Don’t Forget to Remember Me by Kahlen Aymes Page B

the room.
    There wasn’t much furniture in the room,
save the bed, one recliner and another small chair. I turned my
head and stopped. Ryan was asleep in the big chair, his head lolled
to one side and one hand was tucked under his chin, a thick lock of
hair falling over his forehead.
    An unknown number of moments ticked by as I
lay watching him sleep just listening to the steady rhythm of his
breathing. I didn’t want to wake him. He’d looked so tired before
and from what I could see, he needed rest.
    The door began to open slowly, Ellie and
Harris walking in. I put a finger to my lips to shush them then
pointed to Ryan’s sleeping form. They came quietly to the edge of
my bed and Harris bent to kiss my cheek.
    “What time is it?” I whispered.
    Harris was quite good-looking and it was
apparent in the way he was always touching Ellie that they were
lovers. She deserved to have someone love her like that.
    “Four thirty,” Ellie answered softly.
    “Looks like Ryan is finally getting some
rest. He needs it,” Harris murmured.
    “Yes, he looked tired earlier.”
    “He hasn’t slept in…” Ellie stopped and
glanced at Harris. “Well, he’s been concerned for you.”
    I nodded. It was evident in his actions, his
tone of voice and his very presence. “We must be good friends. I
wish I could remember…” my throat constricted slightly.
    Ellie put her hand on mine. “Oh, honey, you
will. We were all great friends. Have you seen Aaron and Jen?”
    “Yeah, they stopped in
earlier. It was somewhat awkward , but they
seem very nice. Aaron is funny . Jen
smacked him when he made me laugh.” I smiled.
    “Sounds like them, yeah,” Harris answered
and then nodded at Ryan. “How long has he been out?”
    “I don’t know. I was asleep for a while,
too. He was there when I woke up.”
    A knock at the door signaled Jenna and
another nurse coming in. “Hey,” she said. She used her foot to do
something to the bottom of the bed. “Time for the MRI, babes.”
    The other nurse,
Kari , smiled at me. “Let’s get your vitals
before we scoot you out of here.” She placed a blood pressure cuff
around my right arm and shoved a paper thermometer in my
mouth.
    “You guys gonna let sleeping beauty over
there sleep?” Jenna asked Ellie and Harris.
    “Well, he hasn’t slept in days, so
probably.” Ellie nodded.
    “He’ll be furious if he isn’t told what’s
going on with Julia. Wake his ass up.”
    Kari finished the blood pressure reading and
took the thermometer out of my mouth, just as Ryan stirred in the
chair.
    “Yeah. Wake my ass up.” The nurse blocked
most of my view, but I could tell he was running his hands through
his hair and rubbing his face sleepily. “Jen, Aaron said you
finished at four, so are you just here for the scenery?”
    “Nice, dickhead. I’m here
to keep Julia company during her test. See, Ryan? I get to go with her and
you can’t.”
    “Pretty soon you’ll start
chanting Na Na Nuh Boo Boo , right?”
he said sarcastically.
    “Hey, whatever it takes to get a rise out of
you,” she shot back and started to move the bed, pulling the foot
of it toward the door, while Kari hooked the IV bags on the side
railing and took her place to push at the head.
    “Uh, pretty sure getting a rise out of me
isn’t your responsibility,” Ryan teased.
    Jen rolled her eyes and I blushed. “See what
an obnoxious jerk he can be? I don’t know how you put up with
him.”
    Ryan was on his feet and came to the side of
the bed, holding up his hand for Jenna to stop. “Hey, did you sleep
okay?” His blue eyes were sparkling and he flashed a big smile.
    “Not as well as you did, apparently.” I
smiled back.
    “Well, it’s a relief. I can sleep now that
you’re better. Our parents are around somewhere. I’ll find them so
they’ll be here when you come back.”
    I was struck by his eyes
and I nodded slightly. “Okay.” My eyes locked on his imploringly,
hoping he could read the question lurking