Amnesia

by Andrew Neiderman

  “Unless someone put it in something I drank,” Aaron pointed out quickly. “Without my knowing, I mean. I’ve had that suspicion. Both of us have,” he added, looking at Megan.

  Dr. Longstreet studied them both for a moment and nodded.

  “Stranger things have happened,” she said.

  “We were a little concerned about the possibility of Alzheimer’s,” Megan said. “Aaron has an aunt currently in a clinic, and we wondered if there is any genetic linkage.”

  “It’s not Alzheimer’s,” Dr. Longstreet said firmly with the power of a true psychic in her eyes. “According to what you’re both telling me, you’re not suffering mental lapses currently, Mr. Clifford. You don’t appear to have any problem with language. You’re not disorientated as to time and place. You don’t do something and forget you’ve done it and then do it again. Some of my Alzheimer’s patients misplace things in a bizarre manner. They put an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. You haven’t done anything like that over the past few days, have you?”

  “No.” He laughed and then looked at Megan for confirmation.

  “No, he hasn’t,” she said softly.

  “And you seem very anxious to get back to yourself, get back to work. Alzheimer’s victims suffer a loss of initiative, become very passive. I would strongly doubt you are suffering from that ailment, even though there are a number of cases of younger people falling victim to it.”

  “That’s a relief,” Megan said.

  “Especially since there is no cure at the moment,” Dr. Longstreet agreed. “Okay. Why don’t we just go right to the tests. I’ll do a blood work-up and we’ll get X rays, an MRI done so we can rule out some things as quickly as possible. I must tell you,” she added, “that there is also the possibility you have suffered a stroke or even what we call a series of smaller strokes and your brain was denied necessary blood.”

  “Stroke?”

  “It’s on the LBI’s most wanted list,” the doctor said.

  “Huh? LBI?”

  “Longstreet Bureau of Investigation,” she said and Aaron laughed. It was truly a surprise to see she had a sense of humor. He wondered if he would when it was all over. Stroke sounded very frightening. She fanned that fear by adding, if it was, it could happen again. It could get worse, far worse.

  She was calm, thoughtful, but clearly driven by a sense of urgency.

  “Let’s get right to it,” she said and stood up. She looked at Megan. “Why don’t you return in about four, five hours,” she suggested.

  “That long?” Aaron asked.

  “To scratch the surface,” Dr. Longstreet said. “This is one of those opportunities for a wise Chinese saying . . . you know, the sort that tells us a journey of five thousand miles begins with a single step. Let’s go take our single step,” she added and gestured toward the door.

  “You’re in good hands now,” Megan assured him.

  “I just want to get to the bottom of it all,” he said, nodding. “I feel like my life has been put on hold. Someone pushed a Pause button and stopped me dead in my tracks.”

  “Dr. Longstreet will get you moving forward again,” Megan promised, kissed him, and left.

  He turned to join the doctor, who continued her lecture on human memory and its vulnerability as she walked him toward the lab.

  It was already a good hour beyond twilight when Megan returned for him. He was sitting in the lounge,looking dazed, tired. The receptionist had gone home and the lights were out behind the glass window. He was actually dozing when Megan came in.“Hey,” she said, and he looked up. “How are you doing?”

  He rose slowly. “I feel prodded and poked, turned inside out,” he said.

  “Did she say anything?”

  “She wants us back here tomorrow about two, when she expects to have all the results she needs. In the meantime, she prescribed this,” he said, showing Megan a packet of pills. “Something to help me relax. I took one just before you came. The doctor’s worried my anxiety could exacerbate the problem. I get the feeling she’s leaning toward diagnosing it as a result of a stroke.

  “Where’s Sophie?” he asked, first realizing she was missing.

  “Oh, she’s back home with Laurie Corkin, Terri Richards, and Debbie Asher, some of my co-workers at the firm. They came over to help us get organized and worked with me all afternoon. Wait until you see how far we’ve gotten. The girls are great. You’ll especially love Laurie. Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, she’s so bright and energetic, as bubbly as a glass of champagne. Sophie and she hit it off immediately. She’s great with kids and looking forward to having what she calls a whole batch. However, there’s a minor problem with that plan at the moment.”

  “Which is?”

  “She’s not married. She hasn’t found the right man. She’s looking for someone perfect, someone like you.”

  “I haven’t met her, too, have I? I’d hate to be forgetting attractive women,” he quipped.

  “No,” she said, smiling, “but I told the girls all about you. Laurie wants to know if there’s more where you came from.”

  “Yeah, well I can’t suggest anyone,” Aaron said and paused. “I can’t recall a single close friend. It’s as if I was dropped into this world a few days ago. Maybe that’s it, Megan. Maybe I’m an alien in your husband’s body.”

  “You don’t make love like an alien,” she kidded.

  “Oh, and how many aliens have you had as s?”

  She started to count on her fingers.

  “All right, all right,” he said. “Believe it or not, I’m hungry.”

  “Laurie’s cooking for all of us. She brought all the ingredients. She makes great pasta dishes.”

  “She’s great with kids, full of energy, is beautiful, and cooks, too. She’s not Mrs. Masters daughter, is she?” he joked.

  “How did you know?” Megan asked. “We’re all Mrs. Master’s daughters,” she followed thoughtfully. “She’s adopted us.”

  “Yeah, well, now she can adopt me, too,” Aaron muttered.

  “That won’t scare her,” Megan declared, threading her arm through his and leading him out to the car.

  When they arrived back at their house, he was impressed. All of the cartons had been unpacked and everything had been put in its proper place with magical speed. They had even done grocery shopping. With the furniture set up and even books organizedon the shelves in the office, it already looked as if they had been living there for some time.

  On the way home Megan had given him more details about all the women he would soon meet. She was positive he would agree that Laurie Corkin was far and away the most attractive of Megan’s three new friends. When he saw her, Aaron thought she resembled Michelle Pfeiffer, only when she spoke, she had a much deeper voice, deep and sexy.

  Terri Richards wasn’t unattractive by any means. She was just more on the cute side, petite, almost childlike in the way she moved and talked with that delightfully innocent look in her soft blue eyes. Her hair was the shade of fresh peaches and was in a short, French style. Terri was married to one of the two dentists in town.

  Debbie Asher was a tall, light brunette who looked Germanic, strong with firm lips and darting dark brown eyes that lingered in judgment over Aaron’s face when they were first introduced. She was cut like a statue with a confident posture and a demeanor of strength that actually intimidated him a little. When he commented about her, Megan revealed that Debbie had been a varsity athlete, nearly making the U.S. Olympic volleyball team. Now, she was married to an accountant, and they had two children, a boy fifteen and a girl twelve, who, he quickly learned, was following in her mother’s athletic footsteps.

  The moment he had entered the house, the women were around him, inquiring about his health, urging him to relax. He enjoyed the attention they lavished on him, making him feel like some sort of conquering heroreturning from the great wars. Laurie actually brought his slippers down from the bedroom and helped him take off his shoes. Debbie bro
ught him a cold glass of water. Terri made sure the seat was comfortable.

  Sophie watched from the doorway with an amused look on her face. For a moment she looked as if she was much older, much more aware of the nuances and the flirting going on between him and the women. Every now and then he felt his daughter was a stranger, and he hated having that feeling. He hoped she didn’t sense it, that he had done a good job up until now keeping her from realizing how serious his mental problems were.

  “How about a drink? You’re a martini man, right?” Laurie asked. She looked up from where she was kneeling at his feet, putting on the slippers. Her thin, white blouse was unbuttoned and opened far enough down to show him the perfect curves of her perky breasts. He looked at Megan.

  “What did you do, tell them everything about me?”

  She shrugged. “They helped unpack. They know the most intimate details of our lives,” she joked.

  “At this moment, then, she knows more than I do,” he quipped back.

  Terri looked sad for him. Debbie raised her heavy eyebrows and glanced at Megan. Only Laurie laughed.

  “Let’s see if we do,” she challenged. “What kind of cologne do you use?”

  “Laurie!” Terri cried. “That’s sick. Stop teasing a sick man.”

  “He’s not sick. He’s just vulnerable. I like a man to be vulnerable,” she said with a small smile.

  “That’s why you only go out with immature men and end up complaining about not being able to find someone substantial enough for a committed relationship,” Debbie said. “Laurie’s got this thing about being in control,” she told Aaron and then turned back to her, her face in a tight expression of disdain. “Well, don’t you, Laurie?”

  “So? Some men like being under my control,” she replied and laughed, swinging her gaze from Aaron to Megan and then back to Aaron, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I made your favorite pasta for dinner,” she continued. “Angel hair, basil and tomato with a little Mozzarella cheese mixed in.”

  Aaron thought a moment. It did sound good, appealing. Was that really his favorite pasta?

  “It is your favorite pasta, right?” she teased.

  “Laurie!” Debbie cried.

  “I . . .” He looked to Megan who nodded.

  “Yes, I guess it is.”

  “Actually, it’s ready to be made. I know you like it al dente and that’s the way we’ll have it,” Laurie said.

  “I can’t stay for dinner,” Debbie said.

  “Why not?” Laurie demanded in a harsher tone of voice than Aaron expected and apparently Debbie did, too. “We’re all supposed to be here to help Megan get settled in. We agreed and when we left work early, we told Mrs. Masters—”

  “I didn’t tell Morgan I was staying for dinner,” Debbie said quickly. “I just forgot.”

  “So call your husband and tell him now,” Laurie said sharply. “He can fend for himself and so can your children. Men tend to take us less for granted whenwe don’t show up once in a while,” she added, looking at Aaron and smiling.

  “I don’t have that problem,” Debbie said dryly. “No one takes me for granted.” Her eyes were narrow, dark, intimidating. “Why did you say that?”

  “She’s just teasing,” Terri said quickly. “Weren’t you, Laurie?”

  “Yes. Don’t be so sensitive,” she warned Debbie.

  The two locked gazes as if in a confrontation that could turn into life and death. Then Laurie burst into laughter and Debbie shook her head and smiled. Aaron tilted his head with curiosity as he watched her emotional metamorphosis. They were like tigers testing each other and then retreating to laugh about it.

  “Foam,” she said. She smiled and took a breath. “The woman’s got foam for a brain.”

  “I’m actually hungry,” Terri declared. “All this work. Aren’t you hungry, Debbie?”

  “All right,” Debbie relented. “I’ll stay for dinner. If I go, I know you’ll all just talk about me anyway.”

  The girls laughed. Even Sophie laughed as if she understood.

  “Give me twelve minutes,” Laurie cried, hurrying out.

  “The table is all set,” Terri called after her, “but we’ll help you get the salad out and the bread and the wine. Sophie, you can help too,” she added, taking Sophie’s hand. Debbie followed behind them.

  Megan came to Aaron and placed her hand softly on his shoulder.

  “You all right?” she asked.

  “A little tired from the poking and prodding,” he admitted. “But I am hungry.”

  “Good. Isn’t this just wonderful?” she asked, turning to look over the living room. “Having it all done so fast and having friends to help us settle into a new home.”

  “Yes. You guys did an amazing amount of work,” Aaron said. It was wonderful, he thought. If only he knew more about himself, he might be able to appreciate the good things happening to him, he thought sadly.

  However, even if Aaron wanted to be depressed, he couldn’t. The chatter at the dinner table, the jokes and the laughter was infectious. As hard as it was for him to believe he could, he was able to put aside his terrible condition and laugh along with Megan and her friends. They were just the panacea he needed to forget his troubles. Everything about them was intoxicating. The four of them seemed more like teenagers, kidding each other about their clothes, their hair and makeup. It made him feel much younger, too.

  From their conversation about work, Aaron gathered that there was someone at the company, a young man named Edmond Spenser, whom they all apparently teased. From the way they described his job, he sounded like some glamorized office boy.

  Laurie went on to elaborate on some of the practical jokes they had pulled on him, like the time they sent an anonymous love note through the Internet, making it seem as if one of them had a terrible crush on him.

  “Talk about a vulnerable man,” she began. “He’s, what? Twenty-eight, nine?”

  “Actually, Mrs. Masters said he was thirty-one,” Terri said.

  “Who’d believe it? He acts like he’s twelve and doesn’t look like he’s much older. Anyway,” Laurie continued, directing herself to Aaron, “I know he’s been drooling over me every time he looks my way. Just like most men I know, he’s idiotically obvious about it. I mean, he doesn’t even have sense enough to keep his bulge hidden.”

  “Laurie!” Terri cried. She glanced at Sophie, but the little girl didn’t seem to be paying much attention. “Aaron might not be used to such talk.”

  Laurie considered him and smiled. “Don’t worry about Aaron. He can’t remember if he’s shy or not, right Aaron?”

  “She’s incorrigible, Aaron,” Debbie said. “Don’t listen to a word she says.”

  “Incorrigible, maybe, but no question about her cooking skills,” he said. “This is very good. Where’d you learn how to cook so well?”

  “My father had a restaurant in New York City, on the Upper East Side. It’s gone now, but it was once a very popular place and I was brought up in the kitchen. I don’t mind cooking for special occasions, but I’m going to have a live-in maid and cook when I get married. If I ever get married,” she added.

  “Oh, you know you’ll get married, Laurie,” Debbie said, nodding and smiling. “We all know you’ll get married,” she added with confidence.

  Everyone looked down for a moment. Megan shifted her gaze to Aaron. He leaned forward.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Excuse me?” Debbie said.

  “Why are you so sure Laurie will get married?”

  “I told you, Aaron,” Megan said quickly. “Laurie wants children.”

  “And she’s not one of those women who don’t see the need for a father in the house,” Debbie said.

  Laurie didn’t disagree. She poured herself more wine and smiled at Sophie as though she was used to having the others talk about her in her presence.

  “I bet you can’t wait to start school here, can you, honey?”

  “No,” Sophie said. “Mo
mmy’s going to take me every morning on her way to work if I want her to, right, Mommy?”

  “That’s right, sweetheart.”

  “Speaking of work,” Aaron said, “how many days have I taken off?”

  “The whole week,” Megan said. “But let’s not worry about that now, Aaron. Let’s worry about you and getting you up to speed.”

  “How fast was I going?” he asked and laughed. Maybe it was the wine; maybe it was the company; maybe it was both, but he suddenly felt very giddy. “I thought I had broken the speed limit already.”

  “You all right, honey?” Megan asked.

  “Sure. What could be wrong? I just realized if I don’t remember anything, I don’t remember any bad romantic experiences.”

  All of the women were staring at him, all of one face, concerned, waiting for his next statement. He laughed.

  “For example, I don’t remember any drooling, or for that matter unfortunately, any bulges.”

  That brought hysterical laughter to all their lips, even Megan’s, but then she raised her eyebrows and nodded to Debbie. They both stood.

  “Why don’t you lie down for a while, Aaron,” Megan said. “You’ve had a hard day with all those tests and everything.”

  “I’m okay,” he said, but the table seemed to rotate. He closed his eyes and swayed so hard, he nearly fell out of his chair. Both women moved quickly to his side and scooped him under his arms. Debbie could lift him practically by herself. She took on most of the burden of helping him out of the dining room and to the stairway. For a while he thought she was literally flying up steps. His body felt as if it were rising, floating. And then suddenly he was lying in bed and they were taking off his shoes, their shoulders looking like wings. He closed his eyes and told himself he was really drunk. Wings. He laughed and then he fell asleep to what sounded like the music of a harp.

  I must be in heaven was his last thought.

  When he opened his eyes again, it was dark and he was under a blanket, naked. Not only couldn’t he remember his past; he couldn’t remember the last few hours. Was he getting worse instead of better? Had he had another small stroke? Panic fluttered in his chest.He turned and nudged Megan, who groaned.