Page 93 of Please Remember

I blink at her. "Did I hit my head? Fall into a coma? That must be why we’re in a hospital of some sort. I’m in a hospital gown."

"No."

"You're telling me I lost eight months of my life?" I ask, thinking this must be some elaborate game they're playing. Maybe they’re still trying to get me to confess.

"Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

She sets her pen down on her notepad. "Laura, do you remember us talking about Natalie?"

"Yes. She's the one who did everything to Allie. And Ms. Moran, right?"

"Yes, she did. But do you remember what we told you about Natalie?"

I think back and run my hands through my hair. It's longer than I remember. Holy shit, it really has been eight months. "Am I drugged up?"

"We had to try and figure out what dosages you require for your medication, but you were not in a drug-induced state, no. Do you remember what we told you about Natalie?"

"This is what Allie felt like," I say. "Oh, this is terrible, but I remember who I am. I can't even imagine how this would feel if I didn't know I was me."

"Laura," Dr. Victor says, her voice on the edge of annoyance, "what did we talk about when we discussed Natalie?"

Shaking my head, I think back. "I told you she was the one who did this, and she was letting everyone believe it was me."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Natalie didn't let everyone believe it was you, Laura. She admitted to everything."

My face scrunches up. "Then what the hell am I doing here? Why am I in a... WhereamI?"

"You're in the state mental facility."

"The what? Why?"

"The other thing we discussed was that Natalie and you are the same person."

"Say what now?"

Dr. Victor nods. "The reason you can't remember the past eight months is because Natalie has been here. Natalie is another personality, Laura. She's the one who does the bad things you want to do. She's the one who took Allie and killed Ms. Moran for you."

"I call her. Other people have seen her."

"You paid for her phone. And no one else has met Natalie. When you spoke with her, you were talking to yourself."

"No, we went and tried on bridesmaid dresses."

She gives me a sad smile. "Youtried them on, Laura. We have footage of you talking to yourself as you wore them in the bridal shop. We showed you that video, and you became upset. That was shortly before Natalie came out."

"No—"

"It's the truth, Laura. It's why you can't remember anything after the interrogation. Natalie has been present for the past eight months."

My eyes jump up to hers. Why does she keep saying my name? "Where's Jax? He must’ve come to visit me."

"Jax hasn't visited, no."

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