Anthony stood in shock, his mouth agape as he processed the doctor’s words. He had heard of memory loss before, but he had never truly believed it could happen—until now. The doctor explained that, due to complications from the accident, she was experiencing memory loss. What left him bewildered, however, was that the only memories she couldn’t recall were those involving him.
She remembered her parents, her sisters, her colleagues at work, and even the name of her primary school teacher. But him? The love of her life, the man she would have married if not for the accident—he was a blank slate in her mind. Anthony struggled to wrap his head around it, his gaze fixed on the doctor, still unable to fully comprehend the situation.
The doctor performed a series of memory tests on her after hearing about the incident from the previous night. Unlike typical memory tests that involve showing pictures of loved ones, this one was more straightforward. The doctor had asked her a few random questions, and when she asked, “Where is my mum?” it was a good sign—she wasn’t suffering from permanent memory loss.
After the session, the doctor reassured Anthony that she had only experienced partial memory loss. “We just need to give her time,” he explained. “If we rush her, it might trigger more trauma, like the episode you witnessed last night.” Anthony nodded, still grappling with disbelief over the doctor’s words.
Once the doctor deemed it appropriate, he allowed her mother and sister to see her first. After a while, he instructed one of the nurses to fetch Anthony. Before the nurse left, the doctor informed her that someone was coming in to see her. He encouraged her not to be scared, explaining that they just needed to know if this person was someone she recognized. She nodded, signaling her understanding.
When Anthony entered the room, he felt a mix of hope and dread. Her reaction was calmer than the night before; she didn’t scream, but confusion was evident in her eyes. He entered with a smile, hoping that the one-in-a-million grin she used to adore would spark a memory. Instead, her expression was distant, as if she were staring at a stranger.
The doctor broke the silence, asking her if she could recognize the person standing before her. “Yes,” she replied. Anthony’s heart surged with hope, but it shattered moments later when she added, “Yesterday night in my room, he was the one that made me scream.”
The doctor’s brow furrowed as he asked her where she recognized him from. Anthony’s heart sank further, feeling the weight of her words. She had no recollection of their love, only the fear that had gripped her the night before.