FIVE
When Carpenter walked into the kitchen the next morning, Piper was already up. She was in the middle of preparing breakfast when he walked in.
"Well, I guess there's no sense in asking how you're feeling," Carpenter said. "You seem to be doing okay."
"I feel fine," Piper said. "I just had this urge to make breakfast. It just seemed natural."
"I must say," Carpenter said, "it's been a long time since I had so much to eat for breakfast. You've made enough here to feed half a dozen people."
"Yeah, I hadn't realized I had made so much until just before you came in," Piper said. "I don't really know why I made so much."
"This might explain some of it," Carpenter said, looking at the table. "You've set places for four people."
"Did I?" Piper questioned. "I hadn't noticed. I wonder why four places? A husband and two kids maybe?"
"I don't think so," Carpenter said. "You don't have any of the physical characteristics of a woman who's had two children. Remember, I'm a doctor. I would have noticed things like that."
"Okay," Piper said. "And like I said, I'm not wearing a wedding ring. So why four places?"
"Boyfriend and two sisters?" asked Carpenter. "The man you told me about with the blue light. And the two women who argue a lot. Maybe the four of you share a place and you're the cook."
"Could be," Piper said, "but I seem to remember cooking for more than just four people. A lot more."
"Restaurant cook," offered Carpenter. "Or maybe a chef of some kind. That would explain why you're such a good cook and the extra place settings."
"That doesn't make sense," Piper said. "A chef wouldn't have anything to do with setting the table. Oh, I just wish I could remember."
"Just calm down, Jennifer," Carpenter said. "It will come back to you. Just give it time."
"I am calm, Leo," Piper said. "It's just that it's so...."
"Leo?" interrupted Carpenter.
"What?" she asked.
"You just called me Leo," Carpenter replied.
"Did I?" Piper asked. "I don't remember doing that."
"Almost like an automatic response," Carpenter said. "As if you're used to telling someone named Leo that you are calm. Just one more piece of the puzzle we can use when we go into the city today."
"We're going today?" questioned Piper.
"I don't see why not," Carpenter responded. "Your injuries are healing nicely. Your strength has obviously returned if you can lay out a feast like this for breakfast. You haven't complained about any dizziness or nausea or any other symptoms. I think it's safe to make the trip. Maybe we can finally solve the mystery of who you are."
"Good," Piper said. "Maybe that will also tell us about this bizarre behavior, too."
"I'm sure it will," Carpenter said. "Right now it might seem bizarre but when we find out I'm sure it will make perfect sense. But don't get your hopes up too much. It might take a while for us to find out."
"At least I know we'll find out eventually," Piper said. "That's some comfort."
"Well, we'll go in right after breakfast," Carpenter said. "If this is as good as the lasagna was last night, I'm in for a real treat."
After breakfast, Piper carefully wrapped the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. Then she and Carpenter got into his car and began the trip into the city. The road was a long, winding road most of the trip and there was a sharp drop off on the outer edge of the road.
"I'll bet your car is over the precipice some where," Carpenter said. "My guess is you lost control or something and went over the...."
He was cut off in mid-sentence when a small animal suddenly darted out in front of the car. Instinctively, Carpenter swerved to miss it. Too late he realized just how close they wee to the edge of the roadway. Before either of them could do anything, the car went over the edge of the road and started its' long plunge to the ground below.
When Carpenter walked into the kitchen the next morning, Piper was already up. She was in the middle of preparing breakfast when he walked in.
"Well, I guess there's no sense in asking how you're feeling," Carpenter said. "You seem to be doing okay."
"I feel fine," Piper said. "I just had this urge to make breakfast. It just seemed natural."
"I must say," Carpenter said, "it's been a long time since I had so much to eat for breakfast. You've made enough here to feed half a dozen people."
"Yeah, I hadn't realized I had made so much until just before you came in," Piper said. "I don't really know why I made so much."
"This might explain some of it," Carpenter said, looking at the table. "You've set places for four people."
"Did I?" Piper questioned. "I hadn't noticed. I wonder why four places? A husband and two kids maybe?"
"I don't think so," Carpenter said. "You don't have any of the physical characteristics of a woman who's had two children. Remember, I'm a doctor. I would have noticed things like that."
"Okay," Piper said. "And like I said, I'm not wearing a wedding ring. So why four places?"
"Boyfriend and two sisters?" asked Carpenter. "The man you told me about with the blue light. And the two women who argue a lot. Maybe the four of you share a place and you're the cook."
"Could be," Piper said, "but I seem to remember cooking for more than just four people. A lot more."
"Restaurant cook," offered Carpenter. "Or maybe a chef of some kind. That would explain why you're such a good cook and the extra place settings."
"That doesn't make sense," Piper said. "A chef wouldn't have anything to do with setting the table. Oh, I just wish I could remember."
"Just calm down, Jennifer," Carpenter said. "It will come back to you. Just give it time."
"I am calm, Leo," Piper said. "It's just that it's so...."
"Leo?" interrupted Carpenter.
"What?" she asked.
"You just called me Leo," Carpenter replied.
"Did I?" Piper asked. "I don't remember doing that."
"Almost like an automatic response," Carpenter said. "As if you're used to telling someone named Leo that you are calm. Just one more piece of the puzzle we can use when we go into the city today."
"We're going today?" questioned Piper.
"I don't see why not," Carpenter responded. "Your injuries are healing nicely. Your strength has obviously returned if you can lay out a feast like this for breakfast. You haven't complained about any dizziness or nausea or any other symptoms. I think it's safe to make the trip. Maybe we can finally solve the mystery of who you are."
"Good," Piper said. "Maybe that will also tell us about this bizarre behavior, too."
"I'm sure it will," Carpenter said. "Right now it might seem bizarre but when we find out I'm sure it will make perfect sense. But don't get your hopes up too much. It might take a while for us to find out."
"At least I know we'll find out eventually," Piper said. "That's some comfort."
"Well, we'll go in right after breakfast," Carpenter said. "If this is as good as the lasagna was last night, I'm in for a real treat."
After breakfast, Piper carefully wrapped the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. Then she and Carpenter got into his car and began the trip into the city. The road was a long, winding road most of the trip and there was a sharp drop off on the outer edge of the road.
"I'll bet your car is over the precipice some where," Carpenter said. "My guess is you lost control or something and went over the...."
He was cut off in mid-sentence when a small animal suddenly darted out in front of the car. Instinctively, Carpenter swerved to miss it. Too late he realized just how close they wee to the edge of the roadway. Before either of them could do anything, the car went over the edge of the road and started its' long plunge to the ground below.