“I will, honey.” She pressed a kiss to my cheeks and hugged me again before she left.
When I was all alone with Deuce again, I felt awkward, unsure of what to say.
He scooted his chair closer to my bed. “Hey. Don’t feel any type of way about what just happened.”
“Oh, I wasn’t,” I lied.
“Good. Because for the record, I do think that you’re a beautiful woman. I wasn’t flirting, just paying you a compliment.”
I smiled again and rested my head back on my pillows.
“I know that it probably isn’t my business, but I’m guessing that you don’t have a girlfriend since you seem to spend so much time up here with me.”
“No, I don’t. Outside of the rather large family that takes up way too much space in my life and brain, I have the force, and my best friend, Blake, who owns a boxing gym. If it weren’t for you, I’d be returning home to my very lonely house to watch TV. You’re much better company than the voices on the TV and those boring four walls.”
I laughed again. “I don’t know what I would be doing if I weren’t here. But for some reason, I think that I would be volunteering. It feels like that is something I would do, working with those less fortunate, or advocating for someone’s rights.”
I sighed. “Maybe when you get out of here, I could take you to a few volunteer opportunities. We could see how that felt to you, maybe it would jog a memory or shake something loose for you.”
“That would be nice. Do you volunteer?”
“Yep. I volunteer here and for the police force. My mom actually brought us here to volunteer for the first time when I was in the police academy. Every three years, she finds us a new place to volunteer. I just kept returning because so many of our victims end up here.”
“What types of volunteerism do you do with the force?”
“Charity softball games, community cookouts, basketball tournaments, silent auctions, things like that.”
“That’s pretty cool—and you participate in all of them?”
“As much as I can. When you get out of here, how about I take you to the next event?” Deuce looked like his invitation surprised him as much as it surprised me. Based on the largesmile on his face and the light in his eyes, I could tell that he didn’t regret it.
I hesitated briefly as something warm grew inside of me. Smiling, I replied, “I would like that very much.”
“Then it sounds like we need to get you healthy soon. We’ve got plans.”
He winked at me, and I grew flush all over.
“I guess I do.”
“Listen, I’ve got somewhere I need to be. But now that you’re awake, is it okay if I continue visiting you?”
“Of course. I would love that,” I replied, realizing that I would miss him if he wasn’t here.
The minute that he left my room, I immediately felt the impact of his absence.
TWO MONTHS LATER
“You’re doing great,Sevyn. One day at a time will get you there,” Aria, the neuropsychologist, encouraged. “You will continue these exercises daily, even after you return home, okay?”
“Okay.”
I noticed that Sevyn’s voice was soft, and she seemed somewhat reserved. I had spoken with Waverleigh earlier. We noticed that Sevyn seemed to become more withdrawn the closer we got to the time for her release from the hospital. Today was her release date.
Waverleigh had left town to check on her mother again the day before. She was worried that Sevyn was afraid of confronting the memories at her house.
Doctors Kim, Davenport, and Cruz all agreed that she had to return home at least initially. They felt that it would help her recover the missing memories, even if she didn’t stay there overnight. Waverleigh said that Sevyn could stay with her when she returned to town, but that wouldn’t be for another two weeks.
“You ready, Sevyn?” I asked after they had gone through a few more memory exercises together.
