Do You Remember?

Chapter Two

"The name's Novak. Ben Novak. I am currently in a white room with with walls, white sheets, and a person in white asking what I remember. The only problem is, is that I don't remember why I am here.

I was born into a family quite large. I guess. If I can remember that much. I have a witty father and a loving mother. Not to mention I have an older brother, a younger brother and two little sisters. If I can remember correctly, their names are Jack and Shawn. Jack is probably about 20, and Shawn is 15. My little sisters' names are Ella and Josie. Ella is probably 10 and Josie is 5. I hope I got those ages right. If not this is gonna get a bit weird.

I hate school. I've always hated it since my first day of Kindergarten. I just don't see a point in it. However high school was better. I got to see more people. My parents weren't that understanding. Especially my father. He was in the Army and got his doctorate in some subject of some sort. My mother had many degrees as well. So you can imagine that when I told them that I didn't want to go to college it was like I just came out gay and transgender at the same time to them. They were furious.

I kept telling them that it just wasn't for me. Why spend time in a classroom not encouraged to learn, and spend money on something that I find no need to do? I mean, look at it this way; people back then didn't know the stuff that we know now today. They just went on with their life. Why is it different for me? For our generation?

So I guess I spent time with my friends instead. I wouldn't say causing trouble, but I'd say having fun. Being a bit daring. We would drive around at night and scream. We would just live life to the fullest. We would get high on laughter, drink, and just live. People need to live life. But what I just said could be a dream. Do you remember? I certainly don't. Where am I anyway?"
•••
Ben closed his journal as he rested his eyes. Ever since he'd woken up, nurses had been pumping drugs into his body nonstop through his IV. He couldn't seem to stay awake for more than a few hours it seemed. He hadn't had any visitors to his lonely white room, which wasn't shocking. Ben didn't even know if his family knew he was here.

"Mr Novak?" Ben's nurse, Kelli, entered the room, a clipboard in hand, "You have a few people who would like to visit. Are you up for it?" She smiled, revealing a set of perfect white teeth.

Ben focused on the wall in front of him, turning away from Kelli, "Yeah, I guess." He said, waiting for the sound of her retreating footsteps.

"Ben!" A woman yelled as she rushed into the small hospital room not long after. "Oh my god! Ben are you okay? We were so worried when the army came and told us you were in the hospital! What happened?" The woman continued to speak as Ben blinked a few times, taking her in.

The woman had short brown hair and the bluest eyes Ben had ever seen. She looked as if she was in her fifties, but her poise told him she was still a child at heart. She was wearing a pencil skirt with a white blouse and black heels. Ben smiled as he recognized his mothers familiar face.

"Mom," Ben tried to reach out to take her hand when a sharp pain went through his entire body and he let it fall limp. "The Army? What are you talking about?" Ben pressed the button, forcing the bed into a position so he could see everyone who had just walked into his room.

"Barb, let him breathe," The man who was hanging towards the edge of the room spoke up. His hair was a brown tint with gray hairs creeping in. He was dressed as if he had just traveled from America, which he had. A smile crept onto his lips as he looked at his son, "How you feelin Ben?"

Ben laughed and slowly shook his head, "A bit overwhelmed. This is the most exciting thing to happen to me all week."

"BEN!" A little girls voice could be heard as three more people entered the room. Ben recognized the source of the yell to be his little sister Josie. The oldest of the three to enter the room was his brother Shawn. And the final of the three was Ella, who clung to Shawn's side like a lost duckling.

Josie rushed over to Ben's bed and her eyes wandered all the medical supplies curiously. "What's this?" She said staring at the IV in Ben's arm. "Is that a needle? Ow that looks like it hurts." Josie frowned as her mother wrapped her arms around her and pulled her away from the bed.

Ben laughed as he looked at everyone who had come to visit him. Everyone except for Jack that is. He was probably in college living their parents' dream. Jack always was the perfect child in their eyes. Going to college to study medicine and become a doctor. Nothing could've made them prouder. That's what made Ben's decision so hard. How do you tell your parents you're enlisting in the army after your brother increased their expectations?

"Where's Jack?" Ben asked as he shifted in the bed, trying to look at everyone at once.

Shawn spoke up, his arm still around Ella, "At school, he says get well soon. He'll be out to visit after terms over. Hopefully you'll be out of here by then."

"Ben, they told us you have retrograde amnesia." Mrs Novak spoke up, holding her younger daughter close, "Is that true?"

Ben stared at his mother, shocked. Retrograde Amnesia? "I- I've never even heard of that?" He looked out the window towards the nurse who's chair suddenly turned, she had obviously been eavesdropping.