All That's Left Are Memories

A severe childhood fever had ravaged Cynthia Parra's brain, permanently trapping her cognitive abilities in a state of childlike innocence. She simply couldn't understand the complex, twisted games of the adult world. That night, she pushed open the door of a private bar lounge. The first thing she saw was her husband, Russell Shelton. He was kissing his secretary, Jessica Galvan. Cheers exploded around the room. Cynthia froze. Her fingers twisted nervously in the hem of her dress as she stood there for a long moment. Finally, she spoke in a soft, uncertain voice, "You're my husband... You're not supposed to kiss other people." The room fell silent so quickly that the hum of the air conditioner became audible. Jessica recovered first. She flashed a quick smile. "Oh, Cynthia, don't misunderstand. We're playing Truth or Dare. Russell just happened to draw that one." Russell frowned, impatience creeping into his tone. "You're not seriously upset about a game, are you?" Cynthia pressed her lips together and hurriedly shook her head. "No, no... It's just a game. I understand. Games don't count." Even if it hurt a little. Games had rules. And rules had to be followed. Someone nearby snorted with barely suppressed laughter. Several people exchanged knowing looks. 'God, she really is stupid.' The next round of the game began. Cynthia drew a card. Her dare read: Kiss the most handsome man in the room. Russell's expression instantly darkened. He had never liked showing affection toward Cynthia in public. Now he just wanted the moment over with. "Hurry up," he said impatiently. But Cynthia didn't even glance at him. Before anyone could react, she had already walked over to a young man at the neighboring table. She said something quietly to him. Then she leaned forward and kissed him. When she returned to her seat, her eyes sparkled. "I did it!" she said proudly, looking at Russell. "Was I brave?" A collective, suppressed gasp echoed through the room. "Holy shit... That's a real dare." Russell shot to his feet. He grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room. "What the hell was that? You're my wife! Do you know how embarrassing that was?" Cynthia stumbled after him, confused. "But... Weren't we playing a game?" His sudden anger frightened her. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Russell opened his mouth, then stopped. His face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "You don't get it!" he said harshly. "You're an i***t. You can't just do something like that!" The word i***t twisted like a rusted blade in Cynthia's heart. Her body trembled uncontrollably. She didn't understand what she had done wrong. She only knew he looked at her with pure disgust. "Am I too stupid...? Do I embarrass you?" She lowered her head. "If that's the case... Then maybe we should separate." Cynthia had always been painfully sensitive to rejection. Ever since she had become different, people laughed at her, mocked her, and bullied her. Russell had always stepped in front of her. He had always said gently, "You're not stupid. You're just purer than everyone else." She remembered his worn-out sneakers. She remembered the patched shirts he used to wear. She remembered the shocked look on his face when she bought him new clothes. "I don't know why..." she had once told him shyly. "But I want to be good to you. My mom says, when you want to treat someone well... It means you like them." From dating to marriage, she always asked nervously, "If I'm too dumb... You have to tell me. I'll leave if I make you unhappy." And every time, Russell reassured her. But tonight, something had changed. Russell quickly softened his expression. He pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "The game rules were stupid. I just got jealous when I saw you kiss someone else. Can you forgive me?" Cynthia nodded in his arms. Russell always knew how to make her believe him. She left the bar early, feeling out of place among Russell's friends. Halfway home, she realized she had forgotten her phone. When she returned to the door of the lounge, she stopped. Russell leaned casually against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers. Jessica stepped close and lit it for him. "Did you smooth things over?" she asked. "Of course." He exhaled a slow cloud of smoke. "I can say anything, and she believes it." He reached out and ruffled Jessica's hair affectionately. "Honestly," he said with a sigh, "I wish she were half as smart as you." Outside the door, Cynthia bit down hard on her lip. Her eyes burned with tears. Russell noticed the phone lying on the couch and picked it up to return it. He opened the door and ran straight into her. Cynthia tilted her face up and smiled sweetly. The performance was flawless. Only the slight trembling of her legs betrayed the storm inside her. "Come home early tonight and keep me company, okay?" Russell smiled gently. "Of course. Just go home now."