Falling in Love is Easy

Chapter 1

"Can you tell me your name?"

So simple that anyone over the age of 3 should have been able to recite the answer without a second thought. So why did she feel the need to ponder it? Maybe he needed to speak slower. His words sounded so foreign, but held a hint of familiarity.

The woman crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows, both at the same time. "What is it that you mean exactly?" His questions were making her head hurt even more and the constant people that were walking in and out wasn't making things any better. She felt a little overwhelmed. A little scared even.

"What I am asking is what do people refer to you as. Do you know your name?"

Her eyes fluttered shut and she let out a sigh. "I-" she started only stop and clamp her mouth shut. "I am sorry. I don't know." It was the only phrase that she could remember to say. The only thing that made sense for her to say. "I'm sorry, uh..."

"No, no it's fine." The man said in an attempt to soothe the woman.

"What is it that they call you, again? M-maybe they call us the.... the same thing is it?"

The man shot her a warm smile before letting out a chuckle. "It doesn't quite work that way. But my name is Doctor Allen Richardson."

Her eyebrows shot up as she rubbed her temples. Her head was throbbing. "That is um... Very much."

"You can just call me Dr. Richardson."

She nodded to let him know she understood him. Her eyes fell to her partially wrapped left hand as she repeated the same mantra in her head over and over. Dr. Richardson, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Richardson. 

"Um, Dr. Richardson. May I... Leave? Soon?" It had been the second thing she thought the moment she opened her eyes. The first being along the lines of trying to figure out where she was exactly.

"Oh, no. I'm afraid that you won't be able to leave until we can clearly diagnose, treat and identify you." Dr. Richardson spoke while scribbling notes on his clipboard. He had been doing that since he walked in. The woman wondered for a bit about what he was writing.

"I am not sure-"

"You cannot leave yet Miss. I'm sorry." He interjected before she could finish.

"Oh." Why did she feel like she was going to cry? Why did she feel so afraid? "Can I know where it is that I am?" She asked slowly.

"You are in Emory Hospital." Dr. Richardson removed his glasses and leaned in a little closer. "Do you know why you are here?" She shook her head 'no.' "Do you know what city you are in?" Again she shook her head. "Can you remember anything about yourself?"

"I..." She looked to the ceiling and bit her lip trying to concentrate on her thoughts, but she could only focus on the pain in her head. "I... It is hurting." She pointed to her temples. "I am sorry. I don't know anything."

"Okay, don't worry." He nodded sympathetically. "Is it okay for us to give you medicine? It will make the pain in your head go away." Without words she nodded her head. "Hey, uh Nurse Amy?" He directed his attention to one of the nurses that was watching all of the noisy beeping machines in the corner.

"Yes?"

"Push some morphine through her IV for her head pain."

"I'll be right on that sir." Nurse Amy said and doing a hand salute in the process.

The doctor gave her a smile before turning back to his patient. "Miss... Jane Doe. I am going to call you that until we can find out what your real name is or if you can remember. Is that okay?"