“Uhh…not—”
“As often as we’d like,” Matt interjected, finishing the sentence. “Marcus lives a good hour away and weekends always get…tricky, right Marc?”
Marcus kept his focus on Liz. “I will come visit whenever you’d like me too. Never too busy for my big sister.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, nodded a thank you to the attendant and nurse and headed out.
Liz’s heart dropped. She wished to hell she was leaving with him instead. Leaving with her husband was probably the right option, even if she was feeling something off about the way he looked at her from time to time.
After signing all the papers shoved at her at the front desk, Liz pushed her way from the revolving doors and stepped out into the warm, sunny driveway. A black SUV pulled up in front of her and the windows rolled down. A man dressed in khaki shorts and a white polo shirt stepped out and handed the keys to Matt, who followed behind her.
Matt seemed a bit uneasy. As if he hadn’t planned for this or known what to do. What was she thinking? Of course he hadn’t planned for this. His wife was in a terrible car accident that caused possibly permanent memory loss. Still, something was off with him.
He pulled the passenger door open for her. “I hope you don’t mind, I thought it would be a better idea if I take you to one of our favorite spots in town before we head home.”
She didn’t mind at all.Homewas the last place she wanted to go. Especially with a stranger.
“Nice car.” She admired when Matt jumped into the driver seat a few short seconds later.
“Thanks. It’s yours.”
She frowned.
He glanced at her and grinned. “You totaled mine, remember?”
She didn’t. But knew it was true. She didn’t answer and looked ahead as he pulled away.
They drove in silence for a while. She had been watching the roads carefully, as if she were expecting to recognize something. Then she focused on the people on the streets. It didn’t take her long to figure out what she was doing. Desperately searching for someone to be familiar to her. As if there would be someone out there that could trigger something in her. Anything. But everyone appeared to be as much a stranger as the man sitting next to her.
“Can I ask what you are thinking?”
“How close are we to our neighborhood?” she asked instantly.
“Wondering if you’d know anyone here?” When Liz didn’t respond, he sighed. “I’m sorry, you hate being predictable.”
“I just realized that this is by the beach. Do we live near the beach?”
“Not us. But my parents do.”
“Oh.”
“We’re actually not anywhere near here. We do live on Long Island, but not near the water.” Matt’s face fell while he paused and focused on the road. “We probably should though, you love the beach,” he paused. “We were staying with my parents at the time of the accident, which is why the hospital you were brought to is closer to their neighborhood.”
Liz opened her mouth to ask another question when the car settled onto a bumpier road. It was loud and rough. The sound and harshness of the road made her jump and gasp as she clutched her hand across her chest.
Matt immediately pulled over to an empty space that clearly signaled NO PARKING. He glanced in the rearview mirror, put the break on and leaned over her. Concern and panic all over his face. “Are you alright?”
She flushed with embarrassment. “Oh, um…yes. I’m sorry. It was just the road. I don’t know why that scared me.”
Matt sighed and glanced outside the windshield. “No. I’m sorry. I should have warned you about the road.” He straightened after a short moment and proceeded slowly down the road, then parking again just before the intersection of a paved main street. It appeared that only the side streets were cobblestoned. Matt quickly glanced at her before jumping out and coming around the front of the vehicle to open her door.
“Thank you.” She took his hand. She didn’t trust herself on the uneven street. His hand felt warm and right underneath hers.
“Come on.” He nodded up the road. “We’re going this way.” The street held an array of stores, all very different but somehow belonging in this charming town.
“Where are we?”
“Landon’s Point. It’s the collection of shops by the water and your favorite place to visit—when we’re at my parents’ beach house, at least.”
They continued down the street and Liz couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting to every person passing them. Hoping that a familiar face might trigger something. Dr. Tai said that sometimes seeing someone or something that came across your life once can bring on a memory. He compared it to having a full-length dream the same night you heard a quick mention of something. A few headless mannequins were dressed behind store windows. One wore a dark sequined dress, with tasseled sleeves and skirt hem. Liz scrunched her nose and sincerely hoped this wasn’t her style.
