"No, Jaks, it was just an observation." He accepted that and they cleared up the plates and finished their wine on the sofa. He laid his head down in her lap.
“Love, since you’ve been ill, I’m the one who’s felt lost and alone. And, I’ll admit it, frightened. Having you with me has been the greatest joy of my life. You understand me, you think I’m funny, and very charming. And, um, handsome,” he smiled that faint, sweet smile shyly. “I’ve never felt so loved, so happy in all my life. When you woke up and had no idea who I was, I was heartbroken and thought I would certainly go mad, I thought I had lost my mind. You kept telling me to go away and leave you alone. And if I came anywhere near you, you’d back away like you were afraid of me, and scream at me. The love of my life had been torn away from me. And this identical twin they left in her place? Well, she didn’t know me at all, and she certainly didn’t like me. Sam, my greatest fear is that you will never remember me again, or, worse yet, remember me, but… not love me anymore.”
“Jaks, I know we’re connected, I feel it,” she hugged him and played with his ear. “I know that you love me. You show it. Just be patient a little longer, okay, Honey? I remembered the lighthouses today. Maybe tomorrow, something else will ring a bell,” she stroked his head, calming him down. “Dr. Reynolds said one hundred percent recovery.” He nodded.
“We’re in this together, Sam. I’ll do whatever, Baby, whatever it takes to help you remember, and to keep you safe. You can count on me. You’re not alone.”
“I know,” she nodded. “I know you’re strong and brave. I feel safe when I’m with you.”
“Good!” He smiled that wonderful smile of his and kissed her fingers, closing his eyes. He settled back and took a nap in her lap. She stared at him. Something about him was so deeply familiar, the dimple, the splash of freckle across his nose and cheeks, those gorgeous quicksand brown eyes. That sweet, tiny grin, like he was in on a secret. And that heart-stopping smile. She knew him. Knew him well. Maybe he was her husband. Maybe she had been with him for a year and a half now. Maybe all this was true. Part of her really wanted it to be true.
But part of her remembered smatterings of a completely different life. Working for a trucking company. Being alone. Living alone in a tiny, frugal second floor apartment near the center of a dusty drab little town. Within walking distance to work, the drugstore, the grocery store, and the coffee shop on the corner. The bar around the corner, noise and beer. A dull, lonely, isolated, meager existence.
The next few days were filled with relaxing on the beach together, cooking together, sleeping late, strolls on the beach, and laughter, tons of laughter.
“Sam, do you want to look at this? It’s the photo album from our honeymoon in Bermuda. St. George’s Beach. I don’t want to push, but I though it might help you remember something.”
“Great idea!” She took the album from his hand and sat on the sofa. “Come sit beside me. So you like the water in Bermuda?”
“Ah, yes, it’s pure and very clear.” She turned the pages slowly.
“This place is incredible. And this is such a beautiful photo album. So artistically done.”
“You… made it for us, so we wouldn’t forget one moment of our wonderful, romantic honeymoon. We used the delay button on the camera and took most of the photos of us ourselves.”
They sat and looked at the album together, laughing and joking. The photos showed a very happy couple that loved each other very much and laughed a lot. Samantha nuzzled up next to Jakson as he narrated with sweet and funny stories of their two wonderful weeks in Bermuda.
Happy days turned into pleasant weeks together. She became very comfortable with the sweet, attentive, romantic Jakson Blake.
I'm hanging on the edge here,just waiting for the shoe to fall.
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