Chapter 2

Emmett's POV

The doctor was in with Gwen for fifteen minutes. I wanted to be in the room with her, but the doctor wanted to talk with my sister alone.

When he came out, the doctor explained it to me. Amnesia. This sucked. Ten months worth of memories gone! My sister was going to be in for a shock. So much had changed in the last ten months. So much.

I looked at Gregory Parker. He was the biggest change in Gwen's life and she didn't remember him. Yup. My sister was going to in for a shock.

"Parker, what are you going to tell Gwen?"

Parker gave me one of those cop stares again. He's been doing that a lot since the previous night.

"Emmett, I think it would be best if you told Gwendolyn about the last 10 months."

Hmm. Didn't see that coming, but I guess I should have. It made the most sense. Gwen would be more comfortable about hearing things from me than from Parker, who was now a stranger. It wouldn't be too bad. I mean, Gwen wasn't one to get spooked easily, but this, well this would spook anyone.

"Did you call Ed? Roy?"

Parker nodded his head. "Yeah, Ed's going to pick up Roy. They'll be here."

I knew they would. They were both great like that. Family meant the world to those two, and Gwen was family.

"She's going to ask a lot of questions, Parker. Especially about you. I don't want to freak her out, but I don't see how not to do that."

"Just talk to her Emmett. Try and keep her calm and tell the truth. Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Keep your voice steady and as normal as you can. She's going to raise her voice, just stay focussed on what's important – her health and her family."

"You know – sometimes I really hate that you're a negotiator. You make entirely too much sense!"

Parker smiled a little. At least I got that smile out of him. He was going to be in for a long, tough run in the future, and I doubt Gwen would make it easy on him.

Gwendolyn's POV

Doctor Raj told me what I already suspected from my limited conversation with my brother and the police officer. I had retrograde amnesia. I could recall my memories up until about 10 months ago. I had the ability to make new memories, so that wasn't too worrisome. It was just those 10 months in between that I had to worry about.

10 months was a long time. It was almost a year out of my life. How many operations had I done in those 10 months that I couldn't remember. How many family get-togethers couldn't I remember. What important things have I forgotten.

Emmett came back in.

"Hey sis."

Emmett was nervous. Well that wasn't new considering we were in a hospital. Emmett really didn't like hospitals, and well, I was the baby in the family, so seeing me like this would make anyone nervous.

"I feel fine Emmett. Well, not really fine, but good enough. So ten months, huh?"

"Yup. Ten months."

"I've got some questions."

Now Emmett looked like he was going to be sick.

"You cut your hair." Okay, so it wasn't a question, but more of a statement. Emmett cut off his long hair and that meant something. He loved his long hair.

"I've sported this haircut for awhile now. Um…"

"You've found someone?"

Emmett smiled and I knew he was in deep with whoever she was.

"Rachel. Her name is Rachel, and yeah, it's serious. We just got engaged."

I was stunned. Wow, a lot can change in 10 months.

"You helped me pick out the ring, you know. But she doesn't know that. Rachel thinks I'm this big hero for picking out a ring all by myself. You love Rachel too, by the way."

I nodded my head. How do you love someone you can't remember?

"And she loves you, too! She's a doctor. Well, not like you, but a vet. And she loves animals, and has 2 dogs. And she's tall, like me. Well she's 5'11", but I'm 6'5", so…"

Emmett trailed off.

"So you love her. I get it. I can't wait to meet her. Again." This was awkward.

"Shane," I began again, "is he still mad at me?"

Emmett shook his head. "Nah, he got over it, once he met Ed."

"Ed Lane. My brother?"

"Yeah. You and he get along great."

"Is he nice?"

"Who, Ed? Yeah he's nice. He loves you. They both do. Him and Roy. Although Roy's a little weird. But you know Ed, well Ed's Ed. He and Shane didn't hit it off right away, cuz of the whole 'alpha male' thing. But now they are good."

I got the feeling that Emmett was keeping something big from me.

"So what's going on in my life then? Anything change?"

Emmett swallowed hard. Ah, so something did change.

My brother was pretty easy to read, and he was making it even easier when he made these big gestures.

"Well…you sort of…met someone."

Well, that was new. After my husband died, I didn't think I would find someone else.

"Oh. Do I love him?"

"Disgustingly so." Emmett responded quickly.

I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Was Emmett not happy with the man I was currently with? Did they not get along? Was he wrong for me?

"Gwenny, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it in a bad way. Yes, you met someone and it's a good thing. The guy is great. You love him. God, you love him. I've never seen you so happy."

"Oh. How long have we been together?"

"About 9 months."

Well that ruled out a fling of some kind. Not that I was that type of girl, but 9 months is a long time.

"What's his name?"

Emmett smiled a little. "Um…Greg."

I was shocked. Greg was the name of my husband - Greg Grayson. To find another Greg…well that must be very awkward.

"But you don't call him that name."

I think Emmett saw the relief that crossed my face. "What do I call him?"

"You call him by his last name, Parker. You call him Parker."

My heart felt like it stopped for a second.

"Parker? The cop? I'm dating the cop that was in here?" I winced as I heard my voice. Even I heard the crack in it.

"Well, no, you're not dating him…" Emmett's voice trailed off.

"Oh, okay. Then who is he?"

Emmet took a deep breathe. "Try not to panic, okay?"

I merely raised my eyebrows at him. Telling someone not to panic is going to produce the exact opposite result.

"Parker and you aren't dating, because that would be weird you know, since he's kind of…your husband."

"Parker is my what!"

"Husband. It was a small wedding. You didn't want a big one. You looked beautiful, by the way, and the whole family was there, and – "

"You're telling me that I married a cop?" I had to interrupt Emmett from his ongoing dialogue.

"Yeah. Shocked me when I found out you two were dating, but you two have a lot in common. I guess the heart loves who the heart loves."

My mind was processing this new information as fast as it could.

"But he's old, and…bald"

Emmett just laughed. "Now how come when I said those exact words you took a spatula and smacked me on the head with it!"

Emmett thought this was a joke. It wasn't. "Emmett, that man can't be my husband. He just can't. I wouldn't marry a cop. And I certainly wouldn't marry and an old man."

"He's 41."

"What?"

"Parker. He's 41."

I'm 30, no wait, I would have had a birthday by now, so I'm 31. I guess 41 wasn't so bad. "He's still bald."

"Eh, he can't change that. He wears hats a lot."

"And he's a cop."

"Yup. He's one of the thinking cops though."

"Aren't they all supposed to think? What's a thinking cop?"

"It's what you told Shane the first time he asked who Parker was. Parker's a negotiator for the SRU."

"Oh."

Well that made a little sense. A negotiator would be smart, easy to talk to, and understanding. I could see those as being qualities I was attracted too.

"How long have we been married?"

"3 months."

"So it was a Christmas wedding?"

"Yup."

"I married him after dating him for 6 months?"

"Yup."

"And I love him?"

"Yup."

"And he loves me?"

"Yup."

"Stop saying 'yup'."

"Gwenny, listen to me. Parker loves you. I mean, he really loves you. You should have seen him last night. The guy is trained not to panic, but he did when it was about you."

"Okay, so I married a man that I don't remember, but one who I love and who loves me. Great. I never thought my life would be this complicated."

Emmett just smiled at me and said, "Yup."

If I could have reached the small giraffe, I think I might have smacked him.