Read Online Forget Me Not by Marliss Melton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marliss Melton
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sculpting and make it by four without too much trouble. "Fine," she agreed. "Four o'clock will work."
The doctor nodded and looked at Gabe. "Do you have anything to add, Gabriel? Any questions for me?"
Helen looked at Gabe to gauge his reaction. He hadn't said much at all since her entrance. His mouth looked grim. He'd tucked his hands under his armpits. "What's your prognosis?" he asked point-blank.
Dr. Terrien's shaggy eyebrows rose. "It's a little early for me to say," he answered honestly.
"Give a stab at it," Gabe quietly exhorted.
Helen's gaze slid back to the doctor. When Gabe demanded answers, people did back flips to ensure that he got them.
Dr. Terrien shook his head. "It's really too soon," he insisted. "You could get your memory back tomorrow. Or, it could take years. As I've said, we have no way to predict whether your amnesia is a result of brain damage or emotional distress or both. But with your wife's help"—his mysterious gaze slid over Helen—"we'll do our best to recover the earlier memories."
Helen's gut clenched. What was this, marriage counseling? She didn't want to rehash those earlier days. She wanted to move on with her life.
With sudden rebellion, she surged to her feet. But obedience had been drilled into her since childhood, and it kept her rooted to the carpet.
"Did you fill your prescriptions?" the doctor asked Gabe.
"Yes," he said, and he stood up slowly, as if the session had exhausted him.
"Dexamphetamine during the day," the doctor said, coming to his feet. "It'll keep you alert and focused."
"Already took it," Gabe said, thrusting a hand at the doctor.
Helen shook the doctor's hand as well and exited quickly. She stopped in the waiting room, long enough to tear the article about rock gardens out of the magazine and stuff it into her purse. One day, when she had time to herself again, she'd work on it.
She realized Gabe was holding the door for her and she hurried through it, thanking him, though she'd learned long ago that such formalities were taught in the military. He wasn't simply being thoughtful.
The sunlight was blinding. Helen shoved her sunglasses on. Gabe squinted. Once inside the Jaguar, she cranked on the air conditioner and turned up the radio, making conversation unnecessary. They drove back to Sandbridge in silence.
Helen spent the time reviewing what the doctor had told them. The longer she thought about it, the more worried she got Dr. Terrien seemed determined to review the two years of their married life together. She wanted nothing more than to forget those hurtful years. She decided then and there that Mallory was going to walk Gabe through the photo albums.
They were just approaching the beachfront when Gabe shifted in his seat and faced her.
Helen's heartbeat accelerated. The directness of his gaze made her skin feel tight.
"Who was Mallory's father?" he asked, surprising her with his continued interest
"His name was Zach Taylor. I dated him in college."
"And?" he prompted.
"And nothing. He dropped me like a hot potato when he found out I was pregnant. My parents were horrified and insisted that I deny Zach all legal rights as a father. He was more than willing to sign the documents."
"Why would your parents do that?" Gabe asked.
Helen gave a humorless laugh. "Zach was going nowhere with his life. Even though he was brilliant, he dropped out of college because he thought his professors were ignorant. He couldn't hold a steady job because he thought his manager was ignorant. He was the dead last person my parents wanted in my life or in Mallory's."
They drove awhile longer in silence. "That must have sucked," Gabe said with sympathy.
She shot him a startled glance. It wasn't often that Gabe considered other people's feelings. She shrugged. "I got through it," she retorted. True, but not without making one more mistake and giving her heart to a man who'd refused to give his in return.
"So they introduced me to you, thinking I'd make a better
The doctor nodded and looked at Gabe. "Do you have anything to add, Gabriel? Any questions for me?"
Helen looked at Gabe to gauge his reaction. He hadn't said much at all since her entrance. His mouth looked grim. He'd tucked his hands under his armpits. "What's your prognosis?" he asked point-blank.
Dr. Terrien's shaggy eyebrows rose. "It's a little early for me to say," he answered honestly.
"Give a stab at it," Gabe quietly exhorted.
Helen's gaze slid back to the doctor. When Gabe demanded answers, people did back flips to ensure that he got them.
Dr. Terrien shook his head. "It's really too soon," he insisted. "You could get your memory back tomorrow. Or, it could take years. As I've said, we have no way to predict whether your amnesia is a result of brain damage or emotional distress or both. But with your wife's help"—his mysterious gaze slid over Helen—"we'll do our best to recover the earlier memories."
Helen's gut clenched. What was this, marriage counseling? She didn't want to rehash those earlier days. She wanted to move on with her life.
With sudden rebellion, she surged to her feet. But obedience had been drilled into her since childhood, and it kept her rooted to the carpet.
"Did you fill your prescriptions?" the doctor asked Gabe.
"Yes," he said, and he stood up slowly, as if the session had exhausted him.
"Dexamphetamine during the day," the doctor said, coming to his feet. "It'll keep you alert and focused."
"Already took it," Gabe said, thrusting a hand at the doctor.
Helen shook the doctor's hand as well and exited quickly. She stopped in the waiting room, long enough to tear the article about rock gardens out of the magazine and stuff it into her purse. One day, when she had time to herself again, she'd work on it.
She realized Gabe was holding the door for her and she hurried through it, thanking him, though she'd learned long ago that such formalities were taught in the military. He wasn't simply being thoughtful.
The sunlight was blinding. Helen shoved her sunglasses on. Gabe squinted. Once inside the Jaguar, she cranked on the air conditioner and turned up the radio, making conversation unnecessary. They drove back to Sandbridge in silence.
Helen spent the time reviewing what the doctor had told them. The longer she thought about it, the more worried she got Dr. Terrien seemed determined to review the two years of their married life together. She wanted nothing more than to forget those hurtful years. She decided then and there that Mallory was going to walk Gabe through the photo albums.
They were just approaching the beachfront when Gabe shifted in his seat and faced her.
Helen's heartbeat accelerated. The directness of his gaze made her skin feel tight.
"Who was Mallory's father?" he asked, surprising her with his continued interest
"His name was Zach Taylor. I dated him in college."
"And?" he prompted.
"And nothing. He dropped me like a hot potato when he found out I was pregnant. My parents were horrified and insisted that I deny Zach all legal rights as a father. He was more than willing to sign the documents."
"Why would your parents do that?" Gabe asked.
Helen gave a humorless laugh. "Zach was going nowhere with his life. Even though he was brilliant, he dropped out of college because he thought his professors were ignorant. He couldn't hold a steady job because he thought his manager was ignorant. He was the dead last person my parents wanted in my life or in Mallory's."
They drove awhile longer in silence. "That must have sucked," Gabe said with sympathy.
She shot him a startled glance. It wasn't often that Gabe considered other people's feelings. She shrugged. "I got through it," she retorted. True, but not without making one more mistake and giving her heart to a man who'd refused to give his in return.
"So they introduced me to you, thinking I'd make a better
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