Read Online Kisses to Remember by Christine DePetrillo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christine DePetrillo
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tragedy.
****
Holden stared at the food on the tray the nurse had plopped in front of him. She’d said it was roasted turkey, broccoli, and mashed potatoes, which he knew. He hadn’t forgotten what that food looked like. But do I like roasted turkey, broccoli, and mashed potatoes? That’s the question.
He just couldn’t remember. Before lunch, he’d been trying to recall details about himself, about where he lived, where he worked, people he knew. Nothing was coming back to him aside from his name and birthday. If he hit his head again, would the memories come rushing back? It was almost worth the risk of more injury to find out. This empty, not knowing feeling was making him crazy.
After shoveling up a forkful of mashed potatoes, he held it under his nose and sniffed. Smelled okay. He slid the fork into his mouth and let the potatoes sit on his tongue for a moment. The gloppy texture wasn’t wonderful, but the buttery taste was tolerable. He swallowed and decided he was hungry enough to keep eating them.
He tried a little of everything on his plate, and while none of it impressed him, he was full. Did everything taste like this? Just okay? He pushed away his tray, closed his eyes, and rested his head against his pillow.
“C’mon, man. Remember just one food you like. Just one.” He waited for a delicious meal to pop into his head, but his mind was a blank screen instead. “Dammit.” He slammed his fist down onto the table holding his tray causing the silverware to rattle and some of his beverage to spill. “I’m useless.”
“I’m sure you’re not useless,” a female voice said.
Holden looked to the doorway of his room where a tall, slender woman stood. Faded blue jeans with ragged cuffs covered long legs ending in flat, brown sandals on her feet. A pale green T-shirt with a picture of a heart-shaped, red rose on the front fit her torso perfectly, and a pair of dark sunglasses on top of her head held back wavy, red hair. She offered him a smile, and Holden felt more at ease than he had since waking up.
“Mind if I come in?” She gestured to the interior of his room.
“Are you Johanna?” He shifted to sit up more in the bed and smoothed the front of his hospital gown. He wished for regular clothes, but couldn’t remember what style of clothes he usually wore.
“I am Johanna.” She lifted her right leg and let her foot wiggle into the room. Her sandal dangled from her toes. “Does being Johanna gain me access?”
“Oh, sorry. Yeah, come in.” Holden waved her in then pushed his lunch aside.
Johanna stepped into the room and surveyed the contents of his tray. “Ick. Hospital food is the worst.”
“So all food doesn’t taste like that?”
“You mean like microwaved socks? Nope. This here,” she pointed to the remains of his meal, “is total shit. Food on the outside is much better. Hell, dog food on the outside is much better than this.”
“Good.” At least that was one thing he could look forward to.
“How do you feel?” Johanna set her purse down at the foot of his bed, and Holden liked the personal look of it there. As if she had truly stopped by for a visit because she knew him.
“I feel as if I’ve been abducted by aliens.”
“And it’s not as fun as you thought it would be, is it?” Johanna folded her arms across her chest, wrinkling the rose on her shirt.
“Not at all.” Holden motioned to the corner of the room. “Grab a chair.”
She slid the chair over to the bedside and sat. She gave off a comfortable air, but the way her fingers drummed on her kneecap suggested she too found this situation a little awkward.
“Look,” he said, “I’m sorry you’re getting dragged into my problems here, but I didn’t—” He stopped when Johanna held up a hand.
“No need to apologize. You were in an accident. It’s not as if you planned to crash into my field…right?” She arrowed deep blue eyes at him and waited.
“Not that I remember. Why would
****
Holden stared at the food on the tray the nurse had plopped in front of him. She’d said it was roasted turkey, broccoli, and mashed potatoes, which he knew. He hadn’t forgotten what that food looked like. But do I like roasted turkey, broccoli, and mashed potatoes? That’s the question.
He just couldn’t remember. Before lunch, he’d been trying to recall details about himself, about where he lived, where he worked, people he knew. Nothing was coming back to him aside from his name and birthday. If he hit his head again, would the memories come rushing back? It was almost worth the risk of more injury to find out. This empty, not knowing feeling was making him crazy.
After shoveling up a forkful of mashed potatoes, he held it under his nose and sniffed. Smelled okay. He slid the fork into his mouth and let the potatoes sit on his tongue for a moment. The gloppy texture wasn’t wonderful, but the buttery taste was tolerable. He swallowed and decided he was hungry enough to keep eating them.
He tried a little of everything on his plate, and while none of it impressed him, he was full. Did everything taste like this? Just okay? He pushed away his tray, closed his eyes, and rested his head against his pillow.
“C’mon, man. Remember just one food you like. Just one.” He waited for a delicious meal to pop into his head, but his mind was a blank screen instead. “Dammit.” He slammed his fist down onto the table holding his tray causing the silverware to rattle and some of his beverage to spill. “I’m useless.”
“I’m sure you’re not useless,” a female voice said.
Holden looked to the doorway of his room where a tall, slender woman stood. Faded blue jeans with ragged cuffs covered long legs ending in flat, brown sandals on her feet. A pale green T-shirt with a picture of a heart-shaped, red rose on the front fit her torso perfectly, and a pair of dark sunglasses on top of her head held back wavy, red hair. She offered him a smile, and Holden felt more at ease than he had since waking up.
“Mind if I come in?” She gestured to the interior of his room.
“Are you Johanna?” He shifted to sit up more in the bed and smoothed the front of his hospital gown. He wished for regular clothes, but couldn’t remember what style of clothes he usually wore.
“I am Johanna.” She lifted her right leg and let her foot wiggle into the room. Her sandal dangled from her toes. “Does being Johanna gain me access?”
“Oh, sorry. Yeah, come in.” Holden waved her in then pushed his lunch aside.
Johanna stepped into the room and surveyed the contents of his tray. “Ick. Hospital food is the worst.”
“So all food doesn’t taste like that?”
“You mean like microwaved socks? Nope. This here,” she pointed to the remains of his meal, “is total shit. Food on the outside is much better. Hell, dog food on the outside is much better than this.”
“Good.” At least that was one thing he could look forward to.
“How do you feel?” Johanna set her purse down at the foot of his bed, and Holden liked the personal look of it there. As if she had truly stopped by for a visit because she knew him.
“I feel as if I’ve been abducted by aliens.”
“And it’s not as fun as you thought it would be, is it?” Johanna folded her arms across her chest, wrinkling the rose on her shirt.
“Not at all.” Holden motioned to the corner of the room. “Grab a chair.”
She slid the chair over to the bedside and sat. She gave off a comfortable air, but the way her fingers drummed on her kneecap suggested she too found this situation a little awkward.
“Look,” he said, “I’m sorry you’re getting dragged into my problems here, but I didn’t—” He stopped when Johanna held up a hand.
“No need to apologize. You were in an accident. It’s not as if you planned to crash into my field…right?” She arrowed deep blue eyes at him and waited.
“Not that I remember. Why would
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