"I have to warn you," the doctor said, "You could come out not knowing anything. Nothing from your childhood or anything else. It would be like you were a baby in a 18 year old's body. Also, you could possibly die."
She sat and pondered this for a minute. "That's a chance I' ll just have to take." she said.
I was surprised, yet happy be her response. I could tell she wanted to know me, but she just couldn't remember. But I couldn't let her do it just yet. If she died, that would be way worse than starting all over with her.
"Willa, I can't let you do this," I pleaded to her.
"I want to remember everything. I can't live knowing I missed two years of my life!!!!!!" she said.
No one agreed that Willa should have the surgery. If the worst happened, none of us would have been able to live with ourselves.
"I'm going to do it, whether you support me or not," she said flatly.
That settled it. No body dared to talk about her surgery anymore. We scheduled her surgery for the next day, and went home. I drove her home.
The car ride was completely and utterly silent. She finally said, "I'm sorry for not remembering you, Liam."
"I can't blame you. I would have forgotten you if I got ran over by a truck," I said trying to make her smile, and make myself feel more confident at the same time.
I had an idea. "Willa, I need to take you somewhere," I said calmly. I saw her shift nervously in her seat, but she didn't resist.
I was taking her some place I knew she knew. Somewhere we spent the majority of our time together. Somewhere her memories might come back. The place that created this mess. I hoped the place that destroyed her memory could somehow bring it back.
I was taking her to TJ's Tacos.
