by Ivy Jordan
“Maddie,” I turned to see Isaac, his eyes filled with fear and his face pale. “You were dreaming,” he whispered, gripping my hand tightly into his.
“It was horrible,” I gasped, still feeling the pressure on my throat from the stranger’s hands. I knew it wasn’t a stranger. I wasn’t mugged. I wasn’t attacked by some random person. I knew this man. I was certain of that.
“It’s probably just your nerves. The doctor said your memories would come back in strange ways,” Isaac assured me.
“We’ll be making a quick stop in Boise due to a new storm. I apologize for the delay and hope it will be a short one. Please take your seats, buckle up, and we’ll be landing shortly,” the pilot's voice sounded over the intercom.
Isaac sat up, his tall frame straight and tense. My palms started to sweat as I realized I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to Portland at all. Whatever was there wasn’t good. Is it a secret I’ve hidden from Isaac?
His hand squeezed around mine as he offered me a nervous smile. “Looks like the storms came back through after all,” he said.
He’d been following them every day on the weather channel, telling me twice he thought we should change the date of our trip. I wasn’t willing to budge then, wanting nothing more than to get to my lost life. Now, I wasn’t sure that was the best thing for either of us, and the delay was welcomed.
Turbulence bounced the plane, causing me to gasp. Isaac wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side. He made me feel safe and protected. Whatever the memories were in my dreams, they made me feel scared and alone.
The plane finally landed, and the flight attendant instructed everyone to remove their belongings and exit the plane. Isaac grabbed our overhead baggage and slid out of the seat. He stopped the flow of people in the aisle as I worked on getting out of my seat. I felt his hand on the small of my back as we exited into the Boise airport.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
I was starving. I nodded and followed him towards a small café with dim lights inside. We’d left that morning, and it was already past lunch, so my stomach grumbled at the aroma of the food cooking as a hostess with a strong accent showed us to our table. “How long do you think we’ll be stuck here?” I asked while scanning the menu placed in front of me.
“Hopefully not long,” he said, his tone not as confident as usual.
A perky waitress appeared, her red hair filled with loose curls and her lips painted to match. “What can I get ya?” she asked.
“A turkey club and water, please,” I smiled as I handed her my menu. Isaac ordered a burger, something I’d told him to cut down on. I gave him a disappointed look as he grinned in my direction.
“I like burgers,” he smirked.
I shook my head, half-laughing as I gave up the argument on his diet. He looked great, his body was tight and toned, he was exercising more, and he wasn’t even winded when we took our last run together. One burger wouldn’t hurt.
Our conversation was weak, mainly sticking to the topic of the weather. It was obvious he was nervous, but I wasn’t sure why. I knew why I was nervous.
I ate my food like it was my last meal once it was pushed in front of me. Isaac teased me with a smirk as he wiped mayonnaise from my chin.
After we had eaten, we checked in at the gate, noticing our flight still holding a delayed status. “How much longer until we are back in the air?” Isaac asked.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience. The flight is delayed until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Please take this voucher as a token of our apologies,” the woman said, pushing an envelope towards Isaac.
He turned to me, his face pale and his demeanor anxious. “Looks like we’re getting a hotel,” he smiled.
A strange relief fell over me as I followed him from the airport. He hailed a cab, holding the door for me, and then slid in next to me in the back seat. The driver informed us the airport hotel was booked due to the delayed flights. Isaac got on his phone as we drove towards town and found a vacancy at a hotel just a few miles from the airport.
Isaac helped the driver unload our baggage and then headed into the hotel with me just behind him. The man at the front desk took the vouchers the airport had given us, and then Isaac’s credit card and ID. “I’m sorry this is causing so much trouble,” I whispered as the man worked on getting us a room key.
“It’s not your fault; it’s just fate,” he half-chuckled nervously.
The man handed Isaac the key and explained the easiest way to get to our room. “Thank you,” Isaac smiled, and then pushed his hand onto the small of my back, leading me towards the elevators.
I didn’t know what to say as we took the ride up to our room, so I didn’t say anything at all. The doors opened, and Isaac pulled the baggage down the hall towards the room that matched our key.
Inside, the room was decorated in bright blue. It was cheery, clean, and all I cared about was the bed I wanted to climb into.
“You want to shower?” Isaac asked.
I shook my head and moved towards the bed. I pulled down the comforter and kicked off my shoes. “I just want to take a nap,” I squeaked, falling onto the soft mattress.
Isaac leaned down and kissed me on the forehead as he covered me with the thin sheet. My eyes fell closed quickly from the stress and exhaustion of the trip. I knew tonight I wasn’t going to find out what secrets, mysteries, and horrors were waiting for me in Portland. Maybe tomorrow I’d be strong enough to face the demons that haunted my dreams.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Isaac
Maddie was sleeping peacefully, finally. I wondered if it was memories of her abusive ex coming back to torment her dreams. I slid into the bed next to her, careful not to wake her, and turned on the TV. The storm hitting Portland was bad, the heavy snow they anticipated days ago finally arriving with a vengeance.
Maybe we could turn back, call the trip off, and we could stay happy together forever.
“What time is it?” Maddie mumbled, turning to face me with sleepy eyes.
“It’s almost midnight,” I answered, my heart swelling with regret and remorse as she looked up at me. “Are you hungry?”
“I am,” she said, sliding herself up against the headboard and out of the cocoon she’d made from the thin sheet.
“I ordered pizza earlier. It’s probably still warm,” I offered, sliding from the bed to retrieve the box I’d left on the table.
Her eyes lit up as I brought the box to the bed. I slid back in next to her, opened the lid, and watched as she selected the piece she wanted. “Oh my God, this is so good,” she groaned, chewing her first bite.
“The weather is still bad,” I said, hoping she’d retreat from her mission to destroy our relationship.
“Hopefully it clears up soon,” she smiled nervously. I wrapped my arm around her as she continued devouring her slice of pizza from the only place I could find that delivered to the hotel. “I know you have to get back to work. If it doesn’t clear up, we can reschedule,” she said sweetly.
Her words were like music to my ears.
Maddie sat up, staring at the TV as a gym commercial came on. “I used to get the most amazing veggie pizza at the place right by my gym,” she blurted. “My gym?”
My body tensed as she stared at me, her eyes filled with hope and confusion. “Did I have a gym?” she asked.
She didn’t have a gym, but Rob did. That’s where she’d worked before arriving in Miami, the place she’d walked away from, the life she’d left behind. My heart ached as I realized her memory would indeed return, with or without her trip to Portland. I needed to tell her the truth, and if I was going to, this was the time. I froze.
“Did I ever say anything about a gym?” she asked me, her eyes still filled with that same hopeful confusion.
“Yes. You taught a class at a gym near your apartment,” I admitted, leaving out the details that may have led to the truth.
Her smile widened as she reached for another p
iece of pizza. It was obvious her memory gave her hope. It destroyed any hope I’d ever had.
Maddie slid into my arm, slouching down onto the mattress and stared at the TV. “Maybe going to the gym will jog a few more memories,” she said sleepily.
I pulled her close, letting the scent of her perfume waft under my nose. My phone beeped with a message on the table beside the bed. I reached to grab it, trying not to disturb Maddie. “It’s the airport update,” I announced as I read the message.
“Looks like the flight has not been rescheduled for tomorrow after all,” I sighed with both exhaustion and relief.
“We have to stay here another day?” she mumbled.
“Looks like that may be the case,” I replied, hoping to hear her say ‘let’s just go home,' but instead only soft rumbles escaped her throat as she drifted back into a deep sleep.
I held my phone tight in my hand, pondering what this all meant. Was this a sign? Was it fate telling me to come clean, giving one last chance to hopefully save the relationship that meant so much to me?
My eyes grew heavy, and soon they closed, but my mind played through scenarios of how I would tell Maddie, how she’d react, and what would happen if I didn’t tell her.
My eyes opened as the light of the day slammed into the hotel room. Maddie was still asleep, obviously exhausted from the botched trip. I slid out of bed, careful not to wake her, and moved towards the door. There was a small café up the street, so I figured I could call Elijah for advice on what to do while grabbing Maddie an ice coffee drink.
I stood on the sidewalk in front of the café with my phone to my ear. It rang several times, and I was ready to hang up when I heard Elijah’s voice.
“Hey, Isaac,” he greeted me. I swallowed hard before speaking, and then dumped the entire story in his lap. I could hear him breathing as I waited for his reply. “Sounds like you’ve got a good opportunity to tell her,” he finally replied. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it was what I expected.
“Okay, but should I come back to Miami first?” I asked.
“I don’t know if you should wait any longer,” Elijah warned.
I took a deep breath, studied his warnings, and realized he might be right. If I waited, I’d only back out again, and her memories were starting to come back. There might not even be enough time to wait. If they came back before I explained everything to her, she’d for sure run from me forever.
“Okay. You’re right,” I exhaled.
“Where are you now?” he asked.
“Boise,” I told him, and then gave him the name of the hotel when he asked. “Hold on,” I sighed, looking at the message that buzzed my phone. “The flight is rescheduled for this afternoon now,” I gasped.
“Isaac, you really need to tell her before you get on that plane,” he insisted.
“I’ll call you back and let you know what’s going on.” I hung up the phone and tried to steady my thoughts. They were flying through my head at a million miles an hour, making me dizzy and nauseous.
I went inside the café, ordered Maddie’s iced coffee, a hot coffee for me, and then two breakfast specials to go. There wasn’t much time to make it to the plane, so we wouldn’t have time to stop and eat. This was going to have to wait until we arrived in Portland. There wasn’t time to explain everything, and she’d never forgive me if I messed up her chance to get home. I’d already been selfish enough; this time I was going to have to think of what was best for Maddie. She needed to get home, and she deserved the truth, so she’d have both in a few hours.
Chapter Thirty
Maddie
I rolled towards Isaac in the bed, but he was gone. The sheets were messed up where he’d been sleeping, and his pillow was folded in half. I wiped my eyes, stretched, and got out of bed. The hotel room was small and had only one bathroom, which was empty. I figured he must’ve left to get coffee, or maybe he was strolling around the lobby just to stretch his legs. Since the flight wasn’t scheduled for this morning, I figured I might as well get a shower so we could start our day.
My thoughts were leaning towards going back to Miami, postponing the Portland trip for another time, maybe after my memory returned and I could figure out what was scaring me so bad about returning to what I once called home.
The small carry-on bag that Isaac packed was on the chair, unzipped, and I could see my makeup bag shoved in the bottom. I reached inside and pulled the small floral bag out, accidentally dumping the entire bag onto the floor. As I picked it up, scooping up the contents of Isaac’s personal belongings and shoving them back inside, a small black phone caught my eye. I knew it wasn’t Isaac’s; his was almost as large as a small tablet. This was thin, petite, and had a rose-colored case on the back. It was more like a phone that a woman would carry, not a man.
I held the button on the side until it turned on. The background was a large sun, bright yellow, and strangely familiar. Is this my phone? Why does he have it? Why hasn’t he given it to me?
It buzzed in my hand, alerting me there were unread messages or unanswered calls. I slid my finger across the messages icon and sat on the edge of the bed. Dozens upon dozens of texts were sent from someone named Rob. My eyes widened as I read them, mostly asking where I was by name, begging me to call, to answer my phone, and asking just to hear my voice so he knew I was safe. Who was this man? Why did he care if I was safe?
I opened the voicemails, listened to the frantic voice begging for me to call, to answer, and then the same voice as it turned angry and irritated, threatening whoever had my phone that he would find them, find me. I knew that voice, but I still didn’t know how or why.
All of the texts and calls were from the same man. I scrolled back up through them, reading and re-reading them until I noticed one that looked as if I’d sent it. My eyes scanned the text knowing I hadn’t sent it, so who did?
I hit the call button, held the phone to my ear, and listened as it rang. “Maddie!” the voice called out on the other end of the phone with a panicked excitement.
“Who is this?” I asked.
“Maddie, it's Rob, your fiancé,” the familiar voice claimed.
“No. That’s not possible. Isaac is my fiancé,” I explained, not doing well to convince myself, let alone the panicked man on the other end of the phone.
“Where are you? Has someone hurt you?” he gasped.
“No. I was in an accident. How do you know me?” I asked, hoping for a new answer.
“I told you, I’m your fiancé. What kind of accident? Are you okay?” he asked.
I didn’t speak as I tried to make sense of this conversation, this ridiculous claim from the man on the other end of the phone. “Maddie, where are you, and are you okay?” the man asked again.
“I’m in Boise. I’m okay, just confused,” I explained.
“I’ve been looking for you for weeks. I knew you wouldn’t just disappear like that, without a trace,” the man ranted.
“I didn’t disappear. I was in Miami, and I got hit by a car. My memory is gone, mostly, some, I mean. I’m getting it back a little,” I rambled.
“Your memory?” the man sighed and then paused. I could hear him swallow, and his breathing became rapid as he held on to the phone.
“I think you’re in danger. You need to get out of there, call the cops if you have to, but get out,” he ordered.
“I’m not in any danger. I’m with Isaac, my fiancé,” I protested.
“Get away from him,” the man’s voice turned loud and irritated. The familiarity of the tone was strong, and suddenly my gut told me this was the man I knew, he was the one from my dreams. Tears began streaming down my face as my hands shook. Why was this happening, and who was this? Was he telling me the truth, and Isaac was really lying to me?
“Maddie. Please, if you can get away, run. I’ll get you home to me,” he said softly.
“He’ll probably be back any minute,” I sobbed.
“Then please leave while you can. Call the cops
,” he insisted.
“I don’t want to call the cops. Isaac knows me, he has proof, he showed me pictures of when we were kids,” I explained.
“I’m begging you, Maddie, get out of there,” the man pleaded.
“I don’t have much money, or even an ID; he has it,” I groaned.
“Get a cab, take it to the bus station. You don’t need ID for a ticket. Call me when you get there, and I’ll pay for your ticket,” he pleaded.
“Okay,” I sighed, hanging up the phone.
I was in a panic. Who was telling me the truth: this guy, or Isaac? My pictures in my phone showed me and the dark-haired man from my dream, tons of them. We looked happy, and in one I noticed the ring I wore on my finger. Oh, my God, I have to get out of here. Isaac truly wasn’t who he said he was.
I grabbed my suitcase and rushed from the room. The man at the front desk called me a cab, and I asked him to please not tell the man I was with where I’d gone. He looked confused but agreed. I waited for the cab in the back parking lot of the hotel where I told him I’d be waiting.
My heart raced. This can’t be real, can it?
A yellow cab pulled up, and I quickly got into the backseat. I had no idea where a bus station was, or if there even was one. I just needed out of there. “Is there a bus station nearby?” I asked the cabby.
He nodded and pulled out of the hotel parking lot, leaving Isaac and any thoughts of a life with him behind.
I stared out the window as we drove down the road, almost certain I saw Isaac carrying a bag walking down the street. Tears flowed from my eyes, and my heart ached. He made me love him, whoever he was.
We pulled into the bus station lot. My hands shook as I dialed Rob’s number again. He answered quickly, his voice filled with anxiety. “Are you at the bus station?” he asked frantically.
“I’m here,” I admitted.
He had me hand the phone to the lady at the ticket counter so he could pay for my ticket with his credit card. She gave me an odd look, one of confusion and pity, but handed me the printed ticket and my phone.