Between Two Minds

Part 3

I wake up the next day with a horrible headache and my body feels like it weighs a ton. I ring the bell for Linda, hoping to see if I could get something warm to drink that would help with the headache but instead, I am greeted by Gabriel.

"Hey, good morning. Did you sleep well?", he inquires as he enters the room. He is adorned in a suit again, this time a forest green one paired with a white shirt and a black tie. He looks like someone who wakes up at 5 am and is ready to live their lives by 7 in the morning. That hits a spot in my mind.

"What is the date today?", I ask despite being scared to hear the response. He looks at me and responds, "It is July 12th, 2023". "And how long have I been here for?" I immediately shoot my next question. I can hear my heart beating in my chest, it could literally pop out any moment. I notice the lump Gabriel swallows before answering "about 3 years". My heart is out, it is out of my chest and on the floor right now. Three years! I have lost three years of my life to an accident and now when I am finally awake, I don't even know what I am missing out on or who I am missing out on.

The churning in my stomach interrupts my thoughts and is loud enough to get Gabriels's attention as well. "I'll get you something to eat" he says and as he is about to leave, I stop him. "Let me come with you, will that be, okay?" I ask and he agrees. I jump out of the bed and go to the mirror, looking at my reflection still feels foreign to me, but I push the thoughts aside and brush my fingers through my hair trying to seem a little more human before walking out with him.

Instead of the dining area, he leads us to the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Linda took a day off today so there isn't much to eat", he says as he puts some scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon on my plate. The food smells amazing and I start digging in like I've been hungry for years now. Technically, I have been hungry for years and I have no shame in appearing like it. "Thank you" I utter with mouthful of food, and he flashes his teeth smiling widely at me before he focuses onto his plate. Once my stomach is full and I feel energized enough to deal with my situation, I ask Gabriel "Why have you been treating me for so long? Why didn't you just put me in a hospital?"

He looks at me with a dejected look in his eyes and responds, "After the paramedics left you here and the immediate treatment was administered, I did take you to the hospital and you were there for about a year, however nobody came looking for you and neither was a missing person's report filed in any nearby stations. The hospital tried it's best to find some relative or family but couldn't. Eventually they got tired as there was no one to take care of you or pay the bills and decided to put you in a nursing facility outside of the state. For some reason, I didn't want that, so I got you here and have been treating you ever since".

By the time he is done, I'm sobbing not just for how scared I am but also because no one in the world looked for me, I may be completely alone in the world and I don't even remember the life I had, I am also sobbing because I am thankful for Gabriel and for Linda who took care of me and showed kindness. My mind is all over the place and I don't know how to feel or what to think about this. I don't even know if forgetting my life is a good thing or a bad thing. While I am a mess, Gabriel is an image of immaculate composure, patiently waiting for me to gather my thoughts as he hands me tissues. When I am finally done and my tears have dried up, he says, "I'm sorry about what you are going through, just know that I will do everything I can to help you. I hate to leave you like this but there is an important meeting I need to attend, however, let me show you the library, maybe that would help take your mind off of this and help you relax."

I nod and follow him to a small room, filled with bookshelves meticulously organized by genre. The room retains the same serene sage green walls and pristine white decor and furniture, creating a tranquil atmosphere. However, the hundreds of books lining the shelves infuse the space with colour and life. Unlike my room, which has empty shelves and vacant frames, this room exudes the warmth of frequent use. The bookshelves stretch from floor to ceiling, showcasing a remarkable collection of literature. Each shelf is thoughtfully organized, bearing the weight of countless stories and adventures. I peruse the titles, my eyes land on a thick, leather-bound cover adorned with golden letters that gracefully spell out, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare." The book's cover, intricately designed with embossed patterns, feels cool and smooth beneath my fingertips. There's a familiarity to it as if I have read its contents before. Without hesitation, I open the book to a random page, the parchment rustling gently, and I begin to read aloud. The words flow effortlessly from my lips, as if I have uttered them countless times in the past.

The play I am reading is called "Twelfth night" and is about a woman who is caught in a bit of an identity crisis. Her situation seems to be different than mine but the emotions she experiences pretending to be a different person altogether seems to resonate with my own feelings in a weird way. I get submerged in her story, forgetting about my situation completely. Lost in the world of literature, I spend what feels like hours immersed in the book's pages until suddenly, a knock startles me back to reality, causing me to drop the book onto the wooden floor with a thud.

Gabriel stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He's no longer dressed in a suit but wears a simple white t-shirt and black sweatpants that drape comfortably over his well-built frame. He appears more approachable now, more human and at ease. His physique is athletic, perhaps more so than one might expect from a doctor living in the woods. He has strong legs, arms with veins popping out as if he just had a workout session and his shoulders are in great shape. Coming out of my thoughts, I realise that he is looking at me and seems to have somehow read my thoughts. I clear my throat in an attempt to break the silence and explain, "Sorry, I umm... didn't mean to do that".

He nods and walks into the room and settles onto one of the chairs in front of me. His large frame dwarfs mine even as he sits. He somehow seems more intimidating in his relaxed attire. I offer a polite smile, not entirely sure why, and he looks at the book in my hand before asking, "Which one of his works are you reading?"

"Twelfth Night", I say and proceed to tell him why I like the play, "Viola, the character seems extremely relatable and kind. She seems lost and yet determined to find her own way. It's comforting and even though she has to lose her identity, she finally finds it back again, the play gives me hope."

I look at Gabriel for his reaction, he smiles and exclaims, "It's settled then".

"What is?", I ask confused by his reaction.

"Well since we didn't find any ID on you, I never knew your name. But from today, I name you to be Viola," he concludes with theatrical hand gestures, as though he is introducing someone on a grand stage. Its weird that the thought never cam to my mind. What is my name really? The question brings back all the other thoughts I'd been trying to avoid casing a sudden shift in my mood, but I smile at Gabriel nonetheless. Observing my demeanour change, he adds, "have you eaten anything after I left or have been here the whole time?

The mention of food makes me realise that I am actually hungry, and it's been a while since I ate anything. "Well, I didn't realise", I admit sheepishly. "Come on, lets get you something to eat", he says leading me out of the room back to his kitchen. This time around, I notice the kitchen which I didn't when I was here in the morning. I was too hungry to check for anything else. It's a very humble and cozy space again with the same green and white theme. It has marble counter tops and a small kitchen island with some bar stools around. There's a large over and a burner topped off with a fancy chimney right in between the cabinets, an extremely large refrigerator in one corner and a bar full of fancy alcohol on the other side.

"What would you like to eat?", he asks but continues before I can answer, "I make amazing mac and cheese."

"So, you're a doctor who works out and cooks?", I say teasingly and add "Mac and Cheese sounds nice."

He chuckles at my remark, marking the first occasion I've heard him laugh. Over the past two days, I've observed him smile, though given our circumstances, moments of genuine amusement have been scarce. Nonetheless, his laughter is a welcome sound.

"So, do you cook often?" I ask, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, I do," he says, "I find it to be a stress buster. My mother taught me. She was an excellent cook." I smile at him. This is the second time I have heard of his mother, and it seems like they were close which makes my heart warm. "Your mother sounds wonderful," I say and Gabriel's smile falters, and he looks down at the pan as he responds, "She was. She passed away a long time ago." "I'm sorry," I say, feeling guilty for bringing up a painful memory.

"It's fine, it was a long time ago" he says, and continues to focus on the preparing the dish. "Why are there no pictures in the frames hanging in the room I was in?" I ask trying change the atmosphere.

"You're the first guest I have had in over years, no one has used the room for a long time," he says relieved at the change of topic as he plates the pasta for the both of us.