I leaned back in the chair and folded my arms across my chest. “You say that every appointment.”
“Because every appointment, you tell me the same thing.” Dr. Reeves glanced down at my chart again. “The headaches are getting worse, your emotions are becoming harder to regulate, and the memories are increasing in frequency.”
“That still don’t explain my attitude.”
“Actually, it could.” He set the file down and looked me directly in the eye. “Traumatic brain injuries can affect emotional control, impulse regulation, and aggression. Pair that with the stress of memory recovery, and it creates a difficult adjustment period for some patients.”
“So basically, I’m losing my shit.”
“No.” His tone stayed calm. “I’m saying your brain experienced severe trauma, and it’s still healing.”
I looked away, irritated by how reasonable he sounded.
“Have the memories become more detailed?”
My thoughts immediately drifted to Booda.
The sound of his voice.
The way he looked at me.
The things Giani had been saying about who I used to be before the accident.
“Some of them,” I admitted.
“And how do they make you feel?”
“Depends on the memory.”
“Have any of them made you feel unsafe?”
That question sat with me for a second.
I thought about the man in the car.
The threats.
The gunshots.
The feeling that somebody was always watching me.
“Yeah,” I answered honestly.
Dr. Reeves nodded before scribbling something down. “Konika, I want you to be careful about making major emotional decisions right now. Your memory is still incomplete, and familiarity can create a false sense of trust.”
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means familiarity can feel safe even when it isn’t.”
I leaned back in the chair and folded my arms. “You saying I shouldn’t trust people I remember?”
“I’m saying you should be careful,” Dr. Reeves corrected calmly. “I’d hate for you to put yourself in difficult situations while you’re still recovering.”
A dry laugh escaped me. “Too late for that.”
His eyes lingered on me for a second longer than I liked, but he didn’t ask any more questions. Instead, he picked up his pen again.
“Since your migraines are coming more frequently, I’m going to refill your prescription and slightly increase the dosage. If they continue getting worse, I want another MRI scheduled.”
