I managed a small polite smile. “Thank you for being available, Jim. It’s a nice, cool night for June, so I wanted to walk home and enjoy the refreshing evening air.”
“Very well, Ms. Stuart. It has indeed been a brisk night. The weather report says that a storm is rolling in.”
“I’m glad I got home in time then.” I looked out the window and saw large threatening clusters of shadowy clouds approaching from the distant horizon.
“Indeed. I don’t believe Mr. Brady would’ve been very pleased with me if you had been caught in the rain under my watch.”
His watch? His choice of words put me on the defensive.
“Don’t worry, Jim. I can take care of myself. I wouldn’t say anything to Connor that would negatively affect you.”
“Thank you, Ms. Stuart. I’m just glad that you arrived home safely. Now will you require my assistance for the remainder of your evening?”
I shook my head. “No. Thank you, Jim. Have a good evening.”
Jim nodded before retiring to his room down the hall on the opposite side of the mansion. When I heard his door close behind him, I let out a deep sigh.
After I put away Connor’s leftover steak in the fridge, I went to change into a casual tee and sweats. As I walked back out into the living room, my mind immediately recoiled back to him and what had happened this evening. I felt confused and torn as various feelings battled each other inside me. I couldn’t deny being disappointed by how Connor had cut our dinner date short for work. Yet, I knew there were also other facts that I couldn’t deny. After all that had happened in the last few weeks, Connor had stood by my side. He was at the hospital every day while I was in the coma and during my recovery after I woke up. He had been understanding and patient when I treated him like a stranger, flinching when he touched me. He had been generous and loving, showing me time and time again that I was in his thoughts.
My hand reached for the emerald, diamond pendant, and I realized that I needed to reciprocate that same understanding and patience to Connor during this adjustment period between us. Things hadn’t been exactly easy for him either. I had a feeling that if I hadn’t lost my memory, I would probably be at work with Connor at this very moment, as his partner-in-crime standing beside him, helping him through this crisis.
But I wasn’t there, and I wasn’t his partner-in-crime.
Instead, I was something he had to worry about and care for. I was home, living in this extravagant house that his hard work had paid for, being upset with him because a work crisis had interfered with our dinner plans. He wasn’t the one that had changed. I was the one that’d changed. I had forgotten everything that had once been important to me.
Just then, the scampering of tiny paws against the hardwood floor caught my attention. The next thing I knew, Scooter jumped up against my leg, demanding my undivided attention.
“Hi Scooter.”
He barked at me as if asking why Connor hadn’t come back with me.
“Connor had to go to work for a little bit, but guess what he got you today?” I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Scooter moved around me with excitement, somehow sensing that something special was in store for him. I took the steak out of the box and put it on a plate. I laughed as Scooter barked impatiently as he circled around me.
“Here you go buddy.” I crouched down and placed the plate on the floor in front of him and watched him devour the steak. “You’re so spoiled, Scooter. Do you know that?” He ignored me as all of his attention was directed on the meat in between his teeth.
It took Scooter less than two minutes to polish the plate clean, leaving no trace of what had been there moments ago.
“That was good, huh?” I scratched Scooter’s forehead as he panted with excitement. I giggled as he licked my nose, as if to thank me for the treat he had just enjoyed. “Eww, slobber, Scooter.” I laughed as I wiped my face with the back of my hand.
“Good evening, Ms. Stuart,” came Debra’s voice. I looked up to find her walking into the kitchen.
“Hi, Debra. Remember what we agreed on?” I flashed her a friendly smile.
“Good evening, Liv.” Her voice was soft and uncertain as her eyes scanned the room to verify that Connor wasn’t hiding in some dark corner. “It’s time for Scooter’s walk.” She held up the leash in her hand and walked over to Scooter.
“Actually, I’d love to take him for a walk.” I reached out my hand for the leash. “I know how much Connor loves this precious dog, and it looks like he’s finally starting to like me.”
“Are you sure?”
I offered her a reassuring smile. “Yes, of course. Why don’t you take the rest of the evening off?”
“I can come with you to walk him,” she offered.
“No, don’t be silly. You’ve been working so hard lately with me around the house. Why don’t you relax a bit tonight?”
A warm smile lit up her face. “Thank you, Liv. That is so kind of you. If you need anything else tonight, please just call me.”
“I’ll be fine. Good night, Debra.”
“Good night.”
I secured the leash on Scooter’s collar and rubbed his face. “Wanna go for a walk, buddy?”
Scooter wagged his tail and ran to the front door in excitement. When we stepped outside into the darkness, a shiver ran down my body as a gust of wind assaulted us. The threatening clouds that were once looming in the distant horizon had now moved overhead.
“Come on, Scooter. Let’s take a quick walk so we can get back before it starts raining.”
Scooter led me down the street, searching for his favorite spots around the neighborhood. I hugged my body against the chill of the night and inhaled deeply. The damp smell of dust and pavement saturated the air as I felt light rain drops begin to fall on my face. I looked over at Scooter, who was busy sniffing a patch of grass, and could tell he wasn’t ready to head back.
“It’s just a little rain,” I assured myself.
Then Scooter’s head perked up and he saw a cat running across the street. Before I could react, Scooter barked violently and bolted across the empty street, pulling his leash out of my hand.
“Scooter, stop!” I yelled as I stepped off the sidewalk and onto the street.
But before I could run across the street, the blinding glare of headlights from an approaching car that had just turned the corner paralyzed me in place, sending me crashing into another flashback.
Suddenly, I was running as fast as my feet could take me in my jeweled Yves Saint Laurent stilettos, away from the noise of laughter and chatter of the party and into the chilly darkness of the night. Maybe I should stop wearing heels all the time, I thought as I wished for my lone pair of tennis shoes that were collecting dust in my walk-in closet.
But this didn’t slow me down. I wanted to get out of here. It was the last place I wanted to be.
“Liv!” I heard a familiar male voice call after me.
The sound of his voice pushed me to move faster. I pulled up the jewel-encrusted blush-pink evening gown that weighed down on my body and restricted my movement. The air was bitter cold and cutting, but the adrenaline that coursed inside me seemed to shelter me from the cold like a blanket. All my senses went into overdrive as I continued to move.
Suddenly, I saw two bright, blinding headlights coming toward me at high speed. The sharp screeching of car tires filled the air, drowning out all other noise. I felt the impact of cold metal against my body as I was lifelessly flung sideways against the solid pavement.
“Miss?” came an urgent female voice. I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder as it gently shook me. I opened my eyes to see a startled middle-aged woman leaning over me.
“What happened?” I looked around and realized I was sitting in the middle of the street. “Who was it that called out my name?” I looked at the woman, searching her face for an answer.
The woman scrunched her face as she looked around and then back at me in confusion. “Um…I’m not sure what you mean. There’s no one here but us, and I don’t know your name. I turned the corner and you were running across the street by yourself after a dog, I think. But when you saw my car approaching, you stopped running and then you just collapsed onto the ground.”