Remember Me Read online

  An hour later she woke up after dozing off for a while. She wondered if she’d missed the doctor that Matt had said would stop in. Tired of laying in bed all morning, she got up to stretch her legs. She struggled with the strings of her hospital gown in front of her. The flimsy pale pink cloth that had four or five loose strings on either side, which made no sense at all to her.

  Are they all like this?

  Liz didn’t bother looking up when she heard the knock on the door. She assumed it was one of the nurses again, forcing more pain medication down her throat.

  “Come in,” she called, finally pulling on two strings that looked like they would go together.

  “Hi, Oh I’m s..sorry. Umm, I’ll come back.”

  Liz shot her head up at a vaguely familiar voice. A voice that sounded much like Matt’s but…different. She flushed and quickly wrapped the sides of the damn thing around her.

  It hadn’t been her husband or a nurse, or anyone else for that matter that could see her front exposed the way it was. This was a new face. Similar features to Matt, taller, with shorter hair. He wore a black t-shirt and faded jeans.

  “I…I think you have the wrong room,” Liz said quickly reaching for her robe and tossing it around herself.

  “No. I uh…I don’t Liz. I’m Matt’s brother. Ben.”

  Liz stared at him. She wasn’t sure why she was waiting for a memory of him to come but it was probably only natural that she would. “I…I’m sorry I don’t—”

  “Remember. I know,” he finished. “I hope it’s ok, it felt strange sitting out there and not coming in to check on you.”

  That was odd. “How long have you been sitting out there?”

  “I came back early this morning, they wouldn’t let me stay the night.”

  This was getting stranger. “Why would you need to spend the night?”

  “Well they let Matt stay with you, I don’t know what the difference would be with me.”

  I could name a few, she thought silently again.

  “Okay, I might have lost my memory, but this goes beyond that.” She stepped back and raised her voice. “Why would you be spending the night with me?”

  She saw Ben’s face turn beet red. “What? No, not with you. With Megan. She’s two rooms down from yours.”

  “Who’s Megan?” Now she was practically screaming. Who were all these people and why were they all acting so strange? And why couldn’t they just say things instead of talking around them?

  Ben held his hands up defensively as if to calm her. Which irritated her more. Like she was some child having a tantrum. “Megan is my wife. She was in the car accident with you,” he explained cautiously. Then he gave her a look as if surprised that she didn’t know.

  Liz’s jaw dropped. “Oh.” Liz knew she was driving the car and that she’d hit a truck. Heat flushed up her neck, more with anger than embarrassment. Her breathing accelerated as she reached for something behind her to grab onto and found the credenza by the window. “Is…is she okay?”

  Ben took a few steps towards her. “She’s fine. Just a few scrapes and burns, a broken wrist, but she’ll recover in a few weeks.”

  Liz was sure she looked as horrified as she felt. She was suddenly uncomfortable as this man had most likely been blaming her for the accident his wife was suffering the effects of. Her hand flew over her mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” she said breathlessly, as her eyes burned once again.

  He stepped closer. “No, please. Don’t blame yourself, it was…really no one’s fault. I know I always tease you about your driving, but only because…well, I love you. You’re like a sister to me, always have been.” Ben eyed her thoughtfully, then began to step back.

  A short beat went by before the door flew open. Her husband froze at the door. He glanced at them but said nothing. He waited by the door, his expression unreadable.

  Ben turned back to Liz, disappointment in his expression. “Again, I just wanted to see how you were doing. Please don’t worry about Megan. She’s fine. We’re all just…” He trailed off glancing over at Matt. “We’re just happy you’re both okay.”

  Ben shot Matt a look before reaching past him for the door handle and stepping out.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Megan?” she asked as the door closed.

  Matt stared at her, his expression still blank. This was a new one for him. His expressions were usually sympathetic or concerned, she’d never seen him look this serious. At least not for the day and a half she had known him.

  He pushed off the side of the door and crossed to the middle of the room. “I’m sorry, I was a little preoccupied with my own wife to…” He stopped himself. Clearly, to rethink his words and tone.

  None of which, Liz decided, she would truly believe anyway.

  “I was very concerned for you,” he continued calmly after a deep breath. “Liz, what’s going on with you…is scaring the hell out of me and I don’t want to overwhelm you with any extra information that could wait till later.”

  “How much later? Why do you decide who or when or what detail I learn about?” she snapped.

  He raised his voice slightly and took a step toward her. “It’s not up to me, Liz. I’m following doctor’s orders. And that’s not to overwhelm you. You should do the same. He told you not to stress over anything and try to relax, take deep breaths—”

  “I’m tired of sitting around and breathing, Matt. I want to know who I am. I’m sorry this has been hard on you, but I’m not exactly having a quiet day at the beach.”

  “Do you even know what a quiet day at the beach feels like?” he asked, visibly perplexed.

  She burst out laughing, then immediately felt like kicking herself for it. She shouldn’t be laughing with this man who was keeping things from her. How would she recover this way? Liz should have been told about the other passenger. She looked up at him. He was smiling. And it was a beautiful smile.

  “What?”

  “It’s just that we’re fighting like a married couple. And I never realized, how relieving that would ever be for me.”

  “Oh.” It was all she could think of saying.

  He continued to smile at her. “Well, I just called Marcus, your brother. He lives in Richemont, which is about an hour away.” His lips twitched suggesting he may have wanted to say more but didn’t.

  Liz frowned. She wondered why no one had mentioned her parents. She’d heard of Matt’s parents and caught a glimpse of them outside the night before. But nothing about her own or why they hadn’t come to see her. Maybe if someone called them, she might remember them. She decided to touch on that at a later time. She was tired and still trying to make her way to the bathroom before Ben had come in.

  “I’m excited to meet him.” She forced a smile. Then glanced at the bathroom door and back at Matt.

  He followed her glance and pursed his lips before heading to the door. “I’ll let you know as soon as he gets here.”

  Chapter 9

  MATT

  Matt walked out of Liz’s room and planned to head into Megan’s. Hell, if Ben wanted to waltz in to see Liz whenever he felt like it, then so should he with Megan. He truly wanted to see how she was doing, but selfishly needed to ask her questions about the accident. Depending on how she was feeling, he may hold off on the questions.

  He spotted his brother coming out of Megan’s room. Ben glanced at him and then brushed past Matt and headed towards the elevators.

  “The hell’s up with you?” He’d just about had it with the cold and bitter anger he was sensing from Ben, as if Matt hadn’t been the one who was betrayed.

  “Not now,” Ben mumbled.

  Matt snickered. “We’re in a hospital with no place to go until the doctors say so, so now seems like a pretty decent time for me.” He waited for Ben to respond before continuing. “Oh, that’s right, I forgot—you have your own timing system of when to tell people things they probably have a right to know.”

  Ben shot his brother a look as two pe
ople in the hall chose to get up and walk away at that very moment.

  Matt wasn’t fazed by it. With everything going on around him now, he didn’t have time for this bullshit.

  Matt lowered his voice. Although it was no point now since they were practically alone. “Fine, I don’t give a damn. I hope it eats you up inside.” He started for the elevators.

  “The only person who should feel guilty here is you,” Ben called back after him.

  Matt turned slowly. “What did you say?” The guy had a lot of nerve.

  Ben’s eyes blazed. “I heard you with mom last night.”

  Matt swallowed and stared at Ben.

  “You knew something was off with her in the morning, and you still let her go.” Ben’s voice turned harsh, with a hint of disgust.

  Matt cringed.

  “Of course I knew something was off with her, she had a rough night, in case you’d forgotten.” Matt turned and ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. At that point, he couldn’t tell who he was frustrated with.

  Ben shrugged. “Makes sense…you were too angry to pay any attention,” he paused, “but apparently, you saw it all, just didn’t care.” He stepped back and frowned, as if attempting to view him in a different light. “How do you not see something like that when it’s happening right in front of you?”

  Matt hated to admit it but Ben was right. Normally, Matt was able to see and feel nearly everything Liz was feeling. He’d pick up on it with the slightest way she moved, or the faintest change in her tone that no one else would notice. He prided himself on how well he knew her. But the truth is, he didn’t notice when it counted the most. When they couldn’t reach either of the women, Matt instinctively started to worry. He retraced that morning in his head and the vision replayed in slow motion. Her hand shook with every move she made. Her eyes seemed like they were looking for a place to settle or escape. Her entire body seemed to be quivering as if she was coming down with a fever. But the vision that kept coming back to him was how he would look away every time because of the exact reason that Ben had just accused him of.

  “I knew she was upset, I just—”

  Ben shook his head as if confused. “Upset? I think we all knew Liz was a little more than upset the other night, Matt.”

  Matt fumed but he couldn’t risk Liz walking in on this. “Don’t blame her for this. Megan will be alright.”

  Ben advanced on his brother. “Let’s get something clear here Matt, I would never blame Liz for this. The only person to be held responsible for that woman possibly never remembering who she is—is you.” He pointed a finger at Matt and then huffed turning his hand into a fist and dropping it, as if he were fighting the anger snapping through him. After a short second, he dropped his head and turned to walk away.

  Matt’s pulse was now drubbing with anger. He circled around Ben and pressed a finger into his brother’s chest, seizing him in place.

  “Don’t you dare come at me with your fucking accusations. You don’t know anything about what Liz was going through. Don’t act like you do.” He pushed his finger against Ben harder as the rage intensified. “Don’t come near me or my Lizzy again,” he warned.

  Ben shrugged and raised an eyebrow. “Fine, if that’s what it takes. I’m just glad that you’re planning to work things out with her, once she finally…comes back.”

  Matt drew back. “I never said that.” He glanced at Megan’s room and decided it wasn’t the best time. He needed to get out of there and clear his head.

  Hours later Matt returned to the hospital. He had gone back to their house and grabbed a change of clothes for Liz. He knew she’d been uncomfortable walking around in that flimsy gown. He could tell earlier that morning that she was struggling with it. He considered just going to a nearby store to grab something quick, but decided that she’d probably feel more comfortable and more like herself in her own clothes. Maybe it wouldn’t help, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt.

  He got out of the elevator on Liz’s floor. The long, glossy tiled hallway was filled with patients, nurses, technicians, one or two doctors and an endless number of oncoming things on wheels. Beds, supply carts, bassinettes, equipment. He was surprised he’d even caught a glimpse of the man with the short brown hair and unkempt facial hair.

  Marcus.

  Liz’s brother was standing by the reception desk. Matt wasn’t close enough to hear, but saw the young woman point in the direction of Liz’s room. Matt glanced at his watch. The guy lived an hour away. Why would it take him nearly five hours to get here?

  “Marcus,” Matt called.

  “Matt. Hey, I’m sorry, I tried to get here earlier, I ran into a problem with the—”

  “Are you ok?”

  “Yeah, I’m great. Listen, I just want to go see her. I need to see her.”

  “Whoa, whoa, Marc, you can’t go in there like that. Okay, you need to pull yourself together. Liz needs all of us to be strong and not emotional wrecks.” He stopped and lightly grabbed Marcus’s shoulder to make him face him and silently ask if he was ready.

  “So, what I can’t tell her that I love her and I’d been worried about her?”

  “Of course you can. Just take it easy.” He started walking again. “Just follow my lead.” He turned toward his wife’s room.

  Now it was Marcus who stopped him. “Matt, I don’t need your help,” Marcus said calmly and confidently. There was no smirk or sarcasm or anything. It was as serious as Matt had ever seen Liz’s reckless and immature little brother be.

  Matt nodded once. “I know you don’t, I just need to tell her who you are—”

  “And I definitely don’t need an introduction to my sister.” Hovering just over an inch above Matt, Marcus put an evenly light hand over Matt’s chest. “I appreciate and understand your protectiveness over Liz,” He dropped his hand and gave a single nod. “But I got this.”

  Matt gritted his teeth and nodded again. He held up his hand and pointed to Liz’s door.

  With a double knock and three Mississippi’s later, Marcus opened the door and walked in. Closing it behind him.

  Chapter 10

  LIZ

  “So then after like seven tries, you finally got me to get back on that bike,” Marcus explained. Liz was still trying to catch her breath from all the laughing.

  “That’s amazing. I’m not even sure I’d remember how to ride one.” She breathed out.

  “Nah…it’s like…well, like riding a bike.”

  “Did I teach you how to drive too? Or was that our dad?” Liz was starting to wonder why her parents hadn’t visited and hadn’t felt comfortable asking anyone, until now.

  Marcus stiffened and cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, Dad uhh…Dad actually taught us both,” he laughed nervously. “I don’t know if Matt told you, we grew up in a small town in Connecticut, and you needed a car if you wanted to get anywhere. Buses weren’t taken often, and it was definitely not cool...”

  Liz was only half listening to her brother going on about their town. She was hoping and waiting for a reason why her parents haven’t come to see her. Did they not know? Were they on bad terms? She wasn’t sure how long she could hold out asking.

  “They’re not coming, Liz,” Marcus said, reading her mind. His fingers were intertwined and palms rubbing nervously as he glared absently at the checkered patterned carpet.

  Liz waited, showing no emotion. Mainly because she wasn’t sure what to feel yet. Not until she knew why.

  “About a year and a half ago, Mom and Dad were coming home from a holiday party Dad’s boss was throwing at his estate. It was pretty far from their house and they left pretty late. Neither one had anything to drink so they figured it was okay to drive home instead of staying over, as many guests had since it started to snow that night. Then the snow turned to rain, the roads got pretty icy…” he trailed off and stood to cross to the window. Liz watched him and waited while he regained his composure. “Someone found the totaled vehicle and called it in. They were onl
y a few minutes from home.”

  A cold shiver went through Liz’s upper body. She didn’t understand it, but the tears were rolling down her face as fast and uncontrollably as water flowing from a dam. The tension and throbbing in her head started growing painfully. But she wouldn’t let it show. This was probably why no one told her anything. He shut her eyes and squeezed her hands to keep herself from touching the wrap around her head. The next thing she knew, Marcus was by her side with his arm around her shoulder in a very brotherly way. He didn’t say anything, but looked regretful.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t even know why I’m upset. I didn’t even know them.” She leaned into his shoulder. The natural connection to him was undeniable. The young man sitting next to her was real and genuine. That was something she wished she could say for her husband. She didn’t doubt Matt’s love for her or that she had loved him before she lost her memory. But there was a distance and distrust that was palpable between them.

  “Because no matter how much you deny it, Liz, you still feel for your family even though you don’t remember us. But that’s only—”

  Someone entered the room. Liz and Marcus both looked up to see Matt standing at the door. He seemed to have immediately caught Liz’s watery eyes and panicked.

  “What’s happening?” he demanded, shooting a look at her brother.

  Marcus stood slowly, kissed her forehead and wiped away a tear from her cheek.

  “Thank you for coming, Marcus.” She smiled at him.

  “It’s just Marc,” he winked. “Call me if you need anything.”

  Marcus and her husband exchanged looks, and Marc headed out. She was starting to get annoyed that people couldn’t just say things in front of her, like she would shatter like a piece of glass.