Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!
Chapter 2
XxxxXxxxX
Rose
My eyelids slowly, reluctantly opened.
I found myself in a small hospital room, it was very white; from the walls to my bed sheets. It was all very depressing. In fact I was starting to feel claustrophobic, like the small space might suffocate me. But that was stupid even though my rapidly beating heart disagreed. I lifted my torso up and examined myself. I had no idea, no clue as to how I ended in a hospital bed. Anxiety pooled in my stomach, twisting and unpleasant. I removed the bed sheets, revealing a skimpy light blue garment I wore. I inspected my arms and legs cautiously. My skin was unnaturally hot, and in some place covered with purplish bruises. I didn't know how I missed it earlier but my forehead was wrapped in thick bandages. Did I have a concussion or something? Shouldn't someone be here with me? A doctor, a friend...My family?
My eyebrows creased with worry. Why am I here? But a more important question and one infinitely more power: Who am I?
I pressed my hands to my face, expecting tears but they never came. Instead I felt something startling cold and metallic. A ring. It was absolutely stunning and I was at a loss for words not only for it's extravagant beauty but because I didn't remember putting it there. Tentatively I removed the ring from the wedding finger on my right hand. I stared at it curiously, angling it this way and that. If I squinted hard enough I could just make out the words engraved on the golden band: For my Roza, I will always love you.
Roza? My name? Is Roza my name? My lips trembled because I didn't know. I had no idea. It didn't sound right, familiar.
What did I know about me? I didn't have time to ponder it.
My head snapped up to the sound of the door being propped open. With instinct I didn't know I had I jumped out of the hospital bed. The door opened, revealing an elderly woman with gentle, worn features and kind eyes. I swallowed nervously and edged back just in case, my back hit the wall.
"Hello dear," she smiled, showing dimples. Light blond hair cascaded down her her shoulders. Her face was light, open. Sympathetic. She wore a white lab coat over a dark green shirt and black pants that hugged her slim body. "Nice to see up," she commented.
I stared at her dumbfounded. So many questions plagued me but I was afraid if I didn't get the details in order I would go crazy.
She drifted to the window and yanked a cord, sun light poured into the small, stuffy room. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Regardless of how innocent she seemed I kept my distance. For all I knew she had a couple needles in her pockets.
"I'm Dr. Sage. I'm sure you have questions but they can wait until you get some food and sugar in you."
She had a point, I was voracious for anything that passed as food and until she brought it up I hadn't realized how thirty I was.
I swallowed, making the muscles in my throat work. No matter how much my stomach craved food I had to know something, anything.
So far all I had was a name.
"I-" the sound of my own voice sent a trickle of excitement through my body. "I need to know why I'm here. I'll eat, no worries there. But I-I don't," I sighed in frustration. "I don't know why I'm in a hospital bed."
Profound concern flashed across the elderly woman's face. "I worried this might happen."
I frowned and waited for her to say more but she paused as a young nurse walked it. She smiled at me tentatively and placed a tray of food on the lone bed.
"Go on now," Dr. Sage encouraged. "You eat, I'll talk," she smiled, a glint in her light blue eyes.
Reluctantly I complied. The bottle of water was to good to pass up. I swallowed the liquid until there was nothing left and sat down cautiously. A bowl of grapes greeted me, as well as crackers and cheese. It was a side snack really. But I would take what I could get. Suddenly Dr. Sage was forgotten. My hunger had taken precedence.
"Wow. Someone's gotta an appetite," my head snapped up and I found myself starring into a pair of emerald-green eyes. "And you guys are feeding her crackers! That's torture," he groaned mockingly. "At least throw in a couple main dishes."
He smiled at me, showing a line of perfect white teeth. His soft looking brown hair was tousled in a messy disarray. His face was cute, prominent cheek bones, narrow nose and of course his eyes were stunning. His skin was a light ivory. He was very tall and towered over the girl behind him. She elbowed him playfully in the ribs and strode forward.
Dr. Sage soft features turned cold. "You two shouldn't be in here. I told you to wait."
"And I completely agree mother," she smiled at me but I was frozen, my heart kicked into overdrive again. "But Adrian here insisted on making sure are young Ariel was alright."
"Sydney Sage," Her voice conveyed friendship but I was to confused by all the smiles to understand where all this kindness was coming from. She extended her pale hand out. Inexplicably stunned I took in her sleek blond hair, her steely blue eyes. She was a startling contrast to her mother. I stared at her hand for a moment before shaking it.
"I apologize dear," Dr. Sage said meaningfully. "This is my daughter as you already assumed and her mischievous friend, Adrian Ivashkov," I spared Adrian another glance, his eyes were imploring, curious and the smile never quite left his face. "They pulled you out of the water a few days ago."
My jaw dropped, I'd have been embarrassed if I wasn't so abashed. "Pulled me out of the water?" I tried to ignore the my quivered but shock mingled with anxiety made it hard to stop.
I glanced at every face in the room. My outburst didn't seem to surprise any of them.
"Yes," Dr. Sage continued, her earlier sympathy still remained but her face was stern as well as her words. "They were sailing when they saw you floating in the water."
Oh god. This can't be happening. I remained quiet, begging with my eyes for the compassionate elderly woman to continue on.
"We don't know how long you rested on the water. You had a very faint pulse. It's a miracle, really both that you were rescued and you seem to have made a full recovery.
A recovery without knowledge, I thought, without memories.
The boy slouching at the door asked gently, "What's your name?"
I looked away from his steady gaze, away from all of them and played with the mysterious gold ring on my finger. What could I say? I didn't have any recollection of what my name was. Except for the ring I wore I realized with a start.
"Roza," I murmured, still unable to meet their curious gazes. "I-I think my name is Roza."
I could hear the frown in Sydney's voice, although it was quiet, gentle, it still hurt. "You think?"
"Adrian, Sydney," Dr. Sage prompted. "I need to speak alone with R-Roza. You can speak to her later, if that's okay with you?"
I nodded mutely.
The door shut and I raised my head cautiously to meet the elderly woman's soft expression.
"Roza," she mused quietly, "It suits you. But most people don't question themselves over their names. Can you tell me about your family, so that we can get in touch with them."
I grimaced, suddenly assaulted with hot treacherous tears. "I don't know," my heart ached painfully. "I don't remember."
Dr. Sage nodded, expression pensive, compassionate. "Roza-It's safe to call you that right?"
I nodded, it was better than the endless alternatives.
"I've been a doctor for a very long time. I wasn't quite sure at first but I think you may have had a serious concussion. I'm positive the reason you don't remember your life is because you an have amnesia."
Amnesia.
Did that mean I had family? Friends? People who cared about me? I looked at the gold ring on my hand. 'For my Roza. I will always love you.' I shivered but it wasn't from the cold.
"I wish I could give you more information," I said, brushing away the tears. "But I can't," I closed my eyes, silently begging my frustration to disappear. "I can't remember my own name. I don't know who my family is. Or if I have one for that matter. I don't know where I'm from. Home is a mystery."
Home. Why did I feel homesick if I didn't even know what home was. Not to mention where.
"My head," I gently touched my forehead. "I don't know how I ended up with a concussion. I don't know why I was floating in the ocean."
Dr. Sage looked torn, her expression a combination of sympathy and confusion. "Roza," she stared at me meaningfully, "I don't know who you are. But I can help you, your memories, your life may come back to you in pieces. I'll do everything I can to help you. And of course we'll contact the local police, they can pass your picture around. Probably even put out a story on national television."
"You've already done to much," I whispered. "If it weren't for your daughter, who I haven't even thanked I would probably be dead."
Dead. I wondered if death was a better alternative than being swiped of your memories.
"Roza," her mask of professionalism slipped away replaced by deep sadness. "I'm grateful Sydney and Adrian found you. If one of my daughter's had amnesia, I'd want to be with them. You have a family out there, worried sick about you. I want to help you. My daughter wants to help you. Don't you ever think anything less or anything more. We're proud to aid you in anyway. In fact, if you'd like and it's okay with the local station well I'd like you to come stay with us in our home. We have a spare room. That way I can check on you regularly and maybe piece together anything you start to remember."
I was literally rendered speechless. This kind woman was willing to take me into her home. Into her professional care. I didn't know much about myself but I did know one thing, I hated crying. "I would appreciate that so much. But," I blinked away the tears. "How can you just allow a stranger into your home? I could be a serial killer for all we know or a child rapists," I flinched even though I knew deep down I was neither of those things. "I couldn't intrude like that."
Dr. Sage laughed, a soft amused laugh. "Oh Roza. I may not know you anymore than you do but I'm pretty convinced your mone of those things. And truly, it's no problem. I insist."
My tears dried up I regarded this woman as an angel even though her daughter had done most of the saving. "Always invite your patients home?" I joked, masking my joy.
I didn't want to spend another minute in this hospital.
She laughed, her dimples surfaced again. "It happens but I know a good soul when I see one."
A sob built up in my throat. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
XxxxXxxxX
I know the chapter's are short but I'm going to try and get one out every couple days. But I hoped you liked it! Reviews motivate me! Twilighternproud asked if this is RxD, well I don't wanna say just yet. But I will say Dimitri eventually enters the story.
Can't eat until sunset because of Ramadan but I'll def eat your reviews. Wink*
