Tag You're Mine

by Catherine Charles

  “Oww. That hurt. I’m not using this; the bottle’s half empty.”

  “Yea, probably used by the person that hasn’t left your side since last night. And don’t look at her, you idiot. She told you she doesn’t like hospitals. God! Men can be such idiots sometimes. I swear Robert, if you fuck this up, by the time you get your memory back, you will wish you could forget everything again.

  “Quit calling me Robert. My name’s Brice.”

  “Your name’s Robert, asshole, and that’s what I’m going to call you. We’re all gonna call you Robert. And Heather, drop the fucking act, you aren’t fooling anyone.”

  Hearing Liv as she moves around the hospital room makes me laugh as I imagine she’s throwing the half-used bottle of mouth wash at Robert. Hope she hits his head. I know I’m not alone, but right now, it’s hard not to feel it.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Mom, Gramps, Gram, and I pull up to the ranch.

  The car ride home was quiet, no one really knowing what to say to me. I can't hear another, “It’s gonna be alright,” or a, “You’ll get through this,” or my favorite, “You’re unforgettable. Just give him time.” Time. The exact thing I don’t have a ton of.

  Acceptance deadlines are quickly approaching and if I don’t say yes to one of them, then the chances of Mom getting her wish for me to stay here and go to school in the city, is looking more and more like a possibility.

  Getting out of the car, Mom offers to talk about everything, but I’m done talking. I’m done listening. I’m done crying.

  “I think I’m just gonna go lay down.”

  The three of them let me go as Gram offers to bring in dinner later. I open my bedroom door and think about the time Robert kicked it off the hinge, and it swung open for a week until Gramps forced him to fix it. I sat on my bed, giggling at his frustration, but then swooned over him as I watched his back and shoulder muscles flex and contract with each movement he took.

  Kringle lifts his head and wags his tail, bringing a small smile to my lips. I lay down on the bed while Kringle snuggles into the crook I create between my stomach and my knees; my fingers absentmindedly brush against him as I explain to him why Robert won't be around much anymore. “I’m sorry, boy. Your daddy loves you very much. He loves both of us, but right now, he’s lost, and I don’t know if he will ever find his way home.”

  Kringle whimpers, and I brush a few loose tears away.

  I close my eyes, and soon I’m taken back to when we were children, playing at a park, I can feel the warmth of the sun, I can hear his laughter, but there are fierce grey clouds rapidly approaching. I run from him, but he pulls me back. It starts to rain; there’s thunder and lightning, and I’m scared, but he holds me tight in the hideout he made for us. Then there’s a bright flash of lightning, and he’s gone. I search for him, but he’s vanished.

  I’m awoken by Liv’s voice reverberating off the walls in our house.

  “Where is she?”

  I can’t deal with her right now. I’ve had enough today.

  “Presley! Where are you?

  She barges into my room and I throw a pillow over my head.

  “Why are you yelling?” I muffle from under my hiding spot before she yanks the pillow off my head.

  “I wouldn’t have to yell if you just answered me the first time.”

  “I was sleeping.”

  “Why did you leave?”

  “Liv, you know why I left. I couldn’t stay there and watch them.”

  “Presley, I’ve known Robert for a long time, and believe me when I say this, but you are the best thing to ever happen to him; his mom wasn’t lying when she said that. And now, when he unknowingly needs you the most, now is not the time to hide away in your room. Get up! I am not gonna sit here while you let some skank steal your man. You’re gonna fight for what’s yours.”

  “Liv, he has no idea who I am. You didn’t see his initial reaction to me. I scared him.”

  “Yea, well in all honestly, you scared the shit out of me too. You looked like crap.”

  “That’s not what I meant, Liv. You heard him; he doesn’t know who I am. He thinks Heather is his girlfriend. You saw the way he kissed her.”

  “Correction, the way she kissed him.”

  “Whatever! Potato, patato.”

  “So what? You’re just gonna give up then? Let Heather win?”

  “It’s not a contest, Liv. I love him, but I can't hurt him. I can't force him to remember me. He has to do this on his own. He has to want to remember me. He has to choose me again.”

  She pinches the bridge of her nose and closes her eyes. “Are you really choosing now to grow a conscience and not interfere with your own love life?”

  I shrug my shoulders.

  “After you left, Trey and Marcus tore into Robert about what a dick he was to you. Marcus kicked Heather out and told Robert how she has slept with the entire baseball team. Obviously, Trey, Robert and a few others were excluded, of course.”

  “And how did it go over Liv?”

  “He was pissed, but who cares. He’s confused, Presley. It’s like the last seven months of his life have vanished. Sure, he remembers ball and college offers and everything you weren’t a part of, but the important parts are gone. Imagine what he must be going through.”

  “Exactly, Liv. Imagine waking up and a big chunk of your life is missing. Then imagine people telling you about your life, you don’t remember actually experiencing things for yourself. Great moments you have no recollection of. Then imagine what you believe to be real, what you trust to be fact, imagine being told it’s all a lie. You’re pissed, defensive, and closed off to everybody. Forcing him to remember isn’t gonna help him. It will only hurt him. I can’t hurt him. He has to remember on his own.”

  “So, what are you going to do then? What is your big plan to get Robert and Presley back together?”

  “I don’t have a plan, Liv.”

  “Well, your plan sucks, and I don’t accept it. I will not let him forget you, Presley. You will get your butt to every practice, and every game, you will make sure he sees you every damn day at school, and on the weekends, you’re coming out with us. No questions asked.”

  “Liv, I’m sorry, but I need to do this on my own terms, and if he doesn’t remember me, if things don’t work out for us, then you have to be okay. Maybe this is for the best, Liv.”

  God, I sound so defeated. Do I believe any of what I’m telling her? Partially, but then the other part of me wants to get down on my hands and knees and beg Robert to remember me. I want to spew all these facts about us to him in hopes something will stick out, but I can't. I need to keep myself strong in case he doesn’t remember me, in case I need to start over.

  “Excuse me! You honestly don’t believe the load of bull that your spewing, do you?”

  “Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t, but Diane made it very clear she doesn’t want me following Robert. She thinks I should go to South Carolina.”

  “Pres, do you have any idea why she said what she did?”

  I shake my head, we never made it that far before I took off.

  “She followed Robert’s dad into the military right out of high school. She didn’t know how to stand on her own when she really needed to. And though she knows her son is nothing like her husband, she doesn’t want you to be helpless like she was.”

  I’m shocked at Liv’s revelation. She should have just told me everything outright. Instead, she made it seem as if she didn’t want us together. “How do you know?”

  “She told everyone after your little temper tantrum in the hospital. Trey said she told everyone everything, her and Robert’s story. She didn’t want there to be anything hidden from anyone. He said she looked really hurt by your accusation, but she understood, something about you not giving her a chance to explain everything. Apparently, she wasn’t excited about calling Heather, but she knew she needed to be there.”

  I stare at my bedspread and feel about an inch tall.
Everything is so messed up right now. I don’t know where to even begin fixing things, and as if Liv could read my mind, she sits down next to me, my head falling onto her shoulders, and I can feel her lips on my hairline as she pats my leg.

  “We’re gonna get through this, Presley. I don’t know what the outcome will be, and I may not agree with your actions, but I’ll let you call the shots on this. You know him better than anyone. We’ll be there to help when you want it and nudge when needed, but we won't force anything, even though what you’re asking goes against my better judgment.”

  “Thank you, Olivia.”

  “Yeah. Yeah.”

  My door opens. Trey and Marcus are standing in the door frame, looking at the two of us. Both are gung-ho about getting Robert’s memory back, but Liv talks them down from the ledge. They’re shocked my only plan is to take a step back. I’ll be available to him, but I’m not going to seek him out, I’m not going to force myself on him. They both shift their weight, eyeing one another and I can sense there is something they want to say but are struggling with whether or not to tell me.

  Liv senses it too and finally says something. “Will you just spit it out already!”

  I laugh at her outburst, and it feels good.

  “Hey, Liv?”

  “What!” she shrieks

  “You know you’re kinda scary when you’re mad.” The boys chuckle to themselves.

  “Apparently, not scary enough if you won't do what I say.” She rolls her eyes.

  “Pres, you should know Robert is meeting Coach out on the practice field in a couple of days to make sure nothing else has suffered with the exception of his memory. We all think it would be a good idea if you were there if you want to be, of course.”

  I know the last part is thrown in there for my benefit, his attempt to make the suggestion seem like my idea.

  I nod and Liv gets up.

  “Robert’s going home tomorrow. Get some rest. You look drained, and I need you looking like a million bucks for the next month and a half. You don’t have to talk to him, or even approach him, but you’ll at least see one another in passing. Just try to look cute, Presley, at least try to get him to notice you.”

  She gives me a weary smile before leaving with the guys, and I lay back down on the bed. Kringle comes up and places wet puppy kisses on my cheeks, letting out a soft whimper as I pull him into my chest.

  “We’re gonna get through this, boy. One way or another, it’s gonna be okay.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Eventually, sleep overtakes me, and I’m awoken hours later, not knowing what time it is or even the day. Everything bleeds together, but one thing is certain, I need to apologize to Diane for the way I acted and the things I said.

  I take a shower, change out of my clothes from Friday night, and put on something probably a bit too relaxed and head into the kitchen where I hear Mom and Gramps talking.

  “Well, look who finally woke from the dead.” Mom is awfully chipper, wearing a bright smile and eager eyes.

  “Mom, can I borrow the car?”

  “Where ya goin’, peanut?”

  “To Diane’s, Gramps, not that it really concerns you two. I need to apologize to her for my behavior yesterday.”

  “Car’s broken,” he says behind his coffee mug.

  “Then, can I take the work truck?”

  “It’s got a busted radiator. Take Ole Blue.”

  I know what this sneaky old man is up too. “Gramps I’m not taking Ole Blue. The work truck was just fine yesterday.”

  “Well, now it ain’t. Take Ole Blue, or your apology will just have to wait.”

  I roll my eyes at the old man, and he tosses me the keys to the classic truck.

  “Honey, don’t you think maybe you should—well—”

  I pucker my lips, take a deep breath before blowing all my frustration out with these two, “Should what, Mom?”

  “Change dear. Robert will be home now, and it could be a good chance for you two to, well, get reacquainted.”

  “Despite what you two think I’m not going over there for Robert. I’m stepping back. I’m not forcing anything between us. If he remembers me then great, and if he doesn’t”—I don’t want to say it for fear of putting bad juju out into the air—“I’m doing this my way and no one else’s.”

  They both nod. The life and excitement they both shared stripped away as I make my stance on the situation known.

  I refuse to play the part of a puppet in all of this, letting others call the shots. This is my life. This is Robert’s life. And though he has no memory of me, I refuse to allow any new memories of me to be tainted with disgust and annoyance. He may never get his old memories back, and that’s something I need to be okay with, but what I can do now, is help him form new memories—memories of a girl from high school who treated him as if his world wasn’t just shaken up and left discombobulated—the girl who treated him like a normal person.

  I park Ole Blue in the driveway and stare at the house. Just days ago, I was here. We were sitting on the porch swing, planning a future together, and now it sits as empty as I feel, swaying gently in the wind.

  I should have listened to my mother. I should have changed. I should have made more of an effort. Instead, I settled for black leggings, an oversized white and cream color blocked sweatshirt, loose bun, minimal makeup, diamond stud earrings, and white tennis shoes. Liv would kill me if she could see me right now. I gather all my confidence and walk up the front steps, ringing the doorbell and turn to look back at the street, too afraid Robert might answer the door.

  I hear the lock click open, the glass door jiggling against its frame as the seal between the two doors is broken. Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself to see Robert, thankful when I hear Diane’s voice.

  “Presley?”

  I turn around and give her a genuine smile as I’m able to breathe again, and my heart quits racing.

  “Presley, what are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She steps outside, allowing the door to close behind her.

  “I know. Can we talk?”

  Relief washes over her face, followed by sadness. “Of course we can dear, but I need to warn you, Heather’s here.”

  I take a deep breath, “It’s okay.”

  “I’d say we could talk outside, but the truth is I trust that little girl in there about as far as I can throw her.”

  I chuckle as she holds the glass door open for me, and I follow her through the house, past the living room where Heather and Robert are laid out on the couch, and into the kitchen. I hear angry whispers behind me, and I smile as I realize what she’s done.

  “What’s going on, sweetie?” she questions as she pulls out two chairs from around the table and pours two mugs full of coffee, handing me one before sitting down across from me. “You look like you could use this.”

  “I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Liv told me what you said, and I honestly had no idea. Robert told me a little about his father, but I didn’t know your history together. I can see why you didn’t want me to forgo my wants; but you have to know Robert is not like his father.”

  “Oh, I know, dear, I guess seeing your relationship reminded me of the good times we had before things changed. Part of me was living my youth vicariously through you. Maybe our conversation was one I wish I had given myself when I was your age, or one I wished someone older would have given me; whatever the reason, I was wrong, and I’m sorry. I was out of line.” She reaches out and places her hand on mine, and we sit in silence.

  Heather’s obnoxious fake voice is the only thing we hear as she talks baby talk to Robert.

  “So, what are your plans now?”

  I know her question is double-sided, wanting to know about school as well as Robert.

  “I’m not sure. I just know I need to do this my way.”

  She nods her support, and I’m thankful she doesn’t press the issue further. We talk for a little while longer before I get up to leave. />
  “Don’t be a stranger, dear. You and your family will always be welcome here, and you let me know if there is anything I can do.”

  On my way out of the house, Heather lets out a sing-songy goodbye.

  I want to rip her apart limb by limb for touching him, but I’ve got to be the better person. He’ll eventually see through her lies, and just like before, she’ll be gone. But my overreacting to her now will only keep him further from me. He has to trust me before I can help him.

  I say goodbye to the two of them and make my way to the safety of the truck. Sliding in, I feel as though I can breathe again; the air is easier, and I let loose a single tear. I look up and see Robert standing on the front porch, his expression confused as I hold his gaze for probably longer than I should have before cranking the engine to life and backing out of the drive.

  I did it. I apologized to Diane. I saw them together. And I survived.

  *****

  I lay on the couch. My mind is completely detached from my body. I strain to hear Mom and Presley in the other room. Liv, Trey, and Marcus kept talking about her in the hospital. They’re telling me we dated, but I can't remember her. If we dated, why isn’t she here, forcing me to remember her? Why is she staying away from me? She didn’t say anything to me. Maybe we weren’t serious enough. Maybe she’s using the fact that I can't remember, as a way to end our relationship, but it doesn’t feel like it.

  She is cute though. She doesn’t need a lot to look beautiful, and I was definitely excited to see her. Excitement at something I didn’t fully understand shot through me, my body reacted to her on its own while the leech was obsessively placing open mouth kisses along my neck. Just what I need, showing up to school tomorrow with my neck looking like a spotted leopard. I can hear the disdain in Olivia’s voice already.

  I don’t know who to believe right now. My friends tell me one thing, but Heather tells me another. I remember dating her this summer, and then my mind goes blank, a huge chunk of memory just vanished.

  Presley walks through the living room, and she offers a minuscule smile when Heather says goodbye. She doesn’t stop. Doesn’t say a single damn thing to me, just continues out the front door; I follow her like a damn puppy. I am physically drawn to her. Heather calls after me, but I don’t care.