Page 32 of Midnight and Mine

Placing the camera in the cubby, I lay my head next to her arm on the bed, trying to think of why she took photos ofourplaces. The coffee table book isn’t about us—it’s about Kissing Springs. Unable to figure it out, I drift to sleep with thoughts of our beginnings.

She turned onto her side on the merry go round and ran her fingers through my thick head of hair. It felt sogood, almost like I can still feel it.

I’m awakened by a flurry of movement.

“Hey.” Wynter ruffles her fingers in my hair, and now I realize I wasn’t dreaming—she was playing with my hair. “You’re drooling. I know I’m the sexiest patient alive, but you don’t have to drool.”

She hasn’t lost her sense of humor, still making light of situations so it’s not awkward. It’s a gift she has—putting people at ease. I lift my head, grab a tissue from her tray, and wipe my mouth. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”

“They’re taking me for my MRI. Why don’t you take a break and send in Drake? Did he go to work?”

“No, sorry. I thought the nurse told you he has the flu, so he’s unable to come see you.”

“Oh, okay.” She bites her bottom lip, and her brows dig into the center. This is her “thinking” look. “I think he likes pineapple juice when he’s sick. Tell him to pick some up, and I hope he feels better. Wait, I can tell him. Where’s my phone?”

Her head flits around the room.

“We haven’t recovered your phone yet, but we did find your car at the gorge. Major and Maverick picked it up last night.” She raises an eyebrow, and it hits me that she doesn’t know who I am talking about. “Maverick is Mark’s older brother and Jessica’s husband. Major is my older brother.”

Wynter gestures with her head. “Oh. Sorry, I don’t remember them.”

The transport nurses come in and unhook her from the monitors. “Don’t worry about it. It’s only been a few days. I have no doubt you’ll get every memory back, and some of them you may want to forget.” She rewards my humor with an eye roll and a small chuckle.

While she’s gone, the doctor comes in and asks me to follow him to the waiting room. I gather Wynter’s parents, and the four of us sit in the corner.

The doctor touches his fingers together in a triangle before he says, “Good news, if the MRI comes back normal, we’re going to release her. She told the nurse that she feels she will remember more at home. Playing games with Scott has triggered some memories. However, she can’t go home with you, Scott.”

“Why?”

“Let’s take her to her parents’ home. She’ll feel safe there. Until she realizes she’s not married to Drake. It may make her feel awkward going home with you.” The doctor makes sense but I scoff in understanding.

“Nurse Nancy does home health care and is available to help since Wynter’s wound still needs changing, bathing, and monitoring in case anything changes. Can you afford in-home care?”

“Absolutely,” I volunteer.

“Please take down photos of weddings, engagements. It’s fine for there to be family pictures or pictures of friend groups but none of Scott and Wynter by themselves until she knows Drake isn’t her husband. Plus, since Drake has the “flu,” it will make more sense why she’s going home with her parents. Any questions?”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Wynter’s mom grabs his hands and holds them. “In your opinion, how long will it take for her to get her memory back based on what you’re seeing?”

“There’s no way to tell but if she’s having glimpses of her past, it shouldn’t be long before she pieces everything together. A week? Maybe a month? But there are no guarantees. I’ll be setting up a physical therapist and a psychologist starting next week.”

He pushes his hands against his knees. “I’ll go read the MRI and be down to let Wynter know. Fingers crossed the MRI is clean.”

After he disappears through the hospital doors, I blow out a whale’s breath. “I guess you need to go home and erase me.” I hang my head, tears banging under my lids.

“Oh, Scotty, honey. We could never erase you, and neither could Wynter. But we’ll go home and move our stuff upstairs so she can have our bedroom.”

“No. I want her in her room. I’ll take her up and down. Being surrounded by her high school stuff may help her memory. I’ll stay in the guest room if that’s okay?”

“Of course. Let us know when you’re on your way.” And after a giant squeeze, Wynter’s mom and dad head home to Kissing Springs.

Last night, I texted everyone and asked them to go home and get some rest. Even Drake went home, which is exactly what I need—time with Wynter alone and not having to worry about Drake and whatever is going on inside his head. If he thinks that Wynter will ever love him like she loves me, he’s wrong. Dead wrong.

Chapter Fourteen

Wynter

Scott drives up the long driveway to a two-story yellow Victorian house. It’s large with an enormous wraparound porch, complete with swings, rockers, colorful hanging baskets of flowers, and an American flag. It seems vaguely familiar. “This is my parents’ house?”

---