Chapter 1
978 Words
'Where am I?' was the first question that came to her mind as she opened her eyes. She looked around and saw that she was in an hospital room. She tried to remember what has brought her and why she was in the hospital.
I must be sick for me to be here, she thought. "But how come I don't remember?" She whispered to herself.
She tried to sit up on the bed, then the door opened a little. She looked up and saw a little girl peeping through.
"Mum?" The girl called.
Mum?, She asked herself. She tried to remember anything but she couldn't.
"Grandma! Daddy! Mum is awake!" The girl called the people outside.
"Doctor!" She heard a male voice from outside the door.
The door was widely opened, an old lady, a young man who looked like he was in his mid thirties and the little girl came inside the room, followed by the doctor and a nurse.
They all came in, their faces beaming with smiles. She looked around, 'I think they are my family,' She thought to herself. 'God, why don't I remember anything.'
The doctor checked her using his stethoscope, then he faced the family, "Mrs Richards is out of danger now except for what I have told you before." Then he lowered his voice, "Don't try to force her to remember anything, She'll remember when it's time."
"Okay doctor, thank you." The young man said and the doctor with the nurse went out of the room.
"Tracy." The old woman called.
She then realized that her name was Tracy but she still needed to ask. "Is my...name Tracy?"
"Yes," The old lady nodded. "Here is your daughter Gretchen and your husband Leonard, I'm your grandmother, Tessa."
"Oh." was the only word that came from her mouth. Now she's able to accept that she's Tracy since she didn't have any choice.
She looked up at Leonard, who gave her a sweet smile as he didn't know how to act in front of her. He couldn't bear that his wife could not remember anything, he wanted so much to kiss her, to hug her, to comfort her, but he just couldn't because he doesn't want her to be uncomfortable.
Gretchen took Tracy's hand, "Daddy told me you were sick, but the sickness was for a loooong time." The little girl said emphasizing on the 'long'.
Tracy stared at the little girl at the samd time thinking and trying to remember what kind of sickness must have brought her to the hospital.
*
"How long have I been in the hospital?" Tracy asked as they drove her home.
"It's been over three months."
"Okay," She looked through the mirror at Leonard. "What about our marriage, how long has it been?"
"Almost ten years, we'll be having our tenth year anniversary in August. We... uh... got married pretty early that's why we still look this young as I know you must be wondering."
In actual fact, he was right, she was wondering how they had a girl as grown as this and they still looked really young. "Okay."
"So how old is our little girl?" She almost took back the question as it came odd from her tongue.
"Mummy, you don't remember my age?"
Tracy just stared at the girl unable to say anything but Grandma Tessa came to her rescue. "No, not that sweetie, your mummy is just coming from the hospital and the doctors has given her so many drugs that made her forget some things but once she's better, she'll remember everything."
"Okay Grandma." Then the little girl faced her mum. "Mummy, I'm seven years old now, I'll be eight in September."
Leonard smiled fondly at Gretchen as Tracy rubbed her dark blond hair. "We missed you so much Trace."
Trace, wow!, She thought to herself and gave a bright smile.
"The doctor said you were pregnant but you lost the baby due to the accident." Leonard said, his voice sad.
"What?" She put a hand on her mouth. This is too sad, She thought. She'd have loved to have a baby, at least she'll remember giving birth to the baby, at least she'll create new memories with the baby.
Leonard pulled into the driveway and they all came out of the car. Grandma Tessa held Tracy's hand fondly as she stood looking at the big house she's about to enter.
"Come on let's go in."
Nervously, She walked into the house with her husband and grandmother with Gretchen leading the way. As Leonard opened the door.
"Bam!" was the sound heard. "Surprise?" Out came all the workers in the big house. Tracy smiled in happiness, she really didn't expect anything like this in her life.
"Wow," She said as she read the big inscription 'Welcome home, Mummy!'
"Who planned this?"
"I and Everyone!" Gretchen said with a loud voice.
"Oh baby," She bent to kiss the girl's forehead. "Thank you, Thanks everyone."
At this stage, she wished she remembered everything as all the workers came to hug and welcome her but she didn't. She needed to be told who is who and their names.
"Let's go in," Leonard gestured.
They all moved in while Leonard led her into their room. "Go take your shower, Lunch will be served in few minutes. There is the bathroom and this is the wardrobe."
"Okay, thank you." She said, wondering how to act in front of him, it was so weird for someone to tell her where to take her bath and find her clothes in her own home.
"Well..." She got into the bathroom and had a warm bath.
After her bath, she went downstairs, following the way she remembered Leonard passed.
She was happy she got it, At least she's making progress in knowing her own home. They all had lunch when she joined them.
She smiled as she watched the family eat lunch. She decided in her mind, she'll take this family special even if she doesn't have any memory of it.
'This is my family.' She thought.
But none of them knew...
- Writer
