The Story Of Us

2. More Like the Other Way Around

"Who are you?" Lucy asked the man beside her curiously. He had called her "baby". That was weird. His face fell, the smile was wiped away as he searched her face but did not answer her question. "Who are you?" She asked again.

"Luce, it's me. Tim. We went over this yesterday," he said gently.

"Tim," she sounded the name carefully as she tried to think of someone in her life with that name.

"You don't remember me," he said quietly, and he hated the anguish lacing his voice, but Tim knew something was very wrong. Her eyes remained fixed on him with an inquisitive glare, so he shot up from his seat in the chair at her bedside and volunteered, "I'll go get the doctor." He just needed a moment of space if she truly forgot him. Again.

"Why am I in the hospital?" She asked, stopping him from moving too far away.

"You were hurt on a call." He answered and shut his eyes momentarily before turning around to face her again.

"A call? On my first day?"

Tim slumped his shoulders, took a deep breath, and sat at the edge of her bed to gently tell her: "You're having trouble remembering the last 5 years. I know it sounds like a lot of time, but I'm happy to fill you in until you remember. The big highlights are that you've been a great cop well beyond your rookie year, so much so that you've been promoted to detective. Also, I can't believe that I have to say this, but you and Nolan apparently dated and broke up. Now, you're engaged to me. We went over all of this yesterday."

"I don't remember you telling me any of this. Last thing I remember is being excited about becoming a rookie."

"Are you sure you don't remember anything else? I don't look familiar to you at all?"

She heard the desperation in his voice, and Lucy felt a little guilty staring into sad blue eyes. She wanted to remember this handsome man, and then she gasped, "Wait, did you say we're engaged?"

Tim lifted the corner of his lip at her. "Yeah, we are."

Lucy quirked her head to the side as she scanned this stranger named Tim. "Are you sure?"

"It took us long enough to get there. I'm VERY sure."

She wanted to press him about what he meant when the door flung open and a young woman barreled over to hug Lucy. "So glad you're okay! I got off the plane to all of the texts, and I came right over. What happened?"

Lucy looked from the woman whose hands were on her shoulders and Tim. She did not really recognize either person, but at least she knew Tim's name.

"Please tell me this injury won't delay your wedding. I came from Italy to watch you two get married," she said and looked at the odd conversation the couple were having with their eyes.

Tim reached over and put a hand on Tamara's back before gently saying, "Hey, can I talk to you outside for a minute?"

"Why? What's wrong?"

Lucy bit her lip and felt guilty that the young woman in front of her seemed so concerned and traveled for..."Wedding?" Being engaged was one thing, but getting married to a stranger? She had PLENTY to catch up on.

"Don't worry about it, Luce. Tamara and I are just gonna talk outside for a minute. You rest, baby," Tim said sweetly.

She nodded and watched Tim and the person named Tamara leave her hospital room. She liked the way he called her "baby". She liked the gentle way he spoke to her. She liked his beautiful blue eyes. Lucy liked so much about him that she felt her pulse quicken a bit just watching Tim leave the hospital room. There was something about him that was comforting, even if she barely knew him.