Stolen Angel

Chapter 8: You've Gotta Have Friends

"So you've been pretty quiet today. I thought you would be bursting to tell us what happened with the girl yesterday," prompted Gerard as they took a break from practice.

"Yeah tell us how it went, was it her," asked Mikey eagerly.

"I guess it went as well as possible. And it was her but it wasn't," said Frank confusing even himself.

"Huh?"

"She has amnesia. She woke up in a hospital in Cairo a year ago from being hit by a car and she couldn't remember anything. She still can't but they gave her a new identity and sent her back to the States. Her name is Julia now."

"Wow," said Bob taking it all in, "So she doesn't remember you."

"No she doesn't."

"I'm sorry. I know that's probably not how you pictured you're reunion going," said Gerard sympathetically, "How did she take the news about her family?"

"I didn't tell her everything just that they died in a car accident. She started crying so I offered to take her home. Dude you should see her apartment. It's terrible, the building smells like pee and you could hear everyone's conversations, I almost didn't want to leave her there."

"What does she do?"

"I don't know if she has a job but she got housing from the government. Listen you guys are free tonight, right? I told Mad...Julia that I would take her out to dinner and that you guys would come so she could meet you."

"I was going to take Alicia out tonight but I'm game if she can come with us," said Mikey.

Frank nodded. "I'm just still trying to wrap my mind around this whole thing. I mean Maddy is back, she's alive. It's what I've wanted for the past 8 years but now..."

"You don't know what to do now that she actually is back," offered Ray.

"Exactly, and she's been gone for 8 years she's 18 now, I mean technically I don't know her at all."

"So wait a minute. If she doesn't remember anything from before a year ago then she doesn't remember what happened to her all this time," realized Bob.

"Nope."

"She could remember over time. Once she gets herself together and she feels more secure and stuff, her brain might let her recall some things. It's possible she's blocking it out," mused the ever insightful Gerard.

"Truthfully, I don't know if I want to know what could have happened to her all this time," said Frank staring at nothing on the ground.

"Hey cheer up man. She's back that's the important thing. Now you be there for her and we're going to take her out tonight and show her a good time, ok?"