The Harrington Series Book #4: Chasing Naila

Chapter 13: Lost Memory?

Cole's POV
It all makes sense now. It all makes sense now and in great detail! I understand why she left so suddenly only to return looking lost and distraught. She was grieving and I was hard on her. I gripped my shirt tightly pressing my head firmly against the door of the bathroom. She needed me then but I didn't know. If I had, I wouldn't have stayed away after the plane crash. But I had abandoned her causing her further grief as she moaned my death as well as our son's.

A soft tap on the door alerted me to my mom's presence. I quickly blinked away my distraught state and opened the door.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm just... No mother, I'm not okay."

"May I come in?" I have her way into the dark house that has been lifeless since Azura and Ethan left. It has been four days of me being stuck and frozen. I haven't left this house. I haven't spoken to anyone. "What happened between you and your father?"

"How is Azura? Ethan?"

"Azura is brokenhearted. She spends most of her time in tears. She's hurt Cole. What did you do? She's not saying anything."

"And Ethan?" I disregarded her question.

"Always by Azura's side, trying to console his mother. He is pretty sad too."

"Does he ask about me?"

"Honestly, no. Right now, you are the villain in his life."

"I'm not! I love him! Did Azura tell him that?"

"Did I tell you anything negative about your father? Children learn more from observation than words. Azura doesn't need to say anything. Ethan sees how Naila has treated his mother. Ethan knows you are the center of controversy. As long as you don't stand up for his mother, you are the enemy."

I'm afraid of losing my son. Yet I fear that I will.

"Is it possible not to get all my memories back?"

"Yes it is. When people suffer amnesia there are three outcomes. The first, you can be fortunate enough to get all of them back. The second, you can get part of it back. The third, you may not recall any memories at all. Where do you fit in?" I took a few seconds closing my eyes. "You can talk to me." She knelt in front of me.

"Naila told me something. I'm trying to remember it but I just can't."

"What did she tell you?"

"That I raped her." My mother doesn't look surprised. "I'm trying to remember but I can't. She also said we had a son and he died. Did you know?" I asked the obvious question. She blinked repeatedly. "Mom! Did you know?"

"Yes. After it happened I ran into her in Bucharest. She confided in me but also assured me she didn't know who was behind it."

"And my son?"

"I never knew he was yours. I never even met him. After she called you a rebound from Nick we had a severe disagreement. The next time I saw her was at your funeral. That's when she told me about the boy's death. A few days ago is when she said you were the father and you raped her."

"I can't hurt her." I mattered to myself. "I'll cut off my hands before I hurt her."

"Do you remember anything about the night of her graduation?" She asked me.

"Only that we had a disagreement about Nick." There are a few gaps in my memory. That night for instance is blurry.

"Do you remember asking me for my engagement ring so that you could propose to her? You two were to elope. You waited for her at grand central. She didn't show so you went to Positino and stayed there after your father disinherited you."