Page 119 of Amnesia

The second he disappeared out of the room, I shoved the covers off and quickly pulled on some clothes of my own. Actually, it was my jeans and his T-shirt, but it was the first available. The second I was dressed, I rushed down the hallway after him and into the kitchen.

When he saw me there, he frowned. “I told you to stay in bed.”

“I decided not to listen.”

He muttered something, but it was short lived because there was more banging, which, standing here, I realized was actually someone knocking on the door.

“Do you always get visitors in the middle of the night?” I asked.

“Who is it?” he yelled, not bothering to open it up.

“It’s Mrs. West,” a muffled voice replied.

Fear shot through me, and I took a step back. “I thought you said she doesn’t talk to anyone in town.”

“She doesn’t,” he murmured.

“Don’t open it.” I urged, scared.

“I need some assistance,” she called through the door. “I had an accident trying to get back to my island. My boat is damaged.”

He glanced back at me, then the door. I knew the look on his face. He was completely torn. How could he leave an older woman outside in the cold when she needed help?

“Go back in the bedroom, Am. I’ll help her and be right back.” After unlocking the door, he pulled it open only far enough to look out. “Mrs. West?”

“Eddie, thank you,” she said, her voice relieved. “I’ve been trying to get back to the island for hours.”

“You’re wet,” he said.

“My boat was taking on so much water. It was all I could do to make it back to shore. I recognized your truck outside, and I knew you would help.”

His back muscles relaxed, and he sighed. The door was pulled open wide, and he stepped back. “Come in.”

“Thank you,” she said. “It’s freezing out here.”

The instant she walked in, she saw me standing in the doorway. I felt her gaze from beneath the brim of that big floppy hat she was still wearing. Her skirt was wet, and so were the shoes on her feet. I couldn’t tell if her sweater and turtleneck were also wet because they were dark.

Though, the ends of her long hair appeared damp.

“Oh, you have a guest,” she said, but her voice wasn’t that surprised.

Eddie gazed at me with some concern because, once again, I refused to go hide in the bedroom. Latching the door, he walked around the woman toward me, angling so he blocked me from her line of sight.

“I’m so sorry to bother you in the middle of the night,” she said.

“It’s not a bother,” he replied, sounding truly sincere. “You said your boat is damaged?”

“Yes, too damaged to make it the mile I need it to go to the island.”

Eddie walked to the window and gazed out, down to the water. “Did you use my dock?”

“No, I used one a few houses down. I knocked on your door because, as I said, I recognized your truck. You’re really the only person in town I’ve spoken to in recent years.”

“Right.” He nodded, digesting the words. “I don’t have a boat, and I won’t be able to see if I can repair yours for a few hours when it’s light out.”

“I really wanted to get home. I haven’t spent this much time away from my island in years.”

“Well, we can walk next door. I’ll ask Tom if I can borrow his boat. I can take you out there and then look over your boat tomorrow and bring it to you once it’s fixed.”

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