His Conundrums

Chapter 30

Something To Look Back

Sirius rolled to the other side of his bed. He saw the family picture he had been staring at the whole night. Alex made him rest for two weeks now and said to wait for his call. Joe didn’t try to bother him but checking him out every two days, giving him freshly cooked cookies Mr. Lauve baked for him.

He sat up, looked at the wall clock, and decided to take a shower.

He stayed in his bathroom for a couple of minutes, drowning in his thoughts.

“Polaris,” he muttered.

He knew about Polaris's star, but it seems kind of familiar more than being a star.

“Epsilon,” he muttered again.

He stayed up all night thinking about those two things. He wiped the mirror and stared at his wet face. He grabbed a towel and dried his hair along with his face.

“Epsilon.”

He went out of the bathroom and changed into his clothes. He went looking for a box above his cabinet. It was a box Alex gave him the first time he came back after his accident. He put it on the floor and started to go around those things inside the box.

He saw his planner. He may not realize it before, but there was something engraved on the hardcover of his planner.

“North Star, Polaris?” He flipped through it and saw the three missing pages.

“Why did I tear these pages?” he said, as he runs his fingers, trying to feel it but remembers no memories.

He closed the notebook and started to look for more. Trophies, certificates, pictures of him and his dad, a baseball ball, his old badge, and a film roll.

He took the film roll and looked at it. It’s not an empty film roll. It was used.

He took his cellphone and dialed Joe’s phone number.

‘Joe handsome speaking,’ Joe answered on the other line.

“Do you know someone who developed pictures from old films?” he asked. He heard Joe’s laugh.

‘Two weeks and now you’re into photography?’ Joe asked him.

“I asked a question answered by yes or no. Do you know someone?” Sirius told him.

Joe cleared his throat and tried to think for someone.

‘Uhmm… Well, we’re living in a digital world today, and those are not the thing anymore, but I think I know someone who really is into photography, and I think he still has his photography kit,’ Joe said.

“Tell me,” he said.

‘He’s not here in Hallray anymore. He moved to Rook City.’

“Then, let’s go there,” Sirius said.

‘What? Are you kidding me? You know how far Rook City is, don’t you? It’s at the center of a long wide meadow. It’s not even a city. It’s like a holy land full of temples. Wait. Why are you trying to reach him out? You still have an oldie camera?’ Joe asked him.

“I tried to look through my old things from my office, and I found this film. I might be able to get an answer from here,” he told him.

Sirius heard Joe sighed.

‘Okay, I’ll go with you, but you have all expenses covered. I tried to look more decent because of you, and I’m not doing my old stuff anymore. I’m broke. This ex-thief is broke,’ Joe said.

He smirked.

“So you decided to live your life peacefully?” he asked.

‘Still not peaceful enough because you’re a civil servant working in so much trouble. You’re walking trouble yourself,’ Joe told him.

“Okay, enough. We’ll be leaving tomorrow. See you at Mr. Lauve’s.” Sirius ended the call before Joe could speak.

He picked up the things he took out and put them inside the box. He separated his planner and the film roll and put them in his bag. He put the box above his cabinet. His phone made a soft beep. He took it and saw a message from Nate.

‘I think you’ve forgotten your schedule today.’

He glanced at his calendar and saw he had an appointment with Nate.

“Oh, shoot,” he mumbled.

He’s an hour late. He immediately put his jacket on and grabbed his wallet.

-0-0-0-

The nurse greeted him as well as the other doctors that knew him. It’s been four months since that day. His nightmares barely visit him at night, and his only problem is how to get his memories back.

He finally reached his doctor’s office. He greeted Nate’s secretary and gestured to him he’s inside. He knocked thrice before opening it up. He saw Nate talking to a woman, but she’s already saying goodbye. She smiled before leaving them.

“Sorry, Stephanie didn’t mention you have a patient,” Sirius said.

“No, it’s okay. We were done when I texted you, but we talk over some kinds of stuff until you arrived,” Nate told him. He nodded his head.

“So, still having headaches?” Nate asked him.

“Sometimes when I woke up after having a nightmare but not that often anymore,” he said.

“Good. I think your job is helping you recover from the shock before, and hopefully, you wouldn’t get too worked up with it. We still have to monitor your condition.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll be giving you your new schedule for taking your meds.” Nate handed him a piece of paper.

“Congratulations, we’ve narrowed down the number of meds you have to take,” he added.

“Thank you,” Sirius said as he scanned the paper.

“Uhmm, how long do you think it takes for my memories to come back?” he asked Nate.

“Well, that depends on you. As I told you before, the first time you wake up, you may or may not be able to recover your memories, but given that you remember some fragments of it, it is probable that your memories will come back, but we’re not sure when,” Nate told him.

He sighed.

“You have to take care of yourself. When you have a healthy body—“

“Memories will follow.” He finished Nate’s sentence.

“Good. You still keep it in mind,” Nate told him.

“Thank you, Nate. I’ll visit you if I have a more important thing to ask. I have to go,” he said.

“You’re welcome,” Nate smiled before he left him.