“What are you drinking?”

“Just soda,” Madison said, for the third time in half an hour. She had to speak over the vintage eighties rock screaming from the overhead speakers. Duran Duran was the current artist.

Daniel hadn’t let go of her all night. When they sat at the table, he had moved from holding her hand to putting his arm around her to hold her close.

“Ok,” Adam said, “let me know if he drives you to something stronger,” he winked at his friend, Daniel.

“Don’t pay him any mind,” Randi said. “He’s just sore because Daniel found you without his help. He’s been trying to set him up for ages.”

“Where are you from?” Jerri asked.

“Houston,” Madison said, going with the story she’d been thinking through all afternoon.

“Really? Which part?”

“Near the Galleria,” Madison said, and winced inside. She had no idea where that came from.

“My aunt used to live there and I spent some time there visiting. Nice place.”

Oops. “It’s the best shopping.”

“I loved it. Mark won’t let me visit her anymore.”

“That’s too bad,” When she turned around, Madison turned and whispered in Daniel’s ear. “Would you tell me I couldn’t go shopping?” she asked.

“Are you kidding? I want you to go shopping. In fact, I’ll go with you if you like.”

Madison grinned and kissed his cheek. “Somehow I have trouble picturing you in a shopping mall.”

“That’s not nice,” he said.

“Okay, you two. Save that until later,” Adam said, sitting next to Daniel.

“What did you do in Houston?” Jerri asked, turning her attention back to Madison.

“Besides shopping?”

Jerri nodded.

“I worked for a large company.” Vague, but plausible.

Jerri nodded again. The music was overwhelmingly loud. “Nice,” she said.

Madison breathed a sigh of relief. So far, so good. She was believable. Unfortunately, that sigh of relief was breathed too soon.

“What made you come to Durango?”

Madison glanced at Daniel.

“Not what’s keeping you here,” Jerri said, with an exaggerated eye roll.

Madison laughed. “My family used to come here when I was growing up,” And that, she believed was about as close to the truth as she could probably concoct.

“So, you just came for a vacation.”

Madison nodded. “And I decided to stay for awhile.” More than likely true.

A slow song came on the speakers. “Dance with me,” Daniel said.

Madison knew he was just rescuing her, yet her heart tripped at the idea of dancing with this man she was falling in love with. He stood up, held his hand out to hers.

Out on the crowded dance floor, Daniel pulled her to him and swayed gently. “What do you think about the eighties music?” he asked.

“It’s my favorite,” she said, against his ear.

“Good,” he said, “mine, too.”

“Your friends seem nice,”

“They like you.”

“I hope so.”

They were silent for a bit, just enjoying the closeness, the music - the intimacy. I could so get used to this. She allowed herself, just for a moment, to imagine that it could happen. That she could stay here in this life - with this man. Grow old with him. The idea was seductive - pulling her in.

“Have you had any new memories?” Daniel asked, pulling her out of her fantasy. “Or was that just a good cover story?”

She was annoyed that he had destroyed her fantasy and so abruptly brought her back to reality - a reality she didn’t want intruding on the moment. “You believed me?” she asked.

“It sounded believable,” he said.

“Good enough,” she said.

He stood still. Nudged her back so he could see her face. “When did that become good enough?” he asked. “Madison, what’s going on?”

She shook her head. “This charade is too much, Daniel. I’m pretending that my life is normal, but it isn’t.”

“Madison,” he said, looking intently into her eyes. “Just because you can’t remember your past doesn’t mean your life isn’t normal. If you’re happy.... Madison, are you happy?”

“Yes,” she said, looking away from him.

“If you’re happy, then your life is better than normal. Who cares how you got here? All I care about is that you are here in my life. That I love you and you love me. You don’t need a back story to tell my friends. If you want to, we can go tell them the truth right now. But they don’t care. They’d find it interesting, sure, but all that really matters is that we love each other. That’s what’s important.”

She looked back at him. “You’re right.”

He pulled her close, held her tight. The song changed. People came and went all around them. They didn’t move.

“Madison,” he said, “no matter what happens, no matter what you find out, I want you in my life.”

She pulled back, looked into his eyes. “Why are you saying this? Do you know something?”

“No, but I think maybe you do. And you aren’t ready to tell me yet. Maybe you aren’t even ready to tell yourself. Just don’t ever forget about us. Promise me, Madison.”

“I could never forget about you.”

“We don’t know what the future holds. You forgot someone. I can guarantee that. And I don’t want to be another someone that you no longer remember. If you’ll promise me you’ll do whatever it takes to remember us, then I’ll believe you.”

She swallowed hard. Daniel was right. She had forgotten a lot of people. Maybe she was even married. It occurred to her in that moment, that was very likely one of the reasons Daniel insisted that they wait before moving their relationship beyond anything more than kissing. If she was married, at least they would know that they hadn’t made love. But wasn’t an affair of the heart worse than anything sexual? Especially since they were anything but platonic. Those kisses were sooo seductive. She didn’t know if she could manage without them. Not now. Not now that she knew.

This thing with Daniel, however, was deeper, more true, than anything else. He was right. She had to remember. She had to do whatever was in her power to make sure she remembered him - that she remembered them.

“I promise,” she whispered.