Page 2 of Help Me Remember
“I don’t . . . I don’t . . .” I look around, not understanding why I am in a hospital or what the hell is going on. “Help. I don’t . . .”
“Easy, Brie,” Holden says quickly. “You’re safe. Just tell us what happened.”
I shake my head because I don’t understand why he’s asking me that, which sends a shooting pain through my head. I squeeze my eyes shut until it passes enough to speak. “No, I don’t know. Why am I here? What’s happening? Where is Isaac? Why are you all crying? What’s wrong with me?”
Holden moves closer, holding my gaze. “Nothing is wrong with you, but I do need you to try to take a few calm breaths, okay?” He exaggerates the gesture, breathing in deeply, holding it for a second, and then slowly breathing out. After a few tries, I manage to mimic him, but the panic is still there, still clawing at my insides. He turns to Emmett. “She isn’t ready for this. Why don’t you guys give us a few minutes while I assess her and let her get her bearings. She needs a few moments.”
My mother stands but doesn’t relinquish her hold on my hand. “I’m not leaving her.”
“Mrs. Davis, I need to examine her, and it would be best if we can do it with no distractions.”
If it’ll give me some answers, I’ll do anything. Knowing my mother, she’ll never go without a fight. “Mom, it’s okay. I just . . . I need a minute.” My smile is brittle, but she nods and lets my hand slip from hers.
As Spencer, Emmett, Addison, and my mother leave, a nurse enters, and she and Holden flank the bed.
Holden moves in, flicking a light in my eyes before sitting on the side of the bed. “I know that waking up like this can be confusing and overwhelming. I’d like to check your vitals and talk, okay?”
I point to my throat, and the nurse hands me a cup with a straw. “Start with small sips. You have an empty stomach, and we want to go slow.”
I swallow the ice-cold liquid, letting it soothe some of the ache. I want to keep going so the sensation never stops, but she pulls the cup away much too fast.
Then he shows me photos of three objects. “In a few minutes, I’m going to ask you about those objects and you need to remember them and answer the questions I ask. Do you need to see them again?”
It’s a cup, a key, and a bird. It’s not rocket science. “I’m good.”
“All right. Can you lift your hands and push against mine?” I do as he asks, and when he seems satisfied, he moves on to a few other minor tests. Then he listens to my pulse and rattles off numbers. As he does that, my mind races, but I’m too tired to try to chase the thoughts around.
Holden speaks to the nurse. “Patient has started to present bruising around her face so we’ll need to take updated photos prior to discharge. I’d also like to order another MRI just to verify the swelling from both injuries is abating.”
“How bad are the bruises?” I ask.
“Nothing too bad. They should be healed in a week or two.”
I nod. “Okay. What about the head injury?”
“We’ll know more after the tests and the second MRI. We can go over the results after, okay?”
“Can you tell me why I’m here or what’s going on?”
“As I said, we’ll go over all our findings once we finish the exam part.”
We go through a ton of questions, all the while my mind is swimming. I keep waiting for my brother to come through the door and tell Holden where to shove his medical assessments.
Once I’m done answering those, he puts down his tablet. “What was the first image I showed you?”
I take a deep breath, and then my mind blanks. “I...it was a . . .” I lean my head back and try to think. I know it. “A cup!” I say triumphantly.
“Good. Do you remember the second image?”
“Yes, it was keys.”
He smiles, and the nurse nods.
“Excellent, Brielle. Now, do you remember the last image?”
I do. I . . . know it. I try to recall him showing me the pictures, but my thoughts are slow and muddled. “I do, but I’m so tired.”
His hand moves to my arm. “You’re doing great.”
