Forgotten Moment

Part 15... Missing

Vera POV

After receiving the envelope yesterday I had made two choices.

One: I would not tell Rui about the stalker... yet. I was not ready for his over protective domineering jungle lion attitude.

Two: I needed to uncover my lost memory. I hated the fact that strangers knew more about me than I did, even that stalker person.

I paid the driver and looked at the stone building in front of me, my memories here were bittersweet. It was a tranquil place and I was grateful for their help but it also had sad memories where I had lain unconscious to the world around me for a year.

I looked at the sign at the entrance which read:

Cedar Orchard Medical Facility

I took a deep breath and climbed the five steps to the huge brown oak door.

"Welcome Ms Smith and have a seat. Dr Conrad will be with you shortly." The receptionist named Mel was new. She was not working here when I left four years ago. I sat gingerly on the blue chairs in the small reception room. There were two other patients. I tried not to stare as I surveyed my surroundings. The place had not changed except for the new potted fern at the entrance. It was still a replica of most reception rooms in most medical facilities.

"Ms Smith Dr Conrad will see you now. Second door on the right." Mel informed me five minutes after I walked into the place.

I stood up and gathered my wits and plastered a smile on my face, "Thank you."

I knocked on the white door and heard a "Come in".

The room was just as I remembered it. Sterile and hospital looking it was devoid of character or personality. Somehow I had hated that lack of familiarity the room had. It was very unwelcoming.

I pushed the door wider to reveal Dr Conrad sitting behind his desk. He was probably in his fifties and had been a psychologist for many years. He had worked at Cedar Orchard since its inception twenty years ago. His hair was grayer and he had more wrinkles. He was a slim man with an average joe face.

"Good morning Vera, have a seat." Dr Conrad's voice was the perfect soothing therapist tone. He could lull a crying baby to sleep. I remembered his soothing voice had calmed my nervousness many times in this very office.

"Thank you." I said sitting and crossing my ankles. I was very nervous in spite of my need to be here.

"So I was very surprised when I received your call yesterday." Dr Conrad began. "When you left here you were doing extremely well and reports from your therapist were very positive."

I clenched my fingers willing my brain to say what I came here to find out. I finally looked up at Dr Conrad and the genuine look of concern was etched on his face. This boosted my confidence and I took a deep breath.

"I am doing well. I mean I have overcome many tragedies the loss of my parents and living with emotionally unattached relatives. I have accepted all of that but I still don't understand why I can't remember that year."

Dr Conrad leaned back in his chair and looked at me.

"It must be a point of contention."

"It is, I mean I have tried everything, and that year just escapes me. I can't remember the accident at all. What vehicle hit me? Where I was? If I had even seen the hit and run driver?" I was always wondering why I could never recollect that moment that forgotten moment when my life changed.