What The Heart Remembers - The Heart #2 (Complete)

Chapter 16 - Part 2

Lacey

I opened the door to my house. My mom stepped into the hallway.

"Lacey?" she said walking toward me. I smiled at her as emotion clogged my throat. She frowned at my visible emotion as she embraced me. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tighter than usual.

"What's wrong?" she asked, pulling away from me slightly to look at me.

I brushed away a stray tear.

"Nothing."

It was so true. For the first time in a long while everything was right. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"I remember everything," I revealed.

My mom's eyes watered. "Really?"

I nodded.

She hugged me before she noticed Sam was still standing behind me with my suitcase.

"So sorry," my mom mumbled wiping away her face. I introduced Sam before my mom ushered us into the kitchen. Sam tried to give my mom and I some space but my mom wasn't having any of it.

While she made us something to drink I told her about my trip to London and how my memories had been triggered.

"It's wonderful," she said as she covered my hands with hers. "Adonis took it very hard after the surgery."

"I put him through hell," I said, still struggling with my guilt. "I made it hard for everyone who was close to me."

My mom studied me for a moment before she lifted her hand to my cheek and touched it gently.

"I'm your mom," she said. "And I love you. No matter what."

It reminded me of my close shave with death. It could have so easily been the end of my life.

"Watching you go through all of this without being able to carry the burden for you has been so hard. But you showed me how strong you are."

My forehead creased. I felt anything but strong.

"Not many people could handled what you went through." I shrugged. There were a lot of times I hadn't thought I was handling it well at all.

"I think you did the best you could. And I'm just glad you're back to your old self," she leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

I gripped her hands in mine as I felt a wave of love for my mother.

She smiled at me. "I need to call your father and brother."

I nodded. While she called the rest of my family Sam sat beside me.

"Your mom's really nice," he said.

"I know."

There was one person I needed to see and I didn't want to delay it. So when my mom got off the phone and told me Alex and my dad would be home soon.

"I need to go and see someone quickly," I told her.

"Sure," she said, understanding that there was stuff I needed to do and she wasn't going to question me. "Just don't take too long. I didn't tell Alex or your dad why you were back early."

"I won't be long."

Once Sam and I were back in the car I gave the driver the address I wanted to go to. My previous nervousness returned as we got closer to my destination. The familiar sight of the house made me feel a little nostalgic. I got out of the car and Sam tried to follow but I turned to him.

"I need to do this alone," I told him. He considered my request for a few moments before he gave a slight inclination of his head.

At the front door I knocked and waited. At first I thought the house was empty before I heard movement in the other side of the door. A locked clicked and the door opened.

"Lacey." The sound of my name on his lips made me throw my arms around him. He stepped back slightly but held me tight.

"You were right," I mumbled hoarsely still hugging him.

"About what?"

"When it came to choosing I would have chosen him."

He hugged me tighter. "You remembered."

I nodded my head unable to talk past the clogged emotion sitting in my throat.

"Welcome back."

I smiled and as I pulled away slightly a tear slid down my cheek. Aiden's eyes drifted over my face and his fingers brushed it away.

"God. I've missed you. I hoped it was only a matter of time."

"I didn't think it was ever going to happen but when Gray was onstage and I hear him say something it triggered the my memories."

"What did he say?" he asked.

"Something about extraordinary," I said trying to remember exactly what he'd said.

"You are."

"I think you might be a little biased," I teased and he chuckled.

"Maybe," he released me.

"It's so good to have you back," he whispered. His eyes drifted over my face as he reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"So anything interesting happen while I was away?" I asked.

The playful teasing disappeared and his jaw tensed. I frowned.

"No," he ground out.

He was clearly lying. Something had happened but for some reason he didn't want to tell me about it.

"Are you sure?" I asked, giving him another opportunity to tell me what happened.

"Yes," he replied, the tenseness in his features eased.

"Have you been in touch with Reece?" I asked wanting to know how my friend was. She was the next person on my list to see.

"A little." He stiffened. It was a telltale sign. Maybe they'd had a disagreement.

It was on my way to Reece when my mind began to come up with reasons why there seemed to be conflict between my friends. The day when I'd come to Reece's house and she'd opened the door with a dishevelled look. Then Aiden had come up behind her. One piece fit into another.

It couldn't be. Reece was still with Max, Aiden's friend. No way, I kept telling myself despite all the clues that pointed to the fact that there was something going on between them. I wondered if Reece would tell me what was going on.

I wasn't one to judge from the outside but it was so unlike my best friend. I was disappointed when I stopped by Reece's house and no one was home. I would have to call her later.

By the time I got back and had an emotional reunion with my family I was exhausted. I managed a call to Reece to organise to meet her the following morning for coffee at my house before I felt dead on my feet. I decided to ask her about Aiden in person so I could see her response. Sam left me with my family with the intention of returning the following day.

Despite my tiredness I climbed out my window and on to the roof. The sky was clear and it felt like a rain of stars above me. My phone rang and I got it out if my jeans.

"Hi," I whispered. I didn't need to look at the ID of the caller to know it was Adonis.

"It's so good to hear your voice."

I smiled. "Same." I felt so at peace at that moment.

"Was everyone happy to see you?"

"Yes," I answered. "It was great."

"I bet Aiden was happy to see you," he said and I smiled at the memory of seeing my friend whose entire existence in my life had been erased with my surgery.

"Yeah. It was good to see him."

"I miss you," he said after a silent moment.

"I miss you too."

Everything seemed to be coming together nicely and having him here with me would have completed it.

"You'll be home soon." I was counting the days already.