Reminiscent

Chapter Ten

"You may kiss the bride," said the minister.

Chace dipped me quickly before pressing his lips against mine. The crowd clapped their hands together in excitement while Chace and I walked down the aisle, wearing wide smiles across our faces.

I jump up from my bed, my breathing short and shallow. The hotel clock that sits on the nightstand reads three am. I remember my wedding day? I lean forward, burying my face into my hands. Tears stream down my cheeks as I remember Chace and I standing at the alter. I remember glimpsing my own reflection in the window, my eyes glassy and my lips stretched to a wide grin. I've never seen myself so happy.

Why didn't they tell me about Chace and I?

Suddenly a sharp pain goes through the back of my head, making me slap my hands behind my head in agony, as a new memory forced its way back to me.

"Halia, let go!" Daniel tried taking the tube of Valium from my hands.

"I need it!" I cried, gripping onto the tube with all my might as Daniel pulls it towards him.

Suddenly we both feel the tube spilt open, the pills fall and scatter across the floor. My body filled with relief as I fall to my stomach and reach for a pill.

"No!" He screamed.

Daniel's eyes widen as he leaps behind me, wrapping his arms around my body, pulling me onto my back, against him.

"Please" I wept, "just one more"

"You're killing yourself" Daniel lowered his voice. "Every time you self medicate with booze and pills, you're at risk of killing yourself"

"I won't drink this time" I promised, "I won't, I just need one more to help me sleep and then I'm done, Daniel"

"You won't be" he sighed, holding me in his arms.

My eyes widen in disbelief as I continue to remember Daniel.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked as I entered his office tearfully. "What's wrong? Where's Chace?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I leaned over to Daniel, placing my hands on each side of his cheeks and kissed him.

Daniel pulled away almost immediately and said "not like this, you're not thinking straight"

"yes, I am" I assured.

"No Halia" he sighed, "you're still grieving and you're hungover...and I'm assuming withdrawing from all the Valium you've been taking"

"I can't go back to that house" I wept, "I feel like I don't know who the hell I am anymore"

This memory was probably not that long before the accident. The question that keeps playing on my mind was 'where was Chace?' Why was I always with Daniel? I think I understand now what happened between us, why he's in love with me. Did I love him back?

I slowly reach for my iPhone that sits on the nightstand and went to my recordings.

"Happy birthday day to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Chace! Happy birthday to you" I sang. Chace was at the small table with a small chocolate cake in front of him. "make a wish"

"I wish-" he started.

"don't tell me or else it won't come true"

"I wish" he hugged me from behind, "I wish that this year and next will continue to bring us countless blessings"

The recording stopped.

I was right about one thing, his wish didn't come true. I bury my head into the pillow at that thought. I'm remembering Chace and Daniel, I don't know why I find the concept of that so damn scary but it is.

What if I get confirmation that they're not the men that they're leading me to believe? What if they're exactly who they say they are? What happens then?

Suddenly my cellphone starts buzzing from my nightstand. Who would be calling my phone at three am? I read the name across the screen and sigh before putting the call on speaker.

"Halia?" Daniel starts slowly. "I just finished my shift at the hospital and I had a message from Chace and he told me your belongings are missing...where are you?"

"I'm getting answers," I say vaguely.

"What does that mean, Halia? where are you?" He repeats.

"Why didn't you tell me about Chace and I being married?" I ask, "about us being pregnant?"

"Halia, stop changing the subject, I need to find you and make sure you're safe"

"I am safe". I assure, "actually, I'm a lot safer now than I ever was with any of you"

"You've remembered something haven't you" Daniel's voice is low and slow.

"You could say that" I admit.

"What do you know?"

"I know that I'm not the Halia that you fell in love with" I end the phone call, blocking his number.

I release a sigh, leaning back on to the bed.

Its almost seven am. God the accident must have messed up my sleep schedule somehow. I can't seem to sleep more than three hours at a time. I get out of bed and look over to the chair where I see the photo album that I found at Chaces. Today's job is to dissect that album.