I Believe You

Chapter Six

“Todd, sweetie are you ready to go?” Neil shouts from downstairs. Todd buttons up the rest of his shirt, “Yes dear! Be down in a minute! Go get the car running!” Todd smiles at himself in the mirror. It was their 4 year anniversary. They were going to dinner to celebrate, he can’t wait to stuff his face and stare at his husband. It was weird, but they were both weird, they were perfect for each other.

Todd ruffles his hair up as he makes his way to the car. He spots his beautiful Neil fixing his hair in the mirror. Him opening the passenger door makes him jump, “You scared me.” Todd chuckles, “I’m sorry.” They kiss and then Neil pulls out of the driveway.

As they quietly sit in the car, a certain song comes on the radio. “Wish You Were Here”, by Pink Floyd. Todd smiles, his face growing red, “This is our song.” Neil nods and turns up the volume. Their hands intertwine and rest in the center console. Both of their heads slowly rock and they both start singing.  

A girl with bright red hair sends a quick message to her boyfriend at home. Her eyes aren’t on the road and she’s in the wrong lane. Neil swerves over and lays on the horn. The car barely hit each other. Neil gets out to check on the person in the other car. Todd stays seated, hoping that the girl is okay. When Neil help a young adult out of the car, Todd sighs in relief. His calmness is stopped by a truck horn. It slams on the breaks but smashes into Neil’s little red car. “NO! TODD!” Is the last scream Todd hears.

In the hospital Neil paces back and forth. Neil was lucky for Todd to still be alive. Neil cursed at himself, why didn’t he go off the road before checking on the girl? He falls into a chair and starts to sob his eyes out. A soft hand stops him. He looks up and meets a nurse, “He’s up, but-“

“I wanna see him!” Neil shoots up from his chair. “Where is he at?”

“Sir, there’s something you need to know before going back there.” He doesn’t listen to the nurse and just wanders on his own. The nurse heavily sighs and takes him back anyway. She holds the door open and follows Neil in. “Todd? Oh my God, my baby.” He pulls a chair up and grabs his hand. He places kisses all over him. Todd’s eyes open and he gasps, he pulls his arm away from Neil. “Who are you?” His voice sounds so weak, but the question hits Neil like a brick. “I’m your husband.” The nurse clears her throat, “This is what I wanted to warn you about.” Neil’s happiness turns to hopelessness. “No, is there any possible way to get his memory back?”

“We tried everything Mr. Morrison.” The nurse’s shoulders sink as tears stream down Neil’s face. “Todd, you don’t remember me? Here, lemme sing our song. Please baby.” Todd looks around blankly. He gives a dead pan look to his unknown husband. Neil grabs his hand, “Oh…how I wish you were here. We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl.” Todd shakes his head and pushes Neil away. “Todd, baby.” More tears escape Neil’s brown eyes. He stands up and walks out of the room.

He gets a cab home and gets online immediately. He researches different ways to help amnesia. A website with a white building and lots of bushes and plants. It doesn’t look too bad. “They can help my baby.”

In the night Neil grabs his husband and takes him to this place with a rental car. Todd is so out of it he has no idea where he is and what is about to happen. “They’re gonna help you baby,” Neil kisses Todd as he parks the car and gets out. Todd looks around slowly, things slowly starting to make sense. Neil easily pulls Todd out of the black Lincoln. They make their way up the steps and Neil pushes the doors open.

“This is my husband, he has some type of amnesia. He doesn’t remember me and on your website I noticed you guys can help with that,” Neil explains to a short old lady. She smiles, “I’m Ms. Legion. We’ll have him as good as new.” She creepily smiles at the redhead. He shakes in fear and from the loss of feeling in his legs, because he hasn’t walked in two days. “Wait! No! He’s my husband!”

“Shh, you’re just saying that dear,” Legion strokes Todd’s red hair. They both watch Neil walk out. “Neil! I love you!”

“If that’s so, when is your guys’ anniversary?” Ms. Legion questions. Todd honestly forgot, but he was slowly starting to remember things. He must have dissociative amnesia where he forgets things for a certain amount of time. Hopefully.

“Alrighty dear, let’s get you cleaned up and to bed.”

The next day Todd started electrotherapy. They placed this weird thing on his head, he was scared honestly. “Turn it up, but not too much,” Ms. Legion orders and places a rubber thing in Todd’s mouth. He moans and groans, he didn’t want this. The next thing he knew, he was being shocked. His screams echoed and his body shook.

“Oh my God, how long did it go on for?” Sal questions first. Todd sighs, “Do you mean the treatment, or just the sessions?” Todd moves his hair back to show Sal the markings from the machine. “Damn, did they help?” Todd nods at Sal’s question, “Yeah, lots of things are coming back. I was a mess when I realized I was placed in an asylum on the day of my fourth anniversary.” The gang grows quiet. Sal turns to Larry. He shrugs and Sal swears he can see the terrible memory flash through his brown eyes. Larry taps on his bun and leans back, “Alright… guess it’s my turn.”