Page 92 of Amnesia

“In so many ways,” he whispered.

My throat ran dry. I was having a hard time keeping up with it all. I was still shaken from my memory and now with all of this… It was overload.

“You were in a coma for so long, and when you finally woke up, you had no memory. We had no way of knowing for sure who you were, and we couldn’t just ask.”

“Yes,” I said. “You could have.”

He shook his head. “No. You wouldn’t have known, and it would have confused you more. The doctor told me if I said anything, it could hurt you. It could set you back, and after everything, I just couldn’t do it.”

“But it’s been weeks now, Eddie. I’m stronger. I begged you just hours ago to confide in me.”

“I couldn’t,” he said simply.

“Why?” I demanded, becoming agitated and slightly dizzy.

The warmth of his palm curved around my upper arm. “Easy,” he murmured, steadying me. “Let’s sit.”

Sitting seemed like a good idea. I dropped—not very gracefully I might add—into the too-tall grass. Wind tore my hair back behind me and stung my eyes.

Eddie sat beside me, pulled off his hoodie, and tucked it around my shoulders.

I couldn’t let the sweet gesture go unnoticed. “You got a new hoodie.”

His dimples appeared. “Yeah, well, someone kinda stole my other one.”

I smiled. “You gave it to me.”

“You can have this one, too.”

I wanted to rest my cheek on his shoulder, to curl my arms around his torso and burrow in. He represented safety to me. Warmth.

Home.

I knew he was with me the night I was lost. I knew everyone blamed him for whatever happened. I probably should, too. But I didn’t. I looked into his sincere eyes, heard the anguish in his voice as he told me about that night.

“You loved her,” I said. “You were in love with Sadie.”

He nodded.

“Did she love you back?” I asked.Did I love you?

“I don’t know.”

I whispered, “I think she probably did.”

Without looking down, Eddie reached for my hand. I gave it, and he towed it into his lap. We sat staring out at the lake for a while, not saying a thing. I liked the quiet. My brain was already loud enough.

“What do you think happened to her?” I asked. “Where do you think I’ve been all these years?”

“I don’t know,” Eddie replied, gazing down at our hands. When his eyes lifted, I saw something else. Something bleak. It was a look I wasn’t used to seeing him wear. He always looked at me with so much hope, so much wonder.

Now I understood why.

“As much as I wish you were her,” he began, surprising me, “you aren’t.”

“What?” I gasped, my hand spasming in his. “You just said I’m Sadie. Everyone in this town thinks I’m Sadie. I remembered… Someone called me by my name.”

“Who?” he demanded, his face going dark.

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