Authors: Cassandra Cole
“Yes”, Samantha nodded.
“I have no recollection of any Samuel”
“Oh…thank God!”
“You could at least tone down the joy mom”, Lisa pointed out sarcastically.
“I am not going to pretend to like him, he was bad news”, their mother said in protest “He took us all through hell and we all know our dear Tracy deserved much better.”
“It sounds like you strongly dislike him”, Tracy pointed out with a chuckle.
“Strongly is a kind word”, was the reply she got from her mother.
“I think we have told her too much for today”, Samantha addressed all of them and went on to give Tracy a slight part on her hands “We should let her rest”
“I agree”, Lisa said and moved closer to her, she locked her in a warm hug and was just about to tell her about her niece before someone knocked on the door and they all had to turn their attention to it.
“I am afraid you will all have to leave now”, nurse walked in with a tray of medicine in his hands “Visiting time is over, it was over many hours ago but you were given an exception”
“Thank you”, their mother mouthed before walking over to Tracy and placing a warm kiss on her forehead.
“I will be here first thing tomorrow”, she said before heading towards the door. Her sisters walked over to her and each gave her a hug before following suit of their mother.
“Is it possible for any of us to spend the night with her?” Lisa asked.
“Yes it is but not today”, the nurse answered “We need to keep her under very close observation”
“We will see you tomorrow”, Lisa said and blew her a kiss. They then walked out of the room and left her to take her meds.
“How does it feel to be back in the real world?” the nurse said as he aligned her medicine for her.
“Strange”, Tracy answered.
“You will get used to it”, he answered with a kind smile “I’m glad you are back. We were all praying for you.”
Tracy simply responded with a kind smile and watched as the nurse left her room. She let her weight slam down on her pillow and her gaze looked up at the ceiling. She was all alone now and slowly began to register the words her sister just told her. All that seemed like a strange person’s tale but not her life. She shut her eyes and tried to think of anything but felt blank; she could not remember anything. Her hand ran over her abdomen and she let out a wide smile. The thought of another human being growing inside her was unbelievable, she went on to rub her tummy until sleep got the better of her. She felt peaceful that night as she thought of the future and all it entailed.
*****
Tracy could see her mother’s house appear straight ahead and felt proud of herself. She decided to take a morning walk and get away from her crazy overbearing family. It had been a months since she got discharged from the hospital. Her mother forced her to live with her as the pregnancy progressed and her other sisters practically moved back home too. The pampering and concern was almost suffocating. They all had a keen eye on her.
She walked on slowly towards the house and from the noises coming from the other side of the wall knew the circus was up.
“There she is”, her mother announced after peeping through the window and seeing her approach the front porch “Tracy honey, are you feeling Ok?”
“Mother you have got to stop worrying about me”, Tracy said as she walked through the door “I will not go back into another comma”
“You had better not”, her mother replied “Look who has decided to come see you today”
She pointed at a familiar face seated at the dining room table having tea. Her sisters were already on their feet and leaving the room.
“Ted”, Tracy said before looking around the room.
“Hello Tracy”, he answered and got to his feet.
“I have to get to work”, Lisa announced and walked out the door.
“Me too”, Samantha was right behind her.
The two were left in the living room by themselves after her mother also disappeared into the kitchen.
“I can see Mom forced you to have tea”
“Not really forced”, Ted answered “You know Gina and I have always been good friends”
Tracy let out a smile and walked over to the dining table; Ted was by her side in a minute and got the chair for her. They stared at each other for a minute longer not knowing what to say to the other.
“So how have you been?” Tracy said in an attempt to break the ice.
“I have been ok”, he answered “You?”
“I have been in a comma and I have amnesia dated back a few months”, Tracy answered lightly “Nothing much on my end”
“You have always been funny”, Ted said and slowly moved closer to her. He placed a loving hand on top of hers and stared right into her eyes. Tracy did not know how to react to the gesture but something felt different about his touch. It was unfamiliar and strange to her not how she remembered it. She wanted to pull away from him but knew that would look rude. She instead looked up at him and let out a smile.
“Please pour me some tea”, she said and felt relieved when he had to take his hand from her.
“Tea?”
“Yes tea”
“Is that good for the baby”
Tracy looked at him blankly and searched her mind for the right answer.
“I don’t know, I just want to have some tea”, she answered.
“I read that caffeine is not good for pregnant women”,
Ted said this and took out his cell phone from his pocket to help prove his point. He scrolled through it and finally pulled out an internet page and showed it to her.
“Ted”, she protested “I only want one cup and I am eating healthy for both me and the baby”
Tracy knew the subject was sensitive but was tired of dancing around it. He watched as Ted darted his eyes left to right and finally got the courage to address the situation.
“Do you want to talk about that? I don’t want to stress you or the baby”
“Ted”
“Yes Tracy”
“I am pregnant not sick”
“Ok”, he answered and combed his hand through his dirty blonde hair “Is the baby mine?”
“I don’t know”
Tracy saw the look that came over his face when she said that and shook her head in disbelief.
“You do not believe me?”
“It’s not like I do not believe you”, Ted started in an apologetic tone “I just think this is all too coincidental”
“Really”
“Yes”, he went on “Tracy you decided to run off with a man who you were dating when we were still engaged. You then canceled the wedding when it was only two week away. Got yourself in a car accident and you now coincidentally have amnesia after a three month comma. It all sounds staged to me”
“Come on Ted”, Tracy retreated “Do you possibly think I would put myself in such a situation?”
“Desperate people do crazy things”, Ted answered.
“Out”
“What?”
“Get out”, Tracy barked louder and got to her feet “I don’t need your help, I can take care of this baby on my own. Get the hell out”
“Tracy please let’s talk, I don’t want you to stress the baby”
The raised noises and argument between her and Ted got her mother’s attention just as she had suspected it would. She got into the room and looked at both of them before turning her attention to Ted.
“I think you should go”
“But Gina”
“Please leave”, she insisted and pointed to the door.
“I will call you”, he said to Tracy before walking out of the room and heading to the door.
“Are you OK?” Gina turned to her daughter and asked.
“I just wanted to have a cup of tea”, she said amidst sobs.
“It’s ok sweetie, I will pour you the tea”,
She sat right beside her and placed a cup of tea in front of her.
“Do you want some muffins with that?”
“Yes please”
Tracy took a sip from her cup before looking at her mother, she had the most friendly smile on her face but nevertheless expectant.
“Don’t mum”
“What dear? I haven’t said anything”
“Well you don’t have to, It’s all over your face”, Tracy said and took a bite of her muffin.
“Is it now?”
“Yes it is”
“Ok dear, tell me what I’m thinking”, Gina said and waited for her to speak up.
“You are thinking how much I have messed up and how on earth did I got myself in such a situation”, Tracy started “You are thinking about my future and the future of my baby, You are thinking if I am going to take a paternity test to find out who the father of my baby is”.
She took a deep breath after saying all these words before settling well in her seat.
“You are thinking why on earth I left Ted for a person I now clearly have no recollection of”
Gina moved closer to her daughter and poured her more tea; she then settled back in her seat and waited for her to say more.
“Are you done?”
“I don’t know”
“Tracy”, Gina started and Tracy had an inkling of where the conversation would head “I am not thinking any of that and do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Well, other than the fact that you are thinking about it all on your own”, she went on “I am here to support you and nothing else”
“So you are not thinking about the shit storm I am reeling in”
“No”, Gina answered “on the contrary I am thinking of how adorable my little grand baby is going to be, I am thinking of baby names, I am thinking of spoiling her rotten, I am thinking of what it would take for me to bribe you to name her after me if it is a girl. I am thinking of what a kick arse mum you will be once the baby arrives. I am thinking of the joy he or she will give you once you hold her in your arms and get to experience the precious gift of mother hood”
“I do not know what I was thinking running off with this other guy”, Tracy said and tried holding back her tears “I literally do not know what I was thinking”
“Let me tell you a secrete about the beginning of my marriage”, Gina replied “I never tell anyone this”
Tracy looked up at her mum and knew she was about to give her a very interesting story.
“I was not in love with your father when we got married”
“Really mum, the two of you were literally a match made in heaven”
“I know”, Gina answered before going on “But before I married him I had another lover, Mark was his name. He was free spirited, funny and loved to live life huge the exact opposite of your father”
“Why didn’t you marry him then? You did love him?”
“I loved him with every fiber of my being but your father was the safer bet. He had a stable job, good morals a stable family background all the qualities of a husband material”
“Mum what is the point of this story?”
“After your father passed away I always wondered what had happened to Mark and how my life would be different with him. He was a go getter, a risk taker and he dreamed huge”, she answered “Bottom line is people don’t always s marry for love but that does not mean you should give up on it either”
Gina’s words made a lot of sense to her; she watched as she got up to her feet and walked out of the room. Tracy leaned in on her gut feeling and knew what she had to do.
The road was smooth but not her thoughts, she sat in the passenger’s seat and thought back to the dream, she had had the previous night. The dream seemed so real and she could not help but wonder if it was part of her memory resurfacing. She was seated on the front porch of her apartment and was waiting on someone. She heard a hustle in the nearby shrub tight in front of her and out of it walked a wolf. She seemed happy to see it, it had walked on to her and she did not feel afraid or the least bit scared of it.
The wolf then placed his head in her laps and she rubbed the top of its head gently before giving it a slight kiss. What troubled her most about the dream was the transformation that followed. It took a few steps from her and right in front of her transformed into a human being. She watched as its limbs grew longer, fur disappeared from his skin and its face expanded or so she thought.
“Earth to Tracy” Samantha called out and threw her a side glance “Did you hear anything I just said?”
“I am sorry, I was a bit distracted”
“There is a good sale for baby clothes I stumbled across yesterday I think we should head there first”
Tracy looked at her sister and loved how supportive she was being of her. She had decided to take her away from all the crazy people in the house and shop for baby clothes.
“I need a favor Sam”
“Anything”
“I need you to take me to him”
“To who?”
“Samuel”
Samantha’s reaction was much expected as she drove out of the road and parked on the side of it. She looked into her eyes and shook her head in disapproval.
“Why on earth would you want to see him?”