We'll Have Our Little Secret

Chapter 26- Secrets Never Die

I stare at Hannah not really knowing what to say. I pick the phone up off the ground, and listen to Ross asking "what's going on?"

"Ross, I have to go. Jack's awake. " I say into the phone, and he's quiet. He's probably having the same reaction I was. I hit the end button without saying goodbye, and I follow Hannah outside to her car. When I say follow, I mean run after her to catch up with her. For as short her legs are, she's fast. Or maybe it's just that I'm slow. Or maybe it's even the fact that she knows she can finally see Jack awake, and she's running like she never has before. If it was me, I would too.

As soon as we get into the car, Hannah doesn't even wait for me to close my door, she just immediately pulls out of the parking lot. It's silent the whole way up there. I guess we both had a lot running through our heads, and even if we didn't, Hannah's driving keeps you breathless.
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The drive to the hospital is only about 5 to 10 minutes away from where we are, and yet Hannah was there in seconds. As soon as she parks, she just jumps out of the car leaving it running, and not putting it in park. I react fast before we hit the car in front of us, and put it in park. I shut of the car making the roar of the motor slowly become no sound at all. I lock the car, and shove the keys in my pocket.

I start to run to catch up with Hannah who is already at the door and walking in. I follow in a few yards behind her, and watch her walk over to the elevator. I run as fast as I have in awhile to catch the elevator too. By the time I get inside of it, I'm ready to sit down and take a nap. I'm completely out of breath.

"Sorry." Hannah says. I look up at her and give her a death glare causing her to smile a little. Hopefully her smiles will start to become real after tonight.

As soon as the elevator dings and the door opens, Hannah takes off again almost running into a few people. How in heaven's name can she run this much!?

Even though my lungs were on fire, I run shortly behind her to room 3017. A sign right next to the door says to knock before entering, but that would be the last thing for Hannah to do. She opens the door to a doctor and a nurse standing around Jack's bed as the nurse takes his pulse. The doctor looks at Hannah, to me, and back to Hannah.

"Mrs. Hannah, can I see you outside of the room please?" He asks. Hannah doesn't take her eyes off of Jack.

"Sure." She says, but she lets the doctor lead the way out as if the extra few seconds she has to look at him are priceless.

Once they leave, the nurse stands up and writes something down on her clipboard. She walks towards the door and smiles at me on her way out. As soon as I hear the door close, I know it's time to face Jack. I walk around the corner of the curtain, where Jack is setting up looking down at his hands. He looks up at me, and smiles. I feel a tear slide down my cheek. I never thought I would see that smile again.

Without even giving it a second thought, I run over and wrap my arms around him tightly. He hugs me back too, but not as tight as what he usually does. I let go of him, and sit down on his bed as we stare at each other.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Ok I guess." He says. I've missed his voice so much. I nod, and look down at my hands. It goes silent for a minute, and I know what's on both of our minds.

"Jack, I'm so sorry." I say looking back up at him. He sighs.

"For?" He asks.

"Everything. It's all my fault." I say.

"How is it your fault that I have cancer?" He asks. I sigh. He knows that's not what I'm talking about.

"I'm not talking about the cancer." I say.

"Then what are you talking about?" He asks. I feel a little bit of anger flair up inside me knowing he's doing this on purpose. But I guess I kind of deserve it.

"The car accident." I say.

"How is my driving your fault?" He asks puzzled.

"Jack, stop." I say letting a little bit of anger come out of me.

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything. I'm just telling you my driving isn't your fault." He says, and I know he's trying to make me feel guilty. I put my head in my hands not really wanting to look back up at him.

"Well then I'll move on the next thing." I say knowing what's coming. But he has to know, I'm not leaving Ross.

"And what's that?" He asks.

"Ross." I say looking back up at him even though I don't want to. Be he has to know I'm serious.

" Who?" Jack asks.

"Ross. My boyfriend." I say making sure he knows we ARE together. Jack just stares at me for a minute, not saying anything. I would do anything to be able to know what he's thinking right now. That's when Hannah walk in, slamming the door. I look over at her, and she has tear stains on the side of her cheek. He emotions on her face are sad and angry. The new that the doctor told her must not be too good.

"Amnesia." She says looking at me.

"What?" I ask confused.

"What about amnesia?" I ask.

"Jack has amnesia." She says as another tear falls down her cheek. I look over to Jack, how just stares at both of us. No wonder he asked who Ross was, and wondered why I was apologizing for the car accident that he was driving. He doesn't remember any of it.

"Do you know who I am?" I ask. I feel tears forming at the rim of my eyes, but I just hold them back. Now is not the time to cry.

"Of course." Jack says.

"You're my daughter, Laura." He adds. I look back over to Hannah confused.

"He has Retrograde Amnesia. It's when he can't remember anything from the past year. But it slowly comes back through the years in flashbacks." She explains. I look back over to Jack.

In the past year I've graduated college, came home, Hannah and him had their 30th wedding anniversary, Jack even turned 49. So that also means he doesn't remember the night of the accident... He doesn't remember the thing with Ross, or how we got into the car accident.

That also means that I could tell him that Ross is a friend from school like Hannah thinks. Even though he remembers who Ross is from my childhood, we could try everything possible to make him believe he is not the Ross Lynch.

I look back up to Jack who is now talking to Hannah. They're holding hands as they talk and smiling at each other. But all I can seem to think about is the plan with Ross. It will work. It has to.

I guess the little secret continues.