"You're remembering!" gasped Bianca pulling Marissa down to sit beside her on the bed, urgency in her eyes. "What else do you remembered?"
Marissa's brow furrowed as the images and sensations that flashed through her mind.
"You were going to take her to a Gallery opening… the one we had talked about. And JR was there and… he was talking to you…" Marissa turned to address Sienna, "And you… you took me to one side and asked me how long I had been in love with Bianca… and… and I told you I wasn't… that we were just friends…"
"And what else?" asked Bianca pressing for more.
Marissa almost moaned as she struggled to find more of the memory but it was just beyond her grasp and fading fast.
"That's it. That's all. All I can feel now are the emotions. Just how jealous I felt in that moment." She shook her head and looked back to Sienna, giving her a grin tinged with embarrassment. "Sorry about attacking you like that… I don't know what came over me."
Sienna smiled supportively.
"Love. It makes you a little crazy sometimes."
Marissa sighed.
"But the memory… it was so vivid."
Bianca grasped Marissa's hand.
"But how did this..?" began Bianca, not quite believing the miracle. "…Dr Stanhope, you saw him today? Is he who we have to thank?"
"He hypnotised me, but I thought nothing had happened."
"And now you're remembering." said Bianca her eyes shining with delight.
"It was just one memory," said Marissa, not sure if she should hope for something more, "One very intense memory."
Bianca pulled her girlfriend into her arms.
"It's amazing." she said excitedly, kissing her cheek.
Marissa hugged her back.
"Why don't I leave you two to it?" said Sienna, picking up her purse. "Take care."
"Thanks for dropping by." said Bianca, grinning at her from over Marissa's shoulder. "You unwittingly performed a miracle. Thank you."
"My pleasure." said Sienna.
Marissa pulled out of Bianca's arms to wish Sienna farewell, still a little unsettled by the strength of her jealous outburst.
"Goodbye," she said quietly, "And I am sorry I attacked you!"
"Honestly its fine." said Sienna, as she took her leave, "It sounds like it might have been a good thing."
…
With Sienna gone Marissa turned back to Bianca. Her girlfriend, though still smiling, was watching Marissa closely.
"Have you calmed down now?" Bianca asked.
"I think so." said Marissa. "I just don't think I've ever gotten so worked up before."
"I don't know, you always did have a fiery temper."
"So maybe I'm getting that back as well?"
"Maybe."
Marissa sat in silence for a moment considering the implications of that moment, that memory, it was a big deal. She should probably call Dr Stanhope…
…Marissa then began to notice Bianca's demeanour. Her girlfriend was now on mild pain medication to deal with the cramps, administered from a drip running into her arm and she was still hitched to the heart monitor. But Marissa noticed Bianca was shifting on the bed and her face was pale, and despite her smile, it looked like she was in a degree of discomfort. Was she in more pain?
"Are you okay?" Marissa asked.
"I'm wonderful." said Bianca she smile still beaming.
"Liar." said Marissa in a flat tone.
Bianca smirked and shook her head.
"I've just got a little backache to go with everything else. Probably from being stuck in this bed for so long."
Marissa smiled knowingly
"You hate this hospital."
"I loathe it." said Bianca smiling back. "We shouldn't be here, stuck in this shabby room. We should be in our house, or better yet outside it, it's a beautiful day. We could be sipping cocktails on sun loungers, the kids splashing in the pool…"
"That would be nice." agreed Marissa.
"…You in a bikini…" added Bianca, a flirty smile on her lips and Marissa raised an amused eyebrow. Bianca then sighed sadly. "Instead I'm here; trapped."
"Now you're being melodramatic." said Marissa, squeezing her hand. "This is for your own good."
"Well it doesn't feel like it. In fact I feel worse now than I did before."
"You're just getting a little stir crazy that's all." said Marissa. "Can't we go for a walk, get you out of this room? That would help."
"David confiscated my crutches I have to stay off my bad leg."
"Well, a wheel then," said Marissa looking for a compromise. "I could get you wheelchair; take you out into the garden maybe or we could do a lap of the parking lot."
Bianca sighed plucking at the heart monitor cables that disappeared under the neckline of her nightdress.
"Unfortunately I shall be hooked up to this thing for one more day and then three days' of freedom before David ups the dosage and then reattaches me again."
Marissa squeezed Bianca's hand.
"Then we shall just have to postpone until tomorrow and then I'll get you as far away from this hospital as David will let me."
Bianca nodded.
"And maybe you'll have sparked a few more memories by then."
"Maybe. Although next time I'm hoping for something a bit happier…"
"Well why don't we try now." Said Bianca taking both of Marissa's hands in her own. "What do you feel when you look at me?"
Marissa found herself smiling.
"Happiness and love."
"But is there more if you try to go back?"
Marissa shook her head.
"How about now?" asked Bianca reaching out to stroke the bangs from Marissa's forehead and gently cupping her cheek.
Marissa sadly shook her head once more.
Bianca pulled her close and kissed her tenderly.
"And now?"
Marissa sighed.
"The trouble is you are so tied up with my dreams as well as these past amazing months. I wouldn't know if I am remembering you or a dream or a memory of a dream."
Bianca looked a little crestfallen but Marissa reached out tucking a stray strand of brown hair behind her girlfriends ear.
"I think I need to call Dr Stanhope."
"Yeah." said Bianca; he looked deeply into Marissa's eyes. "Maybe you need to try and see if other people can stir your memories instead of me, like Sienna did; AJ or Krystal or maybe even David."
"You might be right." said Marissa, her finger still tracing down Bianca's cheek. "But right now I am going to keep my girlfriend company, cheer her up..." Marissa leaned closer. "… And kiss her better…"
…