“I’m the one you are mad at. I’m the one you hate, so kill me and end it all, because there is no way in hell you are getting anywhere near my son!”
“If I kill you, you do understand, I can still take him?”
“You kill me and Carson kills you. You lose and I still win.”
“He won’t kill me.”
“Why? Because he is secretly in love with you?” Ellie taunted, “He loathes you. The sight of you makes his stomach turn in disgust.”
“Stop it!”
“Why? I’m just telling you the truth. Just like George and Taylor, they never wanted you, it’s me they loved. Not forgetting, what’s his name….? Ned… your recent ex-boyfriend?”
“I had sex with them and they loved it!” She struck, hoping to cause as much damage as Ellie’s words caused her. “Your husband begged me for more and more! I pleasured him more than you ever could.”
Ellie’s lips rose in a mocking smile, “And I’m sure the entire time they were thinking about me. Did Dale whisper ‘Ellie I love you’ in your ear when he brought you to orgasm, because he loves to do that?”
Ellsa lifted the gun and pointed it at her, “You bitch! I hate you!”
“So shoot me! Shoot me and leave my son alone!”
“As you wish…” pushing back the trigger.
Her eyes shot open and she gasped awake, heaving for breath. Dear God why couldn’t she breathe?
“Ellsa…”
She scrambled to a sitting position looking around. Where was she? Where was that mad woman?
“I told you not to call her that!”
She jumped, spooked and turned to the man sitting before her. The angry look on his face vanished with the angry words as he faced her. He smiled at her, a look of calmness on his face that desperately drew her to him. She needed that calmness, her heart was beating two miles a minute.
“Honey, just take slow deep breathes. Breath with me, come on you can do it.”
Honey? She watched as he spoke as his chest moved up and down, his hands with it as he coached her urging her to mimic him. She tried, but she just choked and now she felt like she was slowly suffocating to death. His hands extended to her and she jumped back crying out, startled and in pain. She lifted her hands to find them bandaged, one heavier than the other.
What the hell happened to her? Was she in an accident? Where the hell was she anyway?
She looked around and all she could see were strange faces, grey walls and black couches. Why were there so many people in the room? And why couldn’t she catch her breath?
“Ah hell, it’s happened again. Mike, keep DJ away from here,” the woman then approached her, a warm smile on her face. The man moved back giving her room to sit, “hey little sis, you passed out on us again.”
She watched her carefully as she spoke. Little sis? Does this mean she’s my sister?
She pointed at the woman and then at herself, “Sisters?”
The woman nodded, “That’s right. You know who this guy behind me is?”
She looked at him. There was something in his eyes that struck a cord in her chest. He looked hurt, almost helpless and he was staring at her like it was killing him to sit so far away. He called me honey, why? Is he my husband or boyfriend?
The pounding in her head grew making her ears vibrate. She rubbed her temple, “Ahh, he’s a boyfriend… or—or husband? I—I don’t know, my head hurts so bad! Why can’t I remember?”
The woman shushed her, “It’s okay. Why don’t you lay down?”
She nodded sliding down the leather couch, breathing easier. The man didn’t move just made sure her legs had space to stretch where he sat. She watched him. Out of all the people in the room she just watched him. Why?
“You have a nightmare this time?”
She turned to her sister. She could feel her heart beat faster again, “The baby I need—he’s not safe! That woman—I need—”
The woman stroked her hair soothingly, “Calm down, you’re okay. Everything is okay. It was just a nightmare, none of it was real.”
“Not real,” she echoed. That helped her relax and her head went back onto the cushion, her eyes on the man. But why couldn’t she remember anything? And why were all these people watching her?
“I need—I need to ask something.”
“What is it honey?”
She took a look around the room and whispered, “Who are all these people?”
She chuckled, “How amiss of me, I should introduce you. They are the FBI team that found you…”
“Found me where?” she cut in.
With an indulgent smile she said, “Don’t worry about that. The one in a suit is Richard, the older looking gentleman is Doran and the one scowling is Dale. He’s Damien’s cousin.”
Yeah, she’d noticed the big black guy had been scowling at her and the look in his eye was intimidating.
“Honey,” the woman spoke drawing back her attention, “You know who Damien is?”
She was going to say no until she caught the hopeful look in the man’s eyes again. She didn’t want to hurt him but how could she lie. She shook her head rolling her lips into her mouth.
“That’s okay, you’ll remember. It’s this guy right behind me looking at you with lovesick eyes. And I’m Elaine, you big sister.”
“And I’m Ellie, your twin.”
She jumped at that voice, at that name. In her nightmare, she dreamed of a woman named Ellie, who was—she rubbed her head. Her mind was so foggy. Why couldn’t she remember something that happened just a few minutes ago?
“El—Tasha, how are you feeling?” Ellie—her twin took slow, tentative steps towards her and she tensed.
She didn’t say a word, just stared at her as she approached. She sat on the coffee table right in front of her. Twin sister… that face is my face?
“Could I see? In a mirror could I see?” she asked Elaine.
“You will after you get some rest.”
She wanted to argue, but she had a feeling it would be useless so she nodded and turned to look at her twin. She was playing nervously with her fingers and a light caught her eye. She looked down at her hands. Her left ring finger had two rings both sparkling.
“That’s pretty,” she commented with a failing smile.
Ellie smiled, “Thank you. My husband Dale,” she pointed behind her to the intimidating man, “he spoils me.”
She forced another smile, “That’s nice.” Then a thought struck, “Tasha… that’s my name?”
Ellie’s eyes filled with tears and yet she managed to glare at Elaine who answered, “Yes.”
“Why—why does my name start with a T?”
“Don’t you think you have enough similar already?”
She nodded, accepting the explanation, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Tasha didn’t fit.
“Babe, what’s wrong?”
She stared at the man—Damien. He looked so worried. She wanted to take it all away. Why?
“Husband or boyfriend?”
His lips lifted in a lopsided smile, but the worry remained in his eyes, “Current boyfriend and soon to be husband.”
She smiled her cheeks heating, “You love me.” It wasn’t a question more of a statement. For some reason, out of everything else she’d just found out, that felt irrevocably true.
“More than my life.” he confessed seriously.
That warmed her all over. “And I—I love you?”
He snorted, “Love? You adore me, worship the ground I walk on.”
She chuckled, “Aren’t you so sure of yourself.”
“Oh, I am, I have a lot going for me. My fabulous physique,” he flexed his arm muscles for effect making her laugh, “My rugged good looks, my talent in the sack,” he waggled his brows suggestively and she was ready to sink into the couch, “And of course our son.”
Her heart stopped, son?
Damien squeezed her calf and went on, “His name is DJ, five years old and a genius. He makes you proud every time you see him.”
Son? She didn’t remember a son. Even as she tried now she couldn’t remember a thing about him. Not his face or his smile or his laugh all she got was a migraine for her troubles. Her eyes blurred with tears. What kind of mother forgot her son?
She shook her head vehemently, “I can’t see him, I just can’t!”
“From what I hear this isn’t the first time this happened. I’m sure he’s used to it by now,” Dale offered with a callous shrugged to go with his equally callous remarks.
“Again? I forgot my son again?” her tears ran down unchecked.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Ellie turned on him and he took a cautious step back.
“How many times?” she demanded, “How many times has my son gone through the effects of his mother’s weak mind? How often do I hurt him like this?”
Damien quickly stood Elaine up then took her place. Without a word of warning he scooped Tasha up and placed her on his lap. She curled into his chest, seeking comfort and mostly forgiveness.
“Hush this time it’s different. We are not going to leave here until your memories comeback. This only happens when you’ve had a real shock and once you’ve calmed down, everything falls back to place. He doesn’t need to know.”
She nodded against his neck, her body wracking with sobs. She needed to believe him.
****