Chapter Eleven
Max
I sat up drenched in sweat and grateful that I wasn’t sleeping anymore. I had just woken up from one of the most vivid nightmares I had ever experienced. There had been gunfire, and shouting, and flashes of Madison on the floor. The dream hadn’t been very clear, with only bits and pieces flashing before me instead of it all unraveling in one fluid moment. But while I wasn’t sure what was happening, I had felt nervous and scared. I woke up and breathed a sigh of relief to see that I was still in my bedroom. Although, two nights of sleeping in it had yet to make it feel like my own room. I closed my eyes and tried to remember what had happened on the night I got shot, but I still couldn’t accurately recall it. I wasn’t sure what was real or what wasn’t when I thought of that night. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe I didn’t realize because it had been so bad. I shook my head and decided to get started with the day. I remembered that Madison was coming and that put a smile on my face. I wasn’t sure when she would be arriving but decided to shower, change, and clean the house just in case it was soon.
By the time I was finished, she still hadn’t arrived, but when I looked at the clock I saw that it was only nine in the morning. I thought it had been so much later. I was starving and walked into the kitchen to see if there was any food. I chuckled as I thought of Madison making me dinner the night before by simply reheating some meals. I figured my kitchen would be bare, but I was surprised to find that it was fully stocked. I wondered if this was something that Madison had done. The moment I saw the eggs, I knew I wanted to make a big breakfast. I got all the ingredients out, and I was just about to start cooking when I heard the doorbell ring.
When I opened the door, I saw a very beautiful Madison standing in front of me. She was wearing dark jeans and a white t-shirt. Simple, understated, and yet gorgeous. I liked that she didn’t need to try hard to look good. When I’d last seen her she had looked tired, but today the dark circles under her eyes were gone, and she looked like she’d gotten a good amount of sleep.
“You look good,” she said as she walked in.
“I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
She laughed. “Goes to show what some good sleep can do to someone. I’m sorry for just showing up like this. It was only when I arrived that I realized I probably should’ve called first.”
I shook my head. “Nah. It’s fine by me. It’s good to see you again. I practically slept the whole day yesterday, so I’m glad that I get some company now. I was just about to make some breakfast. Would you like some? I owe you for dinner last night.”
I saw her assess the counter where I’d put out the eggs and bacon. She smiled. “I’d love something to eat. I had a muffin this morning, but that is long gone.”
“Did you warm the muffin up in the microwave?” I teased.
She giggled. “As a matter of fact, I did. I mean, they don’t call me Microwave Madi for nothing. So, what can I help you with?”
“Nothing. Oh, actually, you can make the coffee while I cook the food.”
“Now that I can do.”
Soon we were talking and laughing together with ease. I felt remarkably comfortable with her despite forgetting so much about who she was. Once the breakfast was made, we sat together and polished it off like we had been starving for ages.
“I’m sorry,” she said as she wiped her mouth. “I’m such a pig. I can’t help myself, though. I’m so hopeless in the kitchen that whenever someone else cooks, I can’t seem to stop myself from overeating.”
I laughed. “Well, it’s a compliment to me, so I don’t mind at all. Uh . . . Madi, I had a nightmare last night.”
She looked up, and the concern was written all over her face.
“A nightmare? About what?”
“About what happened the night I was shot. You’re all waiting to get more details from me, aren’t you? So that we can capture this guy.”
She nodded. “Yeah. Did you remember anything?”
I shook my head. “No. The nightmare was more feeling than memory. I remember feeling scared and hearing gunshots. But I don’t remember detail. It’s so frustrating.”
“I can imagine. Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we go to the police station today? Maybe it will help jog your memory. What do you think? Of course, if you don’t feel ready, for that we don’t have to. I’m more than happy to just chill here with you.”
“Oh, I think it’s a great idea. Anyway, it will be nice to get out a while. And yeah, maybe being surrounded by everyone will help.”
“Great. How about we have another cup of coffee and then go? The coffee at the station is disgusting.”
I laughed. “Now that I actually remember.”
We enjoyed another cup of coffee together and then made our way to the station. I was actually looking forward to seeing the chief again. I briefly remembered seeing him at the hospital, but the memory was so vague that I wasn’t even sure if it had happened. I asked Madison, and she said that he had come to visit often, so she was sure that it was a real memory. That at least made me feel good. I was so scared of false memories that I always wanted some sort of confirmation that I wasn’t making things up.
When we got to the station, Madison took me for a walk around the place to see if anything seemed familiar. For the most part, I remembered the place, although like my bedroom, it felt as if it belonged to someone else. Like I was living through someone else’s memories. And there were some parts that were just completely new to me altogether. And while we walked, some people were giving me funny looks, as if they had no idea who I was. I tried to stop myself from looking at them. I didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone, and I suddenly wished that we hadn’t come at all. I was grateful when we got to the chief’s office. His office seemed to be the most familiar to me.
“Max! Wow, it’s so good to see up walking around again. I was so worried that we had lost you. You look well.”
“Thank you. I feel good. Hey, at least I can say that I was in a coma and came out of it. Not many people can say that,” I joked around. Every time I joked around though it felt wrong. I’d much rather not have been in a coma at all. But thankfully the chief was chuckling.
“That’s true. That’s true. You’ve got a story to tell the grandchildren one day.”
“Grandchildren?” I asked in surprise. Surely, I didn’t have grandchildren. I was too young for that. I didn’t even have children. Did I? I turned to look at Madison, and I was sure she saw the look of terror in my eyes.
Madison laughed. “Don’t worry. You’re not a grandfather or a father yet.”
I winked at her. “Yet,” I said and saw a small blush creep up her face. The chief gave us both a funny look that I didn’t quite understand and then asked me if I had any more memories about the night of the drug bust.
I told him about my horrible nightmare but then sighed. “Sadly, that’s about all I remember, though. It’s not even much. Just bits and pieces of images that keep floating my way. Nothing concrete to hold on to.”
“So, you don’t remember the boss?” he asked. “Nothing at all about him?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t remember him. I keep trying, but nothing comes up. Didn’t you see him too?” I asked Madison. I didn’t like that they were all relying on me to come up with the information when I didn’t remember anything at all. I felt like I was letting everyone down. It would’ve been easier if I could remember nothing at all, because at least then they wouldn’t ask this of me. Remembering some things and not others meant that they were constantly waiting for the memories to come back.
“There were a few guys there,” Madison said. “The whole thing was so confusing. I think I saw him, but not long enough to be able to pull him from a lineup. He ran out pretty fast. But we know that you spoke to him before everything went down. So hopefully that memory will come back.”
“Yeah, I hope so.”
“You were always the best when it came to detail,” the chief said. “So, I have no doubt in my mind that you’re going to remember everything soon enough. I just have a good feeling that it’s all going to come back to you.”
I felt nervous at the thought that I might end up letting them down. I hated that I couldn’t recall the one bit of information that they so desperately wanted, but that I could easily remember how to make bacon and eggs. It was so frustrating. I knew that they were relying on my memory to come back, but I was worried that it never would. I had no control over it.
We spoke for a little while longer, and the chief told me that he was glad that I was taking some time off to recover.
“The two of you deserve some time off anyway.”
“Thank you,” I said. “And I promise to call you the moment that I remember anything from that night.”
“That would be much appreciated. Call me even if you remember something small. Sometimes something small is all that we need.”
I stood up to shake his hand and say my goodbyes and was surprised by the emotion in his eyes.
“It’s really good to see you again, Max. I’m glad you’re out of that hospital. I hated having you in there and not knowing what was going on. You were with a great doctor, though. I’ve heard good things about him.”
“It’s good to be out. I’m sorry that I don’t remember everything. I’m trying. I really am.”
“I know you are,” the chief said kindly. “Don’t feel too pressured to remember. Let it just come to you. And don’t worry at all. You’ve done well, and we are all very proud of you. You’ll have a medal coming your way soon. That is one thing you can be sure of.”
A medal? Why on earth would I be getting a medal for getting shot? Surely that was the last thing that should’ve happened. I thought about asking him but then his phone rang, and he rushed to answer it. I waved goodbye to him and walked out.