Memory of a Melody

by Charli B. Rose

  Everyone peered down at me, concern written all over their faces. The doctor exchanged a look with Sydney.

  “What?” I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

  “Willa, what day is it?” Dr. Askew asked in a calm voice.

  “March twenty-ninth. No, that was yesterday’s date. So today is March thirtieth,” I said, proud that I had the presence of mind to add a day since I’d obviously slept, even though I couldn’t remember going to bed last night.

  Fear thickened the air in the room. Without missing a beat, the doctor said, “It’s the end of September.”

  “That can’t be right. I can’t have forgotten the past six months. It’s impossible,” panic crept into my voice with each word I spoke.

  My mind raced, trying to force a memory, any memory of the previous six months, to the forefront of my thoughts. It was all blank. Not one thing came to mind. The monitors by my head started to beep rapidly.

  “You need to calm down, Willa,” the doctor said in a soothing tone.

  But I couldn’t slow my heart or draw a deep breath. The doctor said something to the nurse, but I couldn’t make out his words. The nurse stepped up and grabbed the connection on my IV and injected something into it.

  Instantly, every part of me got heavy. My eyes were drifting shut, but I didn’t want to sleep. I needed to figure out what had happened to me and what I’d forgotten. But I couldn’t stay awake.

  The last thing I saw before I surrendered to the call of darkness was the sad face of the handsome man sitting next to me, who was still clutching my hand.

  8

  Trystan

  Willa’s breathing settled into a slow deep rhythm almost as soon as her eyes shuttered closed. Even bruised, injured and confused, she was stunning. Last night, she made my heart whole. And today, without meaning to, she broke it.

  My head dropped to the metal railing surrounding her slumbering form. I still held her warm hand in mine. I couldn’t bring myself to let it go. As irrational as it was, I felt that if I left our fingers intertwined, then I wouldn’t lose her. My mind was reeling. I couldn’t wrap it around Willa being unable to remember me, unable to recall our world tilting night. As long as I lived, I’d never forget the feeling of my lost pieces slipping effortlessly into place.

  ♪ When I’m with You by Sheriff

  Sydney’s worried voice snapped me out of my well of sorrow. “Dr. Askew, why can’t Willa remember the past six months?”

  “It’s not uncommon for some level of memory loss to occur with a head injury like hers. She’s got what we call a traumatic brain injury or TBI. We don’t know the extent of it yet. But we’ll do everything in our power to figure that out,” the doctor carefully explained.

  “So, can we just tell her everything that’s happened in the past six months that she seems to have forgotten?” Sydney’s voice was filled with hope.

  “It’s better for her to recall things on her own,” the doctor explained as he jotted some notes in her chart.

  “What can we do to help her remember?” Sydney asked.

  “Once she’s released from the hospital, which will be at least a few days from now, take her places to jog her memory. Don’t try to fill in the gaps. See if her mind can make the connections once she’s in familiar spots. I know it’ll be hard to not just tell her everything. But it really is best to not overwhelm her with a barrage of things that have taken place in the last six months of her life. Of course, if you have photographs from that time frame, you can use them to help her try to remember as well. But if she seems to be getting upset, she should take a break from whatever you’re doing.” The doctor peered at each of us earnestly.

  “But, Doctor, Willa deserves to know the truth about her life.” Sydney shot a glare at the man who had yet to introduce himself when he rushed in. “What if she doesn’t ever remember the stuff she’s forgotten?” Worry furrowed her brow.

  The man stepped forward, injecting himself into the conversation. “I agree with the doctor. We need to give Willa the time and space to regain her memories naturally. I’m sure her parents will agree once they arrive. They’re on the way,” he said.

  The doctor’s pager went off, and he glanced down at it. “I need to step out now. I’ll be back to check in on Willa later,” he said before he strode out the door.

  He was barely gone before Sydney whirled on the other man. “You have some nerve showing up here. How did you even find out she was in the hospital?” she seethed.

  “Tsk, tsk. There’s nowhere else I should be while my fiancée is injured and in the hospital. A nurse called me because I’m listed in her phone as her emergency contact.”

  Dumbfounded, I sat back and watched everything unfold in front of me.

  Sydney stepped closer to Willa’s bed and lovingly brushed the hair off her forehead. “Cade, you won’t be her fiancé for long. You know she was planning to call off the wedding,” Sydney hissed quietly.

  Cade stepped closer, paying me no mind. “She was just angry. She would’ve come to her senses when she calmed down. No way she would’ve thrown away all we’ve built. Willa and I have loved each other for three years.”

  “And you broke her heart yesterday,” Sydney interjected.

  “I’m incredibly sorry about that. But fate has given Willa and me a second chance. We can proceed with our future without her heart being injured since she has no memory of it. Don’t you see? Now I have a chance to do things right. To love her the way she deserves to be loved,” Cade pleaded.

  I almost felt sorry for the man. But he threw away the woman who quickly came to mean something to me. She’d awakened new melodies inside me. So ultimately, it was impossible for me to feel for Cade after what he did to her.

  “You’d let Willa start her life with you on the foundation of a lie?” Sydney scoffed. “And you claim to love her.” Sydney rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  I needed to figure out a way to sneak out. I didn’t need to bear witness to the two of them arguing while Willa lay unaware that two people who played big roles in her life were arguing over her future. While they were distracted, I lifted her fingertips to my lips and pressed a kiss there. Then I scooted the chair back. The scrape of the metal legs on the tile floor caught Cade’s attention.

  He stepped over to me with his hand outstretched. “I’m Cade, Willa’s fiancé. I’m sorry you had to hear our little disagreement. Sydney and I both love Willa very much, and sometimes what we think is best for her puts us at odds with each other. Anyway, thank you so much for saving my girl.”

  Resisting the urge to growl at him, I shook his hand because I couldn’t think of a polite way to refuse.

  Before things could get any more awkward, a pair of police officers stepped across the threshold.

  “Hey, folks. I’m Detective Patterson and my partner is Detective Greene,” the younger cop said. “We’re sorry to bother you, but we need to speak with—” The officer consulted his notepad. “—Trystan Davis.”

  “That would be me, Officer.” I stepped forward and extended my hand.

  “Let’s step out into the hallway,” Detective Greene suggested, tipping his head toward the door.

  I followed behind them. I sensed Cade and Sydney coming as well.

  “The paramedics said you were trying to tend to the victim when they arrived. We already spoke to the other two witnesses, but they weren’t a lot of help. We’re hoping you can give us something to go on about the men responsible for the crime against Ms. Larkin.” Detective Patterson gave me a hopeful look.

  “I was actually looking out my window when the attack happened. Two men in dark clothes approached Willa from behind. They were Caucasian. Taller than Willa. One was stocky, the other lanky. I didn’t get a good look at their faces.” I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

  “Did you notice anything unique about them?” Detective Greene asked while his partner jotted down everything I said.

  “The stockier of the two had
a shaved head.” I closed my eyes, concentrating. My eyes snapped open. “And he had this tribal tattoo winding around his neck and creeping up the back of his head. Sorry, that’s all I noticed before they took off in the direction of the subway.”

  The detectives looked excited about that piece of information. However, Cade appeared sick with my words.

  “Do you recall ever seeing the men in your neighborhood before?” Detective Greene asked.

  “No, sir, I’ve never seen them before.”

  “How about you two? Does that description match anyone you recognize? Anyone who may have been following Willa the past few days?”

  “No,” Sydney answered immediately.

  “Are you suggesting the attack on my fiancée wasn’t random? That she wasn’t just mugged?” Cade asked quietly.

  “We have to consider all possibilities.” Detective Greene pulled out some business cards and passed one to each of us. “If you remember anything at all, please call.” The cops shook our hands and then headed down the hallway in the direction of the elevators.

  Cade turned back in the direction of Willa’s room. Before he could cross the threshold, Sydney tugged on his shoulder, halting him.

  “Willa might not remember what happened yesterday, but I do. And I’ll make sure she does,” Sydney hissed under her breath.

  The muscles in Cade’s neck tightened as he got in her face. Rage rolled off him in waves. “You’re going to keep your mouth shut. You heard the doctor. She needs to remember whatever she can on her own. In the meantime, this is my second chance to make it up to her. To erase my mistake.” With that, he strode back into Willa’s room and shut the door, leaving me in the hallway with Sydney.

  Shaking her head, Sydney stalked off in the direction of the elevators. Hastily, I fell in step with her.

  I opened my mouth, but she held up her hand to stop me from speaking. We climbed into the empty elevator.

  “I don’t need to know exactly what happened last night. Willa texted me last night to let me know she was great and staying with you. She seemed happy when she left me a voicemail this morning,” Sydney said, looking up at me sadly.

  I swallowed hard and stared up at the tiled ceiling. “Being with her was … different. Amazing. She’s amazing. And it sickens me that we have to pretend that asshole in there with her didn’t cheat on her.”

  “Me too.”

  The elevator slowed as it neared the first floor. “What if she doesn’t remember? What if she marries him?” I asked.

  “I won’t let that happen,” Sydney said vehemently.

  “I hope not. I don’t know what I feel for her since it is so new, but I know it’s strong, and it’s real. I can’t let it go.”

  “Hang on. We’ll figure it out. I’ve got to go to a meeting. I’ll text you later,” Sydney said as the elevator doors opened.

  9

  Willa

  Groaning, I opened my eyes. My head throbbed. Beyond the silver railings, my mom sat by my side. Her head was down, and tears stained her cheeks.

  “I told you those shoes would be the death of me,” I said groggily, hoping to make my mom laugh.

  She let out a ragged sob, which alarmed me greatly.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” I sat forward, ignoring the pain in my abdomen and the dizziness in my head.

  “Sweetie, we found your wedding dress months ago. So, those shoes didn’t do you in. This morning you were mugged and hit your head,” Mom said in a wobbly voice.

  “If that was months ago …” I swallowed the fear lodged in my throat before I continued, “Then what date is it now?”

  “It’s September twenty-fifth,” Mom explained calmly.

  Mentally, I counted up the days. “That can’t be right. The wedding is so soon, and I can’t remember what’s been taken care of and what’s left to do.”

  Without thinking, I dragged my fingers through my hair. The pain in my skull ricocheted. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to calm down and think.

  “I need my purse,” I said suddenly.

  “The thugs who attacked you ran off with your purse,” Cade chimed in, catching my attention. I hadn’t realized he was here.

  “Don’t worry. I already called the bank and credit card companies to cancel your cards. Replacements will be sent in a couple of days,” he said.

  “How about my phone? Is that missing too?” I asked anxiously.

  Cade’s face paled for a moment, but he reached in his pocket to draw it out. “I don’t know if you should look at it. You know the doctor wants you to remember on your own.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but Mom interrupted, “I’m going to go get the doctor and let him know you’re awake. He can advise you.” She got to her feet. Leaning over, she planted a kiss on the top of my head. “And I’ll go find your dad. He’s anxious to see for himself that you’re OK.” She squeezed my hand and walked out the door.

  Cade moved to take the chair Mom vacated, my phone still clutched in his fingers.

  I reached my hand out to take it. A gasp slipped through my lips. “Did the guys who attacked me steal my ring too?” I whispered as tears filled my eyes.

  Cade swallowed and shifted in his seat. His feet scuffed against the floor, and he scooted his chair closer to my bed. His eyes were so sad when they peered into mine. “We’ll talk about it later.” He placed my phone in my hand and closed his fingers over it just as the doctor came in.

  Cade turned his attention to the doctor who I recognized from earlier.

  “Willa, do you remember who I am?” the man asked.

  I swallowed a few times, working up some saliva to wet my throat. “Yes, you’re Dr. Askew,” I said.

  “That’s good. This means only your short-term memory was affected, not your ability to form new memories.” Dr. Askew smiled at me.

  “Doctor, Willa has asked for her phone. I’m wondering the wisdom in giving it to her. There are photos, videos, messages, all kinds of things in there,” Cade explained, still not relinquishing his hold on my cell.

  “I just want to see my text messages and check my calendar because all the wedding details are in my phone. Doctor, I’m supposed to get married in a few weeks. You have no idea the rising panic I feel at not knowing what details I have left to take care of. I can’t possibly concentrate on getting better if I’m worried about seating charts and menus,” I pleaded.

  The doctor took a deep breath. “I don’t see a problem with her having her phone … unless there’s something potentially devastating on it. Do you know if there’s something on there that would upset Willa?” he asked Cade.

  Cade frowned and appeared deep in thought. “Uh … um …” he hemmed and hawed. Sighing heavily, he said, “No.” But he didn’t sound so sure.

  What distressing things could possibly be in my phone?

  “Then I see no reason she shouldn’t have access to her phone.” The doctor turned his attention to me directly. “Willa, you should go about your normal life as much as you’re able and comfortable. Get yourself back in your routine. But do take things slowly as you begin to seek what’s transpired in the past six months. The retrograde amnesia that you have is temporally graded. I’m going to order some tests to determine the severity. We did a CT scan when you were first brought in.”

  “What other kind of tests will you do?” my dad asked as he and my mom made their way back into the room.

  “We’ll evaluate Willa’s short-term and long-term memory using some cognitive tests,” Dr. Askew explained.

  “And once you get the results, you’ll determine a course of treatment?” I asked anxiously.

  “There’s no real treatment for memory loss except time. Your memories may return, but they may not. Every single amnesia case is different,” he explained, a look of regret on his face.

  “That doesn’t sound very promising,” I murmured.

  “You have to remain positive. Try not to worry about the things you can’t remember. Instead, focus on
healing.” Dr. Askew patted my shoulder before he bid us goodbye.

  “Sweetie,” my dad said, rushing to my side.

  Cade stepped back so my dad could embrace me. He left my phone in my hand.

  When Dad let go, he sank into the seat Cade had been in. Relief washed over his face. “You had me so worried.”

  “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Getting attacked on the street was hardly your fault,” he scolded.

  I flipped my phone over. A tiny crack ran along the screen, no doubt from where it hit the pavement. I pressed the button on the side to power it on, but the battery icon flashed at me before the screen went dark again. With a sigh, I dropped it in my lap.

  “What’s wrong?” Cade asked, moving to the other side of my bed.

  “It’s dead,” I grumbled.

  He gently brushed my hair off my forehead. “No worries. I’ll bring your charger to you. Is there anything else you want me to bring you?”

  I smiled up at him. “Can you bring my Kindle and charger for it as well?”

  “Of course. And I’ll get you a change of clothes and your toiletries.”

  “Thanks. I’d like to wear my own pajamas. This hospital gown is scratchy.” I frowned down at the plain blue material.

  “Sweetheart, the detectives told us where the attack happened. What in the world were you doing in that neighborhood? We don’t know anyone on that side of the city, and it wasn’t on the way to your meeting,” Dad asked.

  Frowning, I considered his words. “I-I don’t remember. It had to be a fluke. Maybe I was meeting with a wedding vendor or something. When my phone charges, hopefully it’ll have some clues in it.” It was so frustrating to not be able to remember.

  10