The Unknown

Chapter 10

He nodded.

"For a while we had it good. We were almost done with high school, we were happy. You were always smiling, and laughing. Then everything changed when your mom got sick."

"I remember her being sick, and her having to go to the hospital in the ambulance." Rachel squeezed the pillow in her fists. She wished she could remember those missing days with her mother. Before the sickness had taken control.

"Alright, get up. We just had a major breakthrough, lets see if we can keep moving forward. I have an idea." Truthfully he just hated to see her upset.

Theres nothing we can do about her mom now, but at least I can help her get her memory back.

Rachel didn't move, staying put on the couch.

"Rachel if you don't get up you're going to regret it." Richard threatened lightly.

"Humph." He grinned, he hasn't had the chance to do this in ages!

He lunged at her, pinning her back to couch and began tickling her. His fingers ran up and down her sides and arms.

Rachel couldn't help but laugh. She was so ticklish, and he was taking advantage of it.

"Ri-Richard. Stop! Please!" She was laughing so hard she was crying. Suddenly his fingers disappeared and she opened her eyes to look at him. She didn't remember closing them. Richard was gazing down at her.

"It's nice to see you smile like that again." It was lighting up her whole face, she hadn't smiled like that since before she lost her memory.

Rachel blushed and pushed him away from her so she could sit up.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." She muttered, walking away from him.

****Reveal****

When Rachel walked back into her living room in clean clothes after her shower she found Richard sitting on her couch with another cup of coffee. He had a small book in his hands and when she looked closer, Rachel realized it was the journal that had the papers about her mothers funeral in it.

"What are you doing with that?" She strode across the room and moved to take it but he stood up and held it out of her reach.

"I'm just reading it, what's the big deal?"

She humphed at him and put her hands on her hips before responding. "It's a big deal because from what I've read of it, it's private. My thoughts and feelings."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

Richard shrugged apologetically and gave the book back to her. "I didn't know it would bother you if I read it. But none of what I in it is news to me. You were pretty open about that kind of stuff with me before."

"Then…why did I have this book?" There was no accusation in her voice, now she just wanted to know what the point of it was.

"I'm not sure, but maybe we can find out." Richard took her hand in his. "Come on, there's somewhere I want to take you." And he led her out the door.

They walked out of the apartment building and ran through the rain to Richards car.

Rachel laughed as she ran ahead of Richard, pulling him behind her. Before long they were both laughing at they ran through the rain.

He unlocked the car and they both jumped in, closing the door before the rain could follow them.

As they drove the rain got worse. The storm kept picking up momentum, getting worse and worse. By the time they pulled into Richards driveway the roads had begun to flood.

"Quick, get in the house." She knew he was worried but wasn't sure why. It was just a storm, wasn't it?

Getting out of the car, they both beelined for the front door.

****Showing****

Rachel stood just inside his huge house, dripping wet from the rain. She looked around, feeling uncomfortable, like she didn't belong there.

"Do you want to get out of your wet clothes?" The question surprised her. That was the last thing she was expecting at the moment.

"Um, sure. I- I mean yes. Thank you." The words felt awkward and clumsy on her tongue. And yet, she knew he had asked her that question hundreds of time before.

But how would I know that he's asked me that before? This is the first time that I've ever been in his house.

Richard refrained from chuckling at her response. She owned more clothes than she realized.

Probably half of her closet is here. He laughed quietly at the thought as he motioned for her to follow him.

"I don't want to soak you floors…" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's fine. Come on, I'm sure you're just as eager to get out of those wet clothes as I am."

He took her by the arm and started leading her through the house that was much bigger than her own home. Once they were walking Richard released her arm and took her hand instead, giving it a light squeeze.

To his surprise and delight, she squeezed back.

Rachel looked out the windows they passed as lightning split the sky, lighting up the world around them. At least they had gotten here in one piece.

She paused as they passed a floor to ceiling window in his living room. His house was a mansion compared to her apartment.

She looked out her window and was met with the high-beams of a tractor trailer truck coming directly at her.

Rachel blinked and the vision disappeared, but it had left her shaking and breathless. Richard had gone on ahead and disappeared from sight.

He must have gone into a room or something…

"Richard?" She called softly as she moved forward, suddenly wary alone in the strange house.

Trying the first door she came upon, Rachel found an office with a cluttered desk and some book shelves. The walls were covered in pictures of the two of them together, and some of just her.

Someone cleared their throat behind her and she jumped.

"Wow, I never would have expected that to scare you." He thought it was kind of funny how easily she spooked now.

"I found some clothes for you." Honestly, he knew right where her stuff was, but he wasn't quite sure if she was ready to know that she had basically been living here for a while.

"Thanks." She murmured, taking the clothes offered to her.

"The bathroom is two doors down on you're left, or the guest room is the next door on your right. We can throw your wet stuff in the dryer after."

She turned her back to him with a small nod and scurried away, down the hall.

Okay, so theres only a few chapters left! Hope you enjoy them!