Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

Amnesia

Cheryl's POV
It's been two days and Toni's showing no signs of recovery.
She has lost her heart beat once but they got her back.
But other than that- Nothing.
"How is she today?" I ask
"Well as you know we went in last night and fixed some more brain bleeds and doctor radley is confident that she'll wake up, and hopefully soon,"
"Thank you," I say sitting down
I tell her about what's happened today. How the kids are and all the usual stuff when her eyes fly open
"Oh hello," she says crackly
"Oh my gosh baby you're actually awake!" I say with a smile
"I'm Toni, what's your name?"
"You're funny Tones,"
"What?"
"You don't recognize me?"
"Should I?"
"I'm your wife Toni, Cheryl Topaz,"
"Oh I think you have the wrong room," she says "I'm not married, I'm single,"
"No you aren't Toni," I sigh "I'll be right back,"
"Have fun finding your wife!" She says
I give her a small smile and walk down the hall and see the intern
"Hey, is she okay?" He asks
"She's awake, but she doesn't recognize me. She doesn't know who I am. She knows her name but not me or that she's married,"
"Oh let me page doctor radley," he says
I walk back to Toni's room and pull a photo of us and the kids up.
"Hey Toni can you look at this picture please?"
"Sure?" She says confused
I show her the picture and she's holding Tony Junior and kissing my cheek, Lexi's laughing in my arms
"Who's this?" She asks pointing at Lexi
"That's our daughter Tones, Lexi," I say "and that's me and you, and our little boy Tony Reginald,"
"His name is tony?"
"Ya we named him after you,"
"You aren't making any sense lady,"
"Tones please look at me and remember. Please,"
"I don't understand," she says  "they're very cute kids though, you're lucky,"
I nod and take my phone back
"Cheryl can I ask you a question?" She asks
"Of course," I say wiping a tear away from my cheek
"Why am i in a hospital?"
"You lost your leg in the war almost two years ago now, and it was getting infected and you didn't tell me or anyone. You stood up with your prosthetic on and your leg couldn't support you anymore and you hit your head on the counter,"
"Oh, why didn't I tell anyone?"
"You didn't wanna lose the rest of your leg,"
She moves the blanket and sees that she no longer has her leg.
"But I lost it anyways?"
"Yes you did honey,"
"Mrs. Topaz, May I speak with you?" Doctor Radley asks
"Sure," I say standing up
I go to the hall and he purses his lips.
"We originally didn't see this as a possible outcome. Toni is suffering from a form of amnesia where she remembers herself, but certain details of her life she won't," he says "with this we commonly see people go back into a coma or an unconscious state because of their brain chemistry,"
"W-what are you saying?" I ask
"Get the people who want to see her again- here within the day. If and when she goes back under, may be permanent. And it's a possibility this is the last time your wife will be awake," he says "help her piece stuff together,"
"I'll call our family," I nod
I call everyone and then go back in the room.
"Any word on your wife Cheryl,"
"Tones I know you don't believe me but your my wife," i sigh "you gotta believe me baby please,"
"Am I dying?" She asks
"No Toni, I don't think you're dying," I say with a small smile
"Why can't you look at me without crying?"
"Because you're my entire life Tones. We have 3 beautiful kids and I'm scared you aren't going to understand that,"
"If we are together, how did we get together? I mean you're way out of my league," she says
"Well we met at a dive bar you worked at after my mom and my girlfriend were bullying me and hurting me a lot," I say "that's when we became friends and I liked you for a long time but I was dating someone and I was too scared to leave. And then I did, and we went on our first date and everything was history,"
She looks confused and laughs
"That's a good love story Cheryl, but fairytales like that don't happen to people like me," she sighs "that's not how it works from my side of the tracks,"
Reggie texts me that they're here so I move to go meet them
"I'll be right back Toni,"
I walk down and meet them
"Mommy!" Lexi says hugging my leg
"Hi sweetheart," I smile picking her up
"How's Mama?" She asks
"Mama's awake finally, but she's really confused," I say kissing her temple
"Lexi why don't me you and Tony go get food and Uncle Reggie and Uncle RJ can See your mama?" Liz asks
"Okay, do I get to see Mama after?" She asks
"Of course you do," Liz laughs taking her from me
"Mama, pwease?" Tony asks sadly
Tony's has a hard few days. Obviously both him and Lexi absolutely adore Tones, but Toni is the only one that can calm him down most nights and he loves the little games she plays with him.
"Awe buddy, it's okay," I say moving his hair out of his eyes
He starts crying and I take him from Liz.
"I'll take him, Lexi you're going to stay with Auntie Liz and Auntie Liv okay sweetheart,"
"Okay mommy,"
"Thank you babygirl, and thank you two,"
"No problem," Liv says
They leave and I look at reggie and rj.
"It's not good is it,"
"The Doctor said we should say our goodbyes while she's awake, she might never wake up again," I say starting to cry "and she has no clue who I am or what's happening. She knows who she is and she's aware she has one leg and that's about it,"
"We'll figure it out," Reggie says "your wife is practically superman,"
I nod and calm tony down so we can go see Tones.
We walk in and she gives me a small smile.
"You're back," she says
"I told you I would be,"
"Reggie Mantle?" She asks excitedly "how the hell are you here?"
"You remember me?"
"We went to high school together, of course I remember," she says "I thought you moved. W-where was it? Oh California. You moved out west,"
"I- I did Toni, I moved with you and Cheryl, that's where we met RJ and Liv and Lizzy," he says
"Who's that Cheryl?" She asks point to Tony who's still facing away from her to calm down
"This is our little boy," I say turning him to face her
"M-mama?" He asks reaching for her
"He's cute, his eyes are stunning," she says
"Yes they are," I laugh "he misses you Tones,"
"I told you Cheryl, you have the wrong person,"
"Mama, Mama," Tony says trying to get out of my hands
"Toni can you please at least hold him,"
"Oh I don't know, I've never been good with kids,"
"You're great with kids,"
I hand him to her and she smiles
"You're a very handsome little boy," she says with a smile
"Mama I miss you,"
"What's his name again?"
"Tony Reginald," I say "you call him TJ sometimes,"
"TJ?"
"Tony Junior," I say
"I think this is a prank, it has to be. I'm still so young to have a kid- never mind three. Is he the oldest?"
"Robby's the oldest we adopted him a few months ago babes, remember?"
She shakes her head as Lexi runs in.
"Mama!"
"Sorry Cheryl, she wanted to see Toni," Lizzy says
"No problem, cmere Baby," I say
"Mama how are you?" She asks
"Who is this?" Toni whispers
"Our daughter Tones, Lexi,"
"Mama doesn't know who I am?"
I pick her up and hug her
"Mama's head is still hurt baby,"
"Oh mama. It's me Lexi,"
"Why do you keep bringing these people?" She asks
"Because we're your family Tones,"
She shrugs and sighs
"I'm sorry Cheryl, I don't remember,"
"Do you know anyone in this room right now?"
"Reggie, and that's Liv," she says "we were friends in college,"
"That's right, and where did you go to college?" I ask
"I dunno,"
"Yes you do Tones,"
"S-Stanford?"
"Exactly, you went with Reggie to Stanford and you guys met Liv through.." I lead
"Rielly," She says lightening up
"Yes, Do you have any family Toni?"
"I have two brothers,"
"That passed away,"
"No their alive- Sweetpea and Fogarty. They're travelling right now,"
"Where'd you go to high school?" I ask
"Riverdale High for the most part,"
"Why'd you transfer to Riverdale High?" I ask
She stutters and looks at me
"I- I don't remember,"
"Tones yes you do,"
"No I don't, it's all foggy. I'm sorry but I don't know who you are," she says "I do know this little guy though,"
"Excuse me," I say standing up and walking into the hall
I go against a wall and break down crying
She doesn't know me
She will never know me
I've always taken for granted how she looked at me
Like I was the only person in the room and like I was the only thing worth her attention.
Like I was her everything
"Cheryl," Reggie says
"Reggie she doesn't know who I am, she might never figure it out,"
"The Doctor said her chemistry's look good. That she might not go back into a coma," he says
"Then she's going back into the world like this? So she can fall in love with someone else? So she can leave me and pretend I'm just a rando she met- or even worse like we're just friends,"
"She'll come back Cher,"
"She doesn't wanna remember Reggie," I say "have you noticed how light she's been? How calm and fluid her talking is? She doesn't remember any of the pain. And I have to be happy for her- but I can't be, because I can't be the only one with the nightmares and I can't have them when Toni's not there,"
"What if we made her remember?" He asks
"I can't do that to her Reg!"
"It's part of who she is, and how strong she is. Make her remember, how can we do that?"
"Dougie?" I ask
He nods and I pull a photo up. We both go back in and I wipe my tears
"Toni who is this?"
"Stop asking me who these people are! I don't know!"
"Humour me Toni,"
She looks at it for a minute before her expression changes
"That's Doug?" She says confused
"That's right, now remember everything that happened toni,"
She thinks for a second and starts crying
"Give me a sec?" I ask everyone
They all nod and leave with the kids
"I don't want to remember, I feel like I was scared before. Like something happened that I'm better off forgetting,"
"Babe remembering these things will bring you closer to who you are. You're so strong, you're so powerful. You don't let anyone push our family around, because of this shit,"
"I was kidnapped. But when I was escaping I wanted to go home, I didn't have a home but I had a person to run towards," she whispers "and that was you,"