When Love Is Forgotten

One: Wake Up

One

"Is she alright?" I heard a man ask, his husky voice echoing throughout me like a throbbing headache.

"Yes, she will be eventually. She received a bad concussion, we presume, which we think will cause her to lose some of her memory, but we can't be sure until she awakes," a female responded calmly to the man, making me wonder what was going on as all black surrounded me. 

"We can only hope she will gain her memory back as time goes on if that is the case. She also broke her left leg badly, and will need to be in the hospital a few more days longer to make sure it is elevated properly," she continued, my left leg feeling a soft touch after her words, making me realize they were talking about me. 

Panic then surged throughout my body like a lighting bolt, electrifying me everywhere. "And other than a few stitches in her arms and face, that's it for her injuries. She is definitely lucky," the female ended, her voice perky as she seemed to walk to the other side of the room.

"Good, I could never imagine losing her..." the man hesitated, a touch of sadness to his tone.

"I understand. Will there be others visiting her today?" the female asked again, tossing aside the man's feelings altogether. 

The man didn't falter at all before saying, "Yes, her fiance and my wife," he finished, dropping a hand onto my arm and rubbing there. I wanted to flinch at the random sign of affection, but couldn't move a muscle. I couldn't even open my eyes or speak to see what was going on!

"Okay, I'll leave the door open then," she said, as she seemed to gather up her things. "I'll be back to change her fluids in about an hour," she told him once more, before I heard her walk over to the door and leave the room quietly. I was then left there in silence with the strange man beside me, hoping to God that he would take his hand off my arm soon.

"Auburn, why do you always have to get yourself into such problems? Sometimes I just wish you lived back with us, everything would be much better," I heard the man say once more, making me realize who it finally was from the rude comment. 

Dad! I thought in my head, smiling internally as I felt a lot more relaxed after realizing my family was beside me. Harlow, my father, was an old man of 65, with gray receding hair and fading brown eyes. I wouldn't say he was the nicest of all people, considering how careless he was at times, but he did have his good intentions.

"Oh, Auburn!" I heard a woman shout relieved, pushing my thoughts away from my dad, as she rushed into the room. "Is she awake?" she asked, now frantic it seemed.

"Not yet, the nurse said possibly soon. She will be just fine, possibly memory loss though," my dad told the woman, as he continued to rub my arm cautiously. I heard her sigh, before grabbing a hold of my opposite hand and squeezing it tight. It was then, I knew the woman now touching me was my mother, Caressa. She had the softest of hands, which was an easy way of deciphering her. My mother was also an extreme worry-wart, but I guess being three years older than my dad and running on 68 was a contributor to that. Old age can do wonders both good and bad.

"What happened to her?" was the next question she asked, sending my dad to tell her exactly what the other woman had told him earlier. All was silent after then, until of course, one last person had to barge into the room.

"I came as fast as I could!" I heard the man say fast, almost slurred. "I got hung up at...work," he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something else, but knew it was wrong to do so.

"It's alright, Mason. Auburn is doing fine, she will be waking up soon," my mom told, trying to calm him, I presume. I heard the man named Mason sigh, not like the one my mom had done earlier, but a more impatient one; almost like he was upset I wasn't awake yet so he could get back to what he was doing before.

"How much longer, because work really needs me back," Mason stated, making me question why he was even in my room, since he didn't really seem to care...

"Soon, hopefully," my mom said frustrated, making him heave a sigh once more, but quickly stop and take a seat beside my parents. "Just relax, work can wait for such an incident as this," she said annoyed, still holding my hand tight.

I wanted to open my eyes then, I wanted to cry and scream with all my might, but I knew I couldn't and it killed me. Why won't I wake up? I asked myself, as I tried moving my hand at least some to try to pull myself from what seemed to be a sleep paralysis. I felt horribly bad for my parents, especially my mom, who was worried beyond compare for me, not even knowing I could hear them.

"Harlow, I think she just squeezed my hand!" my mom shrieked, holding my hand tighter in what seemed like a death grip. It's working! I excited to myself, trying hard to repeat the same action.

"Good, she's waking up!" I heard him say relieved beside my mom, as I tried to move at least some part of me again. "Nurse, nurse! She is waking up!" my dad excited out, as I pressed my fingers against my mothers palm once more.

It was then, that I woke up...