"PJ Hasham." Maggie tried it out for size, the name rolling of her tongue. "P. J. Hasham"
Zoe watched her.
"It – he… PJ Hasham. I -"
"You remember?"
The hope in Tom's voice was almost too much for Maggie.
"Boss, I – the name, it's Boss, there's nothing there. No face. No memories, no – it's like a complete blank. And judging by the looks on your faces, I should remember him. The feelings I was having last night, the feeling that someone was missing – you say it's this PJ Hasham?"
Tom was astounded. This was most definitely not what he had been expecting. He looked between her and Zoe, unable to understand what was happening. PJ was their trump card, the key to unlocking it all. He was the one person that Tom had been sure would snap Maggie back into being – well, Maggie.
Zoe was watching Maggie, and after a few moments, began to speak in a very careful and gentle manner.
"Maggie – " she paused, and then decided to dive right in, just hoping that the idea which was taking hold was right. "Maggie, your boys"
"What about them?" Maggie was instantly defensive. It was all very well finding out about herself, who she was and who she could be, but that was about her. Abut Maggie. Her boys didn't come into it. They were to be protected and shielded at all costs. They were innocent in all of this. Maggie had always sworn that her boys came first in anything and everything.
"Well, their father – "
"What about him?" Maggie demanded. "What does he have to do with this?"
"You loved him?"
Maggie was on her feet in seconds, anger flashing across her face. "Of course I did. Rick and I were happy together. He – we – it was perfect. We were so happy, and – and then – he's dead, Zoe. Rick's dead, so leave him out of this".
Zoe glanced over at Tom. The flash of emotion, of anger, of – of whatever it was, it only confirmed the fact that the love was still there. The love that Maggie felt for the father of her twins – for PJ.
"Maggie – "
"No. No, I'm not talking about the boys, or their father. I want to know about this PJ. I want to know why you think I should remember him. Why he's so obviously a part of all of this, such a good friend of you all – and I can't remember a single thing about him. Not a single thing. I can't remember what he looks like, his voice, his eyes – anything." Maggie said, frustration screaming from every word.
"And Rick? Do you remember him?" Zoe said quietly.
"Zoe, I told you, leave Rick out of this. He has nothing to do with this. He's – " Maggie stopped swinging round to stare at Zoe. "What are you saying"
"Maggie – " Tom stood up, moving over to Maggie.
Maggie just glared at him, frustration and fear rising like daggers. "What's she saying Tom? What is she trying to say? " Spinning round to face Zoe again, "What are you trying to say? Why are you asking about Rick, what – Zoe, what is it?"
"Maggie, I'm – " Zoe tried, worried at how pale Maggie had become.
"What are you saying about Rick?" Maggie practically yelled, before wrapping her arms tightly around her and moving away from them, over to the corner of the room. Her head was spinning with thoughts that she didn't want to examine too carefully. Why were they asking about Rick? Why him? They didn't even know him, they couldn't have. He was her husband, her son's father. He was nothing to do with Mount Thomas, or her supposed past, or this PJ.
PJ.
Why didn't he spark any memories? Why everyone else, but not him? And Rick, why had she - what - ……….
Zoe would never know how she managed to get across the room and catch Maggie as her legs began to give way, shock and confusion thrumming though her soul. "Rick….." Maggie whispered, looking up at Zoe and Tom, who was kneeling down beside her.
"He's not real is he?"