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Things best left forgotten

(Thnx for reading and I appreciate your review. Does it surprise you how John is handling Evangeline’s memory loss?)

(John’s POV)

Chapter 6

For a few moments none of us know what to do except Dr. Jamison.  He smiles and looks at Evangeline and John and waits. He doesn’t have to wait long. None of us do.  

Realizing that Evangeline spoke to him John raises his head from her lap and looks at her.  He raises himself to her level and looks into her eyes hoping for any hint of recognition.

“Evie?  Evie do you hear me?”

“Stop crying Johnny I am here.”

Unable to control myself I pull her to me and hold her so tight.  She’s back.  She remembers me.  But then I release her and look at her again wondering what else she remembers. But before I can ask her anything Dr. Jamison starts to talk to Evangeline.

“Evangeline do you know where you are?”

“Yes I am in my apartment.”

“Do you know why these people are here?”

“My mother is here because she’s my mother and loves me.  Nora is here because she is my best friend.  Todd is here because he is my friend.  Michael is here because he is my friend.  John is here because he is my friend.”

“But do you remember why they are here in your apartment?”

“Yes they are here because they care for me and wanted to help me regain my memory.  I remember that I was at the hospital after Natalie’s rescue and I told John to be thankful that we all survived.  I was leaving to come home and then I remember waking up in the emergency room with no memory of the last two years of my life.”

“Evangeline do you know why you forgot the last two years?”

“Yes that was when I met Natalie.  She has been nothing but trouble since I met her.  When I left her room yesterday I knew that she would go after John now that I was out of the picture.  She did when I was in the picture so now that we’re no longer together I know that she will do everything she can to get with him now.  When John rescued her she had just what she wanted.  John wasn’t there for me when I was rescued but he was there for Natalie.  That hurt me.  I wanted to forget all about Natalie and so I guess I did.  So I have my memory back John.  You can go back to Natalie now.”

I don’t move.  I continue to hold her hands and look in her eyes.  She tries to pull her hands away and I let her but I don’t move from her. She folds her hands around her waist and still I remain kneeling in front of her.  Dr. Jamison sees Evangeline’s reaction and asks me to move back to the sofa.  Only then do I stand and move back to sit next to Michael.  I continue to look at her and she looks away.  I am not deterred. The only thing that matters now is that she remembers.  I can handle what else comes.  I look around the room and everyone is watching Evangeline and I look up after being lost in my thoughts and she’s looking at me.  I hear Dr. Jamison ask her,

“Evangeline what do you want to do now.  Are you sure that you remember everything?”

“How involved do you want to get Dr. Jamison? I won the divorce case for Mitch Laurence.  I met John later that year while I was working a case for Kevin Buchanan.  I defended John against a murder charge in March of 2004. I was kidnapped in June of this year and here we are in August.  I think that is enough.  Thank you everyone for coming.  I really appreciate your help in regaining my memory.  You all can go home now.”

“If you don’t mind Evangeline I want to speak with you and your mother in the other room.  Nora will you join us please?”

The four of them go to Evangeline’s guest room and leave Todd, Michael and me.  I don’t have to wait long for Todd to make a comment.

“So Johnny what was with all of the crying and where did that Evie come from?  Were you faking it just to get Evangeline to remember?  You almost had me fooled.  Don’t you think it’s time for you to return to my niece? I’m sure she’s wondering where you are.”

“Sorry to disappoint you Manning but I’m not going anywhere.  I want to hear what Dr. Jamison has to say.”

“Suit yourself but don’t think that just because you did that little scene with Evangeline that you have any hope of getting her back.  She’s knows that you chose Natalie over her and women don’t really cotton to men doing that.”

“To set the record straight Todd I never chose Natalie over Evangeline.  Yes I rescued Natalie first but that’s only because she had fainted from the fire whereas Evangeline was still conscious and still fighting.”

“Spin it however you want McBain, you rescued Natalie first and left Evangeline to burn.  She will never forget that.”

“John why do you bother trying to explain anything to Todd?  He will only turn whatever you say into something negative.  What we should all focus on now and celebrate is that Evangeline has her memory back and all it took was John crying.  Brother I have only seen you cry two times in my life, first when dad died and second when Caitlin died.  I didn’t know that you had such deep feelings for Evangeline.”

I decide not to respond to Michael.  There’s only one person who has a right to know my feelings for Evangeline and that is Evangeline.

Dr. Jamison and the ladies return to the living room and he announces that everyone can now leave.  Not wanting to leave without saying something I stand and ask everyone to sit down for a minute because I have something to say.  Mrs. Williamson tells me that she doesn’t think that this is a good time but I assure her that it is the perfect time.

“If you all will bear with me for just a few minutes I promise that I will not keep you long.  First, I’m glad that Evangeline’s memory has been restored and that I was able to help her with that.  Second, I have a confession to make.  I know all of you here, except Dr. Jamison, think that I chose Natalie over Evangeline because I care for Natalie more.  That is not true. The reason that I do the things that I do for Natalie is because I feel responsible for her husband’s death. But that’s just it.  Her husband is not dead.  The man that we all thought was a Christian Vega imposter is really Christian Vega.  Months ago I had a DNA test done on who we thought was an imposter and the results returned the day that the imposter was sentenced.  I went to the prison to talk with Christian and he admitted that he remembered his life.  He asked me not to tell anyone and so I didn’t tell anyone.  I have carried that secret for months and it has been eating away at me ever since.  He asked me to protect Natalie since he couldn’t and that’s what I did.  I don’t love Natalie.  I love Evangeline and I have since I tied a string around her wrist.  I felt that I owed Christian because I’m the one who got him and Natalie involved in that FBI sting that resulted in his kidnapping.  So Nora there you have it.  Perhaps you can get someone to take Christian’s case and get him released.  He was telling the truth. He was tortured and brainwashed to kill Tico Santi.  I’m sorry Evangeline for the hurt that I have caused you and for not stopping Natalie from interfering in our relationship.  At times I was blind to her interference as I was blind to many things that she did because I was always looking at her through a lens of trying to protect her as Christian asked.”

After I finish my little speech in turn each of the occupants in the room have something to say to me, except Evangeline.  She sits and looks at me the entire time and says nothing and makes no facial signs as to whether she agrees, disagrees, or doesn’t care what I have to say.  

Todd says that his niece isn’t worth anybody’s time.

Michael is disappointed that I didn’t confide in him.

Nora tells me that she wants to see me in her office in the morning.

Mrs. Williamson thanks me for coming and that is all.

Dr. Jamison says that I should handle the unfinished business that he can tell that I have.

After that we all head for the door.  Dr. Jamison and Todd leave first, then Michael, then Nora and I linger a bit hoping that Evangeline will say something to me but she doesn’t until I open the door and she quietly says,  “I heard you Johnny.  I heard you about the wrist thing.”  Then she turns and leaves the room leaving Mrs. Williamson and me as the only ones in the room.

“You did a brave thing John.  If what you said is true don’t give up on her.  Give her time. She’s been hurt and feels betrayed.  That takes a time to overcome.”

“Thank you for that Mrs. Williamson.  I won’t give up this time.  She’s always been worth it but I never felt worthy.  There are things that I have to do to get to that point and it will take time.  I just pray that she’s still here then.”

“That’s a risk you’ll just have to take. Don’t waste this second chance if she decides to give you one.”

“On my life I won’t Mrs. Williamson you can believe me when I say that.  Good night.”

“Good night John.”