he needed to escape.
“In fact,” Dr. Carlson continued, “the last memory she has is of her birthday party ten months ago. She can’t remember anything that happened between then and now. She’s been moved to a room for observation.” He turned to look at Nick. “I told her that her fiancé was here and she’s asking to see you.”
“I’ll come with you,” Officer Brown said. “I’d just like to follow up with her.”
Dr. Carlson nodded. “I’ll take you both to her room.”
Nick followed the doctor and the police officer down a hallway with a sense of overwhelming dread. Was her strange amnesia real? Within seconds he’d find out. He’d either walk out of there with his lies intact or he’d be called out. With no good reason to be on the street where the accident had occurred, he’d eventually be tied to a murder he hadn’t committed.
* * *
JULIE PETERSON WAS AFRAID. She’d been afraid since she’d opened her eyes in the ambulance with no idea of what had happened to her or where she was.
She’d been told she’d been in a car accident. The nurse had explained to her that her car had hit a tree. But those facts weren’t what scared her the most.
Why couldn’t she remember the accident? More importantly, why was she missing ten months of memories? And since when did she have a fiancé?
Surely when she saw the man she was in love with, her memories would come tumbling back. Maybe, when her head quit pounding so fiercely, she’d remember everything.
She attempted to sit up as the doctor, a uniformed police officer and a tall stranger came into the room. “Julie, thank God you’re all right.” The very hot man clad in a pair of jeans and a black hoodie that clung to a pair of broad shoulders rushed to her side and picked up her hand.
This man, with his forest-green eyes and handsome, chiseled features was her fiancé? How had she gotten so lucky? And why, oh, why, didn’t she remember anything about him?
“It’s Nick, honey,” he said. “You don’t remember me?” Her anxiety must have shone on her face. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be just fine.” He released her hand and she immediately felt bereft.
“Ms. Peterson, I’m Officer Brown. Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?”
“No, I don’t mind, but I doubt I’ll be able to answer them,” she said. She wished Nick would take her hand again. Even though she couldn’t remember him, his hand around hers had brought her a small bit of comfort.
And she needed to be comforted at this moment. As the officer asked her questions about the accident, she tried as hard as she could to remember even the smallest detail about what had happened. But there was nothing.
“The last thing I remember is going to the Italian Gardens for my birthday. My parents were there, along with my brothers and my sister. But since my birthday is in two months from now, I’m missing almost a full year of memories.”
A hollow wind blew through her as she shifted her gaze from the police officer to the doctor. “Is this kind of thing normal?” she asked, although she knew it wasn’t.
“Sometimes it occurs that after a traumatic event like a car accident, the patient has no memories of that particular event,” Dr. Carlson replied. “It’s the way the brain protects you from emotional pain and trauma. I haven’t dealt with a patient who has the kind of amnesia we’re talking about here. My advice would be to go home and surround yourself with familiar things and people. Don’t stress yourself and hopefully those memories will return quickly.”
Hopefully? The pounding in her head intensified. She glanced back at Nick. How could she have no memories of dating, of falling in love with him? What else had happened in the ten months she’d forgotten?
“I hope your recovery happens quickly,” Officer Brown said. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.”
“If your memories don’t come back on their own within the next six to eight weeks or so, then I’ll refer you to a neurologist who might be able to help,” Dr. Carlson said when Officer Brown had left the room. “I recommend no driving for the next week to ten days, and you take it easy. In the meantime, you’re our guest for the rest of the night.”
Once again she looked at Nick. “Will you stay here with me?”
“We can get you a pillow and a blanket,” Dr. Carlson said to Nick.
“Of course I’ll stay,” Nick replied after a moment of hesitation.
“I’ll send in a nurse,” Dr. Carlson replied, and then he was gone, leaving her alone with a man, a virtual stranger, who she apparently loved but didn’t remember.
“I hope you don’t mind staying. I feel so alone right now,” she said. It was such an inadequate statement. She was overwhelmed and terrified by her brain’s malfunction. How had this happened? Why had it happened? She hadn’t sustained any serious injuries that might explain it.
He sat on the beige recliner next to her bed. “You aren’t alone.”
“Aren’t you warm in that sweatshirt?” It seemed an odd choice of clothing for a July night. She only knew it was July because the doctor had told her.
“Yes, I am.” He got up from the chair. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.
This was so awkward. He knew everything about her...about them, and she knew nothing. Her fiancé. Had a wedding date already been chosen? What did he do for a living? Did they live together? Just thinking about what she didn’t know hurt her head.
Nick stepped out of the bathroom, his sweatshirt a wad in his hands. The man had been a hunk in the hoodie. He was even more so in a white T-shirt stretched tight across his shoulders and chest.
He placed the black sweatshirt on another chair and then once again sat in the recliner. “Are you sure you can’t remember anything about me?”
“Nothing. I’m so sorry, Nick. If we’re engaged, then I’m sure I love you madly, but you’re going to have to fill in a lot of blanks for me.”
“I’ll do the best I can.”
“Thank God, you weren’t hurt in the accident. My car...?”
“It was towed to Jerry’s Ford. Tomorrow you’ll need to call your insurance company to get things squared away.”
“Was I still driving a blue Ford Focus?” What might have changed in the past year? Did she still live in the same house? Oh, God, had anyone she loved died?
He nodded. “That’s right.”
“I’m assuming I still work for my family’s pawn shop, but what do you do?” It was far easier to focus on him than anything else at the moment. She couldn’t think about anything else in her life right now. It was all so overwhelming.
“I’m a physical education teacher and football coach at JL Cook High School.”
“That
