CHAPTER 22: “Echoes”

Adrian’s POV

The doctor’s office smelled strongly of antiseptic, but somehow it couldn’t drown out the thoughts racing through my head. I hadn’t taken my eyes off Amber since she’d opened them. She remembered Vee. She remembered her childhood. She even remembered her university days. But me? I was a complete stranger.

The doctor closed the file in front of him.

“Mr. Volkov.”

I looked up with concentration.

“Your wife has selective retrograde amnesia.”

“What does that even mean?”

The doctor folded his hands together.

“Traumatic events affect everyone differently. Sometimes the brain locks away painful memories as a way of protecting itself.”

“So what am I supposed to do?”

He gave me a look that spelled out pity before answering.

“Nothing.”

I frowned in disbelief. “Nothing? So that’s it?”

“You don’t force memories back. Don’t overwhelm her with photographs, stories or reminders. Let her remember at her own pace.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then you help her create new memories.”

I stared at him as he said those words that I didn’t even understand yet.

“There are cases where familiar places, familiar voices, even certain emotions trigger fragments of memory. But if you push too hard, you could make it worse.”

And for the first time in years, I felt completely helpless.

*****

Later that afternoon Vee and I agreed on the story that would sound believeable to Amber and also not stress her out.

Amber would only know that she worked for me, nothing else. Not even the marriage or the contract and certainly not the kidnapping.

Everything else would stay buried until she was ready. It was the first lie I’d ever told her that was meant to protect her.

Richard’s POV

I hadn’t been to Volkov Group in days and I also haven’t heard from Amber, the charming lady. The contract we’d lost was already behind me and business already moved on.

As I walked through reception, my attention shifted toward the elevators.

Amber.

She stood there speaking with one of the receptionists and for a moment, I almost didn’t recognise her.

She looked lighter like she had no worries in the world. The tension she usually carried around her shoulders was gone.

Interesting.

I walked over. “Good morning, Amber.”

She turned.

She stared at me as if trying to remember where she knew from but suddenly she gave me the warmest smile I had ever seen.

“Good morning.”

There was something almost childlike about the way her eyes lit up, It caught me completely off guard.

“You look much better than the last time I saw you.”

“Do I?” She laughed softly. “I guess I’m finally settling into the job.” She said amidst smiles.

“Alright, if you say so.”

We stood there for a moment, usually this was where she’d politely excuse herself. She always kept a respectful distance and she was always professional with me but today she didn’t.

Instead, she stayed and starts up a conversation, asking me about work and how long I’d been in business. She even laughed when I joked about investors having worse attitudes than toddlers.

I found myself laughing with her but something felt different. The Amber I knew had always measured every word before speaking.

This version spoke freely.

Adrian’s POV

From the conference room, I could see her and Richard laugh like they have been old pals. Why did she have to forget about me now that things were about to get better?

I saw Richard say something and Amber laughed like she hadn’t heard a joke in years.

I gripped my pen a little tighter than usual, I’m sure if i applied more pressure it would snap in two.

What exactly did she find so fascinating about him? Richard wasn’t even trying to flirt. That somehow annoyed me even more because she was doing it naturally.

She smiled at him the just way she used to smile at me before all this happened. I could feel a bile form in my throat.

“What if she fell for him instead?”

The thought hit me harder than I expected but then I remembered when she assured me, “And who said you would lose me, silly?” Even though, she doesn’t remember me, I’m just going to put my trust in her. I closed my eyes briefly and I released a slow breath.

“No.” I whispered to myself.

“I’m not losing you, not again.”

*****

Time flew by without me even knowing and it was already three days of frustratingly trying to win my wife back. She was present but yet not present. I’m as much as we aren’t as we used to be, she still was good at her job.

I was at the office signing documents when Vee barged into my office without knocking. I looked up, typical her. I wonder how she’s the complete opposite of Amber yet they have been best friends for years.

“You need to come with me.” She said.

I barely looked up and muttered a word. “I’m busy.”

“No, you’re not. C’mon Adrian, this is serious.”

I finally raised my head.“What now?”

She crossed her arms.“The apartment.”

“And what about it?”

“The water pipe in our apartment burst this morning and the landlord says repairs will take at least two days.”

“So?”

“What do you mean so? She has nowhere to stay.”

“What do you suggest?”

Vee shrugged her shoulders. “I think she will have to stay at yours for a few days.”

“Why? And what about you?”

“I’ve been assigned to cover a three-day workshop out of town and I leave tonight.“Looks like you’re her only option.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why do I feel like you planned this?”

“I wish I were that smart, I guess the universe is on your side.” She said as she left the office.

Is the universe really helping me now or we are just being delusional?

*****

That evening Amber stood inside the villa again, she looked around awkwardly like she had a whole lot to say.

“This place still feels too expensive.”

“You’ll survive.”

She looked at me suspiciously. “I still don’t understand why my boss is letting me stay in his house.”

“Because I don’t like seeing my employees homeless.”

She folded her arms as she looked at me as if trying to read me. “You’re either very generous…” She looked around the living room “…or very strange.”

For the first time in days, something eased inside of me. “I’ve been called worse so that’s fine.”

She rolled her eyes and for a brief second, everything felt normal.

She walked past the piano near the sitting room and her fingers brushed the polished wood absentmindedly.

I froze at the memories

Months ago…

She’d stood in that exact spot and I’d been behind her. My arms around her waist while teaching her how to play a simple melody.

She’d laughed after hitting the wrong note.

“You’re a terrible teacher.”

“And yet you’re still here trying to learn.”

The memory flashed through my mind and at almost the same instant, Amber stopped walking.

Her fingers remained on the piano while she stared at it as if trying to make sense of what she’s seeing.

Suddenly, i could see her struggling to breath as she held her head as if trying to steady her head from falling off her shoulders.

She staggered backwards.“What…”

She pressed both hands against her temples.

“No…”

Then she gave a mind blowing scream “Ahhh!”

Her scream echoed through the villa and then she collapsed before I could reach her.

“Amber!”

I caught her just before she hit the floor.

Her eyes fluttered as she tries to keep them open and in the same instant, she reaches for my face as a tear falls off her face.

And for the briefest second, she whispered something. “Ad…..”

Then everything went still.