Suddenly very anxious, Tanya shook free from the woman and moved closer to David. He slipped his arm around her. "Danforth? Are you related to Senator Danforth?" David asked.
Imogene Shakir nodded, and her eyes began to water. "Yes. Yes, I am. He's my uncle."
"Oh." Tanya wasn't sure what else to say. The woman looked as if she was going to cry.
"He's our uncle."
Tanya frowned, not really understanding what she was talking about. "No, I'm sorry. You have me confused with someone else." But she couldn't ignore the tears forming in the woman's eyes, or the distressed, yet determined look on her face.
Imogene very slowly reached toward her again, grasping her arm even more forcefully this time. "You're my sister. Your name is Victoria. I know you think I'm crazy, but I'm not." She spoke a little faster, with an urgency in her voice. "Five years ago, you left home with a friend to attend a rock concert in Atlanta. As a birthday present, our brother Jake bought tickets for you and I to go together. But I wasn't able to go, so you invited a girl, a new friend of yours, to go with you. Her name was Tanya Winters. You are my sister, Victoria Danforth. You disappeared after the concert. We've been searching for you all this time."
Tanya could feel the woman shaking. It vibrated through her own body. Her gaze sought David's. He was looking at her with a strange expression on his face. Dazed, she bent her head and put her hands over her face. Something flashed through her mind, a myriad of faces and settings, each moving so rapidly that she couldn't make them out clearly before they disappeared.
"I—I don't know." Looking back at them, Tanya stared speechless at the couple.
"It is true," Raf Shakir said. "I have seen your pictures."
David held her tighter. "Tanya?"
"Think, Victoria," Imogene implored, her voice rising. "It was the day of your seventeenth birthday. There was a big bash that day. Mom and Dad had a party with all of our family right before you left. I was supposed to go to the concert with you. Not Tanya Winters."
Swallowing past the knot in her throat, Tanya's disconcerted gaze went from the woman's face to David's. A sharp pain stabbed her in her temple as another series of images blazed through her mind. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God." She began to shake so hard that she couldn't breathe.
"Tori?" Imogene called out, and her eyes filled with hope.
Suddenly everything racing through Tanya's mind stopped. She saw an image of herself and the woman standing in front of her. They were younger, just teenagers, and they were in a bedroom, sitting on a bed, laughing. She shook her head. In a blink, the image disappeared, replaced by one of herself standing in a grand house with people all around her. There were balloons, and candles on a beautiful two-tiered cake with the name Victoria written in pink on it.
Blood roared through her head. Her ears began to pound. Everything around her began to blur. Tanya looked at Imogene, squinting through tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.
"Genie?" she whispered, then she fell into a black void.
* * *
David caught Victoria as her body went slack, and he eased her to the ground. His heart in his throat, he dropped down to his knees and held her while he tried to awaken her. He gently patted her face with his palm. "Tanya! Sweetheart. I'm here with you. Come on, Tanya." She moaned, then looked at him briefly before her eyes closed again. "Tanya, honey, look at me."
Her eyelids floated open, but her pupils remained dilated and unfocused. "David?" Her voice came out a breathless whisper.
A crowd had gathered around them. David could hear them whispering, knew they'd overheard some of their conversation. His gaze shot to the woman and man also kneeling on the ground beside Tanya. "She may be going into shock."
Someone shouted that they were calling 911. David ignored them. "I'm taking her to the hospital," he said to Imogene. "It'll be faster than waiting for the paramedics."
"Of course. We'll go along," Imogene said, her tone kind but firm.
"We'll drive you." Raf already had his keys in his hand. David hesitated a moment, thinking about his options. "We arrived early and our car is parked right along the curb in front of this building. You'll want to hold her." The two men exchanged a knowing look, and David gave a quick nod. Despite what they'd said, that Tanya was really Victoria Danforth, Imogene's sister, David wasn't giving any margin of access to her until he knew what the hell was going on.
* * *
David paced the waiting room of the hospital like a caged animal. Upon arriving there with Imogene and Raf Shakir, he'd been met by a nurse. He gave her a brief rundown of what had happened in the park, and they ushered Tanya into one of the treatment rooms.
As they'd begun to examine her, David had explained what had happened in the park to the attending doctor. He also informed him about the pertinent details of her past, of her strange dreams, her persistent headaches and her familiarity with places she'd thought she'd never been. Despite his protests, he'd been ushered into a waiting room and forced to leave Tanya in the doctor's care.
Was Tanya really Victoria Danforth, the niece of Senator Abraham Danforth, the young girl who had disappeared five years ago?
His mind reeled from the significance of his thoughts. He couldn't believe it, yet in a strange way, it made perfect sense. She walked with a natural grace, something he'd noticed often, most recently in the way she'd handled herself in D.C. And in spite of what they'd believed was her background, a troubled teen with no family support, she was self-reliant and confident. Though she hadn't known who she was, her character strengths and her well-bred upbringing had shone through.
And those dreams of people that she thought she knew. Were they another clue to her identity? What about the feeling that she'd recognized places without ever remembering being there?
"She'll be all right," Imogene whispered, coming up beside David and placing her hand gently on his arm. She gave him a reassuring squeeze.
David turned and looked at Imogene Danforth Shakir. Her hair was blond, like Tanya's, but Imogene's was cut short, in a style that set off her green eyes. "Will she?" he asked quietly, wanting to believe her. Frustrated, he rubbed his face with his hand. "She's been through so much."
"I know this was a shock, but I have to believe it was meant to be that I found her. My family has never given up hope of finding Tori." She bit her lip, her expression one of open curiosity. "I don't mean to be forward, but who are you?"
"My name is David Taylor. I've known Tanya for the past five years, but in the past couple of weeks we've become … reacquainted." He could think of no other way to describe their relationship that wouldn't add suspicion to the concern in Imogene's eyes.
"Has she lived with you for the past five years?" she asked. "In Cotton Creek?"
"No," he answered. "Not with me. With my father, Edward Taylor, on our family plantation. It's just outside of town. He recently passed away, but he took Tanya in five years ago when she had no home, no family to care for her."
"Victoria," she corrected him, then her gaze softened. "I'm sorry about your father." He nodded his thanks, but when he remained silent, she asked, "How did he come to know Victoria?"
"After she'd recovered from her injury, she was set to go into a group home. When my father heard about her situation, he took her on as an intern and offered her a job and a place to live."
"Injury?" Imogene's eyes widened. "What kind of injury?"
"Apparently, she suffered a concussion. No one knows what happened to her. All we were told is that she was found unconscious by the side of the road. When she awoke, she couldn't remember anything."
Imogene raised a hand to her throat. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. "She didn't remember anything?"
David shook his head. "She's had amnesia ever since."
Raf slipped a protective arm around his wife's shoulders. "That is all over now. We must be happy that we've found her and she's safe."
"You're right, Raf, of course." She turned to David. "But what happen
ed to her? Was she hurt in any other way?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Was she—"
"No," David said quickly, wanting to assure Imogene that Tanya hadn't been sexually abused. "Other than a concussion and losing her memory, she showed no other signs of being harmed." His mouth tightened a fraction. He didn't elaborate on his answer. He wasn't about to admit that he'd been the first man to make love to her.
And he wanted to be the last.
He loved her.
Hell, he'd loved her from the first moment he'd seen her. Except at the time, he'd been too damned angry at his father to let anyone near him. And he'd held on to that anger for years, staying away from Cottonwood, away from Tanya.
From Victoria.
He fixed Imogene with a hard stare. "You're absolutely positive that she's your sister?"
"Yes." She looked around her, then spotted her purse on a chair. "Wait." Rushing across the room, she dug into her purse. She withdrew her wallet and flipped it open to a picture. Returning to David, she held it out in front of him. "This is Victoria when she was seventeen. It was taken on her birthday, the day she disappeared. I've carried it with me ever since. I've never given up hope of finding her."
One glance at the picture and David knew.
Tanya was Victoria Danforth.
Her resemblance to the girl in the photo was uncanny. "She's been having a lot of disturbing dreams lately. As a matter of fact, she was just examined by a specialist a few days ago in Atlanta, a friend of mine. Tanya and I suspected that her memory was returning. The shock of seeing you must have broken the final barrier of her amnesia."
Imogene paled. "I had a dream about Victoria, too. She was in a field on our horse farm, and every time I tried to reach her, she disappeared."
Shaking his head, David's gaze locked with Imogene's. He could see the resemblance between the two women. "I've always known her as Tanya. Calling her Victoria is going to sound odd for a while."
A kind, understanding smile spread on her lips. "Then why don't you call her Tori. That's what we called—" she stopped, realizing what she'd said, then corrected herself, "It's what we call her."
"Tori," he repeated, testing the sound of her name as he said it. For some unexplainable reason, it felt right.
Taking a breath, Imogene informed him, "I think you should know that I've already called my parents. They were overjoyed, to say the least. And tremendously relieved. We all are."
"That's understandable." He glanced out the window to the street that ran alongside the hospital.
"I promised them I wouldn't let Victoria out of my sight. They're on their way here now to see her. They should arrive within the next couple of hours."
David wasn't surprised. Tori's parents would need to see her. And the Danforths were prominent people. Once the news leaked out that their missing daughter had been found, the hospital, along with this town, would erupt in chaos. The news media was going to feed on this story until the public was sick of hearing of it.
Damn, he'd been such a fool. He should have been more honest with himself and with Tori about his feelings for her. He should have told her how much he loved her.
Now he was afraid that he would never get the chance.
* * *
Eleven
« ^ »
A commotion near the entrance of the hospital caught David's attention. Several men and women were gathered there, their voices raised, all trying to speak at once. He surveyed the boisterous crowd, then glanced out the window to the parking lot. Various media trucks were parked outside the hospital with their antennas raised, several from the national networks. Then he understood. The crowd of people rushing the reception desk were reporters eager for a story.
The news that the heiress, Victoria Danforth, had been found was out. Someone must have leaked the information to the press.
Great. This was just what Tanya needed. She hadn't had the time to come to grips with recovering her memory. The last thing she needed was a reporter trying to sneak into her room to take her picture.
Only she wasn't Tanya Winters, he reminded himself for the hundredth time since he'd arrived at the hospital. She was Victoria, and the paparazzi was ready and waiting to pounce on the smallest tidbit of information they could find out about her.
David's gaze went to the double doors separating him from Victoria. They'd been waiting over two hours, and it was killing him. He needed to know that she was all right.
The doors to the treatment area opened, and he rushed toward the doctor with whom he'd spoken earlier about Tori. Imogene and Raf were right on his heels as the older man in the white coat met them in the middle of the room.
"How is she?" David asked, his throat forming a knot as he waited for an update on her condition.
"She's doing okay." He glanced at the people congregated across the room and frowned. "Is that the news media?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he motioned for David, Imogene and Raf to follow him. "Under the circumstances, I think this will be more private," he said, leading them toward another room.
The crowd of people at the entrance noticed them and rushed in their direction. Two big doors closed behind them as they went into the treatment area, muting the voices of the paparazzi. The doctor led David, Imogene and Raf to a small, empty examination room.
"First, I want to assure you that Ms. Danforth is doing fine. I've checked her over thoroughly, and we've done several tests. After talking with her extensively, I believe her amnesia is completely gone." He shook his head. "Sometimes a head injury is like that. A person can have no recollection of their past, then with a snap, everything comes back."
"So she's all right?" Imogene asked, a tremble in her voice.
"She's anxious and feels quite overwhelmed. That's to be expected. From what you've told me, she's had a lot to endure today, as well as for the past five years. But, yes, she's doing well. Other than a slight headache, she has no complaints. She's handling the return of her memory with a lot of poise." He smiled. "It isn't hard to imagine that she came from a polished background."
"Will she have any relapses?"
"I don't believe so. It'll take a few days for her mind to comprehend everything and settle down. I'll give her a prescription for her headaches, but she may need only over-the-counter medication to treat them."
"Can I see her now?" David asked, and it sounded more like a demand.
"We want to see her, as well, doctor," Imogene added.
"Ms. Danforth wishes to see all of you, but I don't want her upset. She's composed herself, but it won't take very much to agitate her."
They followed the doctor across the hall, and as they started to go inside Victoria's room, the doctor stopped them. "I don't expect Ms. Danforth to have any further complications, but for the next few days, you should try to keep her from becoming too upset or anxious. She'll be free to leave once I sign her discharge papers. I would like for you to make sure that she has a follow-up visit with a specialist in a few days. Most importantly, she'll need to take it easy for a while."
David and Imogene nodded, and the doctor left them at the door to Victoria's room. Without waiting another moment, Imogene rushed inside, followed by Raf and then David. He wished he could have had a few minutes alone with Victoria. He wanted to talk to her, needed to talk to her, to tell her he loved her.
Circumstances, though, were not conducive to what he needed. Victoria had to come first. She was going to need time to adjust to the changes in her life—first and foremost, seeing her sister and learning about her family.
David hoped he wasn't going to lose her.
As he entered, his gaze settled immediately on Victoria. From her expression, he could tell that she was distressed, though she was struggling to hide it. Imogene hurried to her side, and David forced himself to stand back and give them privacy.
"Oh, Tori!" Tears brimmed in Imogene's eyes. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"
Victoria nodded. She was sitting up in the bed, dressed in a pale gre
en hospital gown, a sheet pulled up to her waist. Her head felt as if an explosion had gone off inside it. Still struggling to get her bearings, she met her sister's gaze as Imogene stroked her arm. "Yes. I have a headache, but the doctor said that isn't unusual."
A headache, however bad, was the least of her concerns. For the first time in five years, she felt like somebody. Though she had lived as Tanya Winters, she'd never felt comfortable with the past that she'd assumed with the name.
She wasn't Tanya Winters, the girl from the streets. Everything that had happened to her was so clear now. It was as if it had happened so long ago, but then again, it felt like yesterday.
She wanted desperately to see her family, especially her mother and father. Oh, how she missed them. How were they? Had they been distraught when she disappeared? Had they blamed themselves? She needed to know that her parents were all right.
"We were so worried about you," Imogene was saying.
"I guess the shock of seeing you brought my memory back, sis," Victoria told her older sister. "How did you ever recognize me in that crowd?"
"I don't know. But earlier today I told Raf that we had to get back to the Thanksgiving celebration. I can't explain it, but there was an urgency that was steering me there." She glanced briefly at Raf, then met her sister's gaze. "Then I saw you. I was so scared. You wouldn't believe me when I told you that you were my sister."
Victoria chuckled, finding humor in the moment now that the tense situation had passed. "It was rather shocking. I keep hearing you saying my name over and over in my head." She squeezed her sister's hand. "Oh, Genie, I'm so glad you were persistent."
Tugging her sister closer, she reached up and ran her hand over Imogene's chic, short blond hair. "Goodness, let me look at you. I can't believe I've missed five years of your life. You're gorgeous."
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