Unsettling Request

It's been three days since the whole drama. Dante has been in and out of consciousness. The first time he regained consciousness, he asked specifically for me.

“It's good to see you alive Mr Rossi” I said smiling. He beamed at me. “Thank you.” But I can't seem to remember anything except for your name. I can't even remember my name, he said in a cracked voice.”

I looked at him trying to understand whether he was pulling my legs or not.

That wasn't the case. He was serious.

I quickly ran out of his room to find doctor Jones.”Wait!!” He whisper-yelled, looking confused. “This can't be happening.” I muttered to myself, panicking. I held his hand in reassurance, “I will be right back, I promise.”

Doctor Jones rushed in,”what do you mean he can't remember his name.” he flashed his pen touch into his eyes, assessing visuals, he made Dante count figures backwards, which he did perfectly fine. Everything was fine, except he couldn't recall anything.

Doctor Jones’s expression changed from concern to being alert. He wrote some notes on the clipboard and handed it over to me.

“Take him to get a CT scan. I want the report on my desk in an hour.”

I watched Dante's expression. He was confused.

“Mr Rossi, we will do everything we can for you.” Doctor Jones assured him.

“How did you know my name?” He asked “Am I some popular person and how come I have no one like a family member around me? He asked.

Doctor Jones sighed. “Let's get the CT scan done, afterwards, I will explain everything.” He said.

Dante nodded reluctantly.

******

“During the surgery, while we were waiting for a response from the blood bank, you experienced blood loss to the brain which must have caused damage to your hippocampus.” doctor Jones explained.

“Could you be more elaborate, doctor?” Dante asked. He looked so confused and panicked, but he masked it well with nonchalance.

Doctor Jones heaved a sigh. Looking at him pitifully, “it means you have retrograde amnesia. You can't recall past memories.” He said.

I stood beside him, hoping to offer any kind of comfort. But I didn't know exactly where to start from.

“Then how did you know I was Dante Rossi?” He asked. “You told us yourself, you paid your hospital bills and asked us not to call the police, you also said you had no relatives." Doctor Jones informed him.

“You're saying, when I was on the brink of death, I did all that?” he questioned in disbelief.

“Yeah, you did” I said to him, getting his attention… “want us to pull up the CCTV?” Doctor Jones asked, already on his guard.

“Pftt, that's fine.” He waved it off. “ Not like I don't believe you guys but It's just a lot to take in.

Beep!! Beep!! Beep!! His heart rate was going up.

“Hey, it's okay and we will help as much as we can. I said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He nodded,then lit consciousness.

******

Today, I was off duty. It felt so refreshing because my apartment needed my attention. The sitting room was a mess, so was my room. So I took my phone, connected to the bluetooth and blasted Taylor Swift's album.

“What's not to love about Taylor? It's like she gets me”

I shouldn't have thought about him, because as soon as my thoughts drifted to him, as I had finished cleaning, my phone rang. It was the hospital.

“They know better than to call when I'm off duty.” I let it ring through. The call was persistent.

I finally picked up my phone, “it had better be important because I'm seconds away from blocking you Olga, I told the chief nurse in charge for the day.” Yes, I could talk to her that way, she is my favorite person.

“I wish it wasn't an important call young lady.” she said.

“Hmmmph!! What happened?” I asked grumpily.

“Dante Rossi keeps asking for you. He has rejected all efforts to help him and keeps saying he wants you to attend to him.”

My grumpiness was quickly replaced with worry and confusion. “Why would he want me?Is everything alright? I'm off duty today.” I asked all in one breath.

“He offered to pay you extra, and Tessa has been making advances at him.” She said, sighing. I could feel her eyes roll from the phone. “Look, Aud, he has been agitated, I would appreciate it if you came in.” She said, sounding defeated.

Grumbling, “fine, I'll be there. Give me an hour.”

“Thanks Aud, you're a lifesaver. I'll buy dinner.” She said, making me chuckle.

I got ready as quickly as I could, packing up my essentials. The weather in Phoenix today was 55 degrees and a bit windy so I had to be careful.

As I arrived at the hospital, I went straight to Olga's office. “I'm here, I just hope it's only Dante I'm attending to. I've had a busy and stressful week and I need to unwind. Unfortunately duty has called.”

She looked at me smiling, her pleased face erasing the worry lines on her forehead. Olga was an elderly woman who lost her family to an accident. She'd always been kind to me and the oldest staff of Willow Creek hospital.

I made my way to his room, and as soon as he saw me, his eyes lit up.”you!” He said with a croaky voice, “I've been looking for you. I need to talk to you.” He said.

“Me?” I asked. “Yes, you Audrey.” He said, taking me by surprise. “This better be important because I'm not supposed to be here today.” I said, my face was void of any emotion I felt at that time.

“I'll pay for the extra services.” He said. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about Mr Rossi?” I asked in a stern voice.

His eyes darted round the room, like he was searching for something. “For some reason, I feel like I can trust you.” He said leaving me with a fluttery feeling around my chest.

“Mmmph mmm!” I cleared my throat. “Why me?I'm just some other random nurse.”

“Like I said, I feel like I can trust you. I remember something.” He whispered. His voice was barely audible.

Smiling genuinely at him since I stepped foot into his room. “That's great news. Why didn't you tell the doctors?”

“Do you want me to call doctor Jones for you?” I asked. Pleased that he was making progress.

“No!” He yelled, Pausing my movement. “You can't tell anyone, not even the doctors.”

“What I remember is..is.” he paused. Keeping quiet. He stared at me unsure.

“Nevermind, I'm sorry I called you in. How can I make up for that?”

“No! This man can't just pull me out of my house on my day off, tell me some good news and stop halfway.” I thought to myself.

Then it hit me. He doesn't trust anyone. He is just recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and he has amnesia. Of course he would have trust issues.

I sighed heavily. “Look I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot this morning. I hate being pulled out of my comfort schedule.” I said. He stared at me intensely, probably wondering if I'm serious or just playing nice.

“I'll be here if you want to talk to someone, just send for me like you did before.”I finished, trying not to push him to tell me what he remembered.

As I was leaving, “wait!!” He sighed heavily. “Like I said, I feel it in my gut to trust you. I don't even know why myself.”

“What I remember is dangerous.” He said. Someone tried to kill me. He had a bunch of police officers surrounding him. I'm sure they killed other people too but it's in bits and flashes.” He said. Now looking straight into my eyes like he could see my soul.

“Now that's outright scary.” I thought to myself.

“I'm certain about one thing though, I was running from something or someone.” he finished.

I felt the hair at the back of my head stand. “What if he is a dangerous man, what if he's a criminal?” I asked myself. - I remember his wallet and wrist watch screamed wealthy. He had a black card for Christ sake.

I remembered I was still in his room, “ Mr Rossi, I don't why you're telling me this, you should tell a higher authority. This is definitely not my jurisdiction.” I responded, clearly trembling.

He chuckled, “I shouldn't have said anything to you. My intuition is as messed up as my brain. You think I'm a criminal.” He said, looking disappointed.

"Cazzo!!Avrei dovuto tenere la bocca chiusa." I heard him mutter to himself.

“Sorry I bothered you with this. Can you forget I ever mentioned this to you?” he asked, looking utterly distraught.

Guilt gnawed at me immediately. “Mr Rossi, I didn't mean to make you…”

He waved his hand, not letting me finish. “ I understand you're not supposed to be at work today. I'll plead with the management not to count today and give you an extra day. I'll pay for services today, and of course your transport back home.” I'm sure that should make up for the unnecessary stress I caused you.” He said with a stoic face.

“How rude, the nerve of this man.”

I ignored him, composing myself. “Now that you've told me this, what do you expect me to do?.

He looked straight to my eyes and said, “help me feign my death.”