"...So what have you been up to, all these years?" Bella asked me as we sat on some chairs in one of the many hallways, in the hospital--She was on lunch break.
"I was in Korea." I told her eating a turkey sandwich I had bought from a vending machine.
"I know that, Ryan. But I meant, how are you and all that stuff? Did you meet anyone?" She was eating some chips.
"Eh, I dated a few girls here and there, but it was nothing really too serious." I said.
"So you became like a man-slut?" She wasn't smiling, but I knew she was kidding.
"Not really," I shrugged. "but I did bang a few Korean babes." I said with a huge grin, she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever." She said as she turned her head away from mine, I noticed she smiled at my joke.
"So what about you, Bella? How's Mathew? Did you two ever end up having any kids?" I asked.
"...I don't know..." She said, a sharp pain entered my stomach and I regretted asking that question--those are usually things that just come up in conversation--I should have waited.
It was silent for a long time after that, and since I didn't really text anymore, and didn't bring my DS [yeah, keepin' it old school!] I had to just wait in that awkward silence until I could think of something to say.
"...Ryan?" She said slowly turning to face me.
"Yeah?" I responded.
"I loved you very much, you knew that, right?" She said, her eyes were sad.
"Yeah, I mean we were best friends--"
"No, I mean like I was in love with you." She cut me off.
"...Oh, no I didn't." I said.
"Well, I did and I can remember you--so it must mean something, right?"
"What do you mean?" I asked her. She was quite for a long time, I thought she was ignoring my question or simply hadn't heard it but then she responded.
"...The doctors said I was in an accident." She was looking straight ahead at the beige walls. "They told me I was happily married and had two daughters," She looked at me, her eyes streaming tears--her bottom lip quivering. "but I don't remember them!"
I didn't know what to say to her, she just broke down and started crying then falling into my arms. I cradled her as she sobbed.
"Can you imagine what it's like, Ryan!? To have a history--to have had a family, and a happily ever after, but to forget it all? It's worth than death!" Her words were muffled in my chest. "I've seen the pictures; of my husband and the girls--and it's like I'm looking at a stranger's family album. I don't remember anything about them." Then she stopped talking and just cried for a long time. Then she pulled herself away from my wet shirt, her face was coated in tears and spit--her hair was a mess.
"So you don't remember anything? At all?" I asked.
"I remember everyone but them, I even remember some memories but it's like they've been cut out. Like I remember that double date we all went on; you, me, that girl--Stephanie you dated for a few months, but that's it. I know Mathew was there, in that memory--but, but I can't remember him."
Again, I didn't know what to say. At first I thought she was lying, but those tears couldn't have been faked and that story was just too out-there to be made up. That's when she stood up, I did too.
"Well, I have to get back to work. Can I see you again?" She asked blowing her nose on a napkin that came with my sandwich.
"Yeah, of course. When?" I asked her.
"Tomorrow?" She suggested.
"Yeah, okay. Did you want me to call you?" I asked.
"Yeah, here's my new number. Call me around two, maybe we can go to that sandwich place we used to work by, remember?"
"Yeah, I'd like that very much." I told her.
"Thank you, for coming back, Ryan. I missed you." She said then stood on her tip toes and pulled me down to her, then she kissed me on the lips and walked away.
I watched her as she walked down the hallway trying to rack my brain around what she had said. Was it all really true? Did she really erase them her memories? Was that even possible? How could someone do that, and why would someone do that?
I turned and started walking in the opposite direction.
-Sir Jestro
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