Page 18 of Awakening

“It seems to be really popular,” I say, watching the people streaming in and out. My stomach tightens, wondering if I might see anyone else I know, but can’t remember while we’re here.

“The food is fantastic.”

I really have no appetite at all right now, but I try to put on a happy front because I know Anthony is doing what he can to make me feel as normal as possible. “What would you recommend?”

“The pesto turkey panini is my favorite.”

“Sounds good. I’ll just have one of those too.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll go order for us,” he says, getting up and going to the counter.

A girl about my age smiles at me as she walks past. I wonder if she recognizes me somehow, or if she’s just being polite. The father of my baby could walk in here at any moment, and I would have no idea it’s him.

“You okay?” Anthony asks, setting a glass of lemonade in front of me when he returns.

“Yeah. It’s just a little weird thinking about how I could run into the father of my baby while I’m sitting here having lunch, and I’d have no idea.”

“That’s got to be a little unnerving.”

“I wonder if he’s looking for me. I don’t even know if we’re together.”

“I wish I had answers for you, Liv,” Anthony says with a sympathetic smile.

“It’s crazy that you found me at the hospital. I can’t believe my luck on that one,” I say, taking a drink.

“I’m glad I did.”

“Me too. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you wouldn’t have recognized me.”

“Hey,” he says, taking my hand across the table, “don’t stress yourself out thinking about that. I’m here for you.”

Anthony always was good at calming me down. “I’m really glad I have you,” I say with a smile.

“I’ve thought about you a lot over the last few years,” he says.

“You have?”

He nods, looking down at the table. “Yeah. You know, my mom cried when we broke up,” he says with a laugh.

I give him a sad smile. “Oh, poor Gloria. Your mom is wonderful.”

“She really loved you,” he says, “and my dad literally slapped me on the side of my head when he heard the news.”

My mouth drops open and I laugh. “Oh, no. They really didn’t take it well.”

He laughs, but then gets serious. “They thought you could have been the one for me.”

“I think we thought that for a while, too,” I say with a warm smile.

“Yeah,” he says, holding my gaze. Thankfully, the moment of awkward silence is broken when our sandwiches are dropped off at our table.

After lunch, Anthony takes me shopping for some casual clothes and essentials as well as some makeup and hair products. I try to tell him not to spend money on anything beyond the basics, but he insists because he remembers how much I like to “make myself look all girly”, as he puts it.

Returning to his apartment, we settle my shopping bags on the floor next to the bed in the guest room. “So, what would you like to do now?” he asks.

“I just want to know what happened to me. Is there any way we can try to see if anyone is looking for me?”

“I have a friend who’s a detective at the Denver Police Department. I can call and see if anyone has filed a missing person report for you. How does that sound?”

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