When Laura got home, the first thing she did was to call Dylan and tell him she wasn’t feeling up to doing anything. She needed to be alone. All she felt like doing was making a cup of hot tea, wrapping herself in a soft fleece blanket and burrowing into her squishy living room sofa. Her head was throbbing as she alternated between wanting the images and memories to become more clear to wishing they’d just stop. It was overwhelming.

A profound sense of sadness came over her again as she thought back to her comment at the pub about knowing how hard waitresses work. She had no idea where that came from, but it had brought waves of love and sadness at the same time, and her eyes felt damp as she tried to make sense of it. It was out there but beyond the reach of understanding.

Just as her eyes grew heavy, her phone dinged that she had a new email. She sleepily picked up the phone and read the message. It was a forwarded email from Sami, the marketing assistant at Black Duck. Someone had emailed her through the Facebook page they’d set up, a Barbara Lynch, who said she’d graduated high school with Laura, in Charleston. A sharp pain raced across Laura’s temples as she re-read the message. Barbara said she’d lived a few doors down from where Laura and her mother had lived, and she just wanted to say hello and tell her how much she’d enjoyed hearing her on the radio. At the top of the note, Sami had written, “I thought you should see this and I just wanted to double-check. Did you grow up in Charleston? I’d thought it was Montana. Thanks!”

The sadness swept over her again, and this time it was crippling. The tears flowed as the first clear image of her mother appeared. Laura saw her sweet face, wavy blonde hair and the waitress uniform she was wearing as she sat on her patio, smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of white wine. She cried for what felt like forever, and when the tears finally slowed, the last thought she had before she fell into a dead sleep, was why had Aunt Helen lied to her?

* * *

When Laura woke in the morning, she felt like she’d been run over by a truck. Every part of her body ached with sadness and confusion. She’d had more dreams with Cole in them and her mother, but she still fully didn’t understand where Cole fit in. She called her aunt as soon as she’d had her first cup of coffee. It was very early in Montana, a little before seven, but Aunt Helen was an early riser and Laura knew that she’d be up.

“Hi, honey. This is a nice surprise! Is everything okay?” Her aunt sounded happy to hear from her and a little concerned that she was calling so early.

“No, everything is not okay. I met someone in Nashville that said he knows me and I’ve been dreaming a lot. I’m starting to remember things, finally.”

There was a long moment of silence before Aunt Helen softly asked, “What have you remembered?”

“My mother. She died in the accident, didn’t she? Not when I was little.” When Laura woke that much was clear to her, but she still didn’t remember the accident itself.

“She did. I’m really sorry, honey.”

“Why did you lie to me?”

There was a long, heavy silence, and then a crack in her voice as she said, “I never wanted to. My brother persuaded me that it was for the best for everyone and it was the only way I could get the money to pay for Harold’s care.”

“You never mentioned a brother. Do I know him?”

Aunt Helen sighed. “I’m afraid that you do. Dalton Dawson.”

Laura shivered at the familiar name and then made the connection.

“Cole’s father? The governor?”

“Yes, I’ve been watching the two of you on that show. And wondering if I might get this phone call. What did Cole tell you?”

Laura pressed a hand against her head, which was throbbing again.

“I actually met him before the show, at a bar I was playing at. He said hello and that he knew me, and I told him he must have me mixed up with someone else.” Laura then asked the question she needed to know. “Did we date?”

“Yes. You were high school sweethearts, and I believe you were going to get married.”

Laura thought about that. It sounded right even though she still couldn’t remember it.

“And Cole’s father didn’t want us to get married, I take it?”

“No. He thought you were both too young. He paid for your college, you know.”

“He did? Why would he do that?”

Aunt Helen laughed bitterly. “Why do you think? Because he knew what he was doing was wrong and on some level, he felt guilty about it.”

But something still didn’t make sense to Laura. “Why did Cole and I break up?”

“Dalton lied to him. He told Cole that he offered you money for a full ride at college if you left him without saying goodbye.”

Laura could feel tears welling up again as she tried to process how Cole’s father had gone to such extremes to get her out of his son’s life. “But why would he do that? He must have really hated me.”

“Dalton has made his share of mistakes. This is at the top of the list. Do you remember where you lived with your mother?”

“No. It hasn’t come back to me yet,” Laura admitted.

“You lived in a trailer park, and even though Cole said it was a nice one, Dalton was getting ready to run for governor, and he worried about things like that.”

“He was a snob.”

“Yes, and it was all too much for him—the trailer park, the two of you wanting to get married and…well, it was just too much.”

Aunt Helen had been about to say something else. “What else was there?” Laura asked.

“You should really talk to Cole.”

Laura could tell by her voice she didn’t want to say more and at this point, Laura knew she needed to talk to Cole, anyway. “You’re right. I will.”

“I’m so very sorry, Laura. I hope—I hope you can forgive me in time. I really did grow to love you like a daughter.” Aunt Helen’s voice broke, and Laura felt her own tears coming again. She wanted to be furious with this woman who wasn’t even her aunt, but she still felt like the only family that she had left.

“I have to go.”

She ended the call and collapsed on the sofa again, closing her eyes and trying to process it all. She felt like she could crawl back into bed, cry a little and then sleep all day. It was so tempting. But she knew she had to get moving. And that keeping busy would help to keep her mind off everything.

* * *

Something was different about Laura. Cole noticed it instantly when she walked backstage just before the show and wished him luck. She seemed paler and almost fragile.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked after they’d chatted for a few minutes.

“I’m great! Excited to cheer you on.” She smiled enthusiastically, but something seemed off. Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I can’t thank you enough for all of your help and for letting me do your song. At least I know I’ll be putting my best foot forward.”

“And if it’s meant to be, it will be,” Laura said.

Cole did a double-take at her words. She used to always say that—or rather her mother did and Laura picked it up from her. A wave of sadness came over him. He really missed the connection that they’d had. They’d always been there for each other. As much as he loved the city, Cole was feeling very alone in Nashville. He’d hoped that maybe Chelsea would surprise him by coming to his final show, but when he talked to her the night before and mentioned the possibility, she’d actually laughed at the thought.

“I’m feeling a little better, but no way am I up for that kind of drive.”

He almost mentioned that she could fly, but didn’t bother. Obviously, she just didn’t want to come.

“All right. I’ll see you in a few days, then.”

“I’ll be here.”

Chelsea hung up without even wishing him good luck, which didn’t surprise him all that much. She’d made it clear that, like his father, she was tolerating the music thing and eager for him to get it out of his system.

“Cole, they’re calling for you to get ready.” Laura tapped him on the arm, and he snapped back to attention.

“Thanks. I’ll see you after.”

* * *

Laura took her usual seat in the front row, by the judges. She could tell Cole was nervous and hoped he’d be able to shake it off and focus once he got on stage. She was confident that once he started to sing he’d get into the same zone he was in the day before. If he did, he had a very good shot at winning. Gina was the front-runner, but Cole and the others were popular, too, so it would be close.

The music began, and Cole began to sing. Laura didn’t think it was possible, but after a wobble in the first line, he found his rhythm in a way that was mesmerizing and even better than before. She felt as though he was singing right to her and several times, their eyes locked. Goosebumps ran down her arms as he sang and a new image came to her, of the two of them sitting in a park by a tree, eating ice cream. Cole was carving something on a tree, but it was kind of fuzzy, and she couldn’t make out what it said. The feeling she had was one of great joy and contentment, followed by a confusing wave of sadness.

Cole’s voice cracked as he sang the final line and his eyes locked onto hers again, and as he finished, he smiled. Laura knew it was meant for her and she was the first one on her feet to clap when he finished. The crowd went crazy and when the applause finally died down, Mike, the host, asked him how he felt.

“I feel great. It’s an awesome song.”

“It seemed very emotional for you. Does this song have any special meaning for you?”

Cole hesitated. He looked Laura’s way for a split-second. So quickly that Laura doubted anyone but her would notice.

“It does, actually. It reminds me of my first love, my high school sweetheart.”

“And what was her name?”

Laura held her breath, waiting for his answer.

“Her name was Laura.”

“Well, there you go. It seems like it was meant to be for you to sing this song. Good luck, Cole!”

* * *

When the show wrapped a few minutes later, there was a lot of enthusiastic activity backstage. Laura guessed that most of the contestants would be going out for a celebratory drink. She wanted to try to grab a few minutes alone with Cole before he left to join the others as she wouldn’t be going with them. She had plans for dinner with Dylan, and he’d checked in several times by text message.

“Cole, do you have a minute?” Laura asked as Gina walked towards the door with several others.

“Of course.” He looked happy to see her and Laura knew he was still riding high after a great performance. A steady stream of people had stopped by to congratulate him.

Laura led him into an empty room and sat in one of several chairs that were around a coffee table.

“I know when we first met, at that bar where I was performing, you mentioned that you knew me. I thought you were mistaken, that you had me mixed up with someone else, but now I’m not so sure. About anything.”

He looked at her intently. “Are you starting to remember?”

She nodded. “It’s all really hazy. But it’s coming back slowly.” Laura felt a rush of emotion and tears welling up as she said, “I forgot my own mother. How could that be?”

Cole reached over and took her hand, squeezing it softly. “Your mom was awesome.”

“You knew her?”

“Yeah. I got to know her pretty well. You and I knew each other well,” he said carefully.

Laura nodded. “We dated.”

He grinned. “You remember that?”

“Sort of. Bits and pieces, but no details. I remember us sitting in a park by a tree.”

“Eating ice cream? That was our spot. I carved our names in that tree.”

“We were happy then.” It wasn’t a question. The image in her mind radiated happiness.

“We were in love. Head over heels. We…were going to get married.” A cloud came over his face for a moment. Laura sensed that he’d been about to say something and had held back.

“We were young to get married?”

“We were. When I first told my father I wanted to marry you, he told me that I was out of my mind and that we were just way too young. We both wanted to go to college, and he wanted us to wait until after we graduated.”

“That does seem sensible.”

Cole nodded and looked as though he wanted to say something, but was hesitant to do so.

“What is it?” Laura thought she had an idea. When Cole stayed silent, she asked, “Was I pregnant?”

He looked somewhat relieved and then sad at the memory.

“Yes. Once we got over the initial shock, we were both thrilled. A little scared, for sure, but we knew we could make it work. You’d been planning to go to school in Montana, but Clemson had accepted you, too, so you were going to switch and go there instead, with me.”

“Your father must have hated that idea.”

Cole looked away, and Laura noticed a muscle twitch along his jaw.

“He lost his mind a little.”

“Tell me about the accident.”

Tears streamed down Laura’s face as Cole told her about that day. How they’d been so excited to go see the doctor together. And how her mother had been driving and another car had come out of nowhere and slammed into them.

“It was the worst day of my life,” he finished.

After a few minutes, when her tears finally slowed, Laura said, “I talked to your Aunt Helen. She said your father offered me money to leave you. I never even knew that. I’m so sorry that you thought I abandoned you.”

“None of this is your fault. I couldn’t understand for the longest time how you could have done that. The Laura I knew never cared about money.”

She smiled. “I still don’t, really. As long as I can pay my bills.”

“That was one of the things I always loved about you. My father never understood it. It’s all he cares about. We’re not on the best of terms now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. He got everything he wanted. He’s governor. He even has a new woman in his life, Claire. She’s actually really nice. Too good for him. But she’s softened him.”

“I wouldn’t say he got everything he wanted. He doesn’t have your respect. He can’t be happy about that.”

“No, he doesn’t have my respect. He is my father, but I don’t have much of a relationship with him these days.”

“You’re married, though. Tell me about your wife, Chelsea?”

“I met Chelsea in college. She’s blonde, beautiful, smart and like my father, she’s very ambitious and interested in politics. They get along great.”

Laura smiled. “And you’re happy?”

“Happy enough I guess. We’ve always had fun, gotten along well. It was actually better before we got married though. I guess it’s just the getting used to living with someone. She works long hours, and she doesn’t approve of the music stuff at all. She wants me to be a lawyer and work for my dad.”

“A lawyer?” Laura couldn’t picture him as an attorney. Cole was too casual and laid back. She could see him carrying a guitar, not a briefcase.

“I just graduated from law school. Still need to study for the bar. I do find it interesting, but it’s more of a backup plan, in case the music doesn’t work out.”

“Well, I hope you never need your backup plan.”

He smiled. “Me, too. We’ll find out soon enough. Maybe I’ll be sticking around for a while.”

“I hope so!”

“And what about you? Are you happy, Laura? Have you and Dylan set a date?”

Was she happy?

“These past few months have been magical, a whirlwind. Dylan and I haven’t been dating all that long. He proposed unexpectedly, and publicly, and it took me by surprise. I’d love it if time slowed down a little. So, no we haven’t set a date, and I’m not in a hurry to pick one.”

Cole nodded as if he approved.

“I think that’s smart. Trust me when I say that marriage isn’t something you want to rush into.”

“Now that you’re back in my life, I hope that we can stay in touch. There’s still so much that I don’t remember.”

“Of course. What’s your cell phone number?”

Laura told him, and Cole plugged it into his phone and then tapped out a text message. “There, now we’re in each other's phones. Call or text me anytime, for anything. I mean it.”

“I will. Thank you.” Her phone buzzed and she saw a text message from Dylan, wondering when she’d be home. “I have to run. We have dinner plans tonight. But I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ll talk more then.” They both stood and she gave him a grateful hug. “Thanks, again.”