My gut dropped. It’s like I knew bad news was coming. “What’s that?”
Piper took a deep breath and shifted nervously on her feet. “It’s about Xander.”
My pulse increased. “Is he okay?”
Piper nodded. “Yes. He isn’t in any danger.”
“Okay...”
“He’s been awake for several days.”
My head almost snapped off my neck. “Why have you been lying to me?”
Piper took a deep breath. “He doesn’t remember the last twelve years.”
I tilted my head at her, confused. “What do you mean, he remembers nothing?”
She shook her head. “He thinks he’s twenty-two and still dating his ex-girlfriend Billie.”
No, he will remember me when he sees me.
I was wrong. Dead wrong.
When I went into Xander’s room, he stared at me like a stranger. He gave me a polite smile and said, “I’m sorry, but I just don’t remember you.”
Piper, Quinn, and Vivian all insisted it probably was the medicine they still had him on and I should try again. But I knew better. I saw it in his eyes. He didn’t remember me. And each time they suggested I try again, I asked if he still thought he was in love with Billie. They couldn’t deny it, so I stayed away.
For the next several months, I recovered at Piper and Noah’s place in New York. At first, they would ask me if I wanted to visit Xander with them, but I refused. I told Piper to stop updating me or mentioning his name. It was just too painful.
Unfortunately, I kept hearing their hushed conversations about how he was obsessed with finding his ex-girlfriend, Billie. How he kept telling Noah he loved her and wouldn’t rest until he found her.
So, I’ve never seen him again. As soon as I could take care of myself, I moved back to Chicago.
My cast made it impossible for me to do all the duties of my job. I had to stay off my foot, which didn’t allow me to be in the surgeries with the doctors and advise them on which medical devices they need to use for the operations.
Today is a new day, I tell myself, smiling as I walk down the hall and get into the elevator.
I love what I do, and I’m happy to be back. In the last few months, I’ve had too much time to sit and obsess over Xander and what could have been. I’m ready to immerse myself in my job and forget about whatever I thought we had.
The elevator stops, and I step off. I go into the locker room so I can get my scrubs on and prepare for my first surgery of the day. I open the door and run into my ex-boyfriend, Damon, who is also a medical device representative.
“Charlotte.” He shifts on his feet and stands straighter. “How are you feeling?”
I smile. “Good. Fully recovered. Ready to get back to normal life.”
He nods. “Well, looks like you’ll have a full day. The schedule is packed.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ve been bored out of my mind these last six months.”
Damon’s face hardens. “Yes, I remember you telling me.”
My face heats as I think of the last time I saw him. I wish for the millionth time I could erase that memory from my bank.
“Have a good first day back, Charlotte.”
I nod at him. “Thanks.”
He leaves, and I sigh. Damon and I were hot and heavy for a while, but we lost our heat and never got it back. I broke up with him the week before I met Xander, and we haven’t had the best history since I broke up with him. Then there was that one horrible night...
