Can't Remember to Forget You

Chapter Six

Owen

I spent an embarrassing amount of time sitting in the damn chair and just watching her breathe. I couldn't force myself up, or explain to myself why I was doing it.

This girl has been a pain since the day I met her.

I remember when Donovan brought her home the first time. They had been out drinking and he'd picked her up from some club. They both came tumbling into the living room, laughing obnoxiously. The two didn't even care that I was in the room. They started getting busy quick. The girl was all over him. She was hot, no man could argue there, but damn was she annoying. She'd had the nerve to eye ball me into leaving my own damn place so that she could screw around with my roommate.

It never got better from there.

Donovan used to stay at her place a lot when they first started dating. It had only been a few months since she'd been with him though before she had to start staying with us since she got herself kicked out of her own place. I always dreaded leaving my room in the morning. Like clockwork she got up every single morning at 5 and would lay on the couch, taking up all the room, and controlling the TV. We fought anytime we were together, so we made it as infrequent as possible. I couldn't stand her, she couldn't stand me. We were in a constant standoff.

So why am I sitting here with her now? Why have I not gotten up and left? Why does my breathing quicken a little anytime she moves the slightest muscle?

Donovan.

I tried to convince myself I was only watching out for her because she was Donovan's girl, and he was my friend.

Was my friend. Now he is dead, and she doesn't even know to remember him. I should just leave.

Finally my brain won out the battle and forced my body up out of the chair and out of the room. I held my restraint and didn't even look back at her on my way out.

I shot a text to Barker to let him know I was heading to see him.

***

I knocked on the dark wooden door to Barker's office and waited for him to answer.

"Come in kid." He grumbled.

I pushed the door open and crossed the large room to sit in one of the chairs across from his desk. Barker was looking down at the papers in front of him and he was chewing the tip of his pen. He only ever does that if he is stressing something. I know to just sit patiently and wait for him to acknowledge me before speaking.

It took him a while but he eventually pushed his papers and pen aside and folded his hands on top of his mahogany desk and looked to me expectantly.

I nodded my head to him respectfully. "We don't have anything to worry about." I told him quickly. "She doesn't remember anything."

Barker pursed his lips. "You made sure she won't say anything about us as well?"

"No...Well, I mean yes." I corrected myself. I could tell that answer had not pleased him. "What I mean is, I didn't have to say anything." I added quickly.

"Explain boy." He was losing his patients with the topic. Barker does not like to deal with cleanups. He just orders them and wants the confirmation, cut and dry.

"She doesn't remember anything." I explained. "The last like four years, she doesn't remember them."

His bushy grey brows grew together. "You're saying?"

"I'm saying she doesn't know." I was fumbling on how to explain. "She doesn't even remember that she lives here. She doesn't remember anything about us or what we do because she doesn't even remember ever having met us. We are completely in the clear."

"You're a stupid boy." He spat. "Of course we aren't in the clear here. This is even worse."

"How?"

"If she only couldn't remember what happened, that would be one thing." He mused. "You'd have gone in, threatened her to keep her trap closed about the rest and we could have been done with her." He picked up his pen and placed the tip back in between his teeth. "Now there is no way to tell her not to talk. What if her memory comes back? Could be tomorrow, or two years from now. Who is to say she won't all of a sudden remember it ALL and then run to the first cop she sees." He shook his head. "No, this won't do. It is too much of a liability. Just get rid of her."

"NO." The word flew straight out of my mouth without any sort of thought to go along with it. I can't believe I just rose my voice and denied an order.

Barker's face was surprised as I am sure mine is. "Excuse me?"

"I just...I don't think we have to kill her...She doesn't know." I answered him with my eyes cast down. "I can talk to the docs some more, find out if she even can regain her memory. If not, there is no point in killing her."

Barker held his chin and rubbed his fingers across his lips. I waited for what felt like a year. I may not like her, but I don't think I could just kill her now. Not when she doesn't even know why I would be doing it. It's just wrong.

"Fine kid." He finally said. "Any of this turns bad, it'll be your head." He looked me directly in the eyes. "Do you understand what I am saying to you boy?"

"Yes sir."