“It could have been, but some prayers, fancy footwork and a bit of woman’s intuition saved the day.”
“It sounds like you have a handle on things.”
“I didn’t at first, but I do now and you need to do the same. In the morning, you need to go to the hospital, kindly give the Carson family your best wishes and leave Celia in your friend’s capable hands.”
Martin sighed. “That’s the plan, Addison. That is the plan.”
Chapter 5
Cleverly Cunning
The pain was terrible. Celia wanted to move but had learned from trying that it would only cause more pain so she moved as little as possible.
She could have opened her eyes but didn’t want to be bombarded with questions. Did she have insurance? Did this or that hurt? Of course she had coverage and, at this moment, everything hurt. She was tired and wanted to sleep.
It had been very helpful to keep her eyes closed and listen. She’d learned quite a few things while eavesdropping as the doctors and nurses around her talked.
The first thing she had heard was the doctor talking about her condition and how, with the blow she had taken, it could be possible she would have short term memory loss. They expected her to wake up at anytime but weren’t sure what she would remember.
She’d also learned from several star-struck nurses that Martin was on the premises. He had been taken somewhere in the hospital and was waiting to hear how she was doing.
This accident could work out to her advantage but she needed to plan, to think this through and begin the process of getting Martin back.
A part of her wondered if she wanted him, but she would decide that later. Getting him back was what she wanted; keeping him was another thing. One way or the other, he was going to pay for all of the embarrassment he’d cost her.
A faint smile crossed her lips as she tried to get comfortable. She might be back in what should have been her home sooner that she thought.
Her parents had been disappointed that she and Martin were not able to make things work. They hid their feelings until they returned home and then called her telling her that it had been a mistake for her to move out without a fight.
She had wanted to ask what she was supposed to do? How could you keep a man who didn’t want you? She certainly wasn’t about to start begging!
It would have been easy to walk away and consider it lost time if her parents would have let it drop. She was over Martin, or was trying to be, but no one wanted to let her forget what had happened. They wanted to keep pointing out everything that she had lost. Her mother had even brought up the idea that she should tell Martin she was pregnant.
She had considered it but wasn’t sure she could pull it off. It would be obvious and too easy to disprove. Now this was different. This was not something she had planned but overhearing the doctors talking about her possible memory loss had given her the idea.
Faking memory loss would be something she could handle, and it would be like something from one of Martin’s stupid movies.
When you got right down to it, Martin was worth all of the work that she hadn’t been doing. The money, the house, the lifestyle . . . it was worth putting up with his idiot agent and hanging around his strange actor friends.
She had just gotten lazy and let her guard down. The question she needed to answer now was ‘do I want to do this for the rest of my life’? Was she willing to have a child with Martin to keep him?
There were lots of other men out there, many who would suit her taste better. She would have to think long and hard before deciding exactly what to do.
What she did know was that Randi wasn’t getting away with this. She needed to feel what it was like to be jumped from behind and have your world turned upside down.
Celia might not end up staying with Martin but if their relationship was not going to make it, it was going to be on her terms and on her timetable.
Celia wasn’t sure how much time had passed but it seemed like forever. A nurse came in and did something to the bed. Celia’s eyes were still closed but she could sense the woman was still in the room and decided that now was the time to wake up.
“Martin? Is that you?” Celia opened her eyes and blinked. The nurse was quickly by her side, resting her hand on Celia’s arm lightly.
“There’s no one here but me. Can I get someone for you?”
“What… what’s wrong? Where am I?”
“Ma’am, you were in an accident. You’re in the hospital. Don’t move around; you need to rest.”
“Accident? No. Oh goodness, where is Martin? Is Martin okay? Is he here? Martin is my boyfriend, Martin Taylor. Was he with me. Is he here?”
The young woman looked at her a little strange. She paused, looked at the door and then turned back. “No. You were alone. He wasn’t in the accident. I’ll call the doctor.”
Celia closed her eyes. “I was alone? No one was with me? Was anyone else was hurt?”
“No, you were alone, you were hit by a drunk driver. He was taken to another hospital.”
“Good. My Martin would want to beat him up for doing such a stupid thing.” Celia let out a sigh. “When can I see my boyfriend, Martin?”
“I’ll find Mr. Taylor. He was here yesterday.”
“Please find Martin and let him know I was asking for him.” Celia would have liked to be in the room when the nurse found Martin and tried to explain to him what was going on. Maybe they had already planted the seed in his mind that her memory might not be right.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks. What’s your name? Things are still a little fuzzy for me.”
“Judy. My name is Judy. I’ll get the doctor. Please just rest. Everything is going to be okay.”
Celia waited until the nurse was gone before she let a satisfied smile cross her lips. “Dump me for the help will you Martin Taylor? You will regret the day you laid eyes on your precious Randi. Mark my words, you will regret it.”
Chapter 6
Amnesia
When Mike arrived at the hospital, the private waiting room was closed. He walked on down the hall to the waiting room for the ‘mere mortals’ and walked over to the coffee pot. There was fresh smelling coffee so he poured a cup.
He had made calls to the five dealerships to see if anything needed his attention and was assured everything was fine. He had then swung by the house he and Celia were renovating. There were two men hanging drywall in one of the upstairs bedrooms but they were just about finished. He had asked them to lock up when they were done and had headed to the hospital.
He figured that Martin would be there, but he wasn’t. No one seemed to be. He asked if he could see Celia and was told the doctor was with her and it would be a little while. He walked around for about an hour and then returned to the nurse’s station. He caught one of the nurses glancing in his direction.
After a moment he remembered her from the day before. He had always been good with names so when she didn’t look too busy, he walked over to the desk. She was reading a chart and when she looked up, he smiled.
“Good morning. Judy, right?” he asked, with a winning smile.
“Yes,” she said, looking at the chart. Mike leaned on the counter. When the second nurse rose from her chair, he turned toward Judy. “Is there any news? No one wants to talk to me today.”
Judy seemed hesitant, but then spoke, “Go to the waiting room down the hall. When I can, I’ll come fill you in.”
He did as she said and about ten minutes later, she walked in. He didn’t like the expression on her face and her tone seemed secretive.
“I’m not supposed to tell, but I don’t have good news.”
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“It’s not her health, it’s her memory. Do you recall I told you the doctor said she might have short term memory loss?”
“Yes.”
“Well, she does. She thinks she’s still dating Mr. Taylor.”
Mike curs
ed and looked around. They were alone so he spoke openly, “I know this is going to sound strange, but do you think she’s faking?”
The look on her face showed that Judy thought he might be off his rocker and he regretted the question.
“Sir, I don’t think so. She woke up this morning and was very distraught. She thought Mr. Taylor had been in the car with her and wanted to know if he was injured. She seemed very upset.”
Mike nodded. “Thanks. Thanks for letting me know.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sure you can see her later in the day. Will she know to ask for you? I mean . . . were you and she . . .?” Judy seemed really ill at ease so he just shook his head ‘no’.
“We weren’t that close until lately. She would know who I am, but that’s about it.”
“Well, sir,” Judy said, stepping backwards, “if she does ask for you, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Thanks. I’ll be here until the family arrives.”
“Good. I’ll send them here. They called and checked on Celia this morning. If I recall, their flight should be here around noon. Mr. Taylor is sending a car to pick them up.”
“He would do that.” Mike forced a smile. “Thanks for the update. I really do appreciate it.”
“Yes sir. If you need anything, just ask for me. I’ll be on shift most of the day.”
With this, Judy forced a smile, turned and walked out the door. Mike walked over to the long couch and sat down. He wanted to talk with Celia and see what he thought about this memory loss. Was she just acting?
The way she had ranted and raved over the last few weeks, he couldn’t see her really wanting to be around Martin. Then again, a part of him could see it very clearly. She would just love to drag Martin along on some kind of stupid charade. Mike let out a deep sigh and his mind went back to the last time he and Celia had talked about Martin.
“I’m not sure what he sees in that woman. She’s a maid. What does she have that I don’t?” Celia had been standing, holding a 2 x 4 while Mike marked it and cut off about two inches. He had heard this same remark from Celia numerous times lately. He really wanted to tell her to just shut-up but knew she needed to vent.
“Maybe he likes a simple mind,” he said knowing it would make Celia laugh.
“Thanks. That makes me feel better.” She stepped back as he picked up the piece of wood and rested it under the new counter they were installing. “You’re good at this. I love what you’re doing with this house.”
“Thanks. I enjoy this kind of work. It’s fun in a creative kind of way.”
“Well, fun or not, you’re good at it. I can only imagine the money we’ll make when we sell the place. I hadn’t thought about needing money for a long time. I just knew that Martin and I were going to get married.”
“I suppose that’s what you saw for your future?”
“It was,” she said, stepping back and crossing her arms as he nailed the board into place. “I never thought in my life that I would be having to worry about money or a place to live. Sadly, my mother never pushed me to do anything but find a rich man. I know that’s a little outdated, but it’s what she did.”
“You’re not a spinster.” Mike put in two more nails and straightened up. “There’s still plenty of time to find the right man.”
She shrugged. “I thought I had the right man. I thought I was in love with Martin.”
This was the first time she had ever mentioned ‘love’ when talking about Martin and, sadly, he was all she wanted to talk about. “Are you saying that you didn’t love him?”
Mike wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer. He also wasn’t really sure why he even cared. Celia was pushy and she was spoiled. More than likely, she was just trying to find a rich husband and be set for the rest of her life, or at least, the next several years. Still, there was something about this woman that kept him coming back for more . . .
“I don’t know if I loved him or not but it doesn’t matter now. He’s moved on and so have I. I’m going to show him I don’t need him or his money. I’ll land on my feet and I’ll buy that house he’s living in. It’s my dream house and it will be mine someday!”
Mike came out of his thoughts and looked at his watch. He needed to get in to see Celia. He had to know if she had really lost her memory or if this was just a ploy to snag the rich and famous Martin Taylor. This memory lapse could once and for all get her what she wanted, the house she had always dreamed of and the money that came with it.
Chapter 7
Movie Star Persona
Randi started the day out with a walk with the pups and then a cup of tea. She shared a few quick texts with Martin and around eleven was on her way to the hospital. Technically, she was still on the clock for Martin and didn’t have to check in with Nancy.
Martin was waiting for Celia’s family to arrive and had asked if she would join him. There was no way she would say ‘no’, so she met him at the hotel. He was waiting as she pulled up. He was carrying a newspaper and wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses to help hide his movie star persona.
He climbed in, leaned over for a quick kiss and then buckled up. She had returned the rental and was driving her parent’s car. A part of her felt embarrassed that the interior was slightly worn, though it was clean. Martin didn’t speak for a few moments. She could tell his mind was on what awaited them at the hospital. “I hope the tabloids haven’t gotten a whiff of this.”
“How would they find out?”
“Who knows? A tip from a nurse, a doctor, an aide . . . I’m hoping after I speak with Celia’s parents that I will no longer be needed.”
Randi let out a sigh and almost jumped when Martin spoke again. “Where did you get the car?”
“It’s my dad’s. He would be driving it for work but his hours have been cut and he may be laid-off in the near future.”
“Wow. I hate to hear that.”
“I know.” Randi paused while she maneuvered her way through an intersection. “I think he knew but didn’t tell anyone. He’s re-grouping. He’s not old enough to retire.”
“What did he do?” Martin asked folding the paper and tucking it under his arm. They were approaching the hospital and Randi paused while she made the turn into the parking lot.
“He’s a manager at a distribution center. The company is downsizing. They’re using computers more and just don’t need as many employees. A computer can do the work of two or three, or in some cases, more.”
“I’m just glad they can’t act.”
Randi could feel Martin looking her way and when she pulled into a parking spot, she laughed. “Quit that.”
“What? You sit and look at me while I’m driving.”
“That’s different,” she said, putting the car into park.
“No, it’s not,” he said unbuckling his seatbelt and taking off his sunglasses. He gave her a smile that meant he wanted a kiss.
Randi smiled and took off her seatbelt. She turned in the seat to face him. “I still say it’s different.”
“I don’t care anymore. Kiss me.”
“I didn’t know you were going to be so demanding. I think you’re too used to getting what you want.”
“You could be right.” Martin moved closer and reached out, touching her cheek. The look in his eyes all but said he knew that she melted inside when he touched her. There was no need for him to ask and even if he wasn’t thinking it, it was a fact. It was truly breathtaking anytime Martin’s fingers brushed her skin.
Their kiss was amazing, and thankfully when they parted, there were no paparazzi in sight. Something started beeping and Randi pulled back. “Are you wearing a bomb?”
“No, but I love that alarm. I found it last night while playing with my phone.” Martin brushed his lips across hers before pulling back and taking out his phone. He pushed a few buttons and then put his phone back into his pocket.
Randi let her eyes roam over Martin. He was wearing jeans, a pocket T and a blue jean jacket. “Where
did you get the duds?”
“Emma dropped them off. I thought if I wore something less conspicuous I might blend in better.”
“You might pull it off. Want me to call you Mike?” Randi asked, as they climbed out of the car. Martin looked at her over the roof of the car.
“Very cute, and, no. I think having one Mike hanging around is enough. But, the less often anyone says my name, the better off we’ll be.” Randi locked the doors and walked to the back of the car. Martin put on his sunglasses and took her hand.
“If you think it’s in bad taste, I can wait in the car.” She could tell as Martin stopped that he was thinking this over.
“It might be in bad taste but I don’t want to face them alone. They more than likely hate me and I’m not always good at saying the right thing.”
“You, the actor, not say the right thing? Can’t you just pull some character up and act like it’s a movie?”
“That’s not always as easy as you might think but I might have to try. Still… I’d rather have you there.”
“I don’t mind. I’m just not sure my being there will help,” Randi said, as they started walking toward the main entrance.
“You’ll be a big help even if it’s just moral support.”
“I’ll do my best but I’m not sure I’ll be much help.”
“You’ll be more help than you know. For one, Mike won’t throw as many daggers with you around.”
“So, the truth comes out. You’re going to use me as a human shield.”
“If I can.” Martin pushed her in front of him as they walked through the doors.
“I knew it all along. You only want me for my body.”
Martin grinned slyly. As they stepped into the elevator, and thankfully were alone, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I think it’s a fair trade. I get yours and you get mine.”
“It might not be a fair trade,” Randi said, “but it sounds good to me.”
*****
Martin knew that he teased and poked fun a lot when he was nervous. Thankfully, Randi could hold her own with him helping him to mask his true feelings. Down deep, he was worried about Celia and was not looking forward to facing her family or Mike.
Celia's Knight Page 3
