Page 31 of Forever is Now

Marriage does not depend on recognition. I can’t remember who told me those words. Whether it was that same solicitor. But they swirled round and round my head. Ruari losing his memory, having this whole other life for the last six years, didn’t change a thing.

I had Ruari back, and I was going to be with him again. I was sure of it.

Now, we’ll just take a look at the newspaper headlines from that week, and then we’ll bring my guests in.

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TAYLOR-BRADDON ADMITS SHE’S GOING TO KILL MIA WILSON

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OUR FAVOURITE WRITER HAS A NEW VICTIM IN HER SITES

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TAYLOR-BRADDON TO KILL HUSBAND’S LOVER

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ARE WE ABOUT TO FINALLY GET A BODY IN THE SAGA OF SUMMER TAYLOR-BRADDON?

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KILLER WRITER TO STRIKE AGAIN

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SUMMER TAYLOR-BRADDON VS. MIA WILSON: THE CAT FIGHT WE ALL WANT

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Adelaide James: I thought you weren’t going to bring another journalist in.

Summer Taylor-Braddon: Dante is here in his capacity as my friend, not as a journalist. Now, I’m stepping out of the room for this first part—it will be easier. Adelaide, you may remain only if you are silent. Do you understand? Because Dante will kick you out of the studio if you don’t follow the rules.

Adelaide James: You really are a piece of work, aren’t you?

Summer Taylor-Braddon: Just be quiet. No speaking until I tell you, okay? I’ll be back shortly. This next part of the story is going to be told in alternating segments between me and him. And I mean it, Adelaide—one word from you in this part, and you’re off the project.

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Dante Fiore: And now we get to the part in this incredible story where it makes most sense to talk to you, Robert. To find out what happened. Now, you’ve asked for us to call you Robert—as you said that’s the only name you remember, and we will get to this of course, but I think, we just need to start from the beginning with you—the beginning of this incredible sequence of events. So, you’re in Indonesia. What next?

Robert Hayden: [He laughs, dryly] I don’t recall being in Indonesia at all. I... [He sighs] I was in water though. I remember that, the darkness of it, and the immense pressure—right here, inside my skull. And something hit me on the head. I’ve got this scar here. But I don’t remember that actually happening. There’s nothing really.

Dante Fiore: And yet you ended up in Australia?

Robert Hayden: Bigge Island.

Dante Fiore: So this is off the coast of Western Australia?

Robert Hayden: Yeah. Kimberly region.

Dante Fiore: And I must say it’s remarkable that you actually have an Australian accent now.

Robert Hayden:[He laughs]The locals wouldn’t agree with that. They assumed I was English. That’s how I came to be known as Robert... but I feel like I am him, even now. I know what was apparently my own life way less than his... God, this is all so fucked up.

Dante Fiore: Sorry, I should just let you talk. So, tell us it all.

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