“No,” Liz responded. A silent moment went by.
Dr. Tai waited patiently while Matt was confused.
Liz continued. “I left it on purpose.”
“Why?” Dr. Tai asked calmly.
“Because I knew he wouldn’t call.” Liz’s expression turned sad and hopeless. Matt’s heart ached at the sight. He pulled his eyes off her and stared at the cold hard tiled floor.
“What if someone else called?” Dr. Tai didn’t bother asking who she referred to.
“I don’t have anyone else,” her breathing escalated and a single tear fell down her cheek.
Dr. Tai’s head lifted and he straightened his back, moving an inch closer to Liz.
Matt swallowed again, as he tried to release the tightening of his throat. Guilt and agony overpowering him so hard he couldn’t see straight. He paced just to regain control. Then stopped when he noticed Dr. Tai glare at him.
The doctor stood from his seat and asked Liz to remain in her thoughts for a moment. He walked up to Matt and motioned for him to step out. Outside the door, he whispered. “If you don’t relax, I’m going to have to ask you to wait out here.
“How is working backward relevant?” Matt asked, irritated that his questions were upsetting Liz. It was also not getting down to the core issue that Matt had asked Dr. Tai to look for. “Why can’t you just start from the time of the—from when this all started.”
“That’s not how this works Mr. Owen. I’m starting from the last thing that happened and work my way back as far as I need to. Based on her situation and answers, I decide what my next question is and where I’d like her to go. If she happens to mention that during this accident she lost a necklace she got when she was fifteen, then I might jump to her fifteenth birthday,” he paused when Matt shook his head to himself. “I can assure you I know what needs to be done to help Liz and I know how I’d like to get there. If I am to help Liz remember, I need to know facts about her life and where the key events lie in order to help her confront and eventually overcome them.”
Matt wanted more than anything to help Liz. He hoped memories would come back to her slowly and from the beginning of her life, like the doctor originally suggested. Then she wouldn’t have been shocked or scared when she learned about the more recent events. However, the doctor had a point. They needed to get to the core if Matt wanted to know what caused Liz’s memory loss. If it was truly the head trauma alone or if a part of her mind was choosing to stay away because of stress and personal trauma. There was also the other thing that he was sure Liz was still keeping from him. He had asked her about it but got nothing the night at his parents’ house. He needed to know what that was. It could mean everything for him. Unless Liz told him, he would never know. This very well could be his only way of finding out.
He looked up at the doctor. “I know where they are,” Matt insisted.
Dr. Tai stared at Matt for one moment and let out a breath. “Where would you like for me to take her?”
Matt wasn’t sure if taking Liz back to the time leading up to their wedding was right. It may be too stressful. But he needed to know. He swallowed again. “Can you take her back to the week before our wedding? We were in our bedroom. We talked for hours about our life together and plans we had. She had a moment where I lost her for a few seconds. Can you take her back there? I need to know what that was.”
The doctor hesitated and then looked judgingly at Matt. “I can’t do that without the patient’s consent.”
Matt glared back at him. “I understand,” Matt said simply.
Dr. Tai opened the door to let them back in. He took a seat back across from Liz. He woke her up from her state and she was alert again.
Dr. Tai had explained the scene he wanted to take her back to. Liz seemed intrigued at the memory and looked at her husband for guide.
Matt gave her a small grin and nodded. She turned back and agreed. Within seconds, Liz fell under again.
“Liz,” the doctor started again, “I’d like for you to go a little further back in time to before you and Matt were married.” He glanced at Matt, unsure. “Say a week or so before. You two are—”
“In his bedroom at his old apartment. We just finished a bottle of wine after dinner and talking about our life together,” Liz smiled, “making plans.”
Matt looked at her thoughtfully, seeing her happy again, even subconscious, meant everything to him.
“What are you two talking about specifically?”
Eyes still closed, lips still slightly lifted on the corners. “Where we’ll live. What recipes to swear by. If we should have one car or two,” Liz paused and her smile faded, “Promises of always being honest with each other.”
“Okay, that all sounds very nice, Liz. Was what you were saying necessarily what you were thinking at that moment?”
“No,” she answered immediately. A moment of silence went by. She opened her mouth but seemed to have trouble getting the words out. “I—” she choked out and then stopped. “I need to...”
“What is it, Liz?” the doctor pressured.
She shook her head vigorously. “I can’t do it. I can’t, the words, they won’t come out.”
