Page 15 of This Love
“Vinnie?”
“Yes, Mija, yes.” He approached the side of the bed. “Why is my Ava facing the wall? Come here.” He helped me turn around. “You always told me you might forget me, and here, I thought I was unforgettable.”
“What’s happening, Vinnie?”
“Did you watch the whole video?”
I shook my head, glancing over at the other man. “I tried.” I held the camera tightly against my chest. I wanted to wear something else. Everything about this dress itched. I yanked the lace across my neck again.
Vinnie noticed. “Girl, today is your wedding day. You’re marrying that one.” He pointed at the other man. “Everybody you know is sitting at the club waiting for you. Poor Mija.”
The word Mija settled into my bones. It was more familiar than anything else anyone had said.
“Am I Mija?” I asked.
He smiled. “You are to me. Did you understand that? Mi palabra favorita?”
“Si,” I said. “Mija. Not Ava.”
Vinnie glanced at the other man, the one I was supposed to marry today. “You are Mija to me. But your name is Ava.” He seemed less happy now, a frown making a line form between his eyebrows. “What do you remember?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I knew the word remember. And I knew what he meant. But I couldn’t find a way to answer the question. It was like I was trying to move a part of my body that wouldn’t work.
“Do you remember meeting me before today?” Vinnie asked.
“No,” I said, squeezing my eyes shut to focus on the images there. “I can see the limo. The itchy dress.” I tugged on it again. “The man who said he is my father.” I glanced at the other man. “This one.”
“Tucker,” that man said. “I’m Tucker.”
“Hold on,” Vinnie said. “I have pictures from earlier today. Let me switch out the cards.” He took the camera from me and opened a little compartment. A small black rectangle popped out.
He reached for the strap across his chest. He removed another rectangle from inside it and pushed it into the camera.
This was all so fascinating. “Can I do that?” I asked.
Vinnie hesitated, as if I had said something wrong. But then he said, “Sure.” He pointed to the tiniest button. “Push that.”
I pushed it, and the rectangle popped out. “I did it!” I felt like laughing. Then I pressed the rectangle back in. “What is that?”
Vinnie glanced over at Tucker, his frown back. “It’s the memory card. You don’t know what it is?”
“I’ve never seen one before. How does it help your memory?” I could use that, whatever it is.
Vinnie’s eyes looked into mine, and suddenly, I felt much less happy than I did when I pushed out the rectangle. I sat back, moving away from him.
Tucker leaned forward against the foot of the bed. “Hey. It’s okay. Vinnie has never seen you lose your memory. He’s adjusting.”
I looked at Tucker. He also seemed upset. He had the same crease between his eyebrows.
I pushed the camera away and scooted to the top of the bed, drawing up my knees. Nothing was working. My stomach felt hot and sick.
“Where is my book?” I asked them. “I need my book to remember my life.”
Vinnie looked to Tucker, his frown deeper. My belly quaked. They were unhappy. What would they do?
Tucker spoke up. “Ava, we have the book at home. I am happy to show it to you. And we have lots more videos for you to watch. They will help you feel better. Do you want to feel better?”
I did. But Ava on the screen told me to trust my feelings, and my feelings were scared again. I covered my eyes. It was too much. Too many voices. Too much information. I needed quiet. And calm.
