The room was a nauseating site, full of antiseptic smells and bland colors with bright whites. Allison had hoped that her husband, Jay DeMarcus, would wake up. His messy black hair had been uncombed, and it was tussled everywhere. The paleness of his skin was alarmingly transparent; you could trace his dark blue veins all the way up his arm. Bones poked out from his joints from where he had lost so much weight; it scared and horrified Allison. Just three months ago he was a healthy thirty-two year old man. Every strand of his black hair was never out of lace; waking up at six in the morning every day Jay would gel his hair to complete his ultimate look. His was never to tan, but his health was always imperative to him. His blue eyes shone like gems hidden beneath stories of the untold. Being as healthy as he was he never let his weight drop nor gain a few pounds over 170 pounds.
Their four year old daughter, Isabella, was lying asleep on the cot the nurses brought in. She had been utterly exhausted from being carried from and to the hospital. His angel like blonde hair whisked past her shoulders, barely touching her back. Just like her father, she had enormous blue eyes that glittered and shone. Her height was of three feet and five inches.
As Allison sat there, and watched the machines beep and move she thought of what had happened to her darling husband. A few months ago while on stage with his band mates Jay ran into a steel bar, that knocked him unconscious. While at the hospital the doctors put him into a medically induced coma. A week had past since they took him out of the coma, so now all they had to do was wait.
Wait…
And
Wait…
Allison’s heart jumped when a machine hooked up to Jay started to beep furiously. A nurse came running in to check Jay’s pulse. All the commotion had woke up Isabella, and she got out of the cot to run to Allison. She picked Isabella up with all her might. Isabella clung to Allison’s body with all her might. Through the past months nurses and doctors had been coming in and out of Jay’s hospital room to check upon him. All of her worrying and desperation to help Isabella get through this also drained her of all her energy. Within the last few weeks it seemed almost impossible to carry the skin upon her bones. This was because as she focused all her thoughts, feelings, and energy towards everyone and everything besides herself she became exhausted.
A nurse escorted her out of the room for fear of something going horribly wrong with Jay. The nurse compassionately told Allison a few words of comfort, but Allison wasn’t listening. Worry and sadness had once again stole her heart and mind. What if the next time she saw her husband he was in a funeral casket? Getting in the waiting room, which was down the hall from Jay’s room, Allison collapsed into a chair. She refrained herself from weeping. Isabella was still with her, and she didn’t want to worry the small child. In Allison‘s mind nothing seemed real any more. More known of her feelings rather than her own child’s she mechanically rocked Isabella back and forth, even though her maternal instincts told her Isabella wouldn’t go back to sleep
“Mommy, when is daddy going to not be sick?” Isabella leaped from her mother’s lap to the floor.
“ Bell-Bell, I don’t know.” Allison looked into Isabella’s eyes, and she instantly wanted to cry.
The bland colored walls made her want to vomit. Nothing was going right. She felt emotional drained from crying and raging about her husband’s predicament. A chill ran up her back as she saw the doctor come her way.
The doctor came into the room and said, “ Now Mr. DeMarcus has woken up, but it seems that he has suffered some memory loss. He thinks he is twenty-five instead of thirty-two. He doesn’t know who you or Isabella are.” Allison could hardly contain her anger and frustration, but she didn’t want to take it out on the doctor. “Can you contact his cousin Gary Vernon? Mr. DeMarcus is determined to see him.” Doctor AJ Esparza went back into Jay’s room.
Doctor AJ had been Jay and Allison family physician. He was an elder man with a short stature, and his weight was below the average. His facial expression expressed sympathy and compassion, but Allison refused show any feelings towards him. She wanted to make the appearance that she had everything under control.
“Can I go see him?” Allison asked trembling.
“No, I still need to give him an over all physical check up, and I need to explain to him some of the things that have been going on.” Doctor AJ stood up and walked into Jay’s room.
The words came out of his mouth mechanically, and with no emotion. One by one they hit her like tumbling bricks. Being crushed under the weight of such news; she cried.
The nurse that had took Isabella to play with the stuff animals that hospital has kept for children to entertain themselves brought her back to Allison.
“Mommy what’s wrong?” Isabella climbed into Allison’s lap as she saw her cry.
“Oh Bell, Mommy wants Daddy to get better. I miss him.” Allison dug for her cell phone in her brown leather hand bag.
Allison took Isabella outside so she could call Gary. It crushed her heart that her husband wanted to see his cousin and couldn’t even remember her. It took Gary maybe fifteen minutes to get there; he met Allison outside. Gary was Jay’s best friend, and Allison had no problem with him. As soon as she met Jay Gary had treated her like family. He was a kind and gentle person, but he didn’t seem to show his own emotion much. He was always worried about every one else. She knew Gary fairly well because jay and himself never were far apart. They spent their time together like siamese twins. Once she got off the phone with Gary he was there within fifteen friends.
“Ally what happened? Is he ok?” Gary asked with anticipation.
“Gary he woke up-” Allison started to say as Gary interrupted her.
“Hallelujah…” Gary started to say,his tone expressing relief. His heart jumped into his throat. He had waited so long for Allison to say that. Gary bright green eyes shone like stars.
“No Gary, he’s suffering from memory loss. He thinks he’s twenty-five again. Gary he doesn’t remember Bella or… or even me.” They walked inside.
Once inside the waiting room, Allison took one look at Gary and began to sob. Gary held her because he didn‘t know what else to do. Being a very non-emotional man he tried to comfort her as best he could. Isabella looked up at them in confusion. In between her sobs Allison informed him that Jay needed to see him. Allison kept Isabella in the waiting room with her as Gary slowly walked into Jay’s room.
“Who are you?” Jay asked as he looked at Gary like a stranger from hell.
“I’m Gary Vernon your second cousin,” Gary replied sitting beside his hospital bed as Jay got a good look at him.
The doctor was also in the room; apparently Gary had walked in on their conversation. Feeling disrespectful Gary just sat and listened quietly.
“Like I was saying, Jay it’s two-thousand and eight, not the year two-thousand. Jay, you are thirty-two, and not twenty-five.” Jay just denied everything the doctor said.
His voice full of venom, Jay looked alive with spirit. Unlike being in a coma, his hair was patted down, and his skin was full of color. He seemed to be up to him old self, but that was the problem he was stuck in the past. Jay contorted his face with a frown, and refused to listen to what the doctor had to say any further.
All conversation was ending, and the doctor was leaving the room when Gary got up to go with the doctor into the hallway. He asked him when Jay was going to regain his memory.
Gary learned that it depended on the certain person and time. Photographs or old home videos could defiantly spark a plug and help him regain a formation of a recollection.
Gary asked Allison to bring Isabella in to see Jay.
“Gary I can’t, he doesn’t even know my name.” Allison trembled.
“Ally I know this is hard for you, but Jay could remember anything just by seeing your face, or hearing your voice. He could even remember something just by looking at Isabella. Please, Allison, please.” Allison reluctantly gave in.
Trembling she grabbed the door knob. Holding it for a second she shut her eyes tight trying to calm herself down enough to be able to see Jay. She worried he would hate her, and tell her to leave. She was afraid of the unexpected. Reopening her eyes Allison walked into his room. As she walked into his room, Jay’s magnificent blue eyes washed over her.
“Hello Jay.” Allison sat down.
Allison had explained beforehand to Isabella that Jay was still very sick, and therefore didn’t know a whole lot; Bella sat very still in her mother’s lap.
“Hey Heather. Long time no see.” Allison raised her eyebrows up at Gary.
Gary was shocked himself; Allison could tell by his facial expression. Allison didn’t want to push the subject; she just wanted to be there with her husband so she didn’t correct him on her name. Allison made note to herself to ask Gary who Heather was because by the expression on his face she was someone dear to him. Gary was shocked and heartbroken to hear of his late wife’s name. he hadn’t openly talked about her since her death. He was grateful to Allison for not asking of her name.
For the duration of their visit no one said any thing about the name mistake. Then it was time for visitors to leave, so Gary took Ally and Bella home.
On the two hour long ride to the DeMarcus’s household Bella fell asleep.
“Gary, who’s Heather?” Allison regretted asking the question once she saw a single tear run down Gary’s right cheek.
“Ally, Heather was my late wife. We were high school sweethearts, and we were married for five years.” Gary regained his self-control by taking in air like a fish out of sea.
“Oh, Gary, I’m sorry.” Allison stared down at her hands.
“Don’t be. Heather died giving birth to our daughter Sara, but a week after her birth Sara died of Sudden Infant Death syndrome.” Gary looked like stone; his face showed no emotion and was motionless.
Nothing else was said the rest of the way. While they got close to Allison’s home a lump grew bigger and bigger in her throat, but she refused to cry. Allison thanked him for the ride home, and got Isabella out of the car. On the outside of their house it looked big and elegant with white peelers supporting the front porch. Opposite from the outside the inside looked warm and cozy. Jay had let her decorate their home any way she had wanted. To this decision little of Jay was expressed through the house, but he did have his studio which was a room in the left corridor.
Once into her countryside home Allison put Bella into her bed. Descending down the stairs Allison racked her brain to try and remember if Jay ever said anything about Heather. As nothing came to mind she sat on the couch curled up with a photo album. It was the photo album that contained pictures from her pregnancy, Isabella’s birth, and Isabella’s first birthday. She had got the photo album from under the coffee table in the living room. A picture could say a thousand words.
The next day Allison dropped Isabella off at preschool, and went to the hospital with her pre-selected pictures.
She struggled to keep bursting emotions from pouring out of her, she walked into Jay’s room. Jay’s face was cold and unfriendly. This was because he had forgotten when she was, and wasn’t welcoming any visitors. He just wanted to be left alone. Something unknown to Allison. Before his accident his smiles use to radiate light for a room full of people. He use to look at her with affection and love. She missed him so much; it just wasn’t fair, but she was always being reminded these days that life just wasn’t fair.
“Hello Jay. I’m Allison, and I wanted to show you some pictures. Maybe you can remember something from them.” Allison pulled the pictures out of her purse.
She had reintroduced herself because yesterday while visiting Jay he had called her Heather, and she wanted him to know her real name. She was dying to tell him the truth about their life together, but she knew it had to wait. That kind of blow could be fatal.
Jay refused to say anything, so she went through the pictures one by one, slowly explaining them
“Wait,” Jay demanded as Allison turned to a picture of Jay and Isabella on her first birthday.
The picture had been taken by Allison. Isabella was staring straight at the camera, and Jay was happily looking at Bella.
Her birthday was on Jay’s grandma’s deaths anniversary. Allison had wanted to have the party on another day, but jay said it was fine. While everyone was arriving for the party Isabella woke up from her nap. Jay went upstairs, and got her from her crib. Taking her downstairs her tried to get her further awake. He went into the kitchen, and sat Isabella in her highchair so he could help pass out the crackers and cheese. The cake had been sitting on table. With all her might Isabella leaned over, and she got a piece of the cake with her tiny finger. She stuck the icing in her mouth, but she didn’t like it so she spit it out. It went flying and landed on Jay’s face. After Jay cleaned his face off he picked up Isabella as his mom took a picture with her camera.
“Who is that baby?” Jay asked, not moving his gaze from the picture.
“That is my daughter, Isabella Hope,” Allison replied. Having to say my daughter instead of our daughter burnt her tongue. It was like a nasty blurb of words vomiting out of her mouth.
“She looks familiar. Will you bring her here some time?” Jay asked.
“You saw her yesterday. She was the little girl with me, but if you would like to see her again I’ll bring her.” Allison fixated her eyes on Jay.
“Thank you,” Jay said.
Isabella was only four, and she didn’t understand why her daddy couldn’t remember her. She would without doubt say things that would confuse Jay. Then Ally would have to explain to Jay that she was his wife, and they had a daughter together. Of course Jay would deny it all.
*******************************************************************
The next day was a Saturday. Allison got Isabella up early, and dressed in a sweater and jeans.
“Is Daddy better now?” Isabella asked as they got into the car.
“No, but he wants to see you. You’re his favorite little girl in the whole wide world.” Allison gave her best smile, and got into the driver seat.
At the hospital, Isabella skipped along the hallway until they got to Jay’s room. She quietly tiptoed in; Allison followed behind her. Jay had hung up the pictures she had given him. She smiled, but once again Jay was being unsociable. After a few minutes of stillness Jay began to talk.
“Is that Isabella?” Jay asked, smiling.
‘Yes it is. Bell-Bell go say hi.” Allison sat Isabella in the chair beside his bed.
“Hello,” Bella said shyly.
“Oh you don’t have to be shy around me. I promise I don’t bite.” Jay reached over to tickle her.
She burst out laughing, and climbing into his lap she asked, “ Daddy when are you coming home?”
‘What?” Jay asked in return.
Allison held her breath as Bella asked her question again. Allison asked Isabella to go play with her dolly on the cot while Jay and herself talked.
“What was she talking about, and tell me the truth.” Jay’s voice was shaky.
“Jay, I know you don’t remember, but that’s your four year old daughter and I’m your wife.” Allison shivered as the last few words tumbled from her mouth.
“I don’t believe you. Get out, get out now!” Jay demanded as she picked up her daughter and left.
She couldn’t believe him. Allison knew he didn’t understand, but he has hurt her. On the car ride home Isabella fell silent, but when they got home she was popping with questions.
“Why was Daddy mean to you Mommy?” Bella asked, playing with her long, light blonde hair.
“Oh Bell- Bell Daddy’s confused, and doesn’t remember a lot of things.” Allison took Isabella into their home.
Isabella quickly went upstairs to her room. Allison shook her head as she walked into the kitchen. She was going to make Isabella some lunch. As she stirred the macaroni the phone rang; she let it go to the answering machine.
“Hey Ally it’s Gary. I was just calling to see how you were doing. I’m going to go see Jay. Well call me back when you get this bye.”
Allison sighed, what was she going to do? She decided to cal Gary back after she talked with Bella. Allison slowly went up the stairs with a steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese. Allison walked into Isabella’s bedroom she saw her coloring in her coloring book.
“Time for lunch, sugar.” Allison laid the bowl on a tray.
“Look Mommy, I drew Daddy a picture.” Bella handed Allison the picture.
“It’s beautiful, baby. Here, eat some macaroni,” Allison said.
“I don’t want to eat mac-roni.” She pushed it away.
“Why?” Allison asked.
“Daddy likes mac-roni.” Bella was on the verge of tears, “I miss Daddy.”
“Oh, baby come here.” She climbed into Allison’s lap.
Allison held Isabella, and rocked her back and forth. Allison couldn’t imagine being four years old, and to have your dad not know who you were.
“Bella I know, and I miss Daddy too, but you have got to eat something,” Allison said as Bella slowly sat up and ate some macaroni and cheese.
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That night Allison tossed and turned in bed all night long. How could Jay remember Heather and not her? She had to find out more. Her thoughts raced through her head, never ending. Silent sobs slowly took place; as Allison bite her pillow, and shut her eyes tears soaked the silk pillow case. Taking a deep breath Allison sat straight up in bed, and held her head in her hands. She tried to be as quite as she could so she wouldn’t wake up Isabella.
After she thought she couldn’t cry any more a single tear slide across her face. She sniffled so she could breath, and get back to sleep. Nothing seemed to get her back to normal so she got up, and Allison blew her nose. While she looked in the mirror she saw her face all red and nasty. How would Jay ever remember her when she looked like this?
********************************************************************
Isabella woke Allison up at six in the morning. She had a horrible headache, and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. Even though she knew she had to get out of bed to take care of her daughter.
“What Bell? It’s too early to get up.” Isabella sat in her lap.
“When are we going to go see Daddy?” Allison rubbed the sleep from her own eyes.
“We’re not going to go see him today darling.”
Isabella whined all morning about not going to see Jay, but Allison just didn’t have the strength. While Bella and Allison were going over the alphabet there was a knock at the door. It was Gary with …
Jay.
“Jay! Gary! What are you guys doing here?” Allison asked as she let them in.
“They released him from the hospital because his physical injuries are healed.” Gary and Jay sat down on the couch.
Well, almost.
Anyway, it really annoys me here.
I won't probably have the time for the whole story right now, but I'll come back later, then, if it's okay.
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