The cab stops in front of my apartment building. I inhale deeply before thanking the driver and taking a step out of the cab. Taking a few steps to the front door of the building, my hand reaches for the handle when suddenly it collides with someone else's hand. I snap my head in their direction to find Daniel with wide eyes.
"Halia" he cries.
"What are you doing here, Daniel?" I furrow my brows in confusion.
"What are you doing here?" He asks.
"It's my apartment" I folded my arms.
"Does Caroline know you're here?"
"I'm an adult" I remind him, "now answer my question"
"I have a friend that lives here" he explains. "Now please go back to Caroline's apartment, doctors orders"
"What do you mean doctors orders? How does me going home impact my health or recovery in any way?"
"Halia, trust me"
I don't think another human has infuriated me this much before. Why does a doctor that I barely know think that he has this much authority and power over little me? I know he knows me somehow. Even if he won't admit it. If the feeling in my gut is a trustworthy source, I think he's going to my apartment right now.
I nod slowly.
"You're right, I'll go back to Caroline's now"
"Bye, Halia," he says as entering the apartment alone.
Through the window, I watch him enter the elevator. As soon as the metal doors shut on him, I enter the building, marching towards the stairwell.
I climb up each step slowly, hoping for some kind of memory spark, but there is none. When I see the sign that says I'm on the sixth floor, I slowly creep the door open where I see Daniel standing in front of my apartment door.
I knew it.
"Stay away from Halia" Daniel screams.
That's when I see who Daniel's talking too.
"And who's going to make me?" Chace stands inside my apartment, underneath the door frame.
"This is her chance to start over, don't you understand that" Daniel snaps.
"Start over without me, right? That's what you're trying to say" Chace clenches his jaw.
"If I can save her just a fraction of the pain—" Daniel starts just as Chace shoves him, making Daniel stumble back out into the hall.
Chace then swings his fist, punching Daniel across the mouth.wi
"You're the cancer here, Daniel, you're a fucking disease, spreading and spreading, killing anything and everything in its path until there's nothing left to fucking kill!" Chace retorts.
Daniel wipes his bleeding lip with his fingertips before twisting around, marching towards the elevator.
"You don't deserve her. I hope she never remembers you," he says just as the elevator doors shut in him.
Chace scoffs, shutting the apartment door and walking towards the elevator. I think it's safe to assume that Chace and I are dating and most likely living together, seeing that he was just in my apartment.
"Piece of shit" he mutters under his breath while stepping into the elevator.
I open the stairwell door slowly and walk to my apartment door where I lift the mat and pick up the spare key. Sliding the key into the slot then twisting, the door creeps open. I entered my apartment and this time took an even more thorough look around. No one knows I'm here so they don't have a chance to hide anything important from me.
The kitchen has a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink, this time. I walk past my bedroom where a new memory crawls it's way back to me.
"let go!" Daniel tried taking the bottle of vodka out of my hands.
"I need it!" I cried.
He pulled the bottle away from me. I feel to the floor with tears running down my cheeks.
"No, Halia, you don't need this shit!" He yelled "you don't need it" his voice softened.
"It's the only way to make it all stop" I wept, "to make the memories stop"
My eyes widen at the memory before shaking my head, deciding to push it as the back of my mind so I can focus. Looking around I find pictures on the walls that weren't there before – pictures of me and Chace. When I enter the study, I search my desk where I found a letter still in its envelope addressed to me.
Dear Halia,
I know you don't want anything to do with me but you need to understand my intentions and what's in my heart. This thing with Hank has hurt you and I'm sorry, I'm leaving Hank and this city. I know what it's doing to you and this family so I don't tend to Stay. I thank you for not telling anyone about my problem, I'll get help and again I'm sorry for what I did to Caroline. If you want to contact me I'll be in Atlanta, Georgia. My phone number has changed to 555-6161, I love you Halia, that will never change no matter how horrible you are to me. I wish you all the best in your life.
Mom xoxo
I stuff the letter into my coat pocket. I continue to search the desk drawer where I find a photo album which I stuff into a bag that I find in the study. A plastic zip-lock bag with my name on it sits on the desk — inside is a phone, keys and wallet. It must be my belongings from the accident. Caroline or Daniel should have given this to me.
When I look up from the drawer, I see a picture of Chace and I sitting in a frame on the desk. He was in a suit and I was in an eggshell white wedding dress.
My eyes widen in disbelief.
Chace and I are married?
YOU ARE READING
Reminiscent
RomanceWhen Halia Montgomery is hit by a car, she is left with a six-year gap in her memory and a group of strangers who claim to be her family. Everything that she once knew is gone, not knowing who she has become or why her family are so determined to s...
