Preface

As the elevator doors to the seventh floor of University Hospital closed, so with it Ben Weston's hope. He felt as if it were the end of a chapter to part of his life. Ciara was gone on her way to Johannesburg, South Africa with Theo Carver and with that he started to believe so was their marriage. His spirit was broken and he didn't know where to begin to heal or even if he wanted to. He chastised himself momentarily for not doing more to stop them. His mind reverted briefly to the past he was ashamed of and if he were that man again Theo wouldn't have known what hit him. The young man seemed to enjoy his pain and anguish at Ciara suffering from brain trauma and it's result her inability to remember him or the last four years of her life entirely. Like a vulture Theo took advantage of her situation and worked tirelessly to make sure Ben stayed forgotten in her mind and hopefully her heart. He looked down at his phone as it started to vibrate and saw a text from Claire asking him to call her. He paused then deleted it. He looked again at the next text on his phone from Kayla explaining again as she did in her four other texts that she was unable to prevent Ciara's release from the hospital or medically advise her from boarding a plane to leave the country, leave their marriage and their love. This text was different. It asked how he was doing. Ben paused and then like Claire's he deleted her text as well. Ciara was gone and for all he knew, just like her grandfather Victor Kiriakis the Brady family were probably happy that she couldn't remember him. He draped himself over the nurse's station desk and started to cry softly. Ben was so engulfed in his grief, he didn't hear the bell to the elevator sound, see the doors open or hear the approaching footsteps approaching him. He started to feel a presence silently watching him and dismissed it, but unable to shake his uneasiness turned around and was met by an unexpected surprise. He could barely speak and then finally said one word.

"Ciara."

Ciara looked at him furious letting her anger settle then spoke," Why are you doing this to me?

Ben was shocked and confused by her question, "Doing what?

"Making me a passenger on your roller coaster to insanity." Her voice was steady.

Ben found her statement amusing and fought hard to stifle it, "What do you mean? What are you doing here?"

She shook her head, "I was finally free of you. No more unwanted visits, no more continued badgering, no more feeling afraid or being audience to your tantrums because I couldn't remember you or your tears. It was over, I was free of it and you." She saw his bewilderment as well as his silence," Got nothing to say for once? It feels liberating to finally talk without you interrupting me or giving me orders or making me feel like I'm not trying to remember you and deliberately not to." Ciara could see Ben was hurting in another way by her words," And stop looking at me like that and making me feel guilty for something I didn't do on purpose. You're finally listening to me, but it's too late for me. You won."

He absorbed every word she said, "I'm so sorry I made you feel like that. Ciara, I would never hurt you, never mean to. I hurt you unintentionally and I'm so sorry." Ben licked his bottom lip nervously, "What do you mean I won?"

"I mean I'm tired. Broken down. I tried to leave. My mind knew what it wanted but my feet turned me around and next thing I know I'm here. Right in front of you. It seems you have some hold on me." She looked him directly in the eye in frustration.

Ben felt his heart beat almost out of his chest with hope, something he hadn't had in days. He was cautious with his words, "May I say thank you to your feet." He noticed she didn't like his befuddlement, "I'm glad you came back. Not just for me, but your family. Ciara they missed you so much when they thought they lost you forever. I missed you and felt like my world came crashing to the end. I know I sound conceited and selfish."

"You are because you're making it about you. I want to know about my life my memories, you just happen to be included in it and them." She looked at her feet.

"Fair enough." Ben took a chance and took her hand in his and unconsciously rubbed the washer engagement ring she had inadvertently put back on it, "Maybe you, we can start slow to try and get your memory back. Maybe over lunch? Brady Pub, Julie's Place? Nice public place. We all got to eat, human beings and all."

Ciara could see his nervousness and wanting to try and understand her feelings, "The pub is OK. But don't read too much into it."

Ben felt successful and noticed she hadn't let go of his hand or felt un easy with him for the first time in days. "Shall we then."

As they boarded the elevator they didn't know what would be in store for them to come to change their lives.