Forever & Always

A reclusive billionaire without family or friends is in wreck and develops a temporary amnesia from the injuries. Without any identification, he falls in love with Nina, the nurse who nurses him back to health. As his memory slowly returns, he realizes that friendship and love have been missing from his life, and he has found both in her. 

*****

My two decades of hardship in school went to ashes in a blink of an eye. 

I looked at the piece of paper in my hand, the court finally made their judgment this morning. And today, luck isn't on my side. I let out a frustrated sigh as I plop down wearily on the burning white sand of Whale Bay, one Saturday noon. How am I gonna tell my mother about this?

All the hardships and sacrifices I made just so I can crawl my way out of college just went to waste. For someone who was born from a poor family, I had to enter multiple and unimaginable jobs just to support my education. I had so many sleepless nights just to appease my ambitious self, cause I wanted to graduate as a top student. And I did! But I never thought the success would be this short-lived.

I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back a sob. Are justice and law only for those who have money as their weapon? How could the system be this unfair?

"Hi, Nina!" I heard a cheerful voice from behind and my tears immediately retract. "Hello, Nina! You don't have work today?"

The little girl sat down beside me, she was holding a saggy ice cream cone while beaming up at me. The chocolate syrup was dripping messily on her little hand and I also noticed the dry stains of ice cream on her cheeks. My eyes widened.

"Alicia! How did you find me here?" I examined the kid, looking for scratches or any wounds on her skin. The treacherous pathway along the rock formations separating the cove from the long coastline of Whale Bay is extremely dangerous for a little girl like her. She could've tripped on the sharp rocks and hurt herself accidentally!

Alicia shrugged, licking on her ice cream. "I just know you're here. Why are you here anyway, Nina? Is there a problem?"

My lips curved into a weak smile. Sighing, I looked back at the clear, sparkling water of the beach as I silently watched the little waves reach my feet. The sun was scorching but the saltwater remains cold. On normal days, I would've taken a quick dip to relax.

"Nina is jobless now," I smiled sadly and her mouth gaped.

"Oh no! Does that mean you can't treat me chocolates anymore?" 

I chuckled, nodding my head weakly. 

I was a registered nurse for two years in this community's hospital. I was earning decently for me and my mother. All of those hardships I went through are for her. To give her a quiet and peaceful life. To force her to retire from work because I'd willingly support all her whims. To give her a life where she doesn't have to lay in bed at night, thinking how are we gonna survive tomorrow and the next day's battles. And to give her a life she never experiences because she, too, was born from poverty. 

One mistake, I had my beloved license taken away from me.

"Don't be sad, Nina. Here...you can have my ice cream."

I chuckled at her. "I'm fine. Nina will find a new job so I can treat you more candies."

"It's okay, Nina. You don't have to," she licked on her ice cream again. "Having a job is tiring, right? Papa is always tired after a long day of fishing, he barely has any time to play with me anymore." 

Her doe eyes bore into mine. "Nina, it's okay to be jobless. At least you're not tired." 

I guffawed loudly at her innocence. My hand moved to pat Alicia gently on the head. How I wish everything is as simple as that. How I wish I could be nine years old again just like her so I wouldn't have to worry about all these things. Adulthood sucks.

What happened was an honest mistake, and clearly my fault. I never denied anything, I was willing to be held accountable for my irresponsibility. But what I couldn't accept was their haste decision to kick me out and deny me a second chance. 

I accidentally gave the wrong medicine to a critical patient, resulting in a risky seizure. Unfortunately for me, the patient's family was a member of the upper crust. My knee-bending apologies weren’t enough for them. A part of me understands their rage, but do they really have to take away my source of livelihood for that one accidental mistake? 

"Nina, let's swim!" Alicia was left in her cycling shorts after removing her baby pink dress. The little girl excitedly runs towards the water and I had to move quickly to follow her. 

It was a low tide so the sea was still calm and collected. The premature waves were bearable but the heat of the sun was too much for my liking. I glanced at Alicia, her bronze skin was sparkling beautifully under the sun. 

I envy girls who have naturally brown skin since mine was a boring pale. No matter how hard I try to tan my skin, it naturally goes back to its original color after a few weeks. I eventually just gave up after multiple attempts of failure. The stingy sunburns aren’t even worth it anyway.

"Nina, let's go over there!" She pointed at the other side of the huge rock formations and I nodded indulgently at her. 

I was trailing behind Alicia as we headed our way to the other side. We both had our slippers on to protect our feet from the sharp rocks. I wouldn't want to hear an earful from her parents if I take her home wounded.

"There's a boat....and a man!"

"Huh?”

A fisherman might have parked their boat in this part of the beach. Well, that’s what I thought.

“Alicia!” I screamed in horror when the little kid ran quickly towards the wounded man sitting and leaning on the huge rock, blood leaking on its head and arms. My mouth gaped as I felt my heart hammered in shock. This scene shouldn’t be new to me since I’ve been in the medical field for years, but still, I couldn’t help but shook from nervousness.

”Nina, he’s bleeding! Nurse him!”

I walked closer, eyes never leaving the bruised man. His white sleeved shirt was covered in sand and blood. I noticed how his hands were shaking uncontrollably, along with his shoulder. He was having a hard time breathing. His eyes fluttering weakly, he is barely conscious!

“Nina, do something!”

I fell on my knee to examine his wounds. There’s a small cut on his head and a shot on his left arm! My hands trembled. I have a few equipment in the house so I could definitely give him a first aid.

I looked at Alicia, she got in here safe and unscathed after crossing the sharp and dangerous rock formations. Still, I don’t want to risk her safety.

“Wait in here, Alicia. I’ll get my things so we can treat his wounds, okay? Don’t leave him. He needs your company.”

The little kid nodded willingly. I glanced at the man one last time before turning my back on them to get my things.