If Only

C H A P T E R 15

OBLIVION

RAVEN

I woke at friggin' four am. There was something heavy on top of my chest. My eyes adjusted in the semi-darkness, the something turned out to be someone. It was a woman.

Naked under the covers, she was draped on top of me and sleeping so soundly, it would be a shame to wake her.

Did we?

Checking myself, I noted that I was decent compared to her. Slowly extricating myself from the woman, I instantly felt cold. Something stirred within me at the feel of the soft skin against my palm.

Who are you?

Not that I'm complaining. She is beautiful. Her soft silky long hair framed her peaceful face as she slept. A hand rose and rested on my chest.

A ring?

Getting entangled into an affair with a married woman was not something I'd ever do. No matter how enticing the woman was. It'd be a no go. No fleeting call of the flesh would make me break that cardinal rule.

Then why is she here?

Disoriented, I chose to sit up rather than to stand and leave the bed. I didn't want to overreact and wake the unknown woman so I waited for a minute before I did anything.

It took long before I decided to get out of the room. The door to my left was smaller than the one on my right. Figuring out that the one on my right was the way out, I stood and headed for that door.

The wall lights that were left on showed the living room and stairs. At first, I thought it was not my home but a portrait of me that hung on the wall told me it was. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I located the kitchen for a drink of water.

Throat parched, I emptied my glass in seconds. It's like I'm in an episode of the twilight zone. But instead of a frightening reality, it was a welcomed dream. There was someone waiting for me upstairs and, for once, I didn't feel like running off before the morning breaks.

But the woman was married.

I wanted to take my phone and look for help–for anyone that could explain things, but I decided against it. It was still too early and my gut tells me that there was nothing to worry about. The same gut-feel compelled me to walk up the stairs and get back to bed.

Back in the room, I went for the bathroom as nature called. The woman stirred awake and started to sit up when I exited the bathroom. The blanket fell and exposed her chest.

My word! I was starting to believe that I broke the rule for her.

The woman sleepily tried to cover herself. I sprang into action, opened the cabinet and took a clean shirt out and offered it to her.

"Wear this, miss."

Turning a bed light on, the woman looked at me as if she was not sure how to act. Getting on the bed, I gave her the shirt but I maintained a safe distance.

"You ok?" she blinked the sleep away, "you just woke up, Raven?"

Then understanding dawned on the woman's face, "you forgot who I am?"

The woman took the shirt and pulled it over her head effectively covering her top half.

"If it's any consolation, it's not just you. I think I forgot so many things," I looked away while she fumbled with the buttons. Eyes drawn on her fingers, I saw the ring that adorned the woman's finger–the wedding ring.

"I am sorry," I sat up straight on the bed. Pointing at the ring on her finger, I said, "you shouldn't be here. You're married."

"I am," she played with the ring, turning it over and over on her finger.

"You should get out of here and back to your own house," it felt so wrong, "this isn't right."

"Because I'm married?" she chuckled, "you're singing a different tune now."

So I seduced her into breaking her vows.

"I'm–shit..." grabbing a fist-full of my hair in frustration, I could not find the words to convey my thoughts. I could only keep on pulling at my locks, "going after a married woman?"

"Hey, stop it," her hands pried my fingers off my hair and clasped them tightly, "It's alright. You're not doing anything wrong."

"But you're–"

"I'm married to you."

* * *

MIRANDA

An innocent looking Raven was not someone I intended to wake up on. Suddenly, she reverted back to the one I knew and it tugged at my heartstrings.

"You're my wife?" she asked, not willing to believe me, "how? I don't see a ring on me."

I didn't want to lie to this Raven but I didn't want to tell her the whole truth either.

Let this lovely woman be like this for a short while.

"We've just been married. Months... It wasn't a big ceremony. It was all unplanned." Her eyes were so different than the ones that used to look at me with so much hate. "You were so busy with work. We never got to buy rings for each other. This ring you only gave this to me a few days back."

"I did?" She took my hand up and examined the ring. A smile lit her face, "yeah, I gave this to you."

"You believe me?" I was relieved it was easy to make her understand.

"This is a family heirloom."

Heirloom?

Why would she give me something so important?

"What's your name?"

"Miranda..."

She looked at me for answers, "what happened to me? Why am I like this?"

"Result of the car accident. Your memory was being rewired during your sleep."

"So I keep forgetting? This isn't the first time?"

"Yes." She looked to me like she was about to cry, I had to lie, "don't worry about your memories. They'll come back to you."

They always do.

"You could look for something on your phone to jump start everything," I watched her reach for her phone but she set it back down.

"You could tell me yourself," she waited eagerly for me to start.

I moved away from her and laid on the bed, "I don't want mess up the way you remember things, Raven."

"I'm sorry," she followed me down and made me lie facing her, "I should be able to remember my wife."

Twice in the span of less than ten minutes, Raven managed to apologize to me twice and I didn't even have to twist her ankle. I was surprised and I laughed. This did not sit well with her.

"Why are you laughing?"

Easing the wrinkles on her forehead, I placed a finger in between her furrowed brows, "if only you could as stay like this."

"Stay?"

I kissed her. I didn't know why I did but I wanted to. I felt her responding. She pulled me against her and hugged me. "Let's get some sleep. Still, a long time before the sun shines and wakes the living."

"Wow," She breathed against my head. "I must have done something right to have you."

She kissed my forehead

"I didn't know forgetting was such a gift. Goodnight, Raven," I tried to get back to sleep.

She said, "Goodnight, Miranda. See you tomorrow, babe."

She gave me a gentle kiss that lasted longer.

Please remember to forget to hate me tomorrow, Raven.