That Pivotal Moment

Chapter 20

I was standing in front of Gabby and everything around me went silent. I didn't hear the monitors being, I didn't hear Alex trying to explain what was going on. Nothing. Just...silence.

Alex moved to stand in front of me and shook me by the shoulders. His voice slowly came back into hearing range and I heard, "-said it's temporary. It can come back."

I never took my eyes off of Gabby when I asked Alex, "What? Explain it to me."

"The doctor said she did have swelling around the brain. They had to do minor surgery. He said that temporary amnesia is a part of it and her memory should come back."

"Should? SHOULD! I- I can't- what if?" I can't fucking breathe.

Alex tried to keep a gentle tone. "Hayden, you need to calm down. This is going to make it harder for her. She knows who I am, now let's try to remind her of who you are. Okay?"

He was right. She probably thought I was some crazy stalker. "Yeah, okay."

Alex turned around, sitting on the side of her bed.

"Alex," she said in a small voice, "what's going on? Who is that? And what happened to me?"

Alex gave me a glance before taking her hand and explaining, "That's Hayden, amd I'm pretty sure, he's the love of your life."

Her eyes got as wide as saucers as she looked at me. "He's my...But, what about dad? I would never-"

"That's a little harder to explain, " Alex interrupted. "All you need to know right now, is that you're safe and Hayden loves you. He won't hurt you."

She looked at me and I could tell she was trying to remember me. Her expression was one of severe concentration, like she was willing the memories to come back.

"I'm going to get some food. I'll give you guys a few minutes," Alex said before he kissed his sister on the forehead and left the room.

We both remained quiet before she finally said, "Please, sit. Maybe you can help me remember what I'm clearly forgetting."

She had a friendly smile and I hated it. It wasn't my Gabby. It was the smile you give to the barista making your coffee when she tells you to "have a good day". But it wasn't her fault. None of this was.

I pulled a chair up to the bed and rested my elbows on my knees. "What would you like to know?"

Her response was automatic, "How did we meet? How long have we been together? Are we serious?"

I laughed a little at her avalanche of questions. "Well, I'll start at the beginning. We met at the beginning of the school year. Your brother got kicked off of the football team unfairly, and I tried to help him get back on it."

"My brother was on the football team? That's weird," she said with a laugh.

"Yeah, he was pretty good, too. Anyway, you thought that I had some vendetta against him and was going to haze him. But, my interest was strictly for you."

She smiled and glanced away. It was hard to look at her and not touch her. She was so bruised and banged up, my chest ached for her.

"How are you feeling," I asked.

"Eh, okay, I guess. They have me on some strong pain meds. Hopefully, it keeps working." She paused before adding, "Alex said you found me like this? At my house?"

"Yes," I replied roughly, the image of her unconscious body on the floor was like a punch to the gut, and it was seared into my brain for the rest of my life.