Unfamiliar

The room is unfamiliar. I don't know how I got here. The furniture is bare, and the walls are bright white. There are no personal items to show who I am or why I am here. As I start to get out of bed, someone vaguely familiar walks in.

"Hello Susan. Do you know where you are or where you are from?" asks the young man.

"No. Where am I? I assume you know, since you know my name."

"Your name is Susan Bayfield. You were found nearby, collapsed and muttering. You've been unconscious for a month. I'm hoping you'll regain your memory soon."

"Who are you? Do I know you? You look familiar," says Susan.

"My name is Dr. Grant Turner. I run this small sanitarium in York. I saw you three days before your disappearance. We were dating when you disappeared. We decided to try to make it work, so we took turns traveling back and forth, the last time I saw you, I was spending my vacation with you. You showed me around and we started talking about the feasibility of one of us moving, I thought we were closer than ever but when I got back home, I tried contacting you and was sent to voicemail. I thought you were ghosting me, only to find out you've been missing."

"I disappeared? When?"

"Approximately two months ago. You were found a month ago, dehydrated and incoherent, slipping in and out of consciousness."

“Why am I in a sanitarium, and why am I in York?”

“It’s currently under investigation; I just got all clear to be able to treat you. Since I was possibly the most recent memory that would not scare you, I requested to have you transferred here. You were found in Conway, NH with no hiking gear, water or supplies. Your car was found first on the side of the road in Methuen, MA. We’ve been hoping that you’d wake up remembering something…but I guess not. I better do my rounds; I will be back around dinnertime. Don’t try to force the memories, they will come back on their own.”

Three hours later Grant arrived with a candlelit dinner for two. Filet mignon, broccoli and buttery mashed potatoes. “I hope it’s okay, I made it earlier so that we could have dinner together and talk some more. I made all of your favorites and yes, I have dessert as well!”

“Oh, wow! I’m sure it will be perfect; you are so sweet. How long have we been dating?” Susan asks.

“We were dating for 6 months when you disappeared, I thought I had scared you away by talking about a more permanent solution. I confess it was my idea, if I’d scared you and if I could take it back, I would. But not having you by my side hurts every day that we’re apart.”

“May we discuss this after I remember how I feel?”

“Of course! Let’s enjoy our date. We have two hours before the night nurse kicks me out. I brought you a journal in case you remember something, or you need a few things to make it more comfortable here.”

“Dr. Turner, visiting hours are about to end”, said Nurse Tina.

“Okay thanks Tina! Can you send this downstairs please? I guess this is goodbye until tomorrow. I’m so happy you’re finally awake! Have a good night.” Grant whispers as he kisses her forehead.

“Good morning, how is my patient doing today?”

“I’m great but I’m having nightmares. I think it might be memories from when I went missing. All I remember is feeling scared and a man’s voice, but I can’t make out what he is saying. “Susan says as she hands him her journal. “I wrote down everything l can remember. Oh, and this is a list of things I need, I am guessing you know my size.”

That evening Grant returned with burgers, fries and strawberry shakes, along with 3 pajama sets, 3 pairs of shorts and T-shirts, a pair of stylish sandals and booties. Added to that he bought her a Kindle and handed her a gift card. Susan gave a huge hug and kissed him. She pulled away in shock and touched her lips.

“Oh my God!” she says as she hugs him, “I remember, I love you!”

“You really remember me? I mean, us?” Grant asks.

“Yes! I was ready to move…. but then…I can’t remember.”

“This is a good sign. Eat up, we have episodes of your favorite shows to catch up on.” Grant says with a huge smile as he places a recliner next to her bed. They fall asleep cuddling on the recliner and Grant wakes up to a bloodcurdling scream.

“I remember! I remember everything!” screams Susan. “He tried to kill me when I refused to marry him!”

“Who are you talking about?” Grant asks

She doesn’t answer but cries. Grant returns with something to calm her down and she returns to sleep. He stays until she wakes up and tells her the police are on the way.

“Thank you,” she nodded. “I always knew Thomas wasn’t happy about our breakup, but I didn’t think he’d do something so heinous. He was intending on killing me, but I managed to untie myself and stabbed him to escape. I fell, hit my head, and ended up where I was found.”

"I apologize for my assumption that you had left, and for not making any effort to determine what had occurred." said Grant "I should have tried harder, I will forever try to make it up to you. The police are here, I will be back at dinnertime."

"So, ma'am, can you tell us what you remember?" asks Officer Lee

"Well, I was working in my office when I heard a glass break. I grabbed a knife, placed it in the back of my jeans and continued to work thinking that I imagined it. Then Aidan placed a pillowcase over my head, tied my hands, and he led me into a van or box truck. He stopped suddenly a few times, I hit my head and when I woke up I was in a cabin, tied up, laying on a cot pretending to be asleep, and listening to him rambling on and on about how I brought it upon myself and why should he let Grant marry the only woman, he (Thomas) loved or would ever love. I remember that I began to think he'd abandoned me when he was gone. He returned 3 days later, and I kept begging him to let me go. He got angry with me, gave me a stale drugged sandwich and when I woke up, I found myself tethered to a pole and he was gone.

I began cutting the rope that held my hands behind my back. It took 7 hours to untie my arms and legs. He came back soon after I was done, with groceries in hand talking away, until he glanced over and realized I was free. I got up off the chair I’d been sitting in. I grabbed the knife from my back and stabbed him as I ran by.

I then began running and slid down a hiking trail and I woke up here."

“Thank you, Ms. Bayfield,” said the officer.

The following evening, Grant took her to Bar Harbor.  They spent the entire day together and had a romantic picnic in the park as they talked about the future. “I don’t want to lose you, I think you should really consider marrying me, I love you. You have been a wonderful patient, but I think it’s time to send you home now that you have your memory back.

“But where is home? I can’t return to Connecticut, I won’t feel safe, the police can't find hide nor hair of Thomas. It's as if he's vanished into thin air.” says Susan

“Oh gosh, I guess I’ll have to move you into our new home. “Grant replied with a huge smile. “Everything will arrive and be unpacked tomorrow afternoon and be ready by the time we come home.”

"I can't imagine being married to a sweeter man!" say Susan "I love you."