Remember Us

There are always stories about people waking up when someone kisses them. All that fairytale crap about true love and junk. Sure, it may be true, I’m not one to judge. But does my…well, for a lack of better words, boyfriend, wake up when I kiss him? No. does he wake up when I apologize, tell him I love him, ask for him to wake up? No.

Adam Edwin DiGerlando wakes up when his daughter complains about fish sticks. At least he cares about her nutrition, that’s good, right?

Though there was nothing more that I wanted to do than stay in the room, I knew I needed to get a nurse. So I quickly pull Katie out of the room and track one down. Everyone was looking at me waiting for me to say something. Katie though, beats me to it.

“see Blake? I told you my dad doesn’t like that you feed me fish sticks,” to add emphasis she sticks her tongue out at him. We all laugh at her, which I’m sure was good for us. It wasn’t something that most of us had done in awhile.

The doctor comes out and pulls Jacqueline and me aside which worried the both of us. “Well, we ran some tests and he seems to be fine. Sore and tired, but that’s practically a given in a situation such as his.” She pauses and I could hear a ‘but’ coming on, “He does, though, have temporary amnesia. We find that common amongst these cases and it should come back in no more than six months. Usually sooner than that though.. I’d recommend only one person to go see him to start with. You don’t want to rush something like this. I’ll leave you two to tell the others.

Jacqueline turns to me, “how about you go talk to him? I’ll tell everyone what’s going on.”

“you’re his mom, you should be the one to go.”

“Juliana, it there’s going to be anything to jog his memory, it’s coming from you.”

I give in, not really up to the fight. “fine. I’ll go in. But what am I supposed to tell him? That we’re together? that’s just another lie”

She smiles sympathetically, “move the ring over as a promise ring and tell him that you’re together. When the time comes, you can tell the whole story of what has happened. Just do it over time. He’ll remember all the minor details eventually.”

I slip the ring onto another finger and take a deep breath. Jacqueline left to tell everyone else while I just stood there in from of his door. I finally get the courage to open it and when I do I find Adam sitting up a little in bed, with a newspaper in hand. Is that what they give all the amnesia patients? I notice that he has more color to him than before, though still looks quite ill.

He sets down the paper and looks up at me, “hey,” he says casually. I couldn’t even imagine how awkward this must be for him.

His voice relaxed me quite a lot actually. Hearing it reminded me that this was only Adam. There was nothing for me to be nervous about. I smile kindly, “hey, how are you feeling?”

“Tired. They said that was normal though. Besides that I’m fine. This memory loss thing kind of sucks.” He chuckles, trying to ease up the situation.

“well, hopefully I can help you with that. I’m Juliana Richards, your girlfriend.”

“how long?”

The questions confused me at first, “what?”

“how long have we been dating? Shouldn’t I know how serious the relationship is?”

that was a good question. How long have we been dating? “Almost seven years.” I answer, deciding that the real answer would come through telling the story.

Adam looks at me like I’m insane, “seven years and I haven’t proposed yet? What kind of idiot am I?”

I laugh at his outburst, “let’s just say it’s been a very complicated seven years.”

“Okay. That can be saved for another day. What else should I know?”

as bad as I wanted to just stay here and talk with him, I knew that everyone else would want to see how he was doing too. “We can talk later, right now I think you should meet your family,” he nods in agreement. Against what the doctor said, I give him the choice of how he wants to do the introductions. “Do you want one at a time or everyone at once?”

“How about everyone at once. That way I don’t have to suffer the introductions multiple times.”

“good thinking. I’ll be right back.” I step out of the room and breathe out. That didn’t go as bad as I thought it would. “He wants all of you to come in at once instead of one at a time.”

“sure that’s a good idea?” Katelyn asks.

“I think it will be fine. Did anyone explain to Katie…?”

Finn steps forward, “I think so. She seems to understand that he won’t recognize her.”

“That’s as good as it’s going to get for now. You guys ready?”

Blake, Jenny, and Nick decide to wait it out, not feeling as if they were close enough to him to see him right away. Greg, Thomas, and Mark had already left to get back to work, so they wouldn’t be there today either.

I stand next to the bed and everyone else is around it. “Okay, let’s get this over with.” I start with Jacqueline at one end of it. “Adam, this is your mom, Jacqueline, step-dad, Guy, and younger sister Katelyn.” I pause for a short moment. “Then there’s Finn, your best friend, his wife Dakota, and…” I look down at Katie who was grinning like a fool. She even beat me to her introduction.

“I’m Katie! Named after your sister Katelyn because my mom wanted a memory of you.”

“Katie, just because he doesn’t remember doesn’t mean he needs the whole story right now.” Her face almost made me laugh. How one side was cocked upwards in confusion. “like, you know how I might start a story one night, and then finish it another?” Katie nods, “well, that’s what we’re going to do here.”

“oh. Can I start again?” This girl was seriously out to get me, and she’s only six now. She turns back to Adam, with the same grinning face. “Hi! I’m Katie, six, your daughter, and I really hate fish sticks. Can you remember how to speak Italian?”

Adam smiles down at her, “hey Katie, come here for a second.”

She steps closer to the bed and Adam leans down, whispering something into her ear.

Katie puts her hands on her hips, pouting, “you didn’t answer my question.”

He laughs, “right. Why don’t you test me?”

“non preoccuparti, perché c'èsempredomani.”

“don’t worry, there’s always tomorrow?” she smiles and nods her head vigorously. “Now how about you answer my question.” Katie points to me and he sits back in bed, “well that’s a relief.” The others laugh and I just smile.

“worried you knocked someone else up?” I joke.

Adam looks straight at me, making me feel slightly self-conscious of my appearance, “worried that I had cheated on you.”

“don’t go thinking so highly of yourself just yet,” I warn him with a hint of humor. It’s not like he’s the only one who has screwed up in this relationship, we both have. “But again, that’s for another day. I’m sure you’re parents want to spend time with you.” I pick Katie up, ready to follow Dakota and Finn out the room.

Before I make it far, Adam grabs my hand and gives it a small squeeze, “thank you.”

I smile, slipping my hand out of his, “no problem.”

With that I left the room, thinking that maybe this time around, just maybe, things would actually work out.