Memory Games

Losing Days

Memory Games

A Jon Curtis Story - Book 1

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My name is Jonathan Curtis, and once upon a time, I was the type of guy who liked to wake up at the same time every day, and run the same routine over and over. I liked regularity and did not need much excitement in my life. When things messed up the order I had established, well, it bothered me.

My family owned Corsair Pharmaceuticals, and I was the President and CEO. Some people might have considered me a rich guy. I had a nice house, and some nice cars, and my family and I didn't have to worry about much financially. I had a stable life, with a wife and two kids and things were ticking along nicely, until a series of strange events occurred that changed my life.

It was five years ago on a Tuesday morning. I went about my regular routine and drove to the office just like any other day. I got there early as usual and had just entered my office and was about to sit at my desk when my wife Adrienne called my cell phone wondering where I was. This seemed odd. I went there every day; she should have known where I was. "I'm here at work dear. Why?" I asked.

"Jon, we have people coming here, remember? Your mom and sister are on their way over right now because they will be riding with us. You need to get back here right away. I can't believe that you would just drive in to work on a day like this." She said. I thought she was going nuts. There was no logical reason for my mother or my sister to show up at our house on a Tuesday morning, or any other day of the week for that matter. That would be out of the ordinary, which I did not really care for.

"Why are they coming over this morning? That doesn't make any sense. Can't we see them later tonight for dinner or something?" I asked.

She said, "Jon, the car is taking us all together just like we discussed. Are you OK?"

I could not understand what she was talking about at all. "I don't remember about riding anywhere with anyone Adrienne. I am confused, so can you help me to understand?" I knew my tone was condescending at that point, but I was starting to get annoyed by the assumption that I was the idiot here.

During this conversation, my assistant Cecelia went to her desk, which was visible through the glass wall in front of my office. She was looking at me in an odd, cautious way that began to make me uneasy.

I continued to speak with Adrienne. "Look Hun, I am not sure what you are up to with Mom and Diane but I'm sorry I just can't join you today. My calendar is full of meetings." I pulled up my planner on the computer. Tuesday showed meetings with Research and Development, and then there were Human Resources in the afternoon. "Maybe after work I can catch up with you?" There was stone cold silence on the other end. This usually meant she was getting upset with me. "Look I'm sorry babe, if we had talked about it I could have tried to get..."

She interrupted me, "Jon, I cannot believe that you are sitting in your office right now!"

I answered, "Where else would I be on a Tuesday morning at 8:30 am?"

After a few seconds of silence I was about to jump in with more sarcasm but she said "Stay there Jon. I am coming to get you." I could hear her voice cracking; she was clearly starting to cry as she hung up the phone.

Cecelia was watching me as Adrienne hung up. As I set my phone down she began to approach my office door, but she stopped abruptly as her phone rang, and then turned back to her desk to answer it. Her desk faced away from me, but as she was sitting and speaking, we made eye contact. She nodded her head and slowly hung up the phone. Cecelia then came into my office and approached my desk. "Mr. Curtis, I just spoke with your wife, and she asked me to make sure that you are going to wait here."