Chapter 9
The Truth
“No. I didn’t give him a ride,” Mike said. At the moment, it didn’t matter if Celia had lost her memory. She looked so sad and tiny lying in that bed with her pretty face all bruised and wires going everywhere.
“I don’t care how he got here. I just want to see him.” Celia paused and sighed. “The nurse told me some about the accident. What was I doing?”
“You were on your way to visit your friend, Sue. She was having man problems.” Mike noticed that his hand was still on Celia’s shoulder so he moved it and stepped back.
“That’s not a shock. I’ll call her when I can. Ask Martin to come in . . . please . . .” She closed her eyes and a few seconds later she was sleeping. Mike stood looking at her. He felt guilty. He had all but told Martin to dump her. He’d not even thought about her feelings – whether or not she was in love. What if he’d told Martin to work it out? Would he have tried?
Mike had to wonder if Celia was faking. Had she really lost her memory? Or was fate playing a cruel joke on her and she was going to end up losing Martin twice? Mike turned walking toward the door. He glanced back once more and then stepped out.
From this moment on he would think long and hard before giving anyone advice. Why did friends do that anyway? He had no girlfriend. He’d never had a serious relationship that worked out. What did he have to offer in the way of advice?
Mike walked slowly down the hall and raised his eyes just in time to see Martin walking in his direction. He stopped and was about to speak when a nurse came pushing an empty gurney down the hall. The two men stepped back, and when the nurse was gone, Martin glanced around and looked at Mike.
“Well, what do you think?”
Mike shrugged. “I can’t tell if she’s lost her memory or just her mind.”
Martin let out a small laugh. “I know what you’re saying. The more I know about women, the less I understand. I can’t believe that Randi’s okay with this. She’s either sure that we’re meant to be or she’s really understanding.”
“I doubt she’s fine but she does seem to like you.”
“That she does. And, lost memory or not, I’m not going to allow Celia to come between us. I’ll play along with this charade a few days, but that’s it.”
“You may change your tune when you see how weak she is. Just don’t argue with her. No matter what you think, she’s in a lot of pain. Right now what she needs is rest and to know that we care about her.”
Martin looked down the hall and back at Mike. “I don’t want anything to happen to Celia. I would be a monster to have spent time with her and not care, but I don’t love her. I don’t think I was ever in love with her.”
“Well, now is not the time for her to hear that. She’s really weak and she’s not faking that.”
“If she’s faking, she’s convinced her mother,” Martin said. “She told me that Celia was asking about the party - that she was worried everyone would be making plans to come. I don’t know what to believe. Maybe I’ll figure it out when I talk to her.”
Mike started to let Martin walk past, but at the last second, he spoke. “Either way, take it easy. Don’t confront her, not yet. She needs to get stronger before she loses you for a second time.”
These last few words seemed to hit Martin. Mike could see it on his face, and with this, he turned and went to the waiting room. He wasn’t sure why he was even going to hang around, but he wanted to see what Martin said when he came out.
The door to the waiting room was standing open and as Mike peeped in he could see Randi pacing. It was just as he thought, she wasn’t that sure of anything. She was worried; her body language told him that. She stopped, looked out the window and crossed her arms. It wasn’t right to spy on her like this.
He paused and stepped into the room. She heard, sensed he was there and he could see her disappointment. Maybe she was hoping Martin had changed his mind or he was back already.
“How was she?”
Her voice sounded a little fragile, like she was about to cry. “She’s weak and in a lot of pain,” Mike said.
This flash of emotion was different. Randi picked up a plate, placed some fruit on it and moved to sit down. She glanced up about to speak but instead took a bite of an apple. The food looked good so Mike decided to join her. He picked up a plate, filled it with fruit and sat down. Randi mustered up the nerve to ask, “Do you think she’s lost her memory?”
“As I told Martin, she’s either lost her memory or her mind. I didn’t push the issue and before I left, she was sleeping.”
Randi nodded, took a few more bites and then ask another question. “Do you think she wants Martin? I mean down deep was she in love with him, or do you have a clue?”
Mike gave this some thought, ate a few more bites and shrugged. “I don’t think I’m a good judge. Did she come out and say she loved him? No. Do I think she wants him back, maybe. But to me, the big question is, why?”
Randi glanced over Mike’s shoulder and after a thoughtful moment asked, “What do you mean?”
“I’ve talked to Celia and she knows it’s over. I think she’s looking for revenge. Mind you, I’m not saying she’s faking. I don’t know. I’m just saying if she is faking, I don’t think she wants Martin. I think she wants to put him in his place.”
*****
Randi was a bit surprised at how candidly Mike was talking. After his last comment they both became quiet and sat eating. She was mulling over the things he’d said and wanted to ask him one more question, but she wasn’t sure if she should.
Part of her knew the answer. Mike was here. Mike was concerned about Celia so that said he had feelings of some kind for her. “Did you know Celia before she and Martin started dating?” she asked instead.
“No. I met her after they started dating.”
Randi nodded slowly as this answered her question. Yes, Mike had feelings for Celia. If there was no prior acquaintance then something was going on.
Martin had told her how Celia had doted on Mike and though he didn’t seem like the type to fall for such antics, something had happened.
Randi tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. She glanced at the man before her and noticed a band-aid on the back of one of his hands. Trying to make a joke and break some of the tension in the room, she smiled, pointing. “Cut yourself shaving?”
The question was one from her childhood that she would ask her dad no matter where he wore a band-aid. Mike tilted his hand over and shrugged. “I did this working on a house - the one I’m remodeling with Celia.”
“I think I recall Martin talking about that. Remodeling an old house does not seem like a favorite past-time for someone like Celia.”
Mike laughed. “No, it’s not. She’s doing it for the money. I’m doing it because I love restoring old gems.”
“Does she help?”
Mike chuckled to himself and shook his head. “I’ve gotten her to hold a board once or twice, nothing much more than that. She does hang around to talk and watch.”
Randi nodded still wanting to ask if he had feelings for Celia but she knew it was not her place to question him. Inside, she had to think he did care. If he didn’t, why would he be so upset and why would he even be here now?
“I don’t care what he wants, he’ll do what’s best for Celia.” That was the last thing Vicky Carson said as she walked into the waiting room. She stopped when her eyes met Randi’s, and after a few seconds, she regained her composure.
Vicky walked to the refreshment table, poured two cups of coffee and then, she and her husband walked over to a window. They whispered for a few moments and Randi knew they were talking about her.
She wanted to rise and leave. She felt so out of place. She knew they did not want her there and, at that moment, she wished she wasn’t there either. When Vicky finally came over to the couch, looked down at Mike and spoke, Randi felt like she’d been put in her place.
“I suppose that Martin is still in visiting with Celia. Poor thing. She has no idea what’s taken place over the last few weeks. It’s good of Martin to think of Celia at a time like this. I know that it’s best for now.”
Mike only nodded. Randi couldn’t even make herself look up at the woman. She knew there would be a gloat of a smile on Vicky’s face. What could she say? ‘Yes, I have a great boyfriend and though he can’t stand your daughter, he’ll do what’s best for her in the long run.’
There was a bit of silence and Vicky spoke again. “I know this is difficult, dear. Candy is it?”
Randi knew this time she would need to face the woman so she put on an ‘I’m so sorry smile’ and shook her head. “It’s Randi. And, yes, I’m sorry this happened to your daughter.”
She couldn’t think of anything else to say. The woman was gloating and Celia, lost memory or not, had won this round. “Martin is such a dear,” Vicky began, taking a seat. “He’s put us up in a nice hotel and had a cab pick us up though I do think we’ll need to rent a car. Don’t you think so, Edward?” she asked, looking up at her husband.
“I can’t afford to be off from work for too long but renting a car might be more economical. We’ll see what the doctors say about her long-term outcome.”
Vicky nodded and smiled again. Thankfully, she turned from Randi this time and looked at Mike. “How do you know my daughter?”
Mike stammered, paused at taking his last bite and glanced from Randi to Vicky. “I helped when Martin and Celia broke up. I moved her things. We ended up working on a venture together.”
“Are you the one working on that old house? I told her that was a bad idea. You can’t sell houses in this market. I hope she’s not invested a lot.”
“It’s a nice home. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble moving it.”
“Good. Maybe we can take a look at it. I think this whole arrangement is strange. What does Martin think about you and Celia spending so much time together?”
“I’m fine with it. What Celia does is her business,” Martin said, as he entered the room.
“How was she?” Vicky asked changing the subject.
“She slept mostly. We didn’t talk much.”
Randi kept her eyes on Martin trying to read his mood but he was good at hiding his feelings. The only reassurance she got was a quick half smile he tossed her direction.
“Did she talk about the party? I told her we’d handle everything. There is no use in upsetting her.”
“She did mention the party, that we would need to advise the guests that it would be postponed. I didn’t say much. I told her to not worry about anything and rest.”
Vicky didn’t glance at Randi as she spoke but kept her eyes on Martin. There was a snide tone in her voice as she rose and crossed her arms. “Do I need to remind you it could be detrimental to your career if anyone found out Celia has lost her memory and you were too self-absorbed to be there for her?”
Martin stayed composed. Randi was amazed at how calm he seemed. She wanted to knock Vicky into next week.
“I didn’t tell her and I’ll go along with this charade for a while. I’m not heartless but I know your daughter, and at the first sign that she’s faking, I’m gone.”
Vicky looked a bit unsettled and said, “She would never do anything like that. She’s not desperate. I’ll hold you to that promise, but be warned, a mother grizzly has nothing on me when it comes to retribution. You will be the devoted boyfriend or you’ll pay dearly. I’ll see to that.”