Don’t Forget to Remember Me (11 page)

“If you knew me any better, we’d be the same
damn person.”

She sucked in her breath. “Maybe that was
true before, but that isn’t how it feels right now.” I opened the
door to the apartment and pushed it open for her. She leaned up
against the doorjam and looked at me until I used my arm to gesture
her in.

I removed the coat from her shoulders as she
walked past me, hanging it up in the entryway. She moved around the
small apartment, taking in the large leather sofas that dominated
the living room and the small kitchen with the wooden table, the
archway that separated the living room from the kitchen and the
brick fireplace.

“This is nice.”

“You and Ellie decorated everything. It’s as
nice as it can possibly get. Jenna doesn’t have a head for that
sort of thing. She’s more interested in football and rock
music.”

“I like her. She’s very witty and smart. I
like football and rock music, too.”

Yes, I know.

She was more distant after my last remark
and I hated it. I walked up behind her and put both hands on her
shoulders but careful of her injuries
.

“Do you need anything? Are you hungry or
thirsty?”

“
You
tell
me
. I mean, since
we’re the same
damn person
,” she quipped over her shoulder
and moved away toward the living room, leaving my hands to drop to
my sides.

I joined her as she eased herself on the
couch and ignored the underlying sarcasm in her tone. “You need a
Vicodin for the pain?”

“No. It’s not bad and Ellie’s bringing wine
later. I can’t have any if I take those damn drugs.”

I grabbed the remote to the television and
sat down, turning toward her without turning on the television.
“Look, Julia, I’m sorry. I was only playing around before. I used
to say smartass shit all the time and it was funny. I didn’t mean
to upset you.”

“I’m not upset,” but she looked down until I
nudged her chin up with my thumb. “I’m sorry, too. I should be more
grateful. After all you’re doing for me.”

I sighed heavily. Gratitude was not the
emotion I was looking for. Of course, I was taking care of
her…that’s what you do when you love someone more than life.

Ugh!
“I don’t have a girlfriend!”
I have a fiancée’ that, right now, is driving me insane!
I
searched her eyes, hoping she would relax and not worry
.
“Of
course, I’d tell you if I did. We tell each other everything. That
isn’t going to change, okay? You
will
find everything out
about me, but not in one afternoon. You need to rest.” She nodded
slightly and I slid my hand from her chin to cup the side of her
face. Her hand closed around my wrist. I wanted her mouth so bad
that I let my thumb rub across her lower lip. I knew it was
dangerous, but I couldn’t help myself. I bent to kiss her temple
instead and then released her gently.

I flipped on the TV and searched for
something to watch. Julia liked the Food Network, so I turned it on
and Rachael Ray was making her thirty minute meal thingy. Julia
eased back against the pillows and lifted her legs after I motioned
with my hand for her to put them on my lap. I tossed the remote on
the end table and unlaced her shoes, dropping them one by one on
the floor with a thud, my hand closing around her feet to begin
massaging through her socks. I wanted any excuse to touch her.

“I never understood why you watched this
crap. You can cook much better than her.”

“But
you
can’t,” she smiled slightly,
her lips twitching up at the corners.

“What? I know I can’t. That’s why I have
you. What’s your point?” I watched the screen as Rachael ladled a
bunch of stock into a pan with toasted spaghetti. I wrinkled my
nose in disgust. “What is that shit, anyway?”

She chuckled softly. “My point is that maybe
I was hoping
you’d
pick up some skills.”

My head snapped quickly toward her. “Julia?
Did you remember something?”

“No.” She shook her head and gently shoved
my arm with her foot. “But it stands to reason, doesn’t it? Maybe I
won’t be around forever.”

“I guess it does make sense that you’d want
me to be able to feed myself, but don’t go getting any ideas about
not being around forever. That shit isn’t happening.” I squeezed
her foot again and my heart swelled at the smile that spread across
her face. “So, what is that crap she’s making?”

“Uh…it looks like a play on risotto, but
with pasta instead of rice. I bet it’s good.”

“Nah. Give me your Pad Thai any day.”

“Is that something I make a lot?” I nodded
slowly, not sure if I should have mentioned it. “Okay, I’ll make it
as soon as I get rid of this sling. When will that be?”

“Mmmm…probably another week or two. It’s the
ribs that will take longer to heal. We’ll need to keep you taped
up, and if you move around too much when the sling goes away, it
comes back,” I warned.

“Are you going to be such a hard ass with
all of your patients,
Dr
. Matthews?”

“No,” I said simply and continued to watch
the show and rub her feet.

“No?” her eyebrow went up and her mouth
lifted on one side.

“That’s what I said, Abbott.” I tried to
keep it light. “If you need a hearing aid, I can arrange that,
too.” I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing.

“Fuck you,” she giggled right along with
me.

“Not tonight, honey,” I shot back. She tried
to stop laughing and keep a straight face, but she couldn’t quite
get the job done.

“Baby, I think you’ve got me confused with
that stalker girl. What’s her name again? Lucky? Linda? Lucy?” Her
voice was laced with amusement.

I laughed again loudly, my shoulders shaking
with the effort.

“Might as well be, for all I care. Sure,
Lucy
! That’s it.” I was still laughing and she crumpled into
another fit of giggles. The lilting sound of her laughter made my
heart sing.

“Ow! Stop making me laugh!” she kicked at me
again.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry! Stop kicking me,
Julia!” I grabbed her foot. “Stop moving, I don’t want you hurting
your ribs, honey, but I absolutely feel like I must tickle you
now.” I whipped her sock off and started raking my fingers down the
bottom of her foot. She was ticklish as shit and I knew exactly
where to get the most reaction out of her. She screamed in protest.
I tried to hold her leg still with the opposite hand so she
couldn’t move. This was for fun, but I didn’t want her hurting
herself. I ran my fingers under her arch just once or twice to show
her I meant business, the muscles of my arm working hard to hold
her still.

She was squealing for me to stop when Aaron
and Jenna came in to find us laughing on the couch in front of the
TV. They looked shocked.

“Are you gonna be nice?” I laughed.

“Yes!
Stop
! Ryan!”

“Ryan! You’re gonna hurt her!” Aaron yelled
at me from across the room. Jen walked past toward the bedroom they
shared, casting a dirty look my way.

“Does she look like she’s hurt, A? We’re
playing, for God’s sake! I barely touched her.”

My hand still on her leg, I looked into her
face after Aaron nodded sternly in her direction. Julia’s eyes were
tearing and I panicked, sitting up quickly.

“Julia, did I hurt you, honey?” I moved to
her side instantly, kneeling on the floor in front of the
couch.

She shook her head. “Um…only a little from
laughing. I’m okay.” I sighed in relief and ran a hand through my
hair.

“Shit, Ryan! You stupid asshole!” Aaron
yelled. “I ought to knock you on your ass!”

I ignored him. “I’m sorry. That was stupid
of me, Julia. Aaron is right. I should have been more careful.”

She glanced at Aaron over my shoulder and
then back into my eyes. “No, I’m fine. You guys are so protective;
like you’re my big brothers or something.”

“Or
something
,” Aaron quipped. I
wondered if Julia caught his tone.

My face felt hot as my skin flushed. Julia
saw it, too. Her hand came out to touch my shoulder. “Ryan, I’m
fine. You didn’t hurt me.”

I frowned. It had to have hurt her a little
and I was pissed at myself for letting myself get caught up in the
moment and forget how badly she was injured. “I know it had to
hurt, Julia, and I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Hey, we were having fun. I’m not a
porcelain doll. I can take a little jostling.”

“Not yet. In a month or two, maybe.” She
reached out and touched the side of my jaw.

“I’m
okay
,” she said softly.

“Okay.” I took her hand from my face and
kissed the inside of her wrist as I got up and turned toward Aaron.
He was walking away into the kitchen and opening the
refrigerator.

“Did the folks get off okay?”

“Yeah. Dad said to call him at least every
couple of days to keep him in the loop about how Jules is doing.”
He took two beers out and offered one to me. I walked into the
kitchen and took it.

“What do you know about this other doctor?
Moore, right?” Aaron asked as he opened his beer and then took a
long swig.

“Not much. He’s a shrink that Brighton asked
to consult. I barely spoke to him.” We were keeping our voices low
and I glanced over my shoulder. Jenna was sitting with Julia on the
couch and they were talking. Julia nodded her head before I turned
my attention back to Aaron.

“The fact is we already know why she’s
forgotten.”

I set the beer down and leaned on the
counter, turning so I could see into the living room. “Yeah. They
think that if she talks to someone else, the memories may come back
gradually. It’d be a huge shock to have everything come rushing
back all at once.”

Aaron stared for a long moment without
speaking.

“
What
?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Nothing, bro’. Just…how are
you
?”

Why was everyone asking that?

“Fine. It’s hard. I have to keep reminding
myself she doesn’t know me anymore.”

“She’ll remember you, dude. You two are
sickening. There is no way she’s not going to remember, Ryan.” He
took another drink of the beer. “But I meant, how are you dealing
with the loss…?”

I cut him off. “Aaron, can we just focus on
Julia? That’s all I can think about. That, and getting to
graduation.”

“I’m thinking about proposing to Jenna, but
I’m worried about the effect on Jules,” Aaron said quietly.

“Julia wouldn’t want you to put it on hold.
She loves both of you and she’s been saying for years that you
should have a ring on Jenna’s hand. After all, you’ve been with her
longer than we’ve been together. It’s way overdue, man. You’re
lucky she hasn’t kicked your ass to the curb by now.” I smirked at
him.

“It’s all that good sexin’ I give her,” he
joked.

“Spare me the raunchy details!” I’d heard
them humping and bumping in the room next to mine too many times to
count and it wasn’t an experience that I enjoyed. “Try a little
tenderness. She might appreciate it.”

“Okay, I hear a sappy song in there
somewhere. Pretty soon the angels will drop down from heaven
playing their harps and violins! I won’t believe that you two don’t
get down and dirty sometimes, little brother.”

“Shut the hell up,” I replied and we both
laughed.

“What are you making me for dinner, honey?”
Aaron said loudly and knocked me in the shoulder before he went to
sit in the big arm chair at one end of the couch.

“Yeah, what are you making for dinner?”
Julia raised her eyebrows at me as I followed him in. She was so
cute when she teased me and my heart sped up. I loved spending time
with all of our friends, but if I had my way, I’d have spent the
entire evening alone with her.

“Ah Jules…too bad you’re not up to it. I
could really use some home cooking!” Aaron said. Jen moved onto his
lap and she shoved him in the ribs. “Hey!” He protested and reached
up to pull her down for a kiss. “Your talents in other areas make
up for it, babe.”

Jenna laughed and Aaron wound his hand in
the back of her hair.

“I would if I had the use of both of my
arms, Aaron. What did I used to make?” Julia’s eyes followed the
loving gestures between the two and I wondered what she was
thinking.

“Everything,” I answered for him.

There was a knock at the door. It would be
Ellie and Harris.

“Looks like the gang’s all here,” Jenna said
from behind me. “Now we can decide on the food. What do you feel
like, Julia?”

“Um, I’m not that hungry, so whatever you
all want is fine by me.”

“Julia!” Ellie called from the doorway.
Harris smirked as he passed, obviously mocking his girlfriend’s
over-enthusiasm.

“Good to see you, Harris.”

“We wouldn’t miss this, Ryan. Thanks.”

The girls gathered around Julia in the
living room and Aaron, Harris and I sat at the kitchen table.

We ordered Chinese from a local dive that
delivered, and sat around the living room with plates on our laps
and three open bottles of wine. I watched Julia closely as she
laughed and talked with everyone, carefully listening to the
interaction for any signs of her memory. She asked Jenna a bunch of
questions about how she met Aaron; and Ellie prattled on about
Harris, her job in Los Angeles and things we all did in
college.

When everyone was finished, I gathered up
the plates and took them to the kitchen while Ellie followed with
the empty cartons.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” she asked
quietly.

“Good. I’m good.” I rinsed the plates and
stacked them in one side of the sink as we talked.

“Julia seems to be doing fine. She’s curious
about things. Especially you.”

I stopped what I was doing and turned to
face her. “What did she say?”