Page 112 of Amnesia

The memory I had this morning had been terrible (to put it mildly), but it hadn’t necessarily been the kind to leave behind this creep-tastic feeling I couldn’t rid myself of. I did my best to ignore it because I had a life to live.

Maggie already had dog food, dog treats, and ice cream in the cart when I found her by the milk. Glancing down, I laughed. “Priorities.”

“That’s right,” she mused. “Treats for Elmo and treats for us.”

Reaching into the case, I grabbed some milk and then moved down to grab some cream cheese and other items we’d put on a list. I’d been cooking a lot with Maggie; she was really good in the kitchen and she showed me how to make a lot of things. I was still definitely learning, but it was fun and I enjoyed the time with her.

“Maggie?” I asked, turning from the case and glancing at her.

“Yeah?” She gazed down at the list.

“You were best friends with her,” I said. “With Ann.”

She paused, glancing up. Her eyes held a note of surprise but also wistfulness. “She was my very best friend, so close we were more like sisters.”

“How did you meet?” I asked.

She smiled. “Actually, it was in this store. She and Clarke had just moved to town, and she was trying to find some ingredient in the aisles. I heard her muttering to herself about being lost. I gave her a tour of the place, and we were friends ever since.”

“You miss her.”

“Oh, honey. Every single day. Her, Clarke, and my Chris.”

That was a lot of loss for one person, and I felt bad for her.

“Do I remind you of her?” I whispered.

Maggie’s eyes turned sad. She reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. “You definitely have the same kind heart.”

“She was a good person? And so was Sadie?”

“She was the best woman I knew. And Sadie was her pride and joy.”

I nodded, digesting the information and wondering what my life might have been like if I never disappeared. Did it really matter, though? Because I had.

A slight noise behind me caused me to turn and scan around, but no one was there. “Can I see the list?” I asked, brushing it off.

“Sure,” she said and handed it over.

We wandered up and down a few aisles, selecting some things, and I stood in the pasta aisle for a long time, marveling at the many different kinds and shapes. “How the heck am I supposed to pick something?”

Maggie laughed. “Get a few.”

“Really?” My hair swung around my neck when I turned.

“Of course!”

“Maggie!” a woman called from the other end of the aisle. “I was just going to call you this evening.”

“Oh Lord,” Maggie muttered under her breath. “Run! Save yourself,” she whispered dramatically, then turned back, plastering on a giant smile. “Grace!” she called. “So wonderful to see you!”

She walked away, and I couldn’t help but feel she was saving me from an inquisition. I went back to picking pasta and gazing at the jars of sauce. Once I had my choices in the cart, I glanced around to see Maggie still talking to her friend. I headed in the other direction to collect the rest of the items on the list.

I noticed a corner of the store dedicated to T-shirts and Lake Loch merchandise, so I wandered over because there was a stuffed Loch Ness monster on the shelf, and it made me smile. Eddie probably had those made for the store. He said it was the legends of the Loch Ness being spotted here that brought in tourists, but I knew better. He liked it.

The toy was small, just a little bigger than my hand, and soft to the touch. The color was a cross between a green and a blue, a shade that somehow seemed mysterious. There was a long neck, of course, a small head, and four feet/flippers on its oval-shaped body. The tag advertised Lake Loch with the same logo that was on the hoodie Eddie gave me.

I smiled and hugged it into my chest. I thought Eddie needed one of these.

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