Page 72 of With Love

Adrienne

“The scenery up here is beautiful,” I say as Marshall drives the car up a dirt road through the woods.

“It is,” he confirms, slowing the car down slowly until it comes to a stop.

“Is everything okay?” I ask him. He just got a really serious look on his face.

“Adrienne, yesterday, when your memories were flashing back…”

“Yeah?” I ask him, confused by his change in behavior. It’s like he’s scared to tell me something. “What about them?”

“Well, the places where we’re going today were the setting for two huge moments in our history.”

“Okay,” I say to him with a smile, but he doesn’t smile back, making me really nervous. “Marshall, you’re kind of scaring me.”

“I don’t mean to scare you, I just want to prepare you in the event that you have any flashbacks. You might see Lock. He was a huge part of both of the milestones that we’re going to be revisiting today.”

“Oh.” I say. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know if I want to go any further, but if I don’t, then I miss out on the chance to remember more about my past. No. He’s already taken everything from me. I will not allow him to hold me back from something, ever again.

“It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” he answers with a smile.

Driving further up the dirt road, Marshall stops the car once the ground levels out. There is a vast forest laid out in front of us, but there are a few trails here and there in between the trees.

Marshall opens his door and I do the same. I get out and meet him at the front of the vehicle.

“Look at all of the wildflowers! They’re beautiful!” I say admiring the purple, red, and yellow mixed in between the green.

Marshall takes my hand and walks me down the dirt path a little further.

“Okay, let me set the scene for you. Picture a large canvas tent right here,” he’s pointing to a spot toward our right without very many trees. “And another one just over there about 100 yards or so.

I look to the left toward the other area that he is pointing to.

“On our wedding day, this is where you and your ladies got dressed and did your hair and makeup and whatever else it is you girls do. Me and my guys were over there at the other one.”

“We got married here?” I asked.

“Yeah, there is a large clearing through those trees way down there.”

My vision follows where he is pointing and I see a footbridge in the distance. I recognize the bridge instantly and it calls to me. With Marshall’s hand still in mine, my feet begin to move, taking me closer to it.

As I get closer to the bridge, I can hear a small stream trickling underneath it. Placing my hand on the railing, I stop for a moment, looking all around us, trying to find something that will help me remember.

Marshall says something next to me but I don’t quire hear what it is. His voice sounds a little different.

“Are you ready?” I look up at him, only it’s not Marshall’s face that I see, but Lock’s.

I scream and throw my hands up in defense. My fists are balled and shielding my face, just like I was taught. But, nothing happens.

Slowly, I lower my fists and I see Marshall standing further away from me than he just was, his hands up showing me that he means no harm.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath trying to clear my head. When I open them again, Marshall is standing in the same spot, with his hands in his pockets. Waiting patiently.

“You okay?” He asks.

“I’m okay,” I answer, my breathing has calmed down a little more now. “I heard you ask me if I was ready. When I looked up at you to ask what you were talking about, it was Lock I saw. I’m sorry.”

---