It was almost noon when Roger finally came knocking on Holly's door. She had been expecting his visit but dreading it. To her relief, he did not try to touch her when he came in, but stayed at a respectable distance. His demeanour even seemed slightly cold, she noted with satisfaction.
"You don't look too happy to see me. Have you come to say goodbye?" she said, sitting at her dresser and combing her hair.
Roger glanced at her, unable to hide his dejection. "I'm afraid not. I came to tell you that I spent all morning making arrangements to stay here as long as I have to. I also got in touch with the TV station to tell them about your situation and that you wouldn't be able to come back to work for a while."
"You called WSPR?" Holly asked, irritated by his meddling.
Roger stopped in his tracks. There was so much that she still had to find out, he remembered with a sigh.
"Honey, I mean Holly," he quickly corrected himself, "you don't work at WSRP anymore. We live in Chicago and you produce a TV show. They say that they'll manage because there are only two shows left until the end of the season."
Holly let this new piece of information sink in. She didn't even live in Springfield anymore. She decided after a few seconds that this was even better. It would be that much easier to cut all ties with her life in the States, since she felt no particular attachment to that producing job, or to Chicago. She realized that Roger was still talking.
"…but they still asked that you get a note from a doctor, for the insurances."
"I was planning on getting around to that. I am also going to need to get access to my money if I am going to stay here for a while. I do have money, don't I?"
"You've done well for yourself, and of course there is my money too."
Holly got up, trying to keep calm. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I don't need your financial help. I just need you to tell me the name of my banker and my lawyer and I'll manage."
"I told you that unless you decide to come back with me to Chicago, I am staying here with you."
Even though his tone was neutral, she could see that he did this out of love and for some reason, it pushed her over the edge. She didn't want to owe him anything; she certainly didn't want him to love her.
"Please, PLEASE, just leave me alone, Roger! I need to be by myself."
"I can't leave you here," he replied in a determined tone.
"I just found out that the man I love is married to my daughter!"
Roger winced at the words but didn't miss a beat.
"And I just found out that my wife is in love with my son-in-law. What is this, a contest about who's suffering the most?"
"Don't you dare joke about this!" she cried, getting hysterical.
"I am not, Holly! Can't you see that this is a nightmare for me too? You're my wife, you pledged your eternal love to me two weeks ago, and now you won't even let me near you."
"And you have to respect that. Or will you try to force yourself on me again?"
Roger clasped his hands together and took a deep breath, obviously trying not to lose it. "If you only knew how past that we are, you wouldn't be asking me this," he simply said in the end.
"That's the thing: I don't know. I don't remember squat and I never will if I feel you breathing down my neck all the time."
Roger walked to the door. "I won't be in your way, but I am not leaving you. The guys that kidnapped you are right here in Panama and they might still be looking for you. I'll be damned if I ever let something happen to you."
His words startled her. She hadn't given much thought to her kidnappers in the last few days, but she did have to concede that Roger had a point.
"You think they're still after me?" she asked, sounding uncertain.
"It's a possibility. Look, you can stay or you can go, but whatever you decide, be clear about one thing. I'm not letting you out of my sight until you have regained your memory."
"What if I never do? Will you ever let me go?"
Roger refrained from answering and left, not wanting to scare her off. The truth was that he would die before giving up on her.