Roses and Sonatas [Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns]

Chapter 53

I woke slowly, as if from a long dream. I hurt—oh, how I hurt!—all over, as if I was one solid bruise from head to toe. I cautiously opened my eyes, just a little, and found myself in a dimly lit room. My arm felt strange, and I turned my head to look—there were tubes sticking into it, held in place with clear tape wrapped around my arm and my hand. I stared at them for a minute, then I tried to sit up, but it just hurt too much. A hand pressed gently against my chest, pushing me back down. I looked over and into Dr. Ayame's eyes. "Doctor?" I croaked, finding that my throat hurt, too, and that my voice didn't sound quite right.

"Hi, kiddo. I can't tell you how glad I am to see you awake. You gave us all quite a scare, you know that?" she said, with a lopsided smile.

"I... I did? What's going on?" I closed my eyes, trying to think. The last thing I recalled was being in bed with Mikhail after I finished my morning chores. "Where... where's Mikhail? I-I was at home with him... so how did I end up here?" I opened my eyes again and looked over at her, waiting for some explanation.

She looked at me sharply. "You don't remember anything after that?" I shook my head, bewildered. "Cam apparently came to your house and found you two together. You don't remember that?"

I shook my head again, then I closed my eyes again and thought. I remembered waking up and tending to my chores, and how afterwards I was shivering with cold as I sat in bed next to Mikhail, gulping hot tea... then kissing... making love... falling asleep in his arms.... Then suddenly my memory returned and I quickly sat up and leaned over the low rail of the bed, throwing up on the floor. "S-s-sorry," I whispered, as I leaned back, still queasy at the memory of that fight with Cam.

"It's okay, kiddo, you've had a rough time." She went and called for Hiro to clean up the mess, then stuck her head back in. "I'll be back in just a minute, Alice. I have a couple other patients I need to check on." Then she disappeared.

Hiro stepped in a moment later, and he cheerfully waved off my apologies as he wiped my face and cleaned up the floor. "No problem. You're pregnant and injured. So don't worry about it! But just in case you feel sick again, here's a basin you can use. Hopefully you won't need it!" Then he left, and I was alone.

I pulled the covers down and found I was in a hospital gown. My legs and arms were covered with dark bruises and scored with a number of scratches, scrapes, and gashes. I still didn't remember anything after... after Cam taunting me that his one-night stand was better than me. Just remembering that much made my stomach knot sickeningly. I couldn't bring myself to even try to remember anything after that.

Dr. Ayame returned and saw me inspecting my injuries. "Hang on, kiddo. You were half frozen when Mikhail brought you in. You might think you feel warm enough now, but you've been through a lot and your temperature regulation may not be quite up to snuff yet. You just keep under those blankets for now. There will be plenty of time for you to admire your legs later." She tugged the blankets back over me, pushing me down yet again.

I looked up at her. "What do you mean, brought me in? What happened? I don't remember anything after... after fighting with Cam... and... the things he said."

She looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "Well, why not get it straight from the horse's mouth?" Then she opened the door, and Mikhail stepped in. He hurried over and sat in the chair next to my bed, reaching out to cup my face in his hands, relief evident in his face.

I saw that he, too, was injured—he had a swollen lip, and he moved as though his side pained him. "Mikhail? What's going on? What happened?"

"You... you don't remember?" he said, glancing up at the doctor with concern.

She just shrugged. "She's been through a lot. Sometimes temporary amnesia accompanies trauma. It'll very likely return soon, though I don't know how much more there is for her to remember."