Page 7 of Lost and Found

Arden and I step outside of the room and she turns on me. “What was that?”

I know she’s talking about me offering to have lunch with Paige. It’s not a common thing for me to do unless it’s one of my patients that has no one to visit them, but isn’t Paige kind of like that? I give her a smile. “Paige, is clearly struggling right now and along with amnesia, her motor skills seem to be a little out of shape. I’ll eat with her and I can help feed her if necessary.”

“You could have a nurse do that.” She crosses her arms over her chest, and the protectiveness in her stance does not go unseen by me.

The thing is Arden isn’t wrong. Normally, a nurse would do this, but something about Paige makes me want to stay by her, make her comfortable. “You’re right, but this will also help me determine what our next step in treatment will be. I’m just saving time and trying to make her comfortable.”

Arden sighs. “Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that. So, what do we tell her about Codi and Corey?”

I think about all the experience I’ve had with this amnesia and the studies I’ve read. “The best thing to do is to let her memories come back naturally.”

“So, we don’t tell her?” Arden asks, raising her eyebrows at me.

I sigh. “If we do tell her, it’ll be like she’s losing them twice. She’ll mourn now for people she doesn’t remember, because she will feel like she should. It’s our human nature, but she won’t know why or who she’s mourning for. Then once her memories do come back, she’ll have to mourn them again.Only this time, she’ll feel that pain and have to deal with it, really deal with it. If she were my friend, I wouldn’t want to put her through that twice, but we can do whatever you would like.”

Arden sighs. “I’ll think about it, but for now, let’s go with not telling her.” I nod my head in agreement, and she turns to go back into the room to tell Paige goodbye, with a promise that she’ll be back later. While Arden is talking to Paige, I ask one of the nurses to order me a tray. Once Arden is gone, I head back inside to have lunch with Paige.

Chapter Seven

Paige

I’m left alone, sitting in a hospital room, with a tray of food in front of me. I’m so confused. I know there is something missing, but I don’t know what, and that feeling alone is enough to drive me insane. When the doctor was in here though, I didn’t feel like this. I felt calm and safe, but now he’s outside. I bring my hand back to my head and feel the stitches there. I notice the stitches on various spots of my arms.

He said I was in a wreck, but why can’t I remember that? You would think I would remember that.I move to pick up the fork in front of me, but my hand can’t grasp it properly. What the hell? I’m so frustrated, why can’t I grasp the fork tight enough to hold it? The door opens and the doctor, Dr. Reid, is back. He smiles and I notice the dimples in his cheeks. I like them. They seem inviting. His dark brown hair is cut close to his head. His eyes are kind and a beautiful hazel green color to go along with his naturally sun-kissed skin. He’s tall and clearly in shape with a strong jawline. “You hungry?” he asks, as he pulls a chair up next to the bed.

I notice the tray he’s holding. “Are you eating too?”

“Yes, ma’am. I thought we could eat together and I could ask you some questions, to see if we could trigger any of your memories. How does that sound?” he asks.

I nod my head slightly. “That doesn’t sound too bad.” I don’t want to be alone, I think.

I try to pick up the fork again. Dr. Reid notices this and sits his slice of pizza back down on his plate. “Why don’t you let me help you with that?”

A growl of frustration escapes from me. “Why can’t I pick up the damn fork?”

He gives me a small smile. “It’s common after head trauma and a coma for the patient to experience issues with motor skills. It’s like riding a bike, to sound cliché. So, when you’re a kid you rode a bike all the time, it’s second nature, but as you get older and you stop riding the bike, the next time you get on the bike, it takes you longer to get back in the hang of it. Coma patients have been immobile for days, weeks, months;which means their body is basically immobile. I mean, the nurses come in and move you to avoid bed sores, but you don’t actually use your muscles.So, you’re just out of practice right now. It’ll take a few days, but it’ll come back to you slowly.”

His smile is encouraging, but I still have to ask. “What if it doesn’t come back?”

He reaches over and pats my hand. “It will, but if it takes too long, there is always physical therapy that can help speed up the process. Don’t worry about this right now. One step at a time, Paige.”

“Okay,” I reply, quietly.

He picks up the fork and helps me eat the food on my tray. I don’t know if it’s because I’m starving from not having food recently, or if the cafeteria at this hospital is exceptional, but it tastes amazing. I’ve never had a better meatloaf. I’m embarrassed that I have to let my good looking doctor feed me, but I’m also so hungry right now, I just don’t really care.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask him, as we move on to dessert, chocolate pudding.

“Of course.” That dimpled smile reappears and my insides feel a little funny.

I smile back despite the tightness my skin feels. “Why do you get pizza and I don’t?”

He laughs. “Well, the hospital is usually pretty strict about the patients eating the healthy meals they prepare, but I’m sure I can sneak you a slice of pizza sometime.”

“Really?” I ask, excited by the aspect of pizza, even though I’m so full I think I could burst.

He chuckles. “Yes, I don’t see why not.”

I smile back at him. “You should finish eating. I’m full.”

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