AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cam holds me for a long time, his steady warmth and scent familiar enveloping me. When he finally pulls back, his eyes are soft with concern.
“Talk to me. What’s really bothering you?”
I hesitate, unsure of how to voice my fears without accusing him. But Cam has always been able to read me, even when I don’t want him to.
“It’s about us, isn’t it?” His jaw tightens. “You’re wondering if you can trust what I’ve told you.”
“I don’t mean to doubt you.” I twist my hands together. “How do I know our relationship was as perfect as you say?”
“Like what?” Cam’s tone turns defensive. “What do you think I’m hiding from you?”
“I don’t know!” I rise to face him, anger and frustration boiling over. “How do I know you’re not deceiving me, or lying to yourself?”
“I would never lie to you.” Cam’s eyes flash with hurt and anger. “You know me better than that.”
“But I don’t!” I shout.
We stare at each other; mistrust hanging thick between us. A mistrust that threatens to poison the precarious bonds of our relationship. Silence stretches between us, filled with uncertainty and betrayal. I gaze at the man I barely started trusting, wondering if I ever really knew him at all.
Cam shakes his head, his expression thunderous. “So that’s how it is? After everything we’ve built together, my word still isn’t good enough for you?”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I wish I could just accept what you say and move on. But I need more than your assurances. I need my own memories.”
“What if you never get them back?” Cam’s eyes meet mine, stark with pain. “Are you saying you want to end this? End us?”
His questions hang in the air, heavy. I wrap my arms around myself, aching with worry. How can I go on in a relationship with Cam, who I only remember as my enemy, no matter what we might have shared in recent years?
But the thought of losing Cam tears me apart. I’ve come to depend on his smile, his laughter, the warmth I find in his embrace. If I walk away from this, from us, I lose one of the few anchors left in my unraveling world.
I stare out the window, my throat tight. “Cam, I don’t know if I can do this without my memories. I wish I had a different answer, but I just don’t know…”
My words trail off, but the truth remains unspoken between us. Our relationship may be broken beyond repair.
Cam sucks in a sharp breath, and when I glance at him, his eyes are bright with emotion. He scrubs a hand over his face.
“I know this is hard for you,” he says at last. “Harder than I can imagine. But we’ve been through too much to give up now. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Aisha, and I won’t lose you.” Cam meets my gaze, his own steady and sure. “We’ll make new memories. Ones that are ours to share, not relive from the past.” He reaches for my hand and I don’t pull away, taking some comfort in the warmth of his touch. “I’m here for you, Aisha. If you let me in. Let me help you, baby. Let me prove we’re worth fighting for.”
I lace my fingers through his and nod. A smile breaks across Cam’s face as he pulls me into his arms.
He presses his lips to my hair. “We’ll figure this out together. I promise.”
Nine
Chapter 9
Cam sighs and rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know what else to do, Aisha. I’ve tried everything, but nothing’s working.”
His words gut me. I hate seeing the defeat in his eyes, knowing I’m the cause of his pain. If only I could remember him, remember us, and how we came to be.
I take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t give up on me. Please.”
Cam nods and kisses my knuckles. “Never.”
We sit in silence for a long while, the only sound in the room our quiet breaths. My mind races as I try to recall even the smallest detail of our life together. There has to be something, some clue, that can unlock my past.
Then Cam clears his throat and says, “Do you remember that trip we took to Hawaii?”
A tingle races down my spine at his words. Maui. Images flash through my mind - white sand beaches, turquoise waters stretching as far as the eye can see, orange sunsets that set the sky ablaze. The familiarity of it all nearly overwhelms me.
