"I see." The old man smiled and pointed to the elderly woman on the other side of the room from Jane. “That’s my wife Beth. Been married fifty-four years.”
“Wow. That’s great.”
He nodded. “Yeah. She broke her hip last month. I miss her not being at home, so most days I come here and wait while she does her therapy.” He folded up the newspaper and stared at Jack over top of his bifocals. “I married Beth after dating her for only three weeks. I knew the moment I saw her it was love at first sight. And we've been together ever since.” He stood slowly, gripping his cane with a weathered hand. “The way you look at that girl is the same way I look at my Beth. Life is short. Don’t waste it and bide your time being single. Snatch that girl up and marry her before somebody else does.”
Jack smiled. “Thanks for the advice."
He watched the old man leave the room and then turned his attention back to Jane. She was the only girl he had ever met that made him think of marriage and settling down. He could see a bright future with Jane. After she left the facility, she would go on with her life and perhaps find someone else. Jack couldn't let that happen. He wanted to be the someone in her life.
Jane glanced up, as if she knew he was watching her, and caught his gaze. A smile played over her lips. She gave him a small wave, and he waved back. Then she stood and walked across the room to the door. Jack noticed that her limp was barely noticeable. The physical therapy had done wonders for her.
Jane opened the door. "Hi, Jack," she said.
"Hi. I heard your therapy is over tomorrow."
She nodded. "The social services lady is coming in to talk to me tomorrow, and then I think I am going to be released."
"That's really great, Jane. You've come so far over the past few months." His BlackBerry buzzed in his pocket, and he sighed as he checked the notifications. "Duty calls I'm afraid," he said.
"Of course. See you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Definitely," he promised.
CHAPTER 9
THE BIG DAY had arrived. Jack had a big smile on his face as he knocked on the open door to Jane's room. Jane was sitting on the bed, facing the window. When she turned, his smile quickly faded. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. Tears streamed down her face, and she swiped them away with several tissues balled in her hands. "Hi," she muttered. She stood and threw the tissues in the trashcan.
"I thought you would be in a better mood. You're done with therapy."
She nodded slowly. "I just got done talking to the social services lady."
"Oh?" he prompted.
Jane exhaled a shaky breath. "She put me on a waiting list for a group home."
Jack cringed at the words group home. "A waiting list." He hesitated. "How long is the wait?"
Jane closed her eyes. "Six months at least, maybe longer." She shook her head and opened her eyes. "In the meantime, she said I could stay with family or friends." Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks again. "I told her I have no one and nowhere to go."
"Jane…" his voice trailed off.
"They are talking about making me a ward of the state and putting me in an institution," she cried, the tears overflowing. She turned away from him.
Jack retrieved the piece of paper that had been in his pocket for weeks. He slowly unfolded it and set it on the bed with a pen from the nightstand. "I want you to sign this," he said.
She slowly turned and looked down at the paper. "What is this?"
"That is a consent agreement. You're agreeing to leave my care voluntarily."
She eyed him suspiciously. "You don't want to see me anymore?"
He shook his head. "No. I want you to sign it so that I can see you more."
A smile spread across her tear-stained face. She quickly signed the document.
"I have a friend who is one of the best doctors in the area. He is going to take over your care."
Jane set the pen down. Jack came around the bed and stood in front of her. "And you do have somewhere to go, Jane." He slowly bent down on one knee. Out of his left pocket, he withdrew a small black box. He opened the box to reveal a dazzling diamond ring inside.
Jane gasped and put her trembling hands up to her face. "Jack," she whispered.
"I know this is sudden. I know this is crazy, and I know this is unexpected." He swallowed hard. "I know it's all of those things and more. But, Jane, I have loved you from the first moment you came into my operating room. You were broken, and I put you back together again." He took her left hand into his and held it tightly for support. "I don't want you to go home with anyone else. I want you to come home with me." He gazed up into her eyes. "Will you marry me?"
She took a deep breath, and then blurted out, "Yes!" It was sudden, crazy and unexpected, but she loved him. He was her home.
Jack placed the ring on her finger and then stood. He gently took her face into his hands and kissed her.
The kiss was everything Jane had expected and more. She had felt something for Jack since the first time she ever saw him.
When he finally broke the kiss, Jack said, "I've been wanting to do that for months."
Jane smiled. "It took you long enough."
CHAPTER 10
JANE STOOD IN front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. The white gown that she had meticulously picked out the week before fit her perfectly. She carefully arranged the veil, so that it cascaded down her long hair. She bit her lower lip out of nervousness, and she could not stop her hands from shaking. Her life had drastically changed in the matter of a few weeks, and she was nervous and excited for what was to come.
A knock sounded on the door. "Come in," Jane called.
The minister's wife, Rose, entered the small room. Her eyes widened as she said, "You look beautiful."
Jane blushed. "Thank you."
"Are you nervous?"
Jane nodded quickly.
"Every woman goes through that, and sometimes even the men do. The good thing is that you don't have a big audience. It's just you and your husband."
Since the wedding was put together last minute and Jane had no family of her own to invite, it was Jack's idea to have a small ceremony in a church.
"Are you ready to become Mrs. Walker?" Rose asked.
Jane smiled from ear to ear. "Yes."
Rose grinned. "All right. I’m going to walk out to the piano. When you hear me start to play, you can start down the aisle." She left the room.
Jane stared at herself in the mirror once more to make sure everything looked perfect. Suddenly, an eerie feeling crept over her, and she felt like she was being watched. She walked to the window and gazed into the street. There was a park across the street, and dozens of people were walking around. One man in particular caught her eye. He was leaning against his car reading a newspaper. His black hair fell over his dark sunglasses as he stared down at the paper. For a moment, she felt a sense of recognition, but the feeling quickly faded as the sound of music from the piano filled the church.
Jane's heart skipped a beat. She was about to get married. That feeling of not knowing her past still nagged in the back of her mind, but she was ready to let go of her forgotten past and focus on her future.
Jack was standing on the stage as she walked slowly down the aisle. His eyes instantly lit up when he saw her. He didn't look nervous at all, and his calm demeanor made her nerves settle quickly.
When Jane finally made it to the stage, Jack took her hands in his. He leaned in and whispered, "You look absolutely breathtaking."
Jane smiled and gave his hands a squeeze. Her world had been so rocky and unstable since she had woken up in the hospital, and now she was about to be married to the only person in her life who had kept her grounded and safe. It was a dream come true, and she couldn't wait to be his wife. She finally felt like she belonged somewhere.
She watched Jack's lips move as he spoke his vows. She stared at him, savoring the moment. She said her vows, meaning every single word.
The minister
turned to Jane. "Jane, do you take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” she responded.
“And, Jack, do you take Jane to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Jack said.
Before the minister could finish the rest of his speech, Jack scooped Jane into his arms and kissed her. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
* * *
Sebastian stood across the street and watched Jane through the window of the church. He leaned against his car with a newspaper in his hands, shielding half of his face from view. He stared at her through his dark sunglasses. She looked so striking in her wedding dress. He could sense her nervousness as she stared at herself in a mirror. She bit her lip, a nervous habit she had had ever since they met. A part of him wanted to run in there, confess his love for her and tell her everything, but the other part of him saw how happy she was and didn't want to ruin her chance at a life with someone she loved.
As if sensing him watching her, she went to the window. He quickly glanced down at the newspaper in his hands. He wondered if she would recognize him, but the possibility of that was slim to none. When he looked up, she was walking out of the room.
His acute hearing picked up on the piano playing. He turned his attention to another window, and he could see Jack waiting for her. Sebastian closed his eyes and tried to suppress his anger towards the one that had stolen his love away from him. He knew deep down that Jack would make her happy. He was kind and had the means to provide for her. But he also knew that if Jack ever hurt her, there would be nothing stopping him from snapping Jack's neck.
Sebastian listened as they exchanged vows. His heart ached as they kissed. He quickly turned away, unable to bear the sight of them together. He had just found her again, and already he had lost her. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks that he had lost her forever. She would never again look upon him with those eyes that made his knees weak. She would never again speak the words I love you. He would never be able to hold her. He would never kiss her again.
Cursing, he jumped into the car and started the engine. He took a wrinkled photograph of her out of his pocket and held it in his hands. “I will watch over you,” he promised. "I’ll come to you if you need me.” He closed his eyes. “I just hope you need me soon.”
* * *
After the ceremony, Jack led Jane to his car parked in front of the church. "I have a surprise for you," he said with a big grin. "Get in."
Jane did as he instructed. She watched him climb behind the steering wheel and start the engine. "Close your eyes and keep them closed," he instructed.
She covered her eyes with her hands. "I can't imagine what more you could have planned, Jack. This day couldn't possibly get any better." She felt him kiss her cheek before he pulled the car away from the curb.
A few minutes passed until Jane felt the vehicle come to a stop. She heard Jack climb out, and then seconds later her door was opened. "Can I open my eyes?" she asked, anxiously.
"Yes."
Jack held his hand out. When Jane placed her hand in his, he excitedly pulled her out of the car and into his arms. He smiled against her cheek. "I hope you like it," he whispered.
Jane looked past him at the two-story cape cod house with beige siding and dark blue shutters. There was a large porch with two rocking chairs on either side of the front door. She closed her eyes and could imagine her and Jack growing old together and rocking away on that porch with their grandkids someday.
There was a large yard to the left of the house that was outlined with thick woods. The view past the trees was lovely with hills, valleys and mountains in the background. She turned to him, unable to stop smiling.
"Almost every house in the development has a pool, but I just love this big yard." He looked over the lawn. "We could put a swing set in over there," he said, pointing. "A sandbox there." He looked down at her. "I picked the house with the biggest yard for the kids we'll have someday." He grinned, and his grin melted her heart. "So do you like it?" he asked, unsure.
"No, I don't like it," she said. She watched his face fall. Then she said, "I love it!"
He scooped her into his arms and swung her around, kissing her cheeks, nose, chin and ending on her lips. "Jane, you absolutely complete my life. Do you know that?"
She kissed him and stared into his hazel eyes. "You're my everything, Jack…my only thing."
He squeezed her gently before releasing her. "I have one more surprise."
"I don't think I can handle another one," she said, cautiously.
He laughed. "This one we can walk to." He held her hand and led her towards a bridge that separated the housing development and the small town of Bedford Valley. There was a walkway on the right side of the bridge that formed into a sidewalk that intertwined through the town.
There was a diner, a jewelry store, clothing stores and other small shops in the town. Jack stopped in front of one shop in particular. "We're here," he announced.
Jane looked up. In big letters, a sign read: JANE'S BOOKSHOP. A small banner hanging below the sign read: Opening Soon. Jane's eyes were wide as she looked to her husband.
"I know you won't be able to get a driver's license because of your fainting spells, so I thought this would be perfect for you. It's not very far from the house. You can walk or I can drop you off on my way to work."
"My own store," she said, barely believing her own words.
"I know how much you love books, so I thought this would be perfect for you."
She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him, never wanting to let him go. "How did I get so lucky, huh?"
He kissed her forehead. "I'm the lucky one."
CHAPTER 11
SEBASTIAN PARKED HIS car at the curb. He stared across the street at Jane’s Bookshop. It had been almost three months since the wedding. Even from this distance, his superior hearing could pick up on her heartbeat. It was steady, calm. She was alone, and he wanted this chance to talk to her. He needed to be sure of something.
He climbed out of the car and crossed the street. As he walked in the door, a bell rang. Jane was standing in front of a display case¸ arranging books. She turned and looked at him and smiled. Her smile almost made him falter, almost made him turn around at that moment and leave, but he pressed forward.
“Hello,” she said, cheerfully.
“Hi.” He approached her slowly. The smell of her strawberry shampoo hit him, and it was like a thousand knives to his heart. Before she had lost her memory, her favorite shampoo had always been strawberry scented. At least a part of her remembered something of her past. He looked around the store. Her love for books hadn't escaped her memory either. Perhaps she remembered something else. Perhaps she remembered him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” she said.
“Do you remember me?” he asked.
Jane’s brow furrowed. He reached out to her mind as she tried her hardest to grasp at a memory, any memory of him. Nothing came forward, and she finally said, “No.” The expression on her face was hopeful as she asked, “Do you know me?”
He swallowed hard. “No,” he lied.
Her face instantly fell. "Oh."
“I have a question for you, and I want you to be honest,” he said, staring into her eyes. “Are you happy?”
“Yes,” she answered.
Sebastian closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure at that moment what he wanted to hear. He wanted her to be happy, but at the same time, he knew if she were happy, he wouldn’t interfere with her life. And he needed her. He loved her.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
He slowly opened his eyes and locked them with her gaze. Her eyes were a bright, unusual green and the first thing he had noticed about her. He hated the thought of compelling her, but it was the only way. “After I leave, you will not remember any of this. You will not remember our conversation or me being here. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she said.
He turned from her and walked out the door. He glanced back and saw Jane return to the task she was doing before he had entered as if nothing had happened. He struggled to return to the car. He wanted to make her remember. His mind filled with the image of her smile. She was happy. She was human and living a normal life. He couldn't take that from her. He loved her too much to do that to her.
He jumped into the car and slammed his hands against the steering wheel. Whoever took her from him would pay. It was only a matter of time until he found them, and he had all the time in the world.
* * *
Jane walked home from the bookstore. It was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the sky was bright with only a sparse cloud here and there. The weather matched her good mood. She had been on cloud nine since marrying Jack three months ago.
The bookshop had been extremely successful in the few months it had been open, and Jane enjoyed her work. She often wondered if she had been a book lover before she had lost her memory.
As she neared the house, she could see Jack's car in the driveway along with a strange red car. Jane entered the front door of the house and hung her purse in the coat closet on the way to the kitchen. Jack was standing at the kitchen counter with his back to her. He was reading the newspaper.
She walked up from behind and wrapped her arms around him. She stared up at his hair, which was much shorter than he usually wore it. "Did you get a haircut?"
He turned in her arms and looked down at her. He had a confused look on his face.
"I missed you today," she whispered, pulling his face down to hers. She kissed him as if she hadn't kissed him in weeks. He tentatively put his arms around her, and she held onto his forearms as he kissed her back.
"I see you've met my brother," said a voice.
Jane broke away from the kiss and turned to see Jack standing in the doorway. She furrowed her brow in complete bewilderment and then turned back to the man she was kissing. He also looked like Jack.
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