Memory of a Melody

by Charli B. Rose

  Once I was clean, I felt marginally better. I sank down on the closed toilet so I could slip on my pajamas.

  Cade had even remembered to grab my toothbrush and toothpaste out of the drawer in his bathroom. Gratefully, I brushed my teeth until the dry, medicinal flavor had been eradicated from my mouth. I unearthed my hairbrush from the bottom of the bag. When I dragged the bristles through my hair, it hurt too much so I gave up. I placed everything back inside my duffle and grabbed my Kindle. When I turned it on, it seemed I was in the middle of reading a new book by one of my favorite authors, Saffron A. Kent. I’d apparently read forty percent, but I couldn’t recall a single detail of My Darling Arrow. I guessed I’d start back at the beginning.

  The door creaked when I opened it. Misha smiled at me brightly. “Better?”

  I nodded. Slowly, I shuffled over to the wardrobe in the corner so I could stash my bag. Inside the narrow cabinet was a plastic bag. I held it up and asked, “What’s this?”

  “They’re the belongings you came in with.”

  I sifted through the large bag and found a pair of heels and a sexy, black dress. Where was I going on a Friday morning dressed in that?

  12

  Trystan

  “Hey, Mack. This is Trystan. Sorry I didn’t return your call yesterday. Time just got away from me.” Got away from me with visiting Willa, and then agonizing over my feelings for her and the impossibility of our situation.

  “No problem. I’m just glad you called me back. Didn’t want to miss the opportunity to try to work with you guys,” Mack said jovially in my ear. “So, how are things going?”

  “They’re going good. As a matter of fact, I’ve been working on some new stuff the past few days,” I told him eagerly as I pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.

  “Can you send me a thirty-second clip?” Mack’s voice dripped with excitement.

  I twisted the cap, spilling a little on my hand. “Sure. I’ll send it in just a bit.” I wiped the back of my hand on my jeans.

  “I look forward to it. I’ll be in touch.” With that, Mack disconnected.

  I downed the bottle of water, letting the cold liquid refresh my parched throat. With a toss, I discarded the empty bottle into the bin.

  After I grabbed my guitar from the living room, I headed to the spare bedroom where there’d be the least amount of background noise. I shut the door, eliminating the hum of the appliances and the buzz of the air conditioner.

  Drawing a deep breath, I sat in the chair with my guitar across my lap. I set my cell phone on the small desk next to me. I strummed a few bars and then pressed record. I skipped the beginning of the song, choosing instead to start near the end of the first verse where the song gained power. I played through the chorus before I stopped the recording.

  Once I checked the playback, I sent the clip off to Mack with a silent prayer that he loved what I’d come up with. Then I decided to check in with my bandmates. Maybe they’d be available to jam soon. I needed the distraction to keep me from heading back to the hospital where I didn’t belong.

  The guys were all busy, and the garage was closed today, so I had nothing to do with myself. I puttered around doing laundry and cleaning for a couple of hours. And I worked on my new songs a little more. But I couldn’t focus well enough. I wanted to see Willa. However, I knew I should stay away. She didn’t need any more complications in her life. And that was exactly what I’d bring.

  Before I could examine the wisdom of my decision, I changed clothes and placed an order at Southern Charms. Two stops down the subway line, I got off and made my way to my friend Eli’s new restaurant. The delicious aromas made my stomach grumble. My order was ready and waiting at the counter when I strolled in.

  With a bag in each hand, I boarded the subway a few minutes later. I stared out the window at nothing as I headed to the hospital.

  Thankfully, the ride to the hospital from the restaurant wasn’t that long. The elevator was waiting on the first floor when I walked in, which I took as a sign that I wasn’t making a huge mistake by visiting Willa again.

  “Knock, knock,” I said when I reached her room since my hands were full. The door was partially closed, and I didn’t want to intrude.

  “Come in,” Willa called from inside.

  I nudged the door open and sauntered inside. My gaze darted around the room. She was alone.

  “You came back,” she exclaimed and set her Kindle to the side.

  Shrugging, I said, “Yeah. I hope that’s OK. Since I’m responsible for you now, I thought it was my duty to make sure you didn’t die of boredom or from hospital food.” I held the bags up.

  I slid the bedside table across her lap and started unpacking the bags. Once I placed the two disposable trays on the table, I popped the lids open. “Country-fried steak, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes,” I announced.

  “Does saving someone’s life give you psychic abilities too?” She gaped at me in awe.

  “No, why?” I asked as I set two cups on the table and poured lemonade into them.

  “These are all my favorites,” she said.

  I swallowed hard and shrugged, faking nonchalance. “Lucky guess. They’re some of my favorites too.” It felt wrong knowing what her favorite meal was when she didn’t remember telling me, though the delight on her face erased some of my guilt.

  She sighed as she took a sip of lemonade. “Kismet.”

  I handed her a set of plasticware then sat in the seat by her bedside. “Where’s your TV remote?” I asked, holding my hand out.

  “Here.” She plopped the plastic rectangle with a cord attaching it to her bed onto the center of my palm.

  I pressed a few buttons and navigated away from the talk show she’d been watching to the channel I was looking for.

  The screen went blue, and the iconic castle logo flashed onto the screen. “Just in time,” I said as I set the remote down.

  “Ooh, what are we watching?” she asked as she scooped up a bite of mac and cheese. She moaned as her lips closed around the rich, cheesy goodness.

  “Wait and see,” I said with a wink.

  Birds flew across a cartoon sky on the screen. As soon as dolphins began jumping in and out of the animated waves, she squealed with excitement. “I love this movie.”

  “I thought you looked like an Ariel kind of girl,” I answered as The Little Mermaid started.

  We ate in silence for a while, just enjoying the food and the movie.

  “This food is so good. Almost as good as my grandmother’s. Where did you get it?”

  “I have a friend who just opened a southern cookin’ restaurant here in the city. He’s from South Carolina and recently expanded here to give us yankees a taste of southern deliciousness. His place is called Southern Charms. He’s a genius.”

  “Yes, he is. I’ll have to go check out his place once I get out of here.”

  “I’ll take you there and introduce you when you’re well.” I couldn’t believe I pretty much asked her on a date. I needed to change the subject. On the screen, Sebastian was lecturing about something. “My sister loves the crab, but I’m partial to Flounder.”

  13

  Willa

  How did a stranger know me so well? Sydney probably couldn’t order me my favorite meal, let alone the man I was about to marry. So why could a stranger?

  My brow furrowed as I pondered the possibilities while I halfway watched my favorite movie of all time.

  As Ariel and Eric floated along the water in their little boat, I leaned forward. When “Kiss the Girl” started playing in the scene, Trystan started humming along. His hand brushed mine as he dropped his to the mattress. Tingles shot through me at the simple touch.

  “You know the song?” I whispered in disbelief.

  He started singing with the creatures urging the prince to just kiss the girl. He turned to me and grinned as he sang with gusto.

  I laughed when the music faded. “I’m impressed.”

  The moment
ended all too soon as Cade strode in with an air of confidence like he owned the place. When he caught sight of Trystan, that confidence faltered for a split second, but he regained his composure quickly. He marched to the other side of the bed and leaned over to plant a kiss on my forehead.

  “Hey, babe. I came to keep you company for a while. But I see your knight in shining armor is helping me out instead.” Cade grabbed a chair and dragged it as close to my bedside as he could. “What’s this?” He nudged the tray of food.

  “Oh, Trystan thought I might want something besides hospital food. And as luck would have it, he somehow managed to get everything I’ve been craving.” I smiled over at Trystan.

  “Sounds like fate …” A slight edge of annoyance laced his tone. “And he found you a kids’ movie to watch?” he scoffed and shook his head.

  “Only my all-time favorite movie,” I admonished, swatting him on the arm.

  Cade’s lips pressed into a thin line. He stared across me at Trystan. “Thanks for keeping my girl company,” Cade said, finally acknowledging Trystan.

  Trystan rubbed the back of his neck. “No problem. But I should be going now.”

  “I know you probably feel responsible for her now and all, but we’d hate it if we were keeping you from your job and other things you needed to do just so you could sit around bored at the hospital all day,” Cade said pointedly.

  “Oh, I didn’t think of that. Trystan, I’m sorry to have hogged your time. Thank you for coming by, but please, don’t trouble yourself on my behalf,” I exclaimed, my voice filled with guilt.

  Trystan gave me a sweet smile. “You’re no trouble. And the shop was closed today, so no worries there. I’ll see you later.” He grabbed the trash from our meal and stuffed it back into the plastic bag. “I’ll deal with this on my way out. I’m going to leave the lemonade for you. Enjoy the rest of your movie. You can tell me how it ends the next time I see you,” he said in a teasing tone.

  “I will.” He shook his head and headed for the door. “Take care,” I called out to his disappearing back.

  After Trystan left, Cade relaxed against his chair and said, “I stopped and talked with the doctor on my way in. He said they’re going to run some more tests tomorrow. While he’s not concerned, they do want to keep you for another couple of days just to be safe.”

  “Did he say if he thinks my memory will come back?” I asked hopefully.

  Cade picked up my hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. “Sorry, babe. He didn’t say one way or the other. But he did say you shouldn’t stress about it. That none of us should try to make you remember. Let things come back on their own,” Cade said in a soothing tone.

  I was desperate to remember. “I just feel like I forgot something important,” I admitted sadly.

  “Hmm,” Cade said, tapping his index finger to his chin. “There hasn’t been anything major going on. Life has pretty much been normal. Things are going well at the boutique for you and Syd. You’ve been helping your family at Larkin Inc. just like always. You did start moving some of your stuff into my apartment … our apartment. That’s how I was able to pack you a bag so easily. I just grabbed your stuff from my place. And you’ve been planning your dream wedding.” He tilted his head. “That’s pretty much the gist of things.”

  I couldn’t remember the details, but I was certain it wasn’t my dream wedding. Both our mothers had been very vocal early on about the kind of ceremony they expected for us. And it was nothing like what I’d always envisioned for myself.

  “Sounds like I didn’t miss much. Except whatever crazy thing made me give you my ring back.” I twisted my engagement ring around my finger, noticing he’d left any hint of that out of his recounting of my life over the past few months.

  He took my hand in his. “Quit worrying about what you don’t remember. I’ve forgiven you. As far as I’m concerned, it’s forgotten, and we have a clean slate.”

  A trilling tone came from Cade’s pocket as his phone rang. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. With a flick of his thumb, he silenced it. A few moments later, it vibrated with a text.

  “Do you need to get that?” I nodded at his phone which was face down on my bedside tray.

  “Nah, it’s not important.” He smiled at me. It was the smile that made me fall for him in business class all those years ago. The one that was half mischievous boy and half confident man. “Scoot over. I just need to hold you. Convince myself that you’re really OK,” he said gruffly, his voice thick with emotion.

  I shifted over on the mattress, making room for him as he toed off his shoes. He lowered the bedrail and slipped beneath the covers with me. Gently, he drew me onto his chest. His heart thumped beneath my ear. I’d found comfort in this very position countless times over the years. At least somethings remained in my memory.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered into my hair.

  I frowned. “Missed me? Was I away?”

  “No. We just … I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I don’t think it will cause you any undue stress. A few months ago, we decided to revirginize ourselves for our wedding night. We haven’t had sex in months,” he said with a groan. “As temptation began to try to get the best of us, you stopped sleeping over so we wouldn’t get caught up in the moment and break our vow. So, I’ve really missed you.” He ran his hand down my spine to my butt, gripping one cheek in his palm.

  My breath shuddered out, and my fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt.

  “I don’t know why I suggested it. I must have been out of my mind. Maybe we should pretend like we didn’t decide to wait, especially if we’re going to push the wedding date back,” he said huskily.

  I grabbed his hand and linked our fingers. “Sounds like something we should talk about once I’m released from the hospital.” I couldn’t sort through my feelings about anything at the moment. There had to be a reason we’d taken that path. I needed to know what it was before I could decide to backtrack.

  He tipped my face up so he could lay a soft kiss on my lips. “You’re right. Right now, I just want to hold you.”

  I snuggled into him and let my eyes drift shut. It was such a relief to let go. Though I hadn’t been doing anything strenuous the past few days, I was giving out. Emotionally drained.

  Sometime later, Cade’s gasp woke me.

  “Bridgette, what are you doing here?” he hissed, trying to sit up in the bed.

  I was a dead weight draped over his torso, and I was far too groggy to get out of the way.

  “You weren’t answering your phone. I wanted to check on you ... check on Willa,” a feminine voice said from behind me.

  I slowly lifted my head, peering up at Cade. “Is everything OK, babe?” I asked him, my voice crackly from sleep.

  He blinked rapidly and gazed down at me. “What? Oh yeah. Just someone from the office checking on us.” Cade’s smile was tight and uncertain.

  With strong arms, he helped me sit up in bed as he shifted out from under me. I stared over at the young woman who stood just inside my hospital room. Her long, black hair was a stark contrast against her pale skin. Her lips were painted a hot pink, as were her nails. She was beautiful and a stranger.

  “Hi. I’m Willa,” I finally said when she and Cade continued to gawk at each other in silence. I held my hand out to her.

  She set a tray of coffees down on the bedside table and took my hand in hers. Her hand was cold in my grip.

  “Oh, right. Sorry, babe. This is Bridgette. She’s a new artist the label’s working with. I had to cancel a meeting with her so I could come to the hospital the other day. Bridgette must have been worried about you. Isn’t that nice of her?” he said tightly. The look he shot the young woman was borderline hostile. I felt a little sorry for her.

  “It’s very nice.” I studied her carefully, trying to place her. “Have we met before?” I finally asked.

  She tilted her head back to look over at Cade.

  “Not officially. Bu
t I’ve heard so much about you that I feel like I know you.” Bridgette sat in the chair Trystan had occupied earlier. She turned her focus to the drinks she’d brought in with her. “One oatmilk, honey latte with blonde espresso for you, Cade.” She handed Cade a paper cup across my bed. How’d she know his favorite drink?

  “And a cinnamon dolce latte for me.” Bridgette removed her cup from the tray and set it on the table. “Willa, I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I got you a blonde vanilla latte, no espresso. Hope that’s OK.” Her look was hopeful as she held the last cup out to me.

  “I’m sure it’s fine. I haven’t ever had that one before.” I took the cup from her and let the warmth seep into my skin. It soothed something in me. I inhaled deeply but didn’t sip the beverage yet.

  Something nagged at the back of my mind. “Are you sure we haven’t met? I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

  Cade frowned at me.

  “I must just have one of those faces,” Bridgette offered, dragging her free hand through the silky strands of her hair.

  She leaned back and took a sip of her coffee. A moan slipped out of her as she enjoyed her beverage. When she set her cup back down, she surveyed me and Cade. He still sat next to me on the mattress, the warmth of one arm still wrapped around my back. Bridgette didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave. The silence grew heavier as we stared awkwardly at each other.

  “So, Bridgette, what kind of artist are you?” I finally asked, needing to break the silence.

  Her face lit up. “Pop. I’m hoping to be the next princess of pop.” She shifted in her seat, sitting primly.

  “That’s great. Matthews’ Melodies has had several successful artists in the pop genre,” I said, bragging on Cade’s family’s business.

  “That’s exactly why I decided to meet with them,” she said, a knowing smile on her face.