Thanks for all the awesome reviews! I know some of y'all are like "Where is Jake????" But guys bear with me...he makes his appearance around chapter nine I believe. I know...it feels like forever...but it's going to be okay. :D Plus...he's pretty imporant in this story :) Hope you like!
They had made me a cup of tea. I was grateful. It was something to hold on to. Something real.
Dr. Cullen keeps telling me about CT scans and neurological scans and I keep shaking my head as if to say "Okay..I understand. That's fine." I'm trying to keep a calm demeanor...but I'm freaking. The reality of the situation I am in keeps hitting me over and over.
Finally he gets paged and I'm relieved. I can't bear to hear anymore. I don't want to be talked to about this. I just want to forget all about it. Funny...forgetting...And it's not like I know what he's even saying. I'm not trained in medical stuff. I flopped back onto the bed.
Esme was off duty and Victoria stayed in the room with me.
"How are you feeling?" she asked me.
"Really.....weird."
"I would to. But you have got to relax and take it easy. You have a lot to take in and your brain is trying to basically reboot itself."
"When people get amnesia...do they get their memories back?"
"Usually," she says and smiles. I then notice how white her teeth are. And how red her hair is.
I shut my eyes super tight and try to remember. Nothing.
"So...tell me about 2007. Who's president?"
"Bush."
"Oh...same...have they found a cure for AIDS or solved Global Warming?"
"Nope...not yet."
You'd think more would have happened. Three years had passed. 2007 was not impressing me at all.
"I'm just going to get you some breakfast. Here, you can look at this. It's another magazine I got."
I grabbed it from her and read the cover.
"Jennifer Aniston and Her New Man!" I read aloud.
"What new man? Why does she have a new man?"
"Oh yes...she split up from Brad Pitt," Victoria answered me.
"Jen and Brad split? That can't be real. It must be fake!"
"He's with Angelina Jolie. They have a daughter."
"No!! They were perfect for each other. They looked amazing together..."
"They divorced.." she said as she shrugged it off.
If Jen and Brad divorced, what hope was there for the rest of us?
"The world has gotten used to it. I'll get you breakfast now. Do you like our private wing of the hospital?"
"I can't afford a private wing!"
"But...it's all covered by your private health insurance...Don't worry."
"Oh...okay."
I always had health insurance...but...not anything that could pay for this. What happened in the past three years? Well, I'm 28 now...I must have been sensible and got better insurance. God...I'm 28....my 28 year old self. Who was I? I peered at my hand hoping to find clues. Well...I was someone with amazing insurance...and got amazing manicures...and...
I slowly looked at the Gucci bag. No...it couldn't be. Could that amazing bag really be mine?
"Victoria...is that...is that bag mine?"
"Should be," she said calmly, "I'll check for you."
She opens the bag and pulls out a matching wallet. She pulls out a platinum American Express.
"Yes...it says Bella Swan. So this is yours."
"But...this bag costs....so much."
"I know. Go on...it's yours," she says as she hands it to me.
"So...I was really in a car crash....," I say as I hold the bag.
"Yes..."
"In a Mercedes?"
"You didn't drive a Mercedes in 2004?"
"Are you kidding me? I can't even drive!"
"Well...look in your bag. Maybe what's in there will help your memory."
Good idea. The smell of leather and some unknown perfume reached my nose as I opened the bag. I reached in and grabbed a small compact. I opened it up to have a look.
"There are some cuts on your face, Bella. So don't be alarmed," Victoria warned me.
I felt relieved as I looked. I was still me. Sure, there was cuts...and a huge bandage on my head. But still me. I looked at my lips. They were full and pink like I was kissing all night -
Oh my God. My teeth. These can not be my teeth. They are overly white. And super shiny. I'm looking in a stranger's mouth.
"Is something wrong, Bella?"
"I need...a normal mirror. So I can see all of myself. Do you have one you can bring me?"
"There's one in the bathroom. It's a good idea for you to get moving. Come on, I'll help you," she said as she helped me get out of the huge bed. My legs are wobbly but I managed to get to the bathroom.
"Now...you have minor cuts and bruises...don't be alarmed at your appearance. Ready?"
I nodded and she closed the door behind us, showing a floor length mirror.
Is that me?
It can't be...my legs seems to go out beneath me and she holds on to me to keep me standing.
"I know your injuries look bad...but really they are okay. They will heal in time, promise."
I don't even pay attention to the cuts or the bruises.
"That's...that's not me. I don't look like that."
I close my eyes and visualize myself as I remembered. Bland mousy brown hair...boring brown eyes...skinnier than I wanted to be....no muscles to speak of...nice-ish looking face.
Then I open my eyes and see the girl looking back at me. It wasn't me. Some of the girl's hair had been messed up but it was a bright chestnut color. It's sleek and straight...not like my usual frizz. The toenail are perfectly polished. My legs are a tanned golden brown and have very nice muscles.
"What's changed?" Victoria asked.
"Everything! I look all....shiny!"
"Shiny?"
"My hair...my legs...my teeth!" I can't help but stare at my amazing teeth. They must have cost a small fortune.
"They're nice."
"No...you don't understand. I have the worst teeth in the world. My nickname is Snaggletooth."
"Probably not anymore."
"My face is different...not sure how...but it is!"
I started to scan my face closely. My eyebrows are thin and groomed. My lips seems fuller...did I have something done? Did I get my lips injected?
I turned away from the mirror and almost fell.
"Take it easy...you've had a shock to the system and you should probably take things one at a time..."
But I am ignoring Victoria. I grab my bag and pull things from it. I was shocked to find such tings as a pair of Tiffany's earrings and a pair of Prada sunglasses.
And then I pull out a business card. I freeze as I read it. "Bella Swan, Director of Flooring"
I feel as if nothing is real anymore.
"Bella? Are you alright? You look pale!" Victoria is asking me.
"Look at this. It says I'm director. I'm the boss of a whole department. How can I be boss? I've only been there for a year. I didn't even get a bonus!"
I had to figure out what was going on so I reached for the cell phone out of my purse. That's when I noticed I had a new text.
"Running late, I'll call when I can. E."
I racked my brain. Who's E? Someone I met at work? I go through my stored texts and the first one I see is from "E." - I don't think so. E. Was "E" my new best friend?
I'll go through my texts later. But I really need to know what's been going on for the past three years. I decided to dial Jessica. "Hi, you've reached Jessica Stanley. I'm not in so please leave a message."
As soon as it beeps I start, "Hi, Jessica. It's me, Bella. Listen...I know this will sound weird but I've been in an accident and I'm in the hospital and I need to talk to you. Can you call me back? It's pretty important. Bye!"
"Those are not allowed. You'll have to use the land line. I'll set it all up for you," Victoria tells me.
"Okay...thanks...." I'm fixing to start going through my texts when there is a knock on the door. Another nurse comes in holding bags.
"These are your clothes."
She sat the bags down and turned to leave. I started looking through them. They looked so weird.
"Oh. Very nice," Victoria said approvingly.
Apparently in 2007 I was very fashionable.
"They are so expensive. I'd kill for a pair of those jeans."
And I paid unreasonable prices. Go figure.
"By the way, Bella, here is your jewelry," she said as she pulled out a see-through bag. "We had to take it off for the scans."
There was an expensive looking gold watch, bracelet, and matching necklace. And then I see the ring.
"Oh my God," Victoria barely gets out.
I'm holding a huge diamond solitaire ring. You know...the kind you see in movies. When the guy gets down on one knee and you are screaming yes before the girl can?
And then Victoria shows me the plain gold band.
"You must be married, Bella," Victoria tells me as she looks at the band.
No way. Surely I'd know if I was married?
Victoria looked down at her paperwork.
"Yes...it says you are. Do you remember that?"
I shake my head to signal I didn't.
"You don't remember anything? The wedding? Your husband?" Victoria is asking me.
"No! I didn't marry Loser Mike, did I?"
"I don't know! But look, the band is engraved. It says, 'I.S. and E.C. April 5, 2005.' That's you right?"
"Well...I.S. is for Isabella Swan...but as far as E.C....I have no clue."
The "E" from my phone. That must be my husband texting me!
Am I hallucinating? I'm 28...I have perfect teeth...I'm director...and I have a husband!
How the hell did this happen?
Hope you liked it and leave me a lovely review....one final left and I'md one!
