Here is the next chapter. Hope everyone likes it!
Chapter 9
I went back home, and was immediately greeted by my parents. I was quite surprised that they didn’t follow me to APO. I thought for sure that they would be curious to know what was going on.
“What happened?”
“What did he tell you?”
Questions came flying at me in all directions.
With a wave of my hand I dismissed them. They decided that it was probably best to just listen to me right now. I was in a mood that was best left if ignored. I walked over to Vaughn, who was still on the floor. His eyes were closed, his head was slightly tilted up, and looked so helpless sitting there. I knelt down and looked at him. It was Vaughn, but he didn’t remember. He had no idea who I was when he looked at me, and no idea that the little girl he had kidnapped for Sloane was actually his daughter. It was a horrible thought, but true.
He began to stir in his sleep, and his eyes suddenly opened up. He looked alarmed.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I’m Sydney,” I whispered.
He didn’t respond. “I have never heard of you before.”
“Yes, you have. Try and remember.”
“I don’t know who you are,” he sounded completely defeated.
I left him there, with his thoughts. I couldn’t stand being around him, it made me want to scream out, “I AM SYDNEY. YOU’RE FIANCE!” I went into the kitchen and almost laughed. My mom was at the stove, and my dad was feeding Isabelle. This was what it was supposed to be like when I was growing up, but instead I was a full grown woman and my parents were taking care of me.
I sat down at the table and sighed. My father looked up at me, but didn’t say anything. I wished he would. I needed to talk to someone right now. I sat there impatiently, waiting for someone to ask me what was wrong. I started to tap my fingers against the table. Why was nobody talking? I finally cracked.
“Sloane had Vaughn’s memory reversed like when I was Julia! He can’t remember a thing about me or Isabelle!”
They both finally turned to look me in the face. They didn’t respond. There wasn’t really anything that they could say. What was supposed to make me feel better? They both turned back to doing there work, but I stayed in the same position. I really didn’t feel the need to move, but finally after a couple of minutes I realized I wasn’t going to sit her and wallow in my own pity. I had to start the day. I went upstairs, quickly took a shower, and put on a pair of black pants and a red t-shirt.
I was not going to let this get me down. I was too strong for that. I quickly walked down the stairs, turned the corner, and there was my dad; tying a very tired Vaughn to a chair. The scene unfolding in front of me was almost frightening. Vaughn wasn’t Vaughn, but somehow I still believed he was. My mind kept telling me that the man in the chair was Vaughn. I knew it was impossible to bring him back, but I liked to think there was some hope for us still.
I refused to bring Vaughn back to APO. My dad told me we were going to have to soon, but I pleaded with him, and of course won.
I made my presence know. My dad turned to look at me, sympathetically.
“We can’t let him lose, Sydney.” It was like he was talking about some wild animal.
I have tried so hard to tell myself that Vaughn was gone, but in my mind he was still with me. I never felt so alone in my life. Vaughn slowly turned his head to look at me, and in those moments I swear I saw Vaughn, but as soon as I saw it, it was gone. I shook my head. I must be going crazy; wishful thinking.
I still remembered what it was like to have Vaughn. I would never forget it. He was one of the most caring and loving people I had ever meant. He had always been there for more, even when things were horrible. He cared more about me then he cared about himself. I knew that.
I looked over at him, sadly. He didn’t struggle against the restraints my dad was putting on him. It was like he was giving up, giving in. His eyes had no life in them, nothing that looked remotely happy.
I walked over to him, ignoring my dad’s curious stares.
I knelt down beside him, and looked him straight in the eyes.
“Do you remember me?” He didn’t respond, but he didn’t brake the intense eye contact.
“Syd…no…don’t know…Sydney…I don’t know who you are,” he stuttered.
I looked over at my dad. The look in his eyes told me that I hadn’t dreamt what I heard.
“You heard him?”
“Yes.”
I began to cry. Little tears made their way down my face, and I hugged my dad.
“He is remembering,” I stated.
“That is impossible, though!”
My dad sounded so confused I had to laugh.
“Dad, you heard him. He said my name.”
“Sloane might have told him about you.”
I stopped. I remembered something. Something very important, something that would prove Vaughn really remembered.
There is some hope for the future, lol. I LOVE cliffhangers! If you read the last chapter carefully you might realize what Sydney is remembering. Wording is very important!
~Andrea