Chapter 4
2288 Words
Eden
“Thank you for your help, Doctor Turner,” Levi told him.
“Thank you for trusting us to take care of Eden here as well, Mr. Donovan. If something happens, please let me know.”
“I will.”
Doctor Turner turned to me and he smiled. “Take care of yourself from now on, Eden.”
“I will. Thank you, Doctor Turner.”
“Don’t forget with your therapies, okay? No matter how long it’ll take, you should consider it as a small step.”
“I will,” I said and went back to read the hospital discharge checklist. My eyes stopped at the signature, making me wonder what my signature used to be. Pressing the tip of the pen there, I didn’t know what t do.
Everything went on auto-pilot mode as I signed Eden Donovan. Because that was Levi’s name.
“Hm,” he hummed as I turned to him, almost jumping. His eyes latched on the paper – on my signature.
“I’m sorry! C-Can I have a new paper, please?” I hurriedly said. What did I just do? I deliberately wrote Levi’s name there without his permission. Right next to my name. What an i***t you are, Eden.
Surprisingly, “That’s fine,” he said, dropping my guard. I looked at him again and he smiled. “It sounds cool too. Eden Donovan. Yeah, that’s a great name.” The pool of relief washed me as I dropped my shoulders and smiled at the nurse.
We parted ways. We headed to the lobby and when Levi stepped out, I stopped. Halting his steps too, realizing I was not by his side. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s just… I came here without identity and now I walk out with a name. Probably it sounds strange but that’s how I feel today.” I knew I had an identity once. A name. On what I was doing before the accident. The normal girl before I caught up in this mess.
“Eden,” Levi called, flicking my eyes to him. To be honest, I liked it when he called me. With my new name. It sounded right. Fitted me.
Shaking my head, “I’m okay,” I said before following him. Heading to the parking lot, I realized Levi was riding a motorcycle. That was big, literally. A black one, so Levi.
“Here,” He handed me a helmet. “Do you know how to wear it?”
“Maybe.” I pushed the helmet to my head. Levi helped me to strap it tight and he hopped on his bike. I jumped as well.
“Ready?” he asked loudly.
“I am!” I did the same too.
“Hold on tight to me, okay?” I did by reluctantly wrapping my arms around his stomach. Landing my temple on his shoulder blade. This felt nice. Listening to him spiking the engine as we drove away from the hospital.
I was about to welcome the new life as Eden Donovan.
I smiled along the way just by remembering how the name rolled in my mind. Levi said it was cool. I thought the same too. Almost like we were fitted in for each other. Okay, where did that come from? Levi saved me. The least I could do was thank him, for doing something for him. Besides, this guy paid for everything for me. He even visited me. Me, a stranger to him.
It took us almost half an hour until Levi said, “We’re here.” Here? Levi’s house? I pulled my temple from his jacket. Feeling sticky because I kept pressing the skin there for the whole road. I looked to the front. My jaw dropped, watching the house slowly become bigger and bigger as we were coming closer. He cut off the engine and I jumped off. My eyes were still stuck on the house. It was a big house. Two levels one. I saw a sofa bed on the porch. I could see the living room from the outside. The ceiling inside was high until the second floor. So modern-like. So Levi. Levi joined me as he asked, “Want a tour?”
“Yes.” We walked into the house as he opened the door for me, letting me stroll in. Scanning the inside, I saw the living room first with a large white sofa and a couple of sofa chairs around the coffee table. A wide TV was stamped on the wall. On the left side of the house were the kitchen and a dining room. In front were the stairs, probably leading to his room.
“I have nothing I can show off,” he commented. “I don’t have much.”
“I don’t think so.” Looking into his eyes, “You have a nice house.”
Smirking, “Thanks. I’ll show you your room,” he said by pressing his hand on my waist, leading me upstairs. There was no door, the entire second floor was his bedroom. Being welcomed with a king’s size grey bed, white mattress with the same color pillows, and grey comforter. I could even smell his scent all over the room. This was his room. And he only had one bedroom. Which meant…
I turned to him where he declared, “You’ll be sleeping here.”
Panic kicked in immediately. “And where will you be sleeping?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I have my own studio at the back. There’s a bed there and I spend most of my life there.” Oh, no, he didn’t just say that!
“I can’t do that to you, Levi. This is still your room. The sofa in the living is comfortable and big enough for me,” I tried to persuade him. I couldn’t take his comfy bed. I was just…a guest here, I guess?
“No. You’re sleeping here.”
“I can’t.”
“Did you just reject me?” he asked, stopping me. Feeling his tone just change. More authorities and deeper than usual. Like he didn't like it that I just rejected his kind offer. What did I just do? Levi just gracefully gave me his room – his only room for me. A stranger. Someone he saved. Someone he pitied because I didn’t know where I came from. I felt horrible at the thought.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to turn down your offer. It’s just too much for me to handle.”
“Then, get used to it.” Excuse me? What did he mean by that? “You don’t have to worry about anything. I really want to let you sleep here,” he added. Was there…something else behind his words that he was trying to hide from me? I wonder…
“Do you have a girlfriend?” I asked.
His brows shot up, wrinkling his eyebrows. “Where the hell did that come from?”
“Well, you’re letting me have your room, I’m just wondering what your girlfriend will think of you.” He scoffed, almost laughing.
“If I have a girlfriend, Eden, I won’t bring you home. I would let you stay in an apartment.”
“Then, why do you let me here? You could’ve just done that even if you don’t have a girlfriend.” And at that moment, I realized, I just hit a home run. Judging by how passive his face was, he didn’t think of that through and brought me here. I didn’t know whether I should be flattered or terrified. But all I could do now was, “You know what? Forget it. Thank you for lending me your room. I will try my best to not mess up your room.”
“I don’t mind if you messed it.” See? What was that? Even though I barely knew him, I found out there was always a double meaning to his words. Sometimes he noticed it, sometimes he didn’t. Proven when his breath hitched like he just let out the words he was not supposed to say but it was too late to take them back since they had run out of his sinful mouth. Sinful? Jeez, Eden? Seriously?
He coughed out. “Do you want to see my studio?”
“Yes!” I said in excitement as he turned his heels back downstairs. I followed him as we walked outside. Heading to the back, there was a single small house which must be his studio. He unlocked it and turned on the lights first before letting me in. I saw the white paint on the walls first before my eyes landed on the three guitars hanging on the wall. A computer with two speakers on each side, and some stuff I didn’t know about. There was a door on the left side of the house which must be his bedroom. “Are you a musician?” I asked.
“A guitarist. I have a band with my friends and I’m the guitarist. I also make music to sell.” This was nice. I didn’t know but I could picture Levi with one of those guitars, playing at the side, landing his sexy ass on that comfortable black sofa ball with his guitar on his lap. Humming, thinking of the notes in his head. I wonder what he would sound like when he sang. Getting so lost with himself while he took notes on a paper.
I liked imagining Levi. Doing something he loved and was passionate about. I could feel it. The passion he had for music.
Did I have one before?
Then, I heard a bell where Levi said, “Must be my package. Come on.” We strode out of the studio and headed back to the main house. I was waiting in the living room while Levi went to the front door. When he came back, he brought a bouquet. A bouquet of white flowers. What were those? Levi came to me and slowly handed me the bouquet.
Wait. “Are those for me?” I asked.
“Who else I’m giving now?” he countered. Oh, God.
I gently grabbed the bouquet, almost like I was scared the flowers would hurt me. I didn’t remember if I was given one before but I was extremely happy just by receiving flowers from Levi. Even I could feel the burning pools in my eyes. “Thank you,” I said, blinking the tears away.
“Don’t cry, Eden. Are you that happy just by being given flowers?”
“I don’t even understand why but I’m delighted. They are so pretty and they smell so nice. What flowers are these?”
“Easter Lilies. Said they’re associated with purity and resurrection.”
“Purity and resurrection,” I muttered the words back.
“I asked the florist to choose any type of flowers that symbolizes a fresh start or resurrection that kind of thing. Because, well, you lost your memory but that doesn’t mean you’re dead or anything like that,” he explained and he walked closer to me. Admiring the flowers in my hands, he added, “You deserve a fresh start, Eden. I know I’ll be helping you too to gain your memories back. I want to help you too. Hoping that maybe one day you can tell me your real name. I’m sure it’s just as beautiful as the name I gave you.” And at the back of my mind, the thought I had – or was not supposed to be having, telling me not to.
I didn’t want to remember.
Remembering them meant I would be gone from Levi’s life. I couldn’t stay here anymore.
This was insane and weird.
On how I developed this weird crush on the man who saved me.
But all I could do, “Thank you, Levi,” was thank him. “I’ll take care of the flowers.”
“Well, first thing first, we need to buy some clothes for you. You can choose and you don’t need to worry about the money. I’ll pay for you.” Money?
“Can I do anything for you?”
“Do what?” he asked. His tone sounded like he couldn’t believe I just asked him that.
“Anything. I don’t want to stay here for free. You’ve done so much for me and the least I can do is pay you back. Just name it, I’ll do it.” I didn’t know what I just signed up for but this was the only thing I could think of. For Levi. “I’ll do anything for you, Levi. Anything you please.” For a second, I saw something else from his hypnotizing eyes. And for a glimpse, I felt slightly uncomfortable. Almost like I could feel his lust and hunger over me. Feeling myself being naked in front of this gorgeous man even though I was covered by his hoodie. How old was he again?
“Fine, I’ll think of one. For now, we have to buy some clothes for you. Unless you want to wear my clothes all the time without a bra and panties. I don’t mind though,” he teased at the end and I scoffed.
“Are you a pervert?” I fired.
“No.” He narrowed his eyes. “But maybe you will make me the biggest pervert ever,” he added, making me laugh.
“I’m a dangerous woman, then.”
“Oh, you definitely are.”
I didn’t know that day that Levi meant…what he said.
- Writer
