Parish: Killing Me Slowly

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Greg walks in and I look up from my book. The nurse was kind enough to lend me some money. Of course I'll pay her back, but she insisted I don't have to. She wants me to think of it as a late birthday present. She obviously knows my birthday wasn't long ago. All doctors and nurses should.

"What's up, buttercup?" he says and I begin to laugh, stopping as soon as I feel pain.

"Ow." I wince slightly and he rushes over to me. I shoo him away. "I'm fine! Quit babying me!"

He smiles. "It's my job, sis. I'll always baby you because I'll always have to worry about you. Especially with that man around."

"'That man?' Since when have you called him 'that man?'"

A solemn grin forms on his face. "Since he did this," he gestures to my body and the numerous machines connected to my body "to my baby sister."

I sigh and turn my head to look out the window. "Why don't I remember Blade? He seems so familiar and yet so like a stranger. I don't know which to believe."

He seems to sense the change in subject and pursues it with much interest. "I'm not entirely sure. I believe it's because he hit your head so hard. The concussion could be a result of it. As to why you remember Amanda but not Blade, I'm still stumped on that."

A bird flies across the path of my window. It's a beautiful black and white bird, kind of like my life has been so far. It's either been bad or it's been good. Most of the bad things have been done by my psycho father, but not all of them. Nick, for instance. He wasn't a result of my father. At least, I don't think he was. He's never even met my father, but I know they'd get along great. Both of them hurt me in ways that'll scar me for life. Both of them deserve anything bad that happens to them, though nothing bad really even happens to my dad. Not that I can think of anyway.

The point is, most of my life has been full of wonderful surprises! Note the sarcasm.

"... Leigh?" Greg asks.

"Huh?" I turn my head towards him to find him staring at me. "What?"

A grin forms on his face. "Still the same old Leigh, even if you can't remember everything." I smile and lean back against my pillow.

"Hey, Greg?" I ask to the ceiling.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'll ever be able to remember everything?" I debate on telling him that I can't remember anything before 13 years old. Not a single birthday. Not a Christmas present. I can't even remember why my father hits me. Did I ever even know? I wonder if he used to hit Greg. Maybe not though. I'll have to ask him.

There's a silence in the room so thick it alarms me. I look down at Greg to see him staring at me.

"What now?" I ask.

"Leigh, what else can't you remember?" Well I guess I will tell him after all.

"Greg, don't be upset." I tell him.

"What don't you remember?" he asks.

"Please, Greg. Promise me you won't be upset!" I beg.

"Leigh! Just tell me what you can't remember!" he yells.

"Everything before the age of 13! I don't remember anything, not a single thing!" I yell back. Tears stream down my face and I angrily swipe at them. It's not fair! It's never been fair! "Why does it seem like nothing good ever happens to me?"

Greg pushes me over gently and climbs onto the bed with me, wrapping me in a hug. Everything still hurts but with the medicine they're giving me I could care less.