The Way You Make Me Feel by Francine Craft Page A

yesterday.”
    Damien cleared his throat. “I believe it might go better if you saw her alone.”
    â€œI’m thinking that, too,” the doctor said. “What do you think, Stevie?”
    Stevie looked from one man to the other and licked dry lips. She wanted to do everything she could to get her memory back so she said softly, “I’m willing to try it alone, but I may need Damien to come in.”
    â€œI’ll be right outside.”
    Stevie felt more relaxed from the beginning. When she mentioned this, Dr. Winslow said, “I think that’s because you’re really eager to get this show on the road. You had a checkup this morning. How did that go?”
    â€œThe doctor said he was amazed at how much the swelling on my head has gone down. I go back Friday and he’ll do more X rays. He just wants to make certain.”
    She told him then about remembering Jessi, Nick and their children and he was visibly enthusiastic. “Just relax,” he said, “and let it all come to you. It will come.”
    â€œDetective Rollins came by this morning to tell me that a man named Keith Muncy is out of prison. He says this man is threatening me because I testified against him in his trial for attacking his wife—” She hesitated here before she said very softly, “Bretta.”
    The doctor looked at her. “You said the name and you don’t seem to me to be frightened. Do you know why you’re not frightened now?”
    â€œNo. I’m just not.” But she thought the fact that Damien had kissed her made all the difference. He liked her a lot, always had. So what if it was never to go any deeper? She needed friends and he was a friend. But that kiss was precious and private, and she wasn’t going to share it with Dr. Winslow, or anyone.
    Dr. Winslow clasped his hands in front of him. “You’re so much better and I want to move quickly on this. It will be to your advantage. Have you thought about this one thing you can’t and don’t seem to want to remember, can’t bear to see?”
    â€œA little.” She wasn’t aware that her voice was faint.
    â€œI want you to lean back and close your eyes. Focus on what happened just before you fell on that stone, if you fell. Gently ask your mind to tell you what happened. It will cooperate with you. Please go ahead.”
    Stevie did as he requested and at first she closed her eyes, and in a daze saw a mass of shapes in the brilliant moonlight. Then no sooner had she seen the shapes than they began to metamorphose into a tangled ball of orange-red and got smaller and smaller. She cried out then and violently came to her senses, looking wildly around her.
    The doctor sat forward, looking at her. Why didn’t he comfort her? Should she call for Damien? He would comfort her.
    â€œWhat did you see?” the doctor asked softly.
    She gave herself a long time to answer. She was determined to do this. She owed it to herself and she owed it to Damien who had put himself completely at her disposal.
    She described to the doctor what had happened and he bit his bottom lip. “The mind always protects itself. We’ll let this go for the moment and talk of other things, but we’ll come back to this. Are you willing?”
    â€œYes. I’ll do anything I can. I want my life back.”
    â€œGood. Now you mentioned this man who you’ve been told has threatened you. This frightens you?”
    â€œSome, of course, but I won’t run scared. Detective Rollins said I testified against him when he attacked my friend, his wife. And I testified against him again at the divorce hearing. He blames me and he blames his ex-wife for his prison time. Dr. Winslow, as you know, I also have an ex-husband…”
    Dr. Winslow smiled grimly. “The monster.” He remembered her free association of the day before.
    â€œI met him yesterday at Club Insomnia, a nightclub I’m