The Hidden Genre (C. H. H. Ain't Dead 01)

chapter twelve

MARGARETTE KANE gave Luke time to process who was in front of him, but it was futile like trying to score against a football team with a bus driver that was good at parallel parking.

   “I'm starting to think you just like knocking people to the ground,” she accepted the help up, “for a change, someone needs to knock some memories into you.”

   “That's only if they can manage to get a punch in,” said Luke as people slowly took their focus off the situation, “and I don't mean to brag, but I'm an expert at boxing.”

   Considering who taught him how to defend himself, it was no surprise the celebrity was an expert, nor was the bragging.

   “You must have had a great teacher then,” she said. “Maybe I can meet - him? In the future . . .”

   “I wasn't taught by a guy, believe it or not,” came the reply, “I was actually taught by a girl, but I haven't seen her in a long time.” He gave her the fallen items back. “It will be very difficult to organize a meeting, Miss . . .”

   There it was: proof that Luke had forgotten her name after all.

   “You know, it's very rude to ask a girl twice for her name,” replied an upset Margarette.

   “If I swear there won't be a third time, would you tell me?” Luke charmed.

   His smile brought warmth to her heart as it did back in their younger days. For a moment, she hoped that her name would bring a wave of remembrance over him. Not the woman he met at the Grand Fortuna, but the girl at the orphanage that taught him how to stand up for himself when he needed it the most. She knew she kept hoping against hope with the latter.

   “Kane. Yeah, Margarette Kane, I remember now.” Luke turned to Isaac, “She is the one I told you about, the one I met at the Grand Fortuna.”

   They exchanged greetings, regardless of the words that stung her heart. Would Luke ever remember her properly? Did it even matter anymore? Ruth watched everything play out from the background. Eyes firmly studying Margarette’s every move.

   “Can I call you, Marge?” asked Isaac.

   “No, you cannot, or at least not around me,” said Luke, with a hint of anger, “I only know one girl by that name.”

   He remembered! The girl from the orphanage, he remembered her name. Why couldn’t he connect her face with it?

   “And Kane is nothing like her,” added Luke, which broke Margarette’s heart.

   He forgot . . .

   “That name belongs only to one person . . .,” Luke informed, “and she abandoned me.”

   Abandoned?

   “Why would you –” Kane started.

   “Don't ask me why she left please –” said Luke, over her.

   “Believe that - Lukey?” the last word failed to make the jump from Margarette’s tongue.

   “Hey, Luke Chase,” all eyes snapped towards brother Ryan as he stole the tension. “Don't you want to entertain us with a song from your album?”