Remembering You

The Other Women

No one else was in it, and as soon as we entered, the manager locked the door behind us.

"What is this?" I asked quietly, not used to the attention being on me. Five employees were just waiting for me with happy smiles, eager to assist me. Jason turned me to him and grabbed my hands, kissing them fondly, not showing the typical badass attitude I was used to. His smile was nervous but genuine.

"I want a divorce," he said calmly. I tried to pull away, shocked at his cold claim. Despite my protests, he pulled me closer to him, but it was not done.

"Anna, I am already married to you, but since we got married, you've become a whole new person. You're nothing like you were before. You're quiet, timid, and have no idea how to cook..." He said with a chuckle. "But the parts of you I loved are the same. You are an amazing mother and a loving wife, and I know when you return to work, you will be a brilliant, dedicated doctor. You never got the chance to give permission to marry me, so I want to do things right. I want to marry you. The new you. Flaws and all, and I hope you will take me and my far more expansive flaws," he explained, looking me in the eyes with far more emotion than he typically showed.

I could see the truth in his words, and I knew at that moment he would never have done anything to hurt me. His cold exterior was just that—a cold exterior he used to keep people away. He was deeper than I realized, though, and realizing he was just a great big teddy bear inside made me smile, and tears came to my eyes.

"Anna, will you divorce me so I can marry you again?" he asked me, getting down on one knee for some odd reason.

"Yes, of course," I agreed, hoping I didn't come to regret my decision. For weeks, I had been looking for Mr. Right, but he was here all the while. I had feelings for Jason that couldn't be stopped even by a full memory loss.

He smiled brightly, and the employees clapped for us, only further embarrassing me. He led me over to the glass cabinets that held tropes of beautiful rings and necklaces.

"Pick whichever one you desire," he said, offering me my selection.

"They...they all look so expensive," I said, nervous to overspend and ruin such a happy moment.

He shook his head, his boyish smile more charming than what should have been legal. "Nonsense, Anna. The world is yours. Anything you want, I will get it for you. Money is nothing compared to your happiness," he said, urging me to pick a ring.

Since I had woken up from the accident, I had not seen my wedding ring but had wondered a few times where it went. Perhaps destroyed in the crash or lost in the shuffle when I got to the hospital. It was easy to emotionally distance myself without it, but somehow, having a physical reminder that I was married made it more real.

"Can I try that one?" I asked, going for a modest, beautiful ring. The clerk smiled and shook his head.

"No, you need a ring that exemplifies your beauty. Try this one," he said, handing me a far bigger one. It sparkled beautifully when I put it on, and I felt a flutter of excitement.

"It's too flashy for my hands. I want something traditional, maybe. Leaves or vines on the sides?" I asked, not really sure what I wanted but making it up in the moment. Just like that, it was like a bridge opened, and I got into the groove of picking out the ring, unabashed by the price. I wanted to wear something that fit me and showed a sign of him as well. Something meaningful.

The employees brought us some fizzy drinks in fancy glasses, and I explored the store. Before I found my ring, I ended up with a beautiful necklace that had little diamonds dangling delicately along its length in a beautiful swirling pattern. I also got earrings and a bracelet called a tennis bracelet even though there wasn't anything about tennis on it.