Page 18 of Don’t Forget Me

“Swollen ankle?” His eyes scanned the elastic bandage wrapped around my leg.

How embarrassing to be in this condition before a really hot doctor, I thought to myself as I drank from my water. Wait, what was I thinking? I needed coffee. I needed to be sober.

I knew that a painful headache was awaiting me the next morning, and I wish I hadn’t needed to wake up early for that damned meeting.

The doctor walked toward the end of my bed, grabbing the binder and checking my charts.

“My friend and I were celebrating her twenty-first birthday. I tried to be spontaneous for the first time ever, and it backfired on me.”

I only received an eloquent laugh from him. He even had a rich-person chuckle, it was baffling.

“Those are the best stories to tell when you’re old and wrinkly,” he argued.

“You have a point,” I began, but trailed off as I scanned the identification badge hanging from his white coat. “Aldair.”

Aldair chuckled and nodded. “Aye. How’s your ankle holding up?”

I always believed fate had brought us together. Camille’s birthday dinner at The Black Orchid, my ankle spraining, going to Novamed Hospital, him walking past my room.

He could’ve been in another section of the hospital; he could’ve helped another drunken girl with her water bottle; he could’ve conversed with her for the rest of the night and charmed her with his antics. But it was me. He chose me. We had to be soulmates, right?

I slowly found a way out of his arms, grabbed a vase from the cabinet beneath the island, filled it up with water, and set the stems of the bouquet carefully into the glass. “That is true. But it’s fine, I just have to convince them of the story that I have in mind.”

“Are you gonna be busy today, then?” he asked.

I felt uneasiness rush into my chest. “I’m going to head to the coffee shop and get to writing. Why? What’s up?”

“I was hoping we could talk wedding plans.”

“Oh, babe, I don’t know. I really have to start writing those chapters.”

A hint of disappointment flashed across his expression. There was a dash of anger and impatience as well, but I didn’t give any mind to it once I saw it disappear as quickly as it came.

“Tell me more of this impromptu idea you’ve got in your mind.” Aldair leaned on the kitchen island, his figure reflecting on the polished marble beneath him. There was a small glimmer in his dark forest gaze, one that showed how much he admired me. He only had eyes for me, no one else.

My eyes widened.

“What?” he questioned.

“It’s just that… you’ve never asked that before.”

He scoffed. “Lysandra, we both know that’s not true. I always ask about your job. If anything, it’s the other way around.”

And there it was. That switch that gave me a glimpse of the side of him I didn’t particularly feel at peace with. What was I even supposed to say to that?

“I’m going to work on a new ending for So Long, Scotland. It gained a lot of traction, and perhaps there’s still a story there to be written.”

His head tilted to the side as he furrowed his brows. “I thought that story was finished.”

“I thought so too,” I trailed off.

If only he knew just how real this new beginning was. As he questioned my choice to dive back into a story I had already shelved in the vaults of my mind, I was relieved I hadn’t told him the truth. Although I’m sure he had heard the rumors.

Nonetheless, he didn’t deserve this. I had to release this phantom that had accompanied me for the past five years. Maybe working with Ezra would be the only way for me to let go of him.

“Anyway, I wanted to get started on my first draft before I begin attending the dozens of meetings for the movie,” I explained as I fixed up some grapes next to my breakfast.

His confusion was replaced with glee. “That is right! I wanted to congratulate you, my love, for this great triumph.”