Page 56 of Help Me Remember
Her smile is soft. “I miss him so much. All the dreams we had are gone, and being here is so hard.”
“Going to Pennsylvania isn’t going to make them go away or change, Addy. You’ll miss him there too.”
“I know, but I won’t have to see him everywhere I look. There isn’t a single place in this town that doesn’t hold a memory of him. I swore I heard him in the shower two days ago, humming to whatever song was popular with the kids. I was so happy because, for a split second, I was sure that my bad dream was over and he was here. When I realized I was hearing things, it broke me. I can’t do it. I have to give myself some time to settle my grief.”
“I really hope you can.”
“Me too. And if I don’t, I’ll be back here sooner than you think.”
“And if you do find that peace there, you’ll still come home?” I ask, only slightly joking.
Addison grins. “This is my home. You’re my sister, and . . .” Addison looks at Elodie in the backseat. “Isaac would’ve wanted us to be here.”
Isaac would’ve wanted her to be happy, regardless of the zip code she resides in. “Promise you’ll call?”
“I promise. Promise you’ll go to all your doctor appointments?”
I laugh. “Yes. I promise.”
“Good.” Addison pulls me in for a tight hug, and when she releases, we both have tears. “Love you.”
“Always.”
It’s what Isaac would say. He never replied with love you too or anything else.
I watch her drive away and my heart sinks. I know it’s what she needs, but I’ll miss her terribly.
* * *
“I’m Dr. Girardo,” says a tall, slender man as he extends his hand.
“Brielle, nice to meet you.”
“You as well. I’ve known Dr. James for a very long time, and he told me a lot about your case.”
“I’ve known Holden since I was eight,” I say with a smile. “I’m hoping you can help me.”
Dr. Girardo extends his hand, indicating I should sit. “Well, I can certainly try. There is a lot we don’t know about the brain, which makes head injuries especially frustrating.”
“Tell me about it.”
He laughs and crosses one leg over his knee. “I could bore you for hours, but that’s not what we need to focus on. I know you’ve been through recounting this several times, but why don’t you walk me through the last thing you remember.”
I really hate this. But Holden was emphatic that if there was anyone who could help, it would be him. So, here it goes.
After what feels like hours of talking, I release a heavy breath and sit back.
Dr. Girardo continues to write notes and then places his notepad down. “I want to be honest with you, Brielle, you went a little further than what I know was your last stopping point.”
I perk up at that. “Really?”
“According to your records, your last memory was of moving back to Rose Canyon roughly six months after graduation. In our discussion, you recalled the interview for the job at the youth center that Jenna owns and you also mentioned having lunch with your brother after.”
My jaw falls slack. “I did?” I start to sift through what I said, I was so lost in the memories I didn’t notice where I stopped.
But there it is.
I went on the interview at the youth center in town. I remember Jenna being there with a woman named Rachelle. She was wearing a bright orange shirt with gray pants. She was warm and kind, reminding me of a sunny day, which was why I thought her top was so appropriate. She exuded light. Jenna had told me that she was an amazing supervisor and we would hit it off.
