“So, that was uncomfortable,” Heather said.
“Yeah, my mom was pretty forceful about Charlie leaving.”
“Well, I’m glad she did so we can be alone. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’d say the same, but I feel like I just saw you yesterday,” I said, taking her hand. Heather sat on the bed next to me.
“Come here,” I said, tugging her body toward mine. Heather nestled into me, her head resting on my chest. This was a feeling I remembered and didn’t want to let go of.
Chapter Thirteen
Charlie
I couldn’t help but hear Lillian’s words, but I knew she wanted her words to echo in my ears. Knowing why she disliked me so much would’ve made things easier, but I could never get a straight answer about it. Mitch said not to worry about it, Lillian just clammed up when I attempted to talk to her, and I didn’t even bother to ask Edward. He wasn’t going to say even if he knew.
I leaned against the wall for a moment, regaining my composure. I had felt hope, especially when I showed Mitch his proposal—the most special day of our lives. But, his vacant look said it all. Nothing. He remembered nothing. Despair cut through me and I wanted to slide down the wall and crumple into a heap on the floor. How was I going to make Mitch remember me if I couldn’t spend more than a few minutes with him?
I looked at my watch and decided to head back to my parents’. I had packed a bag while I was finding memorabilia to show Mitch. Staying with my folks for the next few days would be comforting and I needed them more than ever. There was no way I was disturbing my two best friends on their trips. They’d probably be mad at me for not texting them right away, but they’d know soon enough. They both deserved their alone time with their new husbands. But, how I missed Kate right now. I needed her.
Kate and Neil’s whirlwind romance had more than a few bumps on the road to happiness. They’d been through more in the last few months than most couples face in years of marriage. Neil was her knight in shining armor and had made everything in her world good again, after years of being shattered.
I saw Michelle at the nurses’ station and walked over to ask her a huge favor.
“Hi, Charlie. Any news on Mitch?”
“No. Everything is still the same.”
Michelle sized me up pretty quickly. “I’ll call you when he’s alone, so you can come back and have some time with him. I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this.”
“Thank you, Michelle. I’d be so grateful to come here when he’s alone. But between his mother and high school girlfriend, Heather, it might be a while before I can see him.”
“I wish there was something I could do or say to make things better. I understand what it’s like to have your future mother-in-law dislike you. I was in a similar situation with my college boyfriend’s mother.”
“I guess moms are very protective of their sons. But, she seems to love Mitch’s old girlfriend, Heather. I don’t know. I can’t waste time figuring her out. I need to concentrate on Mitch. I feel like I’ve already lost him,” I said, putting my hand to my forehead. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do if his memory doesn’t come back.”
“Try to stay positive. The body has a way of healing itself. Mitch is young and strong. I really think his memories will return in time.”
“I hope so, but in the meantime, he’s looking at another woman with love in his eyes. They were high school sweethearts. He’s never really opened up about why they broke up. But, he dumped her, and I’m pretty sure she wants him back.”
Another woman walked up to ask Michelle questions about her husband. I made a slight waving gesture toward Michelle and headed to the elevator. Hanging around here was pointless.
Driving home, I had thought about calling in sick for work, but keeping busy would be better than wondering what was going on at the hospital. Lillian didn’t work, so she’d be able to spend all day at the hospital if she wanted to.
I parked the car, but didn’t get out. I lowered my head to the steering wheel and began to sob. I hated what was happening. We’d just planned on being married in a few weeks, and now another woman was in Mitch’s arms. He was loving her, touching her, probably kissing her. Those thoughts ravaged my brain and left my head spinning. Comprehending all that was going on was more than I could take. But, I needed to regain my composure. I was a grown woman and I needed to remain strong if I was going to get my man back.
Chapter Fourteen
Mitch
Heather had spent most of the afternoon and early evening with me. It was weird to hear about her life, her career. The hole in my life skewed everything, and I’d been left behind by her emotionally. She’d grown into a woman and I had to bridge the gap between the current Heather and the girl I knew in high school.
As evening approached, Heather had to leave. She had work early in the morning, but promised to be back tomorrow. I didn’t want her to go. I needed the familiar feeling…memories she could provide.
“Come here. Let me just hug you one more time.” I pulled her into the bed with me and she rested her head against my chest. I needed her body to be close to mine. This I remembered. This I could feel. Heather put her head back and looked into my eyes.
“Mitch—”
I didn’t let her finish. I pulled her head toward mine and we began kissing. As my tongue swirled with hers, I remembered making love to her, the sensation of her body connected to mine. I wanted that sensation again.
“Heather,” I breathed between kisses. “I want you so badly right now.”
“I want you too,” she said, her hand gliding down my chest and over my abs.
The feeling of her hands on me sent sparks throughout my body. I pulled her on top of me, knowing she could feel what her body had done to mine. She let out a slight moan as she grinded against me. I knew she was ready, her scent wafting up to caress my nose. I wanted my tongue between her legs. I wanted my hands everywhere. My hand found its way to cup her breast and the urge to lift her top and lick her nipples was becoming more than I could take. Suddenly, she pulled back.
“Mitch, I’m a little nervous someone could walk in on us. I’d prefer we be in private, being together as long as we want, without interruptions.”
I let out a breath. “You’re right. I’ll be out of here soon and we can take our time.”
No sooner had Heather gotten her feet on the floor than my brother came into the room. I was so grateful she had the good sense to stop. That would’ve been completely embarrassing.
“Bro, I heard you moved to New York. I’m so glad to see you. Thanks for flying out so fast.”
“I came as soon as I could. Mom called me when she left the hospital last night,” Garrett said, reaching out to shake my hand. The handshake seemed so formal. I was taken aback a little.
“You remember Heather, right?”
“Of course. Heather. It’s good to see you.” Garrett’s expression was confusing. He looked relieved to see me, but very surprised to see Heather.
“You too, Garrett. Well, I better get going. Mitch, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, kissing me softly on the lips.
Garrett sat in the chair next to my bed. “When mom called and said there’d been an accident…” He was too choked up to finish his thought.
“Bro, I’m just glad you’re here. Really glad,” I said, reaching out to pat my brother on the hand.
He exhaled sharply. “I haven’t been home for a while.”
“Yeah, Mom told me today. I can’t remember you moving away, so it was quite a shock. How’s New York? I’ve made it there to visit you, right?”
“No. We haven’t seen each other since I left.”
What Garrett was saying didn’t make sense. How could we not see each other? All I could say was, “Why?”
“It’s complicated. I’d prefer we talk about it when you’ve regained your memory. It’ll make it easier.”
He wasn’t making any sense, but I wasn’t in the mood to drag i
t out of him. I was so tired. Maybe when I finally saw David, he could enlighten me.
“All right. Can you do me a favor, though? Get in touch with David. I don’t think Mom has called him.”
Garrett sighed and looked toward the floor. I could tell he was searching for something to say. Waiting for him to answer me was becoming infuriating.
“Am I not friends with David anymore? Just tell me,” I said gruffly.
“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but David died in a car accident over three years ago.”
“What the hell are you talking about? What happened?”
“He was on his way to meet Kate, lost control of the car, and crashed. He was killed instantly.”
What? David’s gone? Shit. Shit. What? I rubbed my hands over my face, wondering what other bombs were going to be dropped on me during my memory sabbatical.
“I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“I know. It was a terrible tragedy.”
“This is such bullshit. I hate this,” I growled.
“Well, I’m sure Charlie isn’t exactly loving this. You’ve forgotten her and you’re hooking up with your ex. Seriously, bro, that was a kiss I witnessed, right? You’re engaged to another woman. You can’t just dump her.”
“I’m not feeling up to explaining myself to you, bro. It doesn’t seem like we’re exactly close anymore.” Now I was pissed. He had a lot of nerve judging me. How dare he come in here, not explain why he and I hadn’t seen each other in years, and casually mention my best friend was dead? This was too much.
A deafening silence fell over the room. My brother and I had always been so tight, but that was gone. What we had now was awkward. When did that happen and why?
Before I said anything I’d regret, I decided it was time to have him leave. “I appreciate you coming to the hospital tonight, but I think I need to get some sleep. How long are you gonna be in town?”
“I have a couple weeks of vacation coming to me, so I’ll be around.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here.”
“Good. I’m gonna need your help, bro,” I said, looking my brother in the eyes. He seemed so distant from me. What the fuck is happening? It was as if we both felt…angry, and the last thing I wanted was to be at odds with him.
Garrett nodded and made his way to the door. He turned back and said, “It’s good to see you. I hope your memory comes back quickly.”
He left and I lay there wondering what’d just happened. The blows kept coming, making me feel like a punching bag. How am I going to get through this without David?
Chapter Fifteen
Charlie
Michelle had called to let me know Heather had left so I could come back and see Mitch before he went to sleep. I knew Lillian wasn’t a night person and turned in early, so she wouldn’t be in my way. As I stepped out of the elevator, I practically walked right into Garrett.
“Oh Garrett, you’re here,” I said, hugging him. Relief swept over me, knowing he’d help Mitch recover his memory.
“Yes, Charlie, I’m here,” he said, holding me tight.
He held me in the hallway for a long moment, his muscular frame encasing my body. He kept telling me in my ear how sorry he was Mitch and I were going through all of this. When he finally let go, I looked up into his dark eyes.
“It’s been so long. Mitch and I have missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
“Is Mitch still awake?”
“Yeah, I just left him.”
“So, he’s alone?”
Garrett nodded. He and Mitch were a year apart, but they almost seemed like twins; they looked so much alike and carried themselves in a similar fashion.
“Well, I better get in there before he’s asleep.”
“Okay. I can hang out for a little while and we can get a cup of coffee after.”
“Are you sure? You’re probably tired from traveling.”
“Not really. I’m a night owl.”
“Okay, great. We have so much to catch up on. I wanna hear all about your life in New York,” I said, touching his arm. “I’ll see you in a few.”
As I made my way toward Mitch’s room, a nurse stopped me to ask whom I was visiting.
“I’m going to see Mitch Hawkins.”
“What’s your name?”
“Charlie Andrews,” I replied, feeling the blood drain from my face as the nurse checked a list.
“I’m sorry, but Mrs. Hawkins has given a list of people who can see Mitch, and you’re not on the list, sweetie.”
My heart sank. Her threat of barring me from Mitch’s room had become a reality. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I managed to contain myself. “Are you sure I’m not on it?”
“Yes dear, I’m sure,” she said. “Perhaps you can talk to Mrs. Hawkins in the morning and get this straightened out. It’s probably an oversight.”
“Thank you,” I said. If I could have curled up into a ball, I would’ve. The knockout punches kept coming and Mitch’s mom had quite the left hook. She had beaten me hands down, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Garrett was standing near me, shaking his head. “That’s Mom for you. She’s gonna take full advantage of being in control.”
“Looks like we can get that coffee now,” I said, willing myself to keep the tears back.
“I think I remember a Starbucks nearby.”
“I know exactly where it is. Do you wanna follow me there?”
“Yeah, it’s been a while. I might get lost,” Garrett said, with a chuckle.
Driving over, I allowed myself to cry. I even screamed in the car to release some of the anger I was feeling. Lillian was just cruel and I had no idea what was going to happen. At least Mitch had the pictures I’d brought. All I could do was pray he’d come back to me. Heather was attractive. But she knew he was engaged to me. Surely she wouldn’t want to come between Mitch and me?
Walking into the Starbucks, the aroma of coffee gave me some solace. Garrett was right behind me. As we ordered our drinks, I couldn’t help but notice the girl behind the counter eying Garrett. He was a really good-looking man and had such a sincere way about himself. I was looking forward to hearing all about his life in New York and the gorgeous girlfriend he probably had.
We made our way to the sitting area they had set up like a living room, with overstuffed comfy chairs and a sofa, while our drinks were being made.
“How are you holding up?” Garrett asked.
“Well, I was better when I thought I could visit my fiancé. Now I don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll talk to my mom about it tomorrow. She’s way out of line.”
“Thanks. I can’t believe she doesn’t want Mitch to remember his life. This is a complete nightmare,” I said, closing my eyes briefly, wishing everything would be back to normal when I opened them.
“Our mother has been known to be controlling,” Garrett said, as he got up to retrieve our drinks.
He handed me my soy chai latte and sat next to me on the sofa. Holding it, smelling it, sipping it, was like a warm blanket covering me. I let out a slight moan as I took a sip.
Garrett was staring at me intently. “Good?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yes, it is. Just what I needed,” I said, my voice trembling. I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.
I looked at Garrett, who had always been so wonderful to me. He put his hand on mine and said, “You don’t have to be strong right now. Not with me.”
With those words, I let go and found myself in his arms. For a split second, it felt like Mitch was holding me and I sank into him, pressing my body against his. Garrett stroked my hair, as we sat like we were in our own private space. Peace fell upon me and I didn’t want to let go. In those few moments, Garrett made my world okay.
“Charlie, I don’t think you should be alone tonight. I can stay at your place if you’d like.”
I looked at his fa
miliar face and said, “I’m staying with my parents tonight. In my old room. I couldn’t stand the thought of being home alone. Without Mitch.”
“Oh, good. You don’t have to be alone at any time. You have a lot of people in your life who love you. Including me.”
“I know,” I said, squeezing his hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. So, tell me everything. How’s life in New York?”
“I love living there. The city is so alive, fluid, something’s always going on. It was a good decision for me to move there.”
“Well, you couldn’t turn down the amazing job offer with Studios Architecture. I know it was your dream to work for them.”
“It’s been amazing. I’ve been able to design buildings I’d only dreamt about. I love my job and I’ve learned a ton.”
“I could never do what you do. I’m not that creative. But I admire your abilities to create something out of nothing,” I said before taking a sip of my drink. “So, how’s your love life?” It was a relief to talk about something other than my problems.
“I date,” he said with an unreadable expression.
“You haven’t met anyone special to settle down with?”
Garrett looked down for a second, then back at me. “There was one woman who was extremely special to me, but she chose some other guy.”
“I can’t believe anyone would choose someone else over you. You’re the total package. I bet you have the women swarming at your feet.”
“I do okay,” he said.
“I’m sure you’ll find the right person soon. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”
“Well, Mitch is a lucky guy. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. The day he met you, he was stoked. I could see it all over his face when I met up with all of you for lunch. Then he came to my dorm room after and couldn’t stop talking about you. I think he was already in love with you from the first day. I remember specifically how he couldn’t get over that you have one green eye and one brown.”
Forgotten By You (Redeeming Love #2) Page 5