“You remember how things were between us in April. She had some kind of panic attack earlier. It was awful. I don’t want to put her through that again. But you should go back. A friendly face would probably be comforting just now, and I don’t want her to be alone.”
The plastic chair was hard. Jonah shifted regularly. Got up and paced. People came and went. The TV screen mounted to the wall playedWheel of FortuneandJeopardy!He had no idea how much time had passed when his parents returned to the waiting room, but his mom’s face was tight with worry, her ever-present smile nowhere to be seen. His dad lumbered behind her.
Apparently Lauren’s memory hadn’t magically returned. Jonah met them near the check-in desk. “How’s she doing?”
“Holding her own,” Mom said. “But losing all that time... It feels like we’ve gone back to square one in our relationship. They were just starting some tests, and I didn’t feel she wanted us there.” She wrapped an arm around his waist. “I can’t even imagine how this feels to you.”
“They’re keeping her overnight,” Dad said. “They’ll be moving her upstairs soon.”
“Thanks for going back there, being with her.”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
He longed to be with her himself. It was killing him to stay out here. But the memory of that panic attack, or whatever it was, was fresh in his mind. He could still see the raw fear in her eyes as she struggled to draw breath. He never wanted to see that again. Never wanted her to feel like that again.
“I’m gonna stay here.”
“All night?” Mom asked.
“Yeah.” He couldn’t leave her. And if her memory came back, she’d want him. “Would you guys check the barn for her phone? She wanted to call Sydney earlier. It must’ve fallen out of her pocket. I’d call her myself, but I don’t have her number in my phone.”
“I’ll do that soon as we get home,” Dad said. “And we’ll bring your truck and leave it for you.”
“I’ll gather a few things she’ll be wanting, toothbrush and whatnot.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’m sure she’d appreciate that.”
They left a few minutes later and Jonah resumed pacing. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been hoping they’d come out and report that Lauren’s memory had returned. That she was asking for him. If he deflated any more, he’d be a limp, airless balloon lumped on the floor.
He got water from the vending machine and stared sightlessly at the TV screen until his parents returned with a bag for Lauren and a backpack for him.
Dad handed him the keys to his truck and they talked for a few minutes. Offered to stay. Jonah insisted they go home and get some rest. They wanted to be updated of any changes no matter the time of night, and Jonah promised he’d call. Then they left.
He asked the desk attendant to take Lauren’s things back to her. Then he resumed his long-distance vigil, only remembering belatedly that he hadn’t used Lauren’s phone to call Sydney. But she’d no doubt do that herself. He hoped Sydney would come because Lauren needed someone she could trust. But then he remembered the woman was flying to Florida this week for her brother’s wedding. What terrible timing.
Sometime later he opened the backpack and found a small blanket, toiletries, water bottles, protein bars, and homemade cookies. The sight of food reminded him he hadn’t eaten supper. Then he remembered the reservations at The Landing. He glanced at the utilitarian wall clock. Ten twenty-six.
Had the night gone as anticipated, right now he would’ve been engaged to the love of his life.
Chapter 5
All the words the doctor had said this morning swirled around Lauren’s head like debris in a hurricane. The woman came in just after six, awakening Lauren from a dead sleep. She hadn’t had time to orient herself, much less have coffee, before the talking started. The only thing she knew for sure was that she’d be discharged soon.
She inclined her bed, sat up, and turned until her feet hung over the side. Were those her socks? Her nails still looked like someone else’s. The headache was better at least. But her thoughts were still fuzzy. If she’d been awake and coherent, she would’ve asked the doctor how long that would last.
She glanced out the window that faced the parking lot and the woods beyond. It was almost six thirty and the sun was barely up. The trees held autumnal tinges of yellow and orange.
September, not April.Even with visual proof, it seemed impossible.
She recalled Tom and Tammy’s visit last night. Odd to have her employers in the room while she swam in a hospital gown and felt mentally vulnerable. They were good people. Tammy was a warm, motherly woman. Tom had a gruff exterior, but she suspected he was as soft as fresh fudge on the inside.
Did she already know that for a fact but had only forgotten it? The thought flittered away.
She spied the bag of things she assumed Tammy had gathered for her. Lauren wanted to get out of this gown and start feeling like herself again. She wanted to return to her cabin where strangers weren’t telling her what to do and when to do it. It was her childhood all over again.
Why could she remember her miserable childhood and not what had happened two days ago?
She came to her feet and hesitated until she was certain the room wouldn’t spin. Then she grabbed the bag off the corner chair and rooted through it. Toothbrush, toothpaste, a change of clothes, her hairbrush. She wanted to weep at all the familiar things. She wanted to hug the entire bag.
