The Girl in the Locket

Chapter Twenty Nine

My feet ached terribly from walking through the city for the day. I had carried Clark on my shoulders for an hour when her little legs grew tired, mine were now killing me too. James walked ahead of me up the corridor and into the hotel room. There was a sense of peace. I hoped that Marie had finally left with Amber. It was strange to have a name to the face. I didn't recognise the name, and it didn't sound familiar on my lips when I spoke it out loud.

"Shall I lay her down" James asked, holding Bea in his arms, she was fast asleep.

"Okay, yeah, it won't hurt. We can have a late dinner" I replied.

I pushed the stroller further into the room with a sleeping Clark inside. She had crashed an hour ago after her dinner at a restaurant. Spaghetti sauce stained her denim overhauls, and her pink cheeks from the day's humidity were slathered in the tomato sauce too. I felt my lips twitch into a smile as I settled the stroller into the corner of the room.

I jumped into the shower and cleaned away the day. I felt my aching shoulders begin to relax as the muscles softened under the warmth of the water, and the soles of my feet stopped throbbing. I couldn't help but wonder about her now, in the silence and rhythmic noise of the water. Amber, she was real. We had definitely been married. I knew it, and deep down I knew we had been lovers. The loss I had felt was so great, the black hole in my memory so hard to fill, yet I knew her. I hadn't forgotten her, not really. I never remembered anything about my past, a snippet here and there yes, but the only reoccurring thing was her. Her name wasn't Bea, and I was overjoyed about that. I wondered, why she was looking for me? To take me back?! Did I hurt someone?! Had I committed a crime that day?! Or had I always been running from something that never even happened?! Was my only crime, that I had forgotten her?! I pushed her from my mind, not able to bear the way that made me feel, and I finished up my shower.

I saw the phone flashing red as James passed me and took my place in the shower. I jumped onto the bed and picked it up, we had a message. I pressed five and the receptionist relayed a message. She wanted me to come down to reception for something. Had I left something down there? It hit me then, Beas bunny. I had left her bunny. Last night in my haste to get away from Marie I hadn't noticed her drop it in the lobby, but I noticed its absence as soon as we got back to the room. We were so lucky she hadn't noticed yet. I quickly grabbed my black denim shorts and my snug green T-shirt. I threw them on and laced up my sneakers before knocking on the bathroom door to tell James I would be back in a minute.

"Okay sweetheart" He shouted back.

I ran down the hallway and jumped into the elevator. I looked into the mirror, my hair was wet. I ran my hand through it, straightening it out. As the door pinged open I saw the receptionist sitting ahead of me. I smiled, seeing the bunny at the end of the grey marble desk.

"Hello Mrs Grant" She greeted, smiling as I approached her.

"Oh thank god you found the bunny. I would have had a night of restless sleep, it's my daughter's favourite"

"Oh is it yours?" She asked pleased.

I looked at her slightly confused. "Is this not what you wanted me to come to reception for?"

"No Mrs, Sorry must have been an error" she said, checking the computer screen. "We don't have a record of anything here we need to see you about. I'm glad you found the rabbit though" she said, looking back to me with a smile.

"Oh okay" I replied, feeling a little unsure, and slightly unnerved. I turned with bunny in hand to return to the elevator. "Thank you" I added.

The lobby wasn't too busy yet. People were filtering down to the bar slowly but surely, and tourists would be getting ready to head out for dinner soon. I pressed the button on the elevator and waited patiently as it was coming down from the highest floors.