Rekindle The Flames (The Men of CLE-FD Book 4)

by Toye Lawson Brown

  The older man folded his arms across his chest. “I’ll have to hear the question to determine that.”

  “Okay. Megan has been under a lot of stress lately. A few years ago, she had a miscarriage that she hasn’t really let go of, and then there is other drama going on. I guess what I’m asking is if she doesn’t want to remember any of that stuff…”

  Dr. Michaels shook his head. “Let me try to explain post-traumatic memory loss to you. Your wife may be disoriented and unable to remember events that occur after the injury, and she may be unable to state her name, or know where she is, or what time it is, etc. It may be either short term or longer lasting, often lasting over a month, but is hardly ever permanent. When continuous memory returns, Mrs. Tisdale should be able to function normally, unlike retrograde amnesia sufferers, who may partially regain memory later, but memories are never regained with anterograde amnesia, because they were not encoded properly. Please consider this is based on an ‘if’. Your wife may wake up and not have any memory loss at all. Why don’t you concentrate on that being the case instead of the latter?”

  Ryan nodded. “Yeah, that is good advice.” He shoved his hands in the pocket of his uniform pants. They were filthy with dried mud and blood.

  “Mr. Tisdale, go home and get some rest. We’ll take good care of your wife until you return. Besides, she’ll probably be asleep another few hours before the anesthesia wears off,” Dr. Arnett suggested.

  “I will do that,” he replied. He walked over to the bed and gently kissed Megan’s forehead. He could see her eyes moving rapidly under her closed lids. He wondered what she was dreaming about. He touched her warm hand and prayed she was having a pleasant dream about them and not the accident that put her in this position. “I’ll be back soon, baby. I love you.”

  He walked down the hallway of the surgical ICU. Anger suddenly flared through him. He stopped at the nurses’ station and asked the nurse behind the desk for information about Iona. Getting what he needed, he left the ICU.

  Ryan didn’t bother to knock as he opened the door to Iona’s room. She was propped up in bed eating breakfast, and appeared startled to see him. “Ryan.”

  “I guess I’m the last person you expected to visit,” he said meanly.

  “You’re the only person that has visited me. Not that I am expecting any visitors from anyone in my family.”

  “I won’t ruin that for you. I just want to know why, Iona? Why did you try to kill her? Do you hate me that much that you’d rather see her dead than with me?”

  Tears ran from Iona’s eyes. “I did not try to kill either of us, Ryan. I lost control of the car because we were arguing.”

  “Arguing over shit you want to control! Why can’t you get it through your thick skull that she doesn’t want Emin? She wants to be with me.”

  “I know! Dammit, I have to live with the guilt if my daughter is a vegetable for the rest of her life. I did not mean for this to happen. I had to try, Ryan. I wouldn’t be a good mother if I didn’t try to get the best for my kids. Megan is stubborn and lives life looking through rose-colored glasses. She is so easy to settle.”

  He raised his brows. “Settle? So she settled for me?” He narrowed his eyes. “Listen to me, you old bat! I risked my life to save yours. I could’ve simply left you pinned behind the wheel and let you go over the edge with that car, but I didn’t. I have a moral obligation to the citizens of this city and to Megan since you’re her mother, so I had to save your worthless life. The least you can do is say thank you. But instead, you’re lying there telling me to my face how your daughter settled for me. You’re fucking priceless, Iona, and I hope you’ll never, ever, need my help again.”

  “You have every right to say that. I am a horrible person, and the results of my actions are coming back to haunt me. Ryan, look around. Do you see any get-well cards, flowers or anything that would show someone cares about me? My own husband hasn’t stepped foot in this hospital room to see how I am doing.”

  “That’s your fault, Iona. If you weren’t such a bitch, you would have people here to care for you. Megan would be here if she weren't in ICU fighting to save her own life. The very life you attempted to take in order to keep her from me.” He was seeing red, and had to suppress his anger. “No matter what you’ve done to her, she’ll end up feeling guilty about losing the closeness she once had with you. She believed you two had the perfect mother-daughter bond. You’re right; she does see things through rose-colored glasses. It’s her way of dealing with you and the hell you put her through.”

  Iona’s face showed no remorse as she narrowed her arched brows. “You take no responsibility in hurting her, Ryan?”

  “Hell yeah, I do. I wasn’t there for Megan when she miscarried, and that hurts like hell. You took away my right to grieve with her. You had her lie to me about my unborn baby. Thanks to your quick thinking, I’ll never know if there was something I could have done to prevent Megan from having that miscarriage. And now that she is going through this, who knows what will happen. She may never have a chance to get pregnant again.”

  “I did what I thought was best for the both of you at the time. The court had not decided your fate, Ryan. Megan was too young to be left with a baby and a husband in prison. I did what I had to do to protect her.”

  “I guess in some sick way that is how you show love. See, I didn’t have a mother that tucked me in at night or lead me to believe there was something better for me. My mother went to bed every night with a bottle of Jack Daniels tucked under her arm. That was her solace, not her kids. So, I learned at an early age what it was like to be neglected and not to depend on my parents for anything. So, in my haste to understand the difference between love and meddling, please excuse my dumbness for not knowing how a loving parent, such as yourself, can do what you’re doing to Megan.”

  “You can leave now, Ryan. I’m done talking to you.”

  “I’m just getting started, Iona. But, go ahead, pat yourself on the back for winning this round, Iona. You may get your wish, eventually.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  The impassive look on his face was meant to hide the pain stabbing him in the side. The muscles in his stomach tightened the more he fussed. “Once she wakes up from her coma, she might not remember anything, including me. I’ll be out of her life one way or another.”

  “Oh my God,” Iona breathed. “This can’t be happening.”

  “Believe me; it’s real. However, I’m going to make sure you will not have any contact with her. I’m legally in charge of her care since I’m her husband. You will not get a chance to brainwash Megan with any of your bullshit.”

  “I’m her mother, Ryan. You can’t keep me from seeing my daughter.”

  He put his hands on his hips. “Try me. I’ll take her someplace you’ll never find her.”

  Iona held her stomach and chuckled. “You don’t have the resources to do that, whereas her father and I can provide her with the best medical care. We’ll just take you to court, Ryan. So don’t underestimate me, sweetheart. I still have a few tricks under my sleeve.”

  Ryan opened the door and turned around to look at Iona. Her confidence was enough to make him want to puke. “Iona, you better hold onto those tricks. You might need them to put a roof over your head in the near future.”

  Iona pushed her tray of food on the floor. “Sonofabitch! He will not take Megan anywhere.”

  Emin walked in the hospital room closing the door behind him. “I had to wait until your son-in-law left before I came in. I ducked in an empty room so he wouldn’t see me. Oh, I was listening at the door, and that was nasty.”

  Iona swallowed. “How much did you hear?”

  “Let’s just say I heard enough,” Emin said walking over to the bed.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Emin; James is here, also. He’ll hit the ceiling if he catches you in here.”

  “I won’t stay long. When I heard about the accident, I had to check on my investment,” he
said with a wicked grin.

  “I’m not in the mood for your condescending crap, Emin,” Iona snarled. “How about showing your future mother-in-law some sympathy? I’ve been in a serious car accident, and I am hurt.”

  “Please, lady. Those bumps and bruises won’t compare to the pain you’ll suffer. I’m only here for my money, Iona. Have you spent $3,000,000 in a matter of weeks?”

  “Why are you asking for the money? Megan will recover in a few weeks, and the wedding will go forward as planned. Stop worrying, Emin; Megan will be your wife soon enough.”

  He shook his head. “I’m blown away at your ability to lie directly to my face. There will be no wedding! Megan and that brute husband of hers are still married and not planning to divorce anytime soon!”

  “What are you talking about? Megan is working on the wedding, Emin. We were talking about the wedding before the accident happened.”

  “The deal is off, Iona. You’ve been tricked to believe they’re divorcing. I know that because I got my ass beat by that asshole and his goons and shoved on a plane to New York, dared to show my face around here again. I’m risking my life to be here but I want my fucking money, or you’ll be in a well-manicured grave covered by yellow daisies.”

  Iona’s face went pale. After a long pause she said, “You’ll get your money. I have it spread out in different accounts to hide it from James. It will take me a few days, but once I’m discharged, I’ll get it together and call you.”

  He kicked spilled food on the floor from under his feet. “You do that,” Emin said sarcastically. “I’m going to go. I don't want to run into any of your hostile relatives.”

  Iona took a deep breath and closed her eyes. James had found a way to thwart her plan. She looked out the window and thought this had to be the one time she hoped Megan didn’t die. She had to find a way to get that girl to change her mind about Emin.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Megan’s eyelids fluttered and opened. The brightness of the room had her shut them again. She opened them again, blinking to clear the cloudy haze. Where was she? She turned her head slightly to the right and saw the lines of different colors on a monitor. Looking in the other direction there was another screen blinking bright red dots that were in sync with her heartbeat. Her throat was sore and dry as she tried to swallow.

  As she surveyed her surroundings, there were rails on the bed and voices filled with chatter came from the opened door. She tried to lift her arm, but a searing pain shot up to her shoulder. “Help me,” she cried out in a weak voice.

  In a flash, a man was leaning over her. A man she did not recognize. He was applying comfort to her, but she didn’t know why. He was also saying something, but she could not understand him. He was whispering. Then a woman appeared. She was smiling down at her.

  “Megan, can you hear me?”

  Finally a voice she could hear. Slowly, as if she had been asleep for months, her senses were awakening with her. She nodded her head slowly. It was hard for her to speak with her throat as sore as it was. “I can hear you,” she whispered. She lifted her other arm, and it came up with ease. She touched her face and felt the tubing running from her nose. “What happened to me?” She tried to move her legs and cried in pain again. This time loudly.

  “Honey, please be still. You were in an awful car accident, and we don’t want you to move around too much. My name is Addie; I’m your nurse for today, and this is Dr. Arnett. He’s going to do a quick examination okay, sweetheart? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  Megan nodded although she didn’t understand. What day was it and what accident was the nurse talking about? She remembered her and Alyssa on their way to meet with Emin about his going away party. Everything after that was a blank.

  “Is my mother here?” Megan asked the nurse.

  Dr. Arnett sat on the edge of the bed. “Can you tell me what your name is?”

  “Megan Jones.”

  “How old are you, Megan?”

  “I’m 20-years old. Why are you asking me these questions? Are my friends okay?”

  “Who are your friends?” Dr. Arnett asked in a soothing voice.

  “I was with Emin and Alyssa. We were supposed to have lunch together. Did I get hit by a car?”

  “Your friends are fine, Megan. No, you were in a car accident; not hit by a car.”

  “It hurts to breathe. Is my mother here? I want to see my mother.”

  “Can you tell me your mother’s name? I’ll have someone call her for you.”

  “Iona Jones or call my dad, James Jones. I can’t think of their phone numbers though. I hurt. I hurt everywhere.”

  “I won’t lie, Mrs. Tisdale, you’re in serious condition.”

  She frowned. “What did you call me?”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Jones. You’ve had major surgery to repair a punctured lung and fix some broken bones. We want you to rest and not get upset.”

  “I’m not upset, just confused about what happened. I feel weird all over.”

  He patted her on the shoulder. “That’s expected after all you’ve been through. Your father is waiting to see. I’ll send him in.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Dr. Arnett stepped came in the hallway and found Mr. Jones and Ryan together. “Gentlemen, Megan is awake and talking.”

  Ryan released a deep breath. “That’s great. I have to see her,” he said ready to walk into the room.

  “Mr. Tisdale, she is awake but is suffering some memory loss as we expected.”

  Frustrated Ryan asked. “How bad is it?”

  “She knows her name and who her parents are. As a matter of fact, she is asking for you Mr. Jones. You can go in, but I ask that you don’t question her too much. Megan thinks she is 20-years old. I accidently called her Mrs. Tisdale; the name was not familiar to her at all.”

  Ryan hunched his shoulders. “Wait, I first saw her in the park a year before we started dating. She would have been only 20-years old then. There is a chance she’ll recognize me but not know my name.”

  Dr. Arnett agreed. “That’s possible. I’ll give Dr. Michaels a call and have him examine her. With post-traumatic amnesia, we can get her started on therapy with a psychologist right away. Hopefully, before she's released, her memory will be restored or at least most of it.”

  “Dr. Michaels is expecting it to last a month or longer. She’s missing three years of her life,” Ryan stressed.

  “Time and patience, Mr. Tisdale,” Dr. Arnett said with a comforting hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Think of this as wooing your wife again.”

  Ryan was not convinced and looked at James with a worried eye. “Years of her life gone, Mr. Jones. She doesn’t remember me, our wedding or even graduating from nursing school. The worst is she doesn’t remember anything Iona did to her.”

  James Jones straightened his suit jacket. “We know what she did. I will go in and talk to Megan and then come get you. To help jar her memory, think of what you were doing when you first met her. Something to get you two talking.”

  “I don’t need a jolt to make me remember that far back,” Ryan said rubbing his head.

  *****

  Megan had the nurse help her sit up in bed. The door opened, and she smiled. “Dad, I’m glad you’re here. Where is Mom?”

  James pulled a chair to the side of the bed. “Iona is out of town but on her way back, sweetheart. I’m here for you. Do you need anything?”

  “I hurt all over. The doctor said I was in a car accident. I don’t remember any of it. Do you know what happened?”

  “Honey, the details are sketchy, but the police are working on it. I’m glad you are alive. You have me worried.”

  “Were Emin and Alyssa in the car with me? Did I cause the accident?”

  He put a reassuring hand on hers. “No. You were not driving, and they were not in the car with you. Both of them are fine. However, I want you to meet the firefighter that saved your life. Megan, he risked his life to make sure you didn’t die i
n that car.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I look horrible. I don’t want him to see me like this. Can’t it wait until I’m feeling better?”

  “I think you owe it to him, Megan. This is not the first time he’s been to the hospital to check on you.”

  She was short of breath, even with the oxygen tube in her nose feeding her the precious gas. “Okay. Besides the bandages and bruises, how do I look?” She ran her hand through her curly hair to tuck it back. “I know my hair is a mess, I can sense it.”

  “You look beautiful, sweetheart. Are you comfortable?”

  “I’m tired, Dad. Let’s get this over with so I can go back to sleep.”

  Megan eyes followed her father as he opened the door, and a man entered. She lifted her head off the pillow as he came into her view. He was standing next to the bed looking at her with a smile. The most beautiful smile she’d ever seen on a man. A man that had a familiar face that she couldn’t place.

  “Hi, my name is Ryan. It’s good to see you awake.”

  Megan swallowed. “My father says I have you to thank for that. Thank you, Ryan.”

  “I’m glad I was there to help. I won’t make you talk. I had to see for myself you were okay.”

  “Do firefighters normally check on their victims?”

  “Yeah we follow up sometimes.”

  Megan couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. “I’m sorry I’m staring at you. I think I’ve seen you somewhere before. I’m sure I’m mistaken; everything is not right with me yet so I could be imagining it.”

  “Never know. You might have seen me in the park with my dog. Have you ever been to Rocky River?”

  Her speech was slow as she struggled to talk. “I go there all the time to study. That’s probably where I’ve seen you.”

  He touched her hand, and the bolt of electricity that raced through her was shocking enough to set off one of the many monitors connected to her body. It was something about him that she couldn’t pinpoint, but he had to be the man she’d seen in the park with the large dog. The quiet man that she swore one day she would approach.