations have continued. I can go into each specific occurrence and outline how each incident has violated a specific bylaw, but I think we all know what has been happening recently."
Lawrence nodded. "I don't think that will be necessary."
"In that case, I would like to raise a motion to have Stuart Vincent Sexton expelled from this neighborhood," Shayna declared.
Lucy glared at Shayna who stared back at her unflinchingly.
"Does anyone second the motion?" Lawrence asked.
"I do."
Lucy pulled her glare away from Shayna and turned to see who had spoken up. She had been sure that everyone except Shayna and Lawrence would have been on her side. She was shocked to see Edward leaning back in his chair with his hand raised.
Lawrence took a deep breath. "Then we vote. One vote per household. I take it the Martin-Ramone and Wilton households both vote in favor of expulsion?"
"Yes," Shayna spoke up enthusiastically as Edward and Alma simply nodded. Andrew frowned and looked as if he might speak, but Chloe was on her feet and spoke up first.
"James and I vote no," Chloe declared firmly. "And I want it on the record that I find it absolutely disgusting that this has come this far." She looked pointedly at the others in turn. "How any of you could think of doing this to Lucy and Vince is beyond me."
"Hear, hear! Well said," Vanessa spoke up. "I agree completely. Logan and I vote no." She turned to her husband who nodded his head in agreement.
As all eyes turned to him, Simon cleared his throat and spoke up. "Reese and I also vote no."
"So that makes it 3 to 2," Shayna said. "And the Kitteridges aren't here to vote for obvious reasons. That leaves you, Lawrence."
Lawrence took a deep breath and looked at the faces around him. Everyone was staring at him intently, eager for his declaration. No matter which way he voted half of the people in the room were going to be unhappy with him. He understood both sides, but ultimately his mind was telling him that rules were rules.
"Stop!" Lucy spoke up as she rose to her feet. If Lawrence was on her side he wouldn't be hesitating like this. A "no" vote was already a majority. A "yes" was only going to make it a tie. "I cannot take another second of sitting here watching all of you judge me as a parent and my son as a person. I don't give a flying fig about the damn bylaws. I don't need any of you to kick me out. If I'm going to leave it's going to be on my own terms."
With that Lucy stormed out of the room.
"Hold on, Lucy, I'm coming with you," Chloe called after her as she stared defiantly at the others. She quickly followed her best friend out of the meeting. James, Logan, and Vanessa followed her in solidarity.
Vanessa shook her head disapprovingly at Lawrence and the yes voters on the way out. "You should all be ashamed."
"Well, I guess that's 'meeting adjourned'," Shayna said smugly.
As Simon, Lawrence, and the Wiltons quietly filed out, Shayna turned to find herself face-to-face with an angry Andrew.
"Are you proud of yourself?" he asked.
She shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm just doing my job for the neighborhood association to see that the rules are followed and my job as a mother to make sure my son is safe."
"Maybe next time you're 'doing your job' you might think about me as well."
Shayna started collecting her papers as she replied, "What about you?"
"I have a right to a voice too. I would have appreciated it if you had consulted me before you spoke on my behalf."
Shayna rolled her eyes. "Of course."
Furious, Andrew turned and walked out of the conference room, leaving Shayna to walk home alone.
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