The Song

Part Five

A light tap on the door pulled us out of our awkward conversation.
“Jessica your sister is here.”
“Oh great,” I said.

“I’m going to head home for a bit,” Aston said, getting up, “Leave you two to talk. Do you want me to bring you anything?”
“I don’t know what…”
“I could bring more comfortable pajamas or something,” he shrugged, nodding at my hospital gown. “Clean underwear. Toiletries.”

“Oh yeah,” I replied, my cheeks going red at the thought of this stranger going through my underwear.

“I’ll be back in like an hour,” he said, kissing my head gently as he left.

I took a sharp intake of breath at his touch, surprised at how forward he was being.

“Sorry,” he whispered, shaking his head and pushing out of the room without another look back.
My sister came in before the door even shut, “What’s his deal?”

“Didn’t the doctor tell you?” I frowned.

“Oh yeah, that,” she said breezily, giving me a quick hug and then taking Aston’s chair.

“Jules I have no idea what’s going on,” I sighed, “I’m terrified.”

“You’ll be fine.”
“But…”
“Jess, you’re a fighter, you’ll figure this out.”
“I don’t remember anything though!” I said, hitting my good hand on the bed beside me.

“Aston will help you.”

“I don’t know who he is though!”

“Yes you do,” my sister scoffed. She’d always been like this with me. Two years older than me she seemed to have her head screwed on far more than I did. She was so incredibly well put together and she expected me to be the same. If she were in my position, she’d probably already have her memory back and be home all healed up.

“Julia, tell me what to do,” I moaned.

“Trust him,” she replied, “I know it seems scary that you’re so connected to this guy and you have no recollection of him, but you married him for a reason. He’ll help you.”
“You promise?”

“Yeah,” she smiled.

We sat and chatted for a while, Julia filling me in on life changes that I should know about.

“Dad and Caroline moved to America,” she told me, referring to my father and stepmom, “That’s why they haven’t come to see you.”

“They did what?”

“Dad retired and they bought a beach house in America. Right after you and Aston got married.”
“Wow.”

“It’s really nice,” Julia said, “I’ve been a few times. So have you guys.”

“And Mum?”
“She’s still the same,” she shrugged. Our Mum was a powerful attorney and to be honest had never been much of a presence in our lives. Our parents had never married and just six months after I was born they’d decided that it was best to break off their relationship and move on. My mother was never really cut out to be the family type; so my Dad had taken us himself and when I was three had met Caroline. She was incredible and pretty much had become my mother. Of course I still saw my Mum, for holidays or the odd meal here and there, but it was Caroline who’d truly brought me up.

“And you? What’s going on in your life?” I asked.

“Same old,” Julia shrugged, “Still single. I’m up for a position as partner soon at the law firm.”

“Wow, you certainly rose through the ranks quick.” She was so much like my Mum it was uncanny. Career driven without a care about love and marriage and the like.
“It’s been four years remember.”
“Oh right.”

I stared at her awkwardly, not sure if I should ask questions about myself. It was weird not knowing anything about what I’d been up to, particularly since Julia did.

“You still teach piano,” Julia said, clearly reading my thoughts.

“Oh.”
“And you compose.”

“I do?” I asked. The last thing I remembered I was that I was still taking classes at a music seminary, hoping to become a classical composer.

“Yeah, you’ve been secretly working on a masterpiece.”
“Really?”

“Yeah,” Julia said, “You’ve only played me a tiny bit and I can’t really remember how it goes. Aston has heard most of it.”

“I’ll have to find it and play it,” I said, “Maybe it’ll help jog my memory.”
“You didn’t write any of it down.”
“What?!”

“All in your head.”
I frowned dramatically. The song could be lost forever now! Why was I so stupid?

“You’ll remember it,” Julia replied, “I’m sure you will.”

“I hope so,” I sighed, just as a knock sounded on the door indicating Aston’s return.