Don’t Forget to Remember Me (10 page)

He put his arms around me and I hugged him
back. “Of course, Ryan. We all love Julia so much. Where else would
we be when you needed us like this?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to move your
practice to New York?” I laughed lightly as we drew apart.

“Ha! Your mother wouldn’t leave Chicago,
even if I wanted to. Maybe someday you and Julia can move
home.”

Paul laughed. “No way she’ll leave New York.
Even though I’d love to see her closer to home, too, she’ll never
leave her job! She loves that glamorous shit.” He hesitated before
continuing. “Ryan, are you still planning on going to New York for
your residency?”

“Um…yes, unless she objects. I can’t bear to
be apart from her anymore, especially after this.” I hadn’t
considered that she might feel it an intrusion now. “I guess I need
to talk to her about it.” Dread washed over me as I drew in a deep
breath.

“Ryan, stop. Julia will want you with her.
Three months is a long time. Her memory will be back by then,” Paul
reassured me. I tried to smile, but a cold sweat was breaking out
on my forehead. I rubbed the back of my neck in agitation. “Ellie
told me she talked to Julia’s boss. What was her name?
Meredith?”

“Yes, Meredith,” I answered. “I asked Ellie
to call since I was too much of a mess to deal with it at the time.
She’s been great. It’s been a blessing. Julia can concentrate on
getting better now and not worry about work.”

The door opened and one of the nurses came
out, carrying a hospital gown. “All set! Dr. Brighton has released
Julia. I’ll be back with a wheelchair,” she said, smiling as she
passed.

I peered in and Julia was sitting on the bed
in a pair of black yoga pants and a blue button down blouse. Her
coat was lying near her, but she couldn’t wear it over the sling.
She’d have to drape it over her shoulders.

The two women were deep in conversation. My
stomach clenched, wondering if something had been mentioned about
the baby. Two sets of tear-filled eyes turned to watch us all enter
the room. Julia’s full lips trembled at the corners in a hint of
sad smile.

“Ryan, you’re here.” Her eyes lit up and my
heart leapt.

“Of course, I’m here. You’re stuck with me.”
I smiled and glanced at her mother. “Hello Marin. How are you
doing?”

“Oh, I’m just being a sap; sad about leaving
my baby.” She used both hands to wipe away her tears.

“Mom, please,” Julia said under her breath
and glanced up at me through cautious eyes, wiping at her tears
with the back of her right hand. “I’m hardly a baby.”

“I agree,” I nudged her chin with my thumb.
“Hardly.” I was rewarded with the rush of blood to her cheeks as
they bloomed in response.
Beautiful
.

“So…what are you kids planning tonight?”
Marin asked.

My mother moved around the room, gathering
up Julia’s things and putting them in her overnight bag.

“Um…” I wrinkled my brow and shrugged.
“Nothing strenuous. We’ll get Julia settled and then Ellie and
Harris are coming for dinner.”

Julia’s eyebrows went up in speculation as
she teased me. “Oh? Are you cooking, Matthews?” I was standing
close to where she was sitting and she nudged me with her good
shoulder. My heart stopped. It was our nudge and she used my last
name. I’d felt that nudge hundreds of times and I smiled wide in
elation at the familiar gesture. Subconsciously at least, she was
still my Julia.

“Pfft! Never. If you were up to it, I’d make
you do it, but as it is, we’ll order in.” Everyone burst out
laughing.

The nurse showed up with the wheelchair and
I stood back as Paul helped Julia into it. Every instinct told me
to go to her, but he wanted and needed to help her as much as
possible before he left Boston.

I wrapped my arm around my mother’s waist as
we all followed them out. Marin walked beside Julia, holding her
hand as I watched the nurse push her down the hall. I couldn’t take
my eyes off her, and was thankful for all of these people who loved
her so much.

Mom’s hand came up my back and her fingers
closed around my nape, motherly adoration shining from her eyes.
“You make me so proud, Ryan. Aaron, too. I couldn’t ask for better
sons.”

“Mom, don’t get all mushy on me, now,” I
teased. “I’m a mess as it is.”

“Give her a break, Ryan. It’s her
prerogative to get mushy over her brilliant sons. Mine too,” Dad
said with mock sternness.

We exited the revolving door as the nurse
brought Julia out of the wheelchair entrance. Aaron was lounging
against my car parked at the curb, a goofy grin plastered on his
face.

“There she is!” Aaron boomed as he tossed me
the keys and walked toward Julia. “How are you, itty bit? You look
good. That shiner makes you look tough,” he teased. Her bruises
were getting yellow and lightening, with only slight hints of the
purplish blue showing through her translucent skin. Before long,
the only tangible reminder would be her fractured ribs.

And the memory loss.

She smiled brightly. “I’m really good,
Aaron. Thank you for letting me stay at the apartment.”

“I’d kick Ryan’s ass to the curb before I’d
say no to having you, babe,” Aaron said enthusiastically and
laughed. She smiled up at him, shook her head and glanced at me. I
shot her a wink. “Hold onto me, Jules,” he said and lifted her
easily out of the chair. She winced a little as he stood her gently
on her feet. It was difficult for me to do nothing, but I didn’t
want to overwhelm her. She needed space to say goodbye to her
parents and to mine.

I watched as her parents hugged her goodbye.
Marin sobbed until Paul pulled her away and she melted into his
arms. My heart ached for Julia as silent tears slid down her face.
My mother took her in her arms, crying along with the others.

I swallowed hard and looked at Aaron. He was
looking at the ground, clearly moved as well. Dad brushed his
fingers on Julia’s cheek softly. “You let me know if these boys
give you any trouble, okay? I’ll kick them in the ass,” he teased.
Julia burst out laughing through her tears, which made her wrap her
good arm around her torso to minimize the pain. “I’m sorry, Julia,”
my father said as he kissed her temple.

“No, it’s okay. Thank you; for
everything.”

I moved up and opened the passenger door to
my CRV. “Are you ready?” I asked quietly.

“Yeah,” her eyes were crystal clear and
sparkling, the remnants of her tears still on her lashes.

I slid my arms around her to support her
weight as she lowered herself into the car. “Thank you. I love you
all,” she said as the car door closed.

Marin sobbed into my shoulder as we said
goodbye. “I thank God for you, Ryan. Thank you for being here for
Julia.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else. She’s my whole
world. You know that,” I said quietly, so only she would hear. I
shook Paul’s hand and hugged each one of my parents. “I hope to see
you all in May for graduation, okay?” I couldn’t contain my
anxiousness to slide into the car beside Julia and called out to
Aaron. “Harris and Ellie are coming over at six. When will Jen be
finished?”

“I think five, so we’ll be there. Enjoy the
day, bro’. You’ve earned it,” he patted me on my back as I walked
past him in front of my car.

“Thanks. Have safe flights and call us to
let us know you’re home, please. I love you…all.”

Julia’s delicious scent surrounded me and I
paused to take a deep breath. She looked at me expectantly and then
turned to wave at the others on the curb.

My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly
as I started to pull away. I could feel her gaze like a physical
touch. “What?” I asked.

Her eyes roamed over me, taking everything
in, but she shook her head. “Are you okay? Are you sure you want to
do this.”

“Julia, enough. Why would you ask that?”

“I’m a mess,” she complained.

“You can have a shower back at my place.
You’ll just have to be careful of your injuries. If you want to
wait, Jen will be home soon and can help you wash your hair.”

Julia frowned and looked away. “I feel like
a damn invalid.”

“It’s only until your shoulder heals. You’ll
be able to move more when the sling goes away.”

“Yeah, but these ribs. They hurt like
hell.”

Frustration at being dependent flashed over
her features. There was a time, just two weeks earlier, when she
would’ve been fine leaning on me and letting me help her with the
most personal tasks, but now, I needed Jen’s help. She and Aaron
had been very gracious. We’d worked it out so Julia would never be
alone, and the hospital had been accommodating in rearranging our
shifts. It didn’t hurt that my advisor was Julia’s attending and
chief of staff.

My phone rang and I pulled it out.
Liza.
Shit
. I turned the phone off and shoved it back in my pocket as
I drove.

“Ryan, you don’t have to stop your life just
because I’m here. Take your calls. I’ll plug my ears.” Her soft
smile lit up my life and I rolled my eyes at her.

“It’s just Liza. You know how she is.”

I stopped and glanced in her direction. She
bit her lip and shook her head. “Nope. I don’t.”

“Uh, she’s just some chick that stalks me to
help her study,” I said dismissively.

“Ah…” she murmured. I could sense her
hesitation but knew her. The wheels were turning. I struggled with
what to say and decided it was better not to say anything. “She
wants to be more than a study partner?”

Shit.
“I guess, yeah, but I have no
interest at all. I never have. She’s been shamelessly chasing me
since Gross Anatomy back in year one.”

Julia cocked her head and considered this
for a moment. “That must really suck for you.” She was biting her
lip to hold back a smile, but the dimples in her cheeks deepened.
“I mean, having women chasing after you all the time. How utterly
exhausting!” she teased. “You
poor
baby.”

“As a matter of fact, yes it
does
.
It’s annoying as hell and her insipid excuses get more ridiculous
all the time.”

“Why don’t you just say
no
?”

“Hmmph! I have! More times than I can
count.”

“Surely there is something attractive about
her. She must be smart if she’s at Harvard.”

How in the hell did this conversation
land on that twit anyway?
“Julia, she’s constantly professing
her stupidity or lack of study skills to get me and probably ten
other guys to help her. Honestly, I think she’s more lazy than
horny. She doesn’t want to do the work and it’s easier to get
someone else to do it for her.”

Her eyes widened and then she laughed.
“Hmmm…you underestimate your pull, Matthews.”

I grinned. “Oh? Do tell.”

“Nope.” She popped her ‘P’ when she said it
and looked out the window.

“Julia, come on. I broke my back sleeping in
that fucking chair for a week for you; the least you can do is
stroke my ego a little.”

“Like it
needs
stroking,” she
scoffed. “The nurses were drooling over you constantly. I think
they would have let me die, except then you wouldn’t be coming
around anymore.” She rolled her beautiful eyes again. “Where’s
Ryan? When’s Ryan coming in next
?
” she imitated them in a
sing-song voice. “That’s all I heard all damn week!”

I burst out laughing. If I didn’t know
better, she sounded jealous and I was fucking ecstatic. Even if she
didn’t remember, she still wanted me.

“And? What did you tell them?” I asked,
raising my eyebrows when we stopped at the light near my
apartment.

“That I wasn’t in charge of your social
calendar, but that their best bet of catching you was between one
and four am,” she smirked mischievously.

I reached over and grabbed her hand in mine.
“Sounds about right…”

She smirked as the light changed. “Ryan, you
must have a girlfriend, don’t you?”

“Why do you think that? I’ve been very busy
with school and my…friends.”

“Because. I just know you have one. You’re
too good-looking not to.”

I huffed. Good. She still thinks I’m
attractive, but how in the hell was I going to hide that
she
was my girlfriend? “Do you think you have a boyfriend?”

“No. If I did he would have been with me at
the hospital.”

“Yes, probably every minute.” I chewed the
inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.

We pulled in and I parked in the back. After
I helped her out of the car, she stopped me by putting her right
hand on my chest and met my eyes, her expression serious. I left my
arms around her.

“Don’t you think, as someone who shares food
and cooties with you, you should tell me about your girlfriends?
You said we were close, Ryan,” she admonished ruefully.

“Julia, there is no one to tell you about!”
Shit, that was about the closest I could get to telling her the
truth
. “Can we move on from this subject now? It’s boring the
shit out of me.”

She looked hurt and I immediately regretted
the shortness of my tone.

“I just thought…well, if it were me, I’d
want to know if a strange woman was staying with you.”

I released her and pulled her bag out of the
backseat, along with her purse, flinging both over one shoulder and
wrapping the other arm around her waist to offer support as we
walked slowly up the stairs and into the building.

“If it were you, we wouldn’t be having this
ridiculous conversation. And you’re not some strange woman!” I said
in exasperation. “Look, I only have time for school, work and you
right now, so can we leave it at that? I promise not to bug the
shit out of you about your boyfriends either.”

I opened the door and waited for her to go
in. “That’s because you already know everything about me, Ryan. I’m
trying to find out about you. I want to know you better.”