"So, let me get this right." Mel……Maggie said. "Maggie Doyle, police officer, daughter of Pat, lived in St Thomas."
"Mount." Tom interrupted, "Mount Thomas"
"Sorry, Mount Thomas." Maggie corrected herself. "My mother is dead." She paused, as if trying it on for size. My mother is dead, she repeated to herself, a little taken aback at the lack of feelings that went through her.
"I'm sorry" Zoe said softly, wondering if it was all to much already.
"It's ok," Maggie gave a sad smile, "It's not like I remember her or anything."
"So this," Zoe gestured between herself and Tom, "It's not helping? You're not remembering any of it?"
Maggie sighed, glancing over at Kay and a gently snoring Luka before replying.
"It's familiar. What you're saying, its – I know it's true. Don't ask me to explain how I know, I just feel it. I am Maggie Doyle, and Pat Doyle is my father – but I – it – I don't know. It feels right, but I can't quite – it's not clicking. What you're saying makes sense. Makes more sense than what I was told before – and while we're on that subject, exactly why was I told that? What made everyone tell me that my name is Mel? Why – " Maggie drew a deep breath, trying to rein in her emotions.
Zoe delved deep into her bag, pulling out an envelope. "Perhaps this will help"
Maggie's hand shook only slightly as she opened it, the photographs tumbling out. Pictures of her with Tom, wide smiles pasted across their faces. Pictures of her and Zoe, and a tall man, Neil, Nate…
"Nick?"
"Nick!!" Tom said, excitement lacing his tone. "You remember? Nick Shultz, Zoe's husband"
"I – " Maggie stood up, her impatience evident. "It's like – I remember, but I don't. I remember some of it, but it's not me that's there. I'm watching this Maggie Doyle's life. Like I'm in the audience or something – I – aarrgh!" She ran a hand through her hair, ruffling it as if she could shake some of the memories back into some semblance of order. "Your photo's. That looks like me, it IS me, but it's not. Do you know what I mean? Am I making any sense at all – because I'm certainly not making any sense to myself, here."
"It must be frustrating" Kay said softly. She hadn't said much throughout the night, watching the reactions of the people in front of her. Mel, her friend Mel, she wasn't Mel at all. Mel was Maggie. Maggie from Mount Thomas. Maggie the policewoman, Maggie the friend, Maggie the loved, missed friend. "Me – Maggie, it must be so frustrating, but bear with it, sweetie. These people, it's obvious that they love you, that they care about you." She stood up and moved over to Maggie, rubbing her hands up and down Maggie's arms in a gesture of comfort. "I know it's all a shock, but it's true Maggie. It's all true. Don't ask me how I know, but I do. The reactions, the way Tom reacted when he saw your picture, when he realised it was you, these people care about you. Maggie, it'll work itself out, it'll just take time."
Maggie sighed, moving over to sit on the couch again. Picking up the photo's, she began to work her way through them again, seeing Maggie and a whole selection of people – no, seeing herself and those people. People who were on the tip of her tongue, who were so familiar – and so far away. And – and someone was missing. There should be someone else there, another photo, another person in the pictures – but…..but….
Maggie's sad sigh almost broke Tom's heart.
"I know." She said softly. "I know. Tom, Zoe, I'm sorry. I do – it's just, I….." she tailed off. " I think I need some time here. It's a lot to take in, a hell of a lot – but I need to do it. I need to - "
"Listen, it's late, how about Tom and I check into a hotel or whatever, and we'll come back tomorrow." Zoe said, moving over and beginning to collect the photo's together. Tom saw the alarm race across Maggie's face.
"Zoe, leave them. Maggie can keep them for a while" he said, and Zoe stopped, looking over at Maggie.
'Please?" Maggie said quietly. "I – I'd just like to - to spend some time with them. To, I don't know, to look over them by myself. They'll be safe, I promise you, but I just want – I want to see if anything comes back. "
"Sure" Zoe agreed with a small. "It's probably better that way, without us all watching over your shoulder. Can't be easy to have all of this dumped on you then to be stared at while you do so. Listen, you take your time, we'll come back tomorrow, or later if you want, and see how things are going, how does that sound?"
"Sounds good," Maggie said with a small smile. "Thanks"
Kay gently woke Luka, who gave Maggie a sleepy hug. Tom stood and put his jacket on, wondering whether he could give Maggie a hug, before throwing caution to the wind and wrapping his lost friend in his arms. Startled for a moment, Maggie relaxed into the hug, knowing that this man cared for her.
Shutting the door behind them, Maggie wandered back into the lounge. Tidying up, she managed to run the water in the sink to rinse everything, before it got the better of her. The pull, the magnetic pull of those pictures. Making her way back into the lounge, she picked up the envelope, turning it over and over in her hands. Sighing, she slumped back in the chair, staring at the wretched thing. So many memories – so many memories sitting inside that little white folded piece of paper – so many damned elusive memories. Things she should be able to remember, after all, they were HER memories, but remember them she could not.
With an angry sigh, she tossed the envelope aside, and got up to do the dishes.
00000
"We have to tell him" Tom said as he sat on his bed, Zoe stood in the doorway that linked their rooms, watching him. "We have to tell PJ"
"Tom, what can we tell him? Yes, we found her, yes she's alive, but she doesn't remember us. Not really. She's clutching at straws, glimpses of things, but she doesn't remember, not really"
"But it's HER" Tom said. "It's Maggie. We found her. She's alive, Zoe! Maggie's alive. And those boys, Zoe did you see the pictures? They're PJ's, Zoe. He's a father, those boys are his."
"Tom, I know, but we can't tell him. Not yet. Not tonight. She's not ready. It's a shock to her, and she needs some time to adjust to it. And you know PJ, he'd be up here like a shot. He loved – loves her. Just – just give her time." Zoe said. "She deserves that from us."
Tom sighed. "I know, I know. I just – Zoe, I want her back, back in Mt Thomas, back with us living happily ever after."
Zoe came over to sit on the bed next to Tom. "You know that might not – Tom, it might not happen. She might not want to come back, she might not remember – Tom, anything could happen."
"I know, but – "
"Tom."
"I know." He sighed. "It's Maggie, but – but it's not. Not yet."
Zoe sighed. "Tom, get some sleep."
00000
Maggie lay in bed, the photo's scattered around her. Her and Tom, her and Zoe and Nick, her and someone called Jack. Dash, Wayne, Zoe, Nick, Tom, Pat, Maggie – name after name swirled around in her head, chasing each other mercilessly, almost catching each other, almost making sense, but then falling away. Dissolving, disappearing. Never quite taking hold and never quite making sense. There was only one thing that she was sure of. Someone was missing. Someone else should be there, another face should be in the photos.
If only she could remember who, because Maggie had never been more sure that this missing person, the gaping hole in her memory – this person held the key.