Chapter 65: What's Lost?

“Why are you here?” Chad didn’t sound very happy. “I heard that she’s awake. I want to see her,” a man’s voice sounded outside the room, his voice muffled by the door between them. Chad turned to look at her briefly. He gave her a small smile of assurance before leaving the room. His action left Stacy confused.

‘Why does it seem like he’s hiding something from me?’ She thought as she pulled her knees closer to her. The uneasy feeling wasn’t lost on her. She woke up in a place she didn’t remember and there wasn’t a memory from the past. ‘Who am I really? Where is this? Am I safe?’

Chad stepped out of the room. He signaled for them to follow him after the door closed behind him. They walked down the corridor, slightly further away from the room. He made sure that they were out of hearing range before starting speaking.

“I think she lost her memory,” he started. Will’s mouth hung open while Nelly stroked her chin, eyes focused as she assessed the situation.

“What do you mean?” Will’s voice was laced with worry. “The only thing she remembers is her own name– Stacy,” Chad explained.

“How’s she? Emotionally, I mean,” Nelly asked. “She seems really confused. Lost her usual sass and guarded attitude,” Chad recalled his interaction with her back in the room. “What about those depressive symptoms?” Nelly grilled further, hoping to have a picture of her condition before seeing her in person. Chad shook his head. “None. I think they were gone with her memories.”

Nelly nodded slowly. “Can she remember her childhood?” Will watched with hope. Chad shook his head. “She couldn’t answer the question of where she’s from. Head started aching when she tried.”

Nelly wrote something in her notebook. “Sounds like amnesia to me. She has a head injury. It might be the cause but I need to do some check-ups to make sure.”

Chad nodded. “Please go check on her. I will be there in a while.” Nelly understood her assignment. She left the men there for their private conversation. Chad watched as Nelly entered the room before he turned his attention to Will.

He had been quiet since the revelation, seemingly deep in thought. “Are you alright?” Will’s eyes focused back on Chad. “Yes. I’m just.. I.. It didn’t occur to me that she might lose her memories.”

“Me neither. I believe that it’s for the best,” Chad patted Will’s shoulder, “I don’t think you should see her in this state. She’s still recovering after all.” Will’s expression turned solemn. He knew what Chad was trying to say. ‘You’re not emotionally stable yourself. Do not disrupt her rest. I know it’s hard but your memories with her aren't exactly something nice she should remember. It’s best for those to be forgotten.’

Will hesitated. He looked at the room longingly. His gaze lingered before landing on Chad. “I trust you and the young doctor to take good care of her.” Beneath his words laid an unspoken threat. Chad’s lips curled up in a smirk. “Don’t worry about it. I’m more than happy that she’s finally awake. I have her best interest in mind.”

Will caught the underlying meaning of his words. He held Chad’s gaze for a moment longer than usual. “You better,” his words came out almost akin to a growl. A man knows his opponent when he sees one.

Chad’s lips seemed to have curled up a little more. “Later,” he waved as he walked in the direction of the room, leaving a seething Will behind.

Nelly entered the room to find Stacy sitting on the bed. Truly as Chad described, she’s different, without her usual vibe. The Stacy she knew was someone who brought herself with an air of sophistication. Her thoughts were always a mystery and there seemed to be thousands of untold stories behind her eyes. There’s this vibe of maturity to her, as if the age of her soul far exceeded her physical body.

The girl in the room now seemed much more approachable. There’s confusion and curiosity behind her eyes. It exuded a vibe of naiveness and freshness.

Soon, Chad joined them in the room. He leaned against the wall opposite the bed, giving Nelly space to carry out her work. She was running various tests and checkups, asking questions after questions while noting her observations on the notebook.

Stacy watched as Nelly scribbled in her book. “What’s wrong with me, doctor?” She asked as soon as Nelly came to a stop.

It didn’t escape her that Stacy looked genuinely confused and worried. “You recovered well,” she gave her an assuring smile before continuing, “make sure to take good care of yourself from now on. You’ve been asleep for a week. Make sure to get enough nutrients. Try getting out of bed and moving around with supervision. Do not push yourself too hard. Rest when you need to. In no time, you will be back to full health.”

Stacy nodded. She didn’t look satisfied with the reply. The lines of her face twisted in concern. “When will my memories recover?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Nelly gave her an apologetic look. She paused, unsure of whether to say what she was about to say. Stacy noticed her hesitation. “But..?”

Nelly gave her a tired look. “There’s no but. Just, give it time. You hurt your head. It might be temporary. Might recover in a few hours,” a pause, “some takes years.”

Stacy took in a sharp breath upon hearing the last phrase. “Is there a way to speed it up? I can’t seem to recall anything. My head hurts when I try. Are there any other ways to regain my memory?”

“Spending time with the people around you and looking through your belongings may help, although I can’t be sure that it will really work,” Nelly gave her a look of pity. “Sometimes, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to forget about the past. The future is what’s really important.”

Chad’s eyes landed on Nelly. She saw something flashed in Stacy’s eyes at the same moment. That was when she knew she might have said something she shouldn’t. She bit her tongue while mentally slapping herself. Stacy might have lost her memories, but her sharpness and intelligence was intact.

“Did something bad happen to me before I fell into this coma?”