The Dark Side of the Rainbow

by Rita Hogan

  “Why do you keep calling me Brooke?” she asked again.

  “Brooke is your name.”

  Slowly she opened her eyes trying her best to keep them open so that she could peer at Landon. Taking a good look at him, she closed her eyes once more. “Do I know you?”

  Landon’s heart began to race. Was it possible that she didn’t remember who he was, or who she was?

  “Only for a short while. Do you not remember that your name is Brooke?”

  She tried to open her eyes again. “No,” was her simple reply before she fell into a drug-induced sleep.

  * * *

  When the doctor arrived, Landon told the neurologist what Brooke had said about not remembering her name, or him.

  “It’s possible she may be suffering from amnesia.” The doctor made the comment while rubbing his chin. “It sounds to be retrograde memory loss. That’s when a person is unable to recall stored memories. It is not a very common occurrence but it does happen. We won’t know more until she wakes and I can assess her memory loss.”

  “If she does have amnesia, will it be permanent?”

  “Not typically. There have been the rarest of cases where the person never recovers any of their memories. They may see in their mind snippets of events, people, or places but are never able to fully recall their past life. It’s unlikely that her memories will be lost to her forever. For now, she needs to rest. We’ll know more in time. I will be by to check in on her in about an hour.”

  Nodding to the doctor, Landon sat in the chair next to the bed, watching Brooke as she slept. He wanted her awake so he could talk to her and comfort her; but not at the expense of her being in pain.

  He felt the phone in his pocket vibrating. Looking at the screen, he saw that it was his sister. “Hi, Natasha.”

  “Landon, Gaston told me about the accident. Are you at the hospital?”

  “Yeah, Brooke is starting to come to but is in a lot of pain. She’s medicated right now and sleeping. There is a chance she may have amnesia.” Landon told his sister about her comments and what the doctor told him.

  “How terrible if her memory is gone, even temporarily. Have you been able to contact her family or friends?”

  “There’s no one.”

  “Are you sure, Landon? Everyone always has someone.”

  “She told me yesterday that there was no one. Brooke doesn’t have a boyfriend or siblings. I think her parents have passed. I’ve asked the front desk at the Grand Vue to forward me any calls for her, in case someone tries to reach her.”

  “How sad,” Natasha mused, mostly to herself. “What can I do for you, Landon?”

  “I’m all right, babe. I know you’ve got your hands full with the kids.”

  Not wanting to take no for an answer, Natasha insisted. “Let me at least bring you a change of clothes and some of your toiletries.”

  Landon paused. He would love a shower and clean clothes. “If you’re sure it’s not too much trouble, I would appreciate it. I miss the kids, and you too, of course.” Gratitude filled his voice.

  Natasha chuckled. “We’ll be there in about two hours. See you then. Love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Landon returned his phone to his pocket while turning his attention back to Brooke’s sleeping form. She could have died. He thought about their last few moments on The Absolution and the question about his naming of the ship. If he had lost her, he was certain it would be one tragedy too many.

  He would stay by her side making sure she was physically well, help her get settled, and then leave her forever. What a foolish thought! Landon knew it would be impossible to turn away even after she was better. His heart was fully engaged. For an indeterminate amount of time, Brooke would have to suffer the darkness of an empty mind, and he would not abandon her.

  Thoughts of starting over with her filled his mind as he sat and waited for her to awaken. He had been waiting nearly half his life for that elusive something. He desperately wanted forgiveness, but he also desired love.

  * * *

  Unable to bring Isabella and Nicholas into the ICU, Natasha called Landon when she was in the waiting room. He could see the concern on his sister’s face, but knew she wouldn’t push.

  “Uncle Landon!” The four-year-old ran to him.

  Scooping her up in a hug, Landon kissed her on the cheek. “Hi, sweet pea! How is my favorite niece in the whole world?”

  Isabella giggled. “I’m your only niece, silly.”

  “And you are the best one ever.” He glanced at his sister who was standing next to a stroller with a sleeping Nicholas.

  “Hi, Natasha. Thanks for coming.”

  The older sibling hugged and kissed her brother. “How is Brooke?”

  “They’re running some tests to assess her memory loss and to do another CT scan and MRI. If the brain scans reveal no more swelling, they will keep her for another two days max.”

  “Isn’t that too soon to release her?”

  “That’s what I asked, but the doctor said once the swelling is down there is nothing more they can do except help manage her pain. Over the next few days they’ll see what medications she responds to best and then release her. He did say that someone should be with her around the clock for at least three days after she leaves the hospital. There is a list of things that her caregiver will need to monitor to ensure there are no continued or underlying issues from the head trauma.”

  Isabella began squirming in Landon’s arms, indicating that she wanted to be placed down on the ground. He obliged her before returning his attention to his sister.

  “What will you do since she has no family?”

  “It will have to be me, unless she has objections to staying in one of my spare bedrooms at The Vue. I’ll work from my home office while Tomas takes some of my meetings. Thankfully, I cleared a lot off my desk before the cruise.” He paused. “If Brooke is not comfortable sharing my place for a few days, then I thought perhaps you might be willing to have her stay with you?”

  “Of course. I would be happy to have her. It would be good company for me.”

  “Are you sure it’s not too much? She’s in a lot of pain.”

  “Ask her about staying at your place; if she chooses not to, then my place it is.”

  Landon kissed his sister on the forehead. “Thank you.”

  She smiled at him before asking him about his time on the cruise.

  They talked for the next hour about the weekend and some other things, but not much about Brooke. He wasn’t ready.

  Eventually a nurse appeared in the waiting room to inform Landon that the patient was back from her tests. He hugged his family and thanked Natasha again for the clean clothes and toiletries.

  When he walked into the hospital room, Brooke appeared to be sleeping. Quietly, he sat in the chair and waited for the doctor to appear.

  “Am I going to be all right?” Her voice startled Landon. Immediately, he stood and made his way to her side.

  When she sensed his presence, she opened her eyes and looked at him. He could tell her eyes were more adjusted to the light; it seemed less painful for her to open them.

  “You are no longer in danger, Brooke. I will take care of you.”

  “There’s no one else, is there?” She searched his eyes. The helpless look he saw in them reminded him of a lost child. He knew by her comment that the amnesia was certain. Would the doctor be able to tell them more about the severity and the long-term impact?

  “I don’t know, but I had the impression that you might not have anyone back home.”

  “Where is my home?”

  “You’re from Kalispell, Montana. We met a little over a week ago. You’re a photographer here on assignment taking pictures of Patagonia. You are staying at my hotel, the Grand Vue. The ship you were on for the cruise also belongs to me.”

  Realizing who he was, Brooke immediately felt like a burden. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much trouble. Of course you would be conce
rned about my well-being; I was a passenger on your ship when I slipped and fell. You won’t have to worry about me filing a lawsuit. I will talk to the nurses. I’m sure there is someone in the area that I can pay to provide me with assistance until my memory . . . returns.” A brave but desperate look formed on her face.

  She was about to say more when Landon gently placed his finger over her lips to silence her.

  “I’m rambling, aren’t I?” she asked when he removed his finger.

  He nodded. “First of all, I am not here because I feel obligated. We were becoming friends before your accident. We are also business partners.”

  The puzzled look in her eyes led him to discuss the brochure and the photos she had taken of the ship.

  “I hope you realize, Brooke, that I want to help you. If the CT scan and MRI come back clean, they will release you in two days; however, the doctor wants someone watching over you for the next seventy-two hours. I live at the Grand Vue. I have a suite of rooms on the top floor. If you are comfortable with the idea, I would be happy to lend you a room until you’re able to be left by yourself. Do you think you will be all right with those arrangements?”

  Landon would later wonder why he never mentioned up front the second option of staying with his sister, giving her a choice. He would also reflect on how quickly she agreed.

  “I am fine with your idea.”

  He smiled. “Good; then it’s settled.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The CT scan and MRI came back with positive results. There was no swelling on the brain, and they had found a medication that managed to take the sharp edge off the pain in her head without making her too drowsy or out of touch. Two full days after receiving the positive test results, Brooke was being discharged with orders to come back in a week for a follow-up appointment with the doctor.

  Before leaving the hospital, basic memory assessment tests were performed to determine the severity of her memory loss. Brooke was able to recall every detail about photography. When the doctor handed her a camera, she immediately went into a dissertation on aperture size and lighting, recalling everything she knew about the subject. When asked about basic world history, who was Adolf Hitler, who was the queen of England, she knew all of the answers. Brooke’s responses about current events were sketchy; it was as if the memories were too new. When asked to recall a single event, she personally was involved in prior to the accident, her mind was completely blank.

  As Brooke underwent the tests, Landon could sense the rising fear in her, so much so that more than two-thirds of the way into the testing he asked them to stop for a while. When the specialist left, she turned her back toward Landon and closed her eyes. Sensing she wanted to be alone, he left her room. There was no point in finishing the testing. The doctor had enough information to determine that she was, in fact, suffering from retrograde amnesia. There was nothing that could be done to treat the symptoms. It was very likely that she would regain all her former memories, but when was indeterminate—possibly weeks, months, or even years.

  Wearing a pair of sunglasses that Landon had picked up from the gift shop to protect her eyes from the sun, Brooke let him lead her to his car under the portico of the hospital’s main entrance. Natasha and Gaston had dropped off the vehicle to him earlier that morning.

  After setting her carefully in the passenger seat, he reached for the seatbelt and buckled it for her before placing the sun visor down to help block the sun.

  “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet.

  Landon gave her an encouraging smile before straightening and moving to the driver side.

  Placing his foot on the brake, he looked at Brooke. “How are you doing in the sunlight?”

  “It hurts, but I’m tolerating it.”

  “If it becomes too much, let me know and we’ll figure out something. I have to make a call to my sister; do you mind?”

  Brooke shook her head.

  Landon dialed the number, then started the car.

  “Hi, Natasha.”

  He waited for his sister to respond. “Yeah, we’re leaving the hospital now. I was wondering if someone could pick up our things from The Absolution and bring them over to my place.”

  He paused. “Great, thank you. Love you too.”

  Landon merged onto the highway before explaining to Brooke about their belongings. “My brother-in-law had all of your things, including your camera equipment, moved into my private room on the boat for safe keeping. When the ship docks this evening from its daily tour, my sister is going to the ship and will personally see to them.”

  “Thank you.”

  Silence stretched out before them. Brooke was deep in her own thoughts while Landon focused on the drive.

  “Tell me about the accident. How did I slip and fall?”

  He hesitated. “It was early morning. The deck was slippery with predawn dew. You pushed yourself away from the railing and started running. I tried to warn you about the slickness, but everything happened so quickly. I watched you falling and saw the moment you hit your head on the bitt that holds rope and cable.”

  “Why were we out that early? Did I run because I was upset?”

  He took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at her. She was looking straight ahead.

  “Your room was next to mine. I guess we both couldn’t sleep. I heard you leaving your stateroom; I was concerned so I followed you a moment later to make sure you were all right. You were upset.”

  Still focusing her gaze straight ahead, she asked, “What made me upset?”

  Landon told her how she had inquired about the reason he named his ship The Absolution, and his response to her that night.

  When he finished, only then did she look at him. “Did I become upset because you told me what it was that you had done that was so horrific?”

  “No, you never asked. That was when you ran.”

  Brooke rubbed at her temples.

  Landon realized she was feeling stressed. “Maybe you should rest for the remainder of the drive. We’ll have time to talk about this later.”

  Nodding, Brooke leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.

  * * *

  When Landon opened the door to his suite on the top floor of the Grand Vue, Brooke was pleased by the elegant surroundings. Seeing the large window, she looked at Landon. “May I have a look?”

  “Of course.” Setting his overnight bag down on the floor in the foyer, he followed her.

  The view was spectacular, with a massive mountain range in the background and a village in the foreground. To the left was a large body of water. From her vantage point she could not see the full expanse of the lake; it went on as far as the eye could see. While in the hospital, Landon told her she was in South America, specifically Patagonia, Argentina. He had described the surrounding area in great detail. Seeing it with her own eyes caused her to realize how inadequate words were to convey the beauty of this land.

  She had spent most of the drive with her eyes closed because of the pain. Standing in Landon’s home, out of the sunlight, she was able to appreciate the view for the first time since her accident. With her gaze fixed on the terrain below, she commented, “I know why I wanted to photograph this part of the world. It is quite majestic.”

  Landon was standing beside her, also enjoying the scenery. “For me, it is the most beautiful place on earth.” He glanced at her. “You have also seen many wonderful places. I know from our conversations that Patagonia ranked high on your list of the most scenic.

  “Speaking of which, your phone has pictures of some of the places you’ve been. When we arrived at the hospital, the nurse tried to access it to see if you had any contact information, but it was password protected. There is a chance you may remember it. Let me show you to the guest bedroom where you can get settled.”

  “Okay.”

  He gave her a sweet smile. “After some rest, I’ll take you to the room you have been staying in to retrieve some clothes and personal
care items. The Absolution doesn’t dock until nine this evening. Natasha won’t be able to retrieve those items until then.”

  He is very nice, Brooke thought as she followed him to the room that would be hers for the next three days. It seemed odd to her that with her mind a blank slate, she could feel comfortable with a complete stranger, someone she had only known for a week.

  If she had known him for years he would still be a stranger to her, so perhaps it wasn’t as odd as it seemed. The thought made her head throb with the sense of helplessness she felt. Brooke had been battling the fear of the unknown since the day she awoke. The possibility of never remembering anything about her former life made her anxious.

  Pushing aside her concerns, she glanced around the elegant guest room. Brooke appreciated the warm earth tones chosen for the décor. Beige silk drapes flanked each side of the large picture window that shared the same view as the living area. There was a desk facing the scenic terrain, a small secretary made of cherry wood. A beige, high-backed parson chair in tufted velvet offered a comfortable seat. “It’s lovely. Thank you,” Brooke remarked graciously.

  “You’re welcome.”

  She smiled. “How many bedrooms do you have?”

  “I have three; this one and mine have windows. The third bedroom is used as an office. I don’t go in there much. My commute is only a few floors down so I rarely work from home. However, I will be the next few days while I’m here with you. I won’t be working the whole time, but I’ll have some things to do, if that’s all right?”

  “Of course. Don’t worry too much about me. I’ll find some way to occupy my time.”

  Brooke removed the strap of her purse from her shoulder. While they had waited for the helicopter to arrive, Landon had the good sense to send someone to her room to retrieve it, knowing the hospital would need her identification. Opening the purse she retrieved her phone. She glanced up at Landon before attempting to enter the password.