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“Yes and no.” When confusion clouded his face, I explained, “I want to help him remember us. I was living a nightmare for so long. And it’s a dream come true that we got him back. But I want my life back—ourlife. I know we have an unusual situation and an unusual request. Is there any way you can help me do that?”
“What you’re going through right now is difficult. Vince’s memory might come back. It might not. He may only get bits and pieces, and he might lose some of them forever.”
“I know that, Dr. Farris. And I’m trying to prepare myself for whatever happens without losing hope.”
When he smiled, I felt hopeful. “If there’s anything at all that I can do, I will do it. I don’t care what it is. I know he feels just as lost as I do. But it’s worse for him. I have all of these wonderful memories. And he’s trying to remember them.” I shook my head, feeling like a babbling buffoon.
“I would suggest that you and Vince get to know each other. You have a rare opportunity to fall in love all over again.” I must have looked as confused as I felt because he didn’t wait for me to ask anything. “You’ve known each other a long time. He has memories of you, but for some reason, not about you getting married or your son. My idea might work, but you need to know and prepare yourself that it might not. All you can do is try.”
“I want to. If it helps him remember, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Might I suggest recreating your first moments, special moments that connected you? Think back—your first date, your first kiss—anything you feel was especially significant to creating Vince and Hailey.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Or on Vince.”
“Of course.” We talked for a few more minutes about the ideas already starting to percolate in my mind. By the time we finished, I had tons of options. “What if he doesn’t remember them, Dr. Farris?”
“As I said, don’t put too much pressure on either of you. Just go out, have date night, and have fun. Hold hands, have a romantic dinner, or do anything special or unique for you guys. And if all else fails, create new moments, new memories.”
By the time I left Dr. Farris’s office, my earlier bleakness and frustration were replaced with a glimmer of hope and a sense of excitement. Vince faced many challenges, physical, mental, and emotional, and he was getting better with each passing day. He was a pillar of strength and tenacious determination, but I knew his greatest difficulty was not being able to remember some of the most important parts of his life.
With Dr. Farris’s suggestions, I finally felt like there was a light at the end of this very dark tunnel. As I drove home, I decided that tonight would be pizza night at one of our favorite spots.
When I got home, the contents of the cabinet under the kitchen sink covered practically every square inch of the counter. “I’m home,” I called, walking to Hudson and giving him a series of loud smooches. His gleeful giggles made me so happy. Chewie lifted his head and thumped his tail. He yawned and padded over to me. “Hey, buddy.”
Vince popped up, and the sight of him bare-chested stole my breath. His skin was marred with scars, and he had indeed lost a lot of muscle mass, but he was still sexy as sin. “Hey,” he said, wiping his hands on a towel and flinging it onto his shoulder.
“What’s going on in here?” It was then that I noticed the new stainless-steel faucet. “Oh, wow,” I said, “it’s so shiny.”
“And it has a sprayer.” He turned on the water and pulled the sprayer wand from the spout.
“Very nice,” I said.
“I think we might need a new garbage disposal, but I can do that another time.”
“Eh, it works fine.”
He shook his head. “It’s old as shit. Oh, and let me show you something else.” He lifted Hudson from his highchair and held out his hand. Hudson wiggled in his arms, then started crying and reaching for me. “I swear he hates me,” Vince said as he handed him to me. Hudson immediately settled down.
“He doesn’t hate you.” Vince stopped at the doorway to our bathroom and scowled. “Whenever I hold him, he cries.”
“Really?” I pursed my lips together. “Because he was perfectly fine when I came in.” When Vince rolled his eyes, I asked, “Has he been crying all day?”
“No. But my parents barely left before you walked in.”
“There, see? He doesn’t hate you, Vince.”
“He does when you’re around.”
I raised a brow and smirked, swaying with Hudson on my hip. “Oh, so I’m the problem?”
“No. Gah! You know what I mean, Hailey.”
I stepped forward and kissed Vince. “He’s just used to me. That’s all. Right, Hudson? We love Daddy, don’t we.” As soon as I saidDaddy, Hudson reached for Vince. “Mm-hm,” I murmured as Hudson snuggled into Vince’s hold.
Vince kissed Hudson’s head and sighed. “Check out the shower.”
