Chapter 2: Fragments of Yesterday

Lauren opened her eyes and blinked against the bright light, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled to make sense of where she was.

“Miss Hill, can you hear me?”

She turned her head slowly, her eyes landing on a man standing by her bedside, a clipboard in his hand.

She pushed herself up, but pain struck her head as she sucked in a sharp breath, her hand flying to her head.

“What... what happened?” she whispered.

The doctor's expression softened, concern visible in his eyes. “You’re in the hospital,” he said. “You were in an accident.”

"Accident?" Confusion clouded Lauren’s mind as she stared at the IV taped to her wrist, blinking hard. 

He nodded. “You were hit by a car. You have a mild concussion and a few scrapes. Nothing too serious. You’re really lucky.”

She desperately reached back, trying to recall. Suddenly, flashes of a candlelight dinner with Logan appeared in her mind. She remembered it was on their fifth anniversary.

Then nothing.

“I... remember having dinner with my fiancé,” she said cautiously, her voice trembling. “That is the last thing I can recall."

The doctor looked sympathetic. “That’s normal," he said. “You have amnesia. Sometimes it takes a few days for the brain to reconnect everything.”

“Relax,” he said softly. “It’ll come back when your brain’s ready.”

The door swung open, and a woman’s voice hurried in. “Oh, thank God, you’re awake.”

Lauren shifted her gaze to a tearful, trembling brunette standing in the doorway, her hands clenched and eyes filled with sorrow.

The woman took a step forward, "I... didn't see... You just stepped out and..." Her words trailed off, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Lauren blinked, her mind still foggy from the accident. “You hit me?”

The woman nodded, close to tears. “Please believe me, I didn’t intend to hurt you.”

Lauren looked at her for a moment, then offered a small, tired smile. “It’s fine. I don’t really remember much anyway.”

The woman nodded, trying to hold herself together. “Charlotte Moore.” She handed her a card with trembling fingers, her eyes never leaving Lauren’s face. “Please, call me if you need anything. I’ll handle the bills, and any other expenses."

Lauren took the card and glanced at it: Charlotte Moore, Head of Operations, Moore Technologies.

She smiled faintly. “Hey, it’s fine. I’m alive, right?”

‘’I'm really sorry.’’  Charlotte squeezed her hand warmly.

Lauren opened her mouth to answer, but the door burst open, startling her.

“Lauren!”

Logan rushed in, breathless. His hair disheveled, shirt barely tucked, panic all over his face. He hurried to her side. “Oh my God, Lauren, are you… Are you okay?”

She smiled weakly. “Hey, you.”

He stopped dead, her soft voice knocking the air out of him. She reached for him, not noticing the way his hands shook. "W-What?" he stammered, eyes wide.

“Come here, dummy,” she murmured. “You look like hell.”

Logan’s stomach twisted. She sounded so… Lauren — the sweet, loving Lauren he’d betrayed.

He leaned in, his arms awkwardly wrapping around her.

He pulled back, staring at her, his pulse hammering. "How do you feel?" he asked, confusion flashing across his face.

“I’m fine.” She smiled. “Just a few bruises. What was I even doing in front of your house, baby?”

“Wh… what did you say?” His jaw dropped, and he had to grip the bedrail to steady himself.

“The doctor said I have amnesia,” her brow furrowed. “I only remember up to a dinner we had together, but after that… It’s all fuzzy.”  She tilted her head, searching his face.

“That… that was a week ago,” he managed, his voice hoarse. “You don’t remember anything after?”

She shook her head, frowning. "Nope. Why? Was there something I missed?"

His throat tightened, guilt tearing at him. He forced a smile that wavered, his hands shaking as he rubbed his face. “No, nothing. God, you scared the hell out of me.”

She reached out, fingertips brushing his cheek, and smiled. "You’re cute when you worry, you know that?"

“Y—Yeah,” he stammered, letting out a laugh that resembled a gasp. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’m just... relieved you’re okay.”

Logan’s phone rang, and he quickly glanced at it, his heart skipped a beat when Corinne’s name appeared on the screen. His gaze darted towards Lauren, and he felt a wave of nausea. “I... I’ll be right back,” he said, as he took a step backward, waving the phone faintly. “Work.”

“Sure, babe.” She replied with a warm smile.

He hurried into the hallway, breathing heavily, and answered the call with a shaky voice, “Corinne?”

“Is she dead?”

Logan’s jaw tightened, his hand forming a fist. “Jesus, Corinne, how could you ask that?” His voice wavered, filled with shock. “She’s your sister!”

“Yeah, well, is she dead or not?” she snapped, impatience lacing her words.

He supported himself against the wall, feeling his legs weaken. “She doesn’t remember,” he murmured. “She has Amnesia.”

“You’re fucking kidding me. Amnesia? She doesn’t know about us?”

“No. She… she hugged me, Corinne. Called me baby.” His voice faltered, torn between shock and shame. “She thinks we’re still… us.”

“Jesus Christ, Logan. Don’t you fucking get any ideas.” Corinne spat. "Tell her the truth. Now!”

“I can’t!” he hissed, glancing at the hospital door, terrified Lauren might hear, as he lowered his voice. “Not now. She… she’s fragile.

“Fragile? Boo-fucking-hoo. You really believe you can keep playing house with her forever, acting like you aren’t screwing her sister?” Corinne’s voice was cruel.

“I need time,” he pleaded, his voice desperate, sweat beading on his forehead.

“Three days,” Corinne growled. “If you don’t tell her, I will. And when I do, it’ll be ugly.”

The line went dead.

Logan slumped against the wall, chest heaving, sweat sticking to his neck.

Lauren sat by the window, her fingers tracing the blanket’s seam as her mind drifted. She didn’t look up until Logan returned, and even then, it took her a moment to focus.

“You okay?” he asked.

"I don’t know," she said, shrugging, her voice small. "It’s like there’s this weight in my chest, but I can’t figure out why."

“Probably just the shock. You’ll be fine,” he said quickly, forcing a smile.

She nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on nothing. "Babe, it kind of feels weird. My chest feels heavy, but I don’t know what I’m missing."

Logan’s eyes went wide, his smile slipping for a second before he forced it back into place.

Just as her phone buzzed on the table, she grabbed it.

It was Mia Davis, her best friend.

“Mia?”

“Laur!” Mia called out. “Oh my God, are you alright? Please tell me you’re in one piece!"

“I’m fine, just banged up.”

‘’Thank God! Mia exhaled. “My heart literally stopped when Logan told me. You should’ve seen me; I almost ran a red light. Girl, what happened?”

Lauren squeezed her eyes shut, searching for anything. "I don’t know, Mia. I got hit by a car, but I can’t even remember anything."

“God, Laur, you are so extra,” Mia said with a laugh. “Couldn't you just stumble like a regular person? You had to go full Hollywood stunt?” She paused, her tone softening. “For real, though, you freaked me out. You’re my ride-or-die, and I’d lose my mind if something happened to you.”

Lauren tried to laugh, but it turned into a groan. "My head is pounding, Mia. Seriously."

‘’Babes, what did the doctor say?”

Lauren let out a sigh. It's only a concussion and some bruises.

“Thank goodness,” Mia said. “Just stay calm, alright? Don’t stress about anything. I’m on my way to you. Don’t argue."

“I wasn’t going to,” Lauren murmured, warmth flickering in her voice.

The call ended, and for the first time since waking up, Lauren felt so much better.

*****

Two days later, she was discharged from the hospital.

Logan assisted her in settling in; he brought her food, ensured she took her pills, and remained by her side.

​She offered to stay at his place, but he quickly dismissed the idea. “I think you should rest here,” he explained. “My place’s a mess, you need quiet.”

She didn’t question it. Trusting him came naturally to her.

That night, her phone buzzed with a new email, and the subject line made her stomach drop.

Subject: Termination of Employment

She stared at the screen, reading the words over and over. "They fired me? For abandonment?"

Shit! But I informed my supervisor that I was in the hospital.

Her mind was spinning. Her mother, Rebecca Hill, was at Serenity Gardens, a care home, and the bills were overwhelming. The monthly cost was $4,500, and she was now facing that burden without a job.

She pressed her hands to her mouth, as she couldn't believe her whole life was falling apart.

She hadn’t cried at the hospital, but now she couldn't hold back tears that streamed down her face, and she made no effort to stop them.

The next day, the doorbell rang.

Lauren pulled the door open and stopped cold.

“Corinne?”

Her sister smiled faintly, eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. “Surprise! You look... alive.”

They were identical; the only difference was the mole on Corinne’s chin and the red hair she had dyed over her natural blonde.

Lauren’s jaw clenched, a prickly sensation crawling up her arms. "What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping back with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Corinne walked in confidently, "Logan told me about your accident," she said, picking up a glass figurine, turning it over, then setting it back down. "Still perfect, huh? This apartment is so you." 

Lauren narrowed her eyes. "He told you? Since when do you and Logan talk?"

"Why wouldn’t he?" Corinne said, brushing past her. "We’re... in touch."

“Cut the act, Corinne,” Lauren snapped. “We haven’t spoken in over a year. You don’t just show up to check on me.”

Corinne slid off her sunglasses, her eyes cold. "Can’t I worry about my own sister?" she asked, voice full of sarcasm.

Lauren let out a bitter laugh. "Worry? You disappeared when Mom got sick. Two years, Corinne — no calls, nothing. She’s got dementia, and you act like she’s already dead."

Corinne rolled her eyes, her grip tightening on the arm of the couch. "Why should I care? She doesn’t even know who I am anymore. You can keep playing nurse if that makes you feel better."

“She’s sick, Corinne. She barely recognizes anyone. You’d know that if you cared.”

"She remembers you," Corinne shot back. "She always does. That’s the whole problem."

"God, you’re impossible," Lauren threw her hands up, her voice cracking. "It’s always about you, isn’t it?"

Corinne leaned in close. “Maybe I learned from the best,” she hissed.

The silence lingered between them, with neither of them willing to break it.

It had always been like that between them, since they were kids. They constantly clashed, and their parents never intervened, always siding with Lauren, which only worsened Corinne’s jealousy.

Now, it has turned into full spite.

Corinne opened her mouth, then closed it, her eyes darting away. She quickly stood up and headed for the door. "Forget it, this was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come."

"Corinne... wait," Lauren blurted, grabbing the couch to steady herself as her head spun.

Fragments of memory flashed behind her eyes.

The smell of sex, laughter, moaning, and the sight of a cake box falling.

She covered her mouth with her hand, her heart pounding. Her sight blurred, and the room appeared tilted.

Corinne turned back, startled. “Lauren?”

“It was you!” She looked up with wide eyes and a trembling voice.

“What?” Corinne’s face paled.

“You,” Lauren whispered, taking a shaky step forward. “In his bed. With Logan.”

Corinne froze. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

Lauren’s face crumpled. “I saw you. Oh my God, Corinne, how could you?”

Corinne’s expression hardened. “Lauren, listen…”

The memory hit her full force.

Lauren staggered back, pale and trembling. “I remember everything.”