The Next Step:Jiley's story

Forgotten

"Memory loss?" I echo down the phone, how can this be happening? "Yes, he lost so much blood through his wounds his brain was starved of oxygen and therefore his brain has shut the memory part of his brain down." the lady on the other end of the phone told me. Shock, this was not what I was expecting. "Will he regain his memory?" I ask her, worried that he'll never remember any of the perfect past "Only time will tell," she says, I don't think I can do this, how do I look after eight children without James? "Can I come and visit him?" I ask quietly down the phone "Yes, he will probably be asleep and if he's awake he'll probably get very distressed that a complete stranger is by his bed however it could help him remember." I know already that I have to go, I don't think I could sleep anyway. I hang up and then look back in the car to see eight sleeping children, I definitely can't take them to the hospital. I decide to drop them of at my parents' house, James' parents are already too stressed about him and the fact they can't go and visit him.

"Riley, how are you doing?" my Mom asks as she pulls me into a tight embrace at the door, tears begin to well in my eyes but I hold them back "Not great, he's lost his memory and might never regain it." I tell her as we pull apart "Oh, Riley." she says quietly not really knowing what else to say, "would you mind looking after the kids for the night? I know it's a lot and I get that you might not want to and that you probably don't want to be woken up at six..." I begin to ramble before my Mom cuts me off "It's fine, you go and keep an eye on James, yeah?" she asks me, I nod and then walk back outside to where theirs a car full of sleeping toddlers. Slowly, we unload them all into spare beds in my parents house, once they're all in bed I hug my Mom and Dad goodbye and set back off to the hospital.

I walk into the James' room to see him, lay their unmoving. I sigh and take a seat beside him, how did we get in such a mess? I look down at him and see that he's not actually asleep "James, how you feeling?" I ask him in a sooth voice, trying to forget the fact he doesn't have a clue who I am "Who are you?" he asks, his voice sounding almost bored "I'm Riley, you're fiancé and mother to your eight children." I tell him simply trying not to overcomplicate anything "wait, I have children? And a fiancé?" he asks clearly shocked "yeah, they're called Amelia, Lottie, Dom, Isaac, Josh, Poppy, Isla and Oscar." I say calmly, trying not to show just how scared I am "No, you're lying to me, please tell me the truth Rachel." Tears well up in my eyes, how does he not no my name, why does he think I'm lying to him. I feel a tear trickle down my cheek, I love him and I know he loves me too, deep down. "It's Riley, not Rachel, and I'm telling the truth, look I'll show you a photo of them all." I say, he doesn't reply so I assume he doesn't mind me showing him a photo, pulling my phone out I see I have a lot of missed calls but they can wait. I go to my photos and find one from a few weeks ago of him and the kids all with huge smiles across their faces, everything was so perfect before this. I lean my phone into his narrow view and point out which of them is who "No, they're not my children, I don't them nor do I know you, so could you please leave me alone." he says, anger riddling each syllable. On shaky legs I pick myself up and leave him alone, it's what he wants, but it really hurts. "How is he?" a passing doctor asks me as I leave the room, I shake my head "not good, he told me to leave after I showed him a photo of him and the kids." I tell him whilst tears silently stream down my face, he nods and then walks past. I allow my knees to buckle under my weight and curl up on the corridor floor, why did this happen to us? We had such a perfect life, now he doesn't even know who I am.

A/N: Please can you all write you're honest opinions on this book, I just want to make it as good as possible :):)