Page 62 of Lodged

Rain contacted me a couple of months back to tell me Ruin was awake, a little tidbit I already had since the hospital kept me informed of Ruin’s progress. The news she had to share, though, was painful. Ruin is suffering from amnesia and doesn’t remember the past four years—so she doesn’t remember me. Which explains her reaction to waking up in a hospital to a stranger holding her hand.

The doctor recommended the family avoid overwhelming her with details about her past. Despite all of this, I was ready to fight and argue that being by her side might actually help. However, after a long conversation with Dr. Davies, the one in charge of her case, and consulting a couple of neurologists for a second opinion, I agreed to give her more time to recover before returning to Azalea Creek to see her. I also couldn’t bear to cause her the same panic I saw in her eyes that day in the hospital. The memory of that look on her face, coupled with the memories of how she used to lovingly gaze at me, still keeps me up at night. So, I’ve been patiently waiting. But the truth is, life is not worth it without her. I’m reaching my breaking point.

“Good morning, Gio. I was hoping to find you here.” Dr. Smith comes into the lab, which is unusual for him these days, and a young guy is with him.

“I just wanted to introduce you to Merlin. He’s an incoming freshman and asked for a chance to work in the lab during summer to gain some experience. I thought you would be the perfect mentor.” Dr. Smith pats me on my back as a shy Merlin comes to stand next to him.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Gio.” I extend my hand, and Merlin shakes it. I swear my mind is playing tricks on me becauseMerlin looks so much like Ruin—it’s crazy. The same fiery red hair, the same nose. I must be imagining things.

“It’s great meeting you, Dr. Bianchi. I’ve read your papers, you’ve done tremendous work.” I chuckle at his formality; I’m not used to being called doctor; I’m just Gio. But I’m impressed he has read my work.

“I was about to head out for a coffee. Would you like to go with me?” I ask Merlin, who gives me an appreciative smile.

“Well, welcome aboard, Merlin. I’ll leave you two to it.” Dr. Smith waves as he wobbles back to his office.

“So, Merlin. Where are you from?” I ask as we take the elevator.

He shuffles in place, maybe a little anxious. “I’m from a small town in the mountains. It’s called Azalea Creek. I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of it.” My heart skips a beat, but I try to mask my shock. Could he be related to her?

“Never heard of it,” I lie through my teeth as we leave the elevator and head to the coffee shop on the main floor of the building.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m curious. Where are you from? Your accent is cool,” Merlin says in a shaky voice, and I chuckle. Yeah, he’s definitely nervous. If it was my first day at school and my boss invited me to get coffee, I would be nervous, too.

“I’m from Argentina. But I’ve been here for a while,” I tell him as we get in line to order.

“Wow, that’s so cool. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone from South America before.” His face turns red, and I can’t help but feel he looks like Ruin when she blushes. I quickly shake my head, pushing that thought out of my mind. I’m just seeing what I want to see.

“So, why did you choose Wolfe University? I’m sure you had other options?” I change the subject, and Merlin’s thankful smile lets me know it was the right move.

“I didn’t have many options, to be honest. I’ve always wanted to come here. You know, coming from a small town, the big city always has a certain appeal. Plus, I was offered a partial scholarship to play soccer.”

We say our thanks to the barista as we get our coffees, and I can’t hide my surprise at his revelation.

“Soccer? You should have started there, Merlin. That’s awesome, congratulations.” He gives me a sheepish smile, and I chuckle.

“That’s right, Argentina is the current World Champion,” he says, and my inner Argentinian beams with pride.

“Yup, the feeling of seeing your National Team win the World Cup is indescribable. Maybe one day, you’ll be the one bringing that honor to your country.”

“Ha, no, Dr. Bianchi. I need to graduate and go back home to help my family out.” I frown at him.

“I don’t mean to pry, but what do you mean?” I ask, suddenly curious to know more.

“Well, even though my family owns an orchard and does well, we’ve been hit with big medical bills in the past few years that have put the farm in danger. I’m the youngest of five siblings, and they think I don’t pay attention, but the truth is, I want to help my family keep the farm.” He looks at me, worried that he shared too much and that I might not be interested. On the contrary, I’m all ears.

“So, how are you planning to help your family?” I ask, and he raises his eyebrows. I need to know—because if he’s related to Ruin, as I suspect, I thought I was already helping with all of the medical bills. What’s going on?

“I’m not sure yet, Dr. Bianchi,” Merlin says, his frustration evident, “I’m just thinking if I make good money, maybe we can pay all the medical bills, and we can focus on the farm again.”

If he is who I think he is, I’d be frustrated, too. From what Ruin mentioned, her family is one of the founding families of Azalea Creek—they’ve been there for generations.

“I’m sorry to ask, but did you say you have five siblings?” I ask, sipping my coffee to occupy myself while Merlin answers.

“No, I have four siblings. I’m the fifth child. River, Miles, Rain, Ruin, and me.” I freeze in place. Fuck. How is this possible? What a small world. This is definitely a sign that I need to go and see what’s happening there.

“Are you okay, Dr. Bianchi?” Merlin asks, and I smile at him as I release a deep breath.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine. I was just thinking. I have two siblings, and me being the oldest, I always try to protect them. I can see why your siblings are possibly leaving you in the dark regarding all the issues at hand. They probably want you to focus on school and have fun.” Merlin gives me a smile as he nods.

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