After our late lunch, he dropped me off at my house to clean up some more. When he came to pick me up, I was in some casual slacks and a green shirt. I was surprised when he showed up in a suit with a tie “Wow, don’t we look nice.” I commented making him blush “Aww…are we blushing?” I teased.
“Well, come on.” He waved me over to the door.
“Wait, I’ve got to change. I can’t wear this, we’ve got to match.” He rolled his eyes as I laughed “Give me a minute, I’ll just put on a dress.”
“You look beautiful in anything!” He yelled down the hall where my room was.
I quickly slipped into a royal blue dress that ended below the knee. It was something I bought when I was on a shopping for clothes and found it on sale. I thought I would never have the chance to wear it but there I was putting it on for the first time. I grabbed my black purse and rushed outside “Okay, we can go now.”
“Wait.” He said calmly. I stood still as he looked at me over and over “Come over here.” He waved to me. I looked down at the dress and behind me, wondering what was wrong. “New?”
“How did you know?” I asked.
“The price tag is still on here.” He pushed my arm aside and ripped the tag from the right side of my dress. “Great, now you look perfect.” He stood back and looked at me with an earnest smile “I’m so lucky.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the comment. He always had a way with words making it appear that we were a couple, yet when he was in front of people, he was as respectful as can be. I often admire that about him. “Come on. Our food is getting cold.” I teased. We drove to the restaurant and when we reached the parking lot, he again rushed out the door to open my car door. I smiled wondering if he would always be that way? “Thank you.” I smiled politely as he put out his arm and I linked it with mine as we walked into the restaurant. “I feel like I’m at prom…” I said silently.
“Really? But you didn’t have a handsome date like me at the prom.” He said it so casually.
“No, unfortunately. But what I meant was that I never get to dress up and go out to a nice place. The last time was at my Prom.” I sighed, just thinking about it made my heart ache.
“Well, we’ll change that too. I’ll make sure we go to a nice place every month.” He nodded firmly as he walked up to the host “Reservations for two. Cheung.”
The host was polite as can be as she showed us to a window booth. The lights were dimmed inside the restaurant and there were white candles in the center of every table. It was more of a romantic theme. I looked around after we ordered and noticed that there was a dance floor in the middle of the large restaurant. “Look at that.” I pointed to the band preparing to play music.
He smiled at me without looking at the band “We’ll get our turn.” He said shortly. He knew about my prom and the fact that I was about to dance with Lance but never got the chance. “You know, I’m not as perfect as you think I am.” He said with dark eyes.
I laughed “Oh please, there is no guy that can come close to how perfect you really are.” I rolled my eyes, thinking that he was trying to get me to feed his ego.
“No, I’m actually, very selfish.” He reasoned. I shook my head and he continued to explain “I knew you never got a chance to dance with him. So I took you here, that way I can get the first dance from the beautiful Niki. See how selfish that was?” He let out a sigh and sat back in the booth.
I laughed at his attempt to make himself sound bad “Oh please! Hey…” I suddenly remembered at the beach “Was that why you looked so upset at the beach? You were feeling guilty about stealing my first dance?”
He looked around cautiously “Yes..” he whispered to me. We had a nice dinner together and he ordered desert, crème brulee. It was my favorite Italian desert. The soft music played in the background making everyone want to dance. I saw a few couples dancing on the floor. “Shall we, my dear?” He stood up and placed a hand out in front of me while the other hand settled behind his back.
“It would be my pleasure.” I acted like a lady as I let him lead me to the floor and we swayed to music. “You’re not bad.” I commented.
“I’m good at everything.” He winked at me with a smile.
“You’ve got a huge ego, you know that?” I teased.
He laughed “I’m only that way with you.”
I nodded “I know.” Suddenly, my heart stopped beating. My face felt cold and I stopped dancing. I saw him. Lance was there with a group of people. Their table was far but I could never forget that face.
“What’s wrong, Niki?” He instantly noticed my pale face. He followed my gaze to the table with the large group. “Is he here?” I nodded slowly. “Well, I think it’s God’s way of saying it’s time to tell him. Go over there. You have to say hi, at least.” He urged.
“I can’t…” I let fear and nervousness take over. “What am I going to say?”
“Niki, don’t do this, you’ve waited five years for this day, don’t you dare let it go like this.” He scolded lightly.
I looked up at him with a scared expression “What if I make a fool out of myself? What if he turns me down? What if he doesn’t remember me? What if he doesn’t care?”
Neil shook his head and grabbed a hold of my shoulders “Niki, listen to me. You have to do this or it will bother you for the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself, to me and him to be honest with your feelings. I will be here if you need me. Go on.” He practically pushed me towards the table.
I knew he was right, but it was all so sudden. How could I do it without being prepared? I turned around to look at Neil and he waved his hand for me to go on. I walked awkwardly to the table with the group of people that looked like they were having too much fun. I didn’t have to say much because when I was within eye distance, Lance had caught me coming. His face brightened “Niki!” He exclaimed as he waved to me.
I smiled and nodded at the people, who I didn’t not recognize. They must have been his co-workers. “Hi Lance.” I said softly.
“Oh, this is the Niki?” I heard one guy say.
“Wow, we’ve heard so much about you!” Another girl said.
I smiled but wondered what he could have possibly told them about me? “Excuse me guys, I’ve got to talk to my girl.” Lance said with a huge grin as he got up and embraced me so tightly. I was a bit shy about the situation, maybe because I knew Neil was there? “How have you been?” he asked into my hair as he rocked me back and forth. I didn’t remember how handsome he was until he pulled away. “Let’s go to the patio.” He took my hand and led me out to the patio where little fireplaces were set up for the guests who wanted a drink and talk.
There was no one outside and a waiter came by to start a fire for us. “I’ve been good.” I answered after the waiter left. “How about yourself? Are they your coworkers?”
He nodded “Yes.” He smiled never keeping his eyes off of me. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.”
I laughed “I was thinking that about you too.”
“I’m beautiful?” he teased.
I shook my head “You know I mean handsome.”
He took my hand in his “I missed you Niki.” He said solemnly and I knew he was serious. My heart was beating so fast as I knew I had to say what I’ve been dreading. “Life has been a bit slow without you.” He was honest with his words and it left me feeling almost uncomfortable.
“I want to tell you something.” I said after a moment of silence.
He nodded with his eyebrows raised “Sure. Anything.”
“I know it doesn’t make any difference now. Our lives are so different, you like different things and I like different things. But it doesn’t change my feelings for you.” He tilted his head with a serious expression “I had the biggest crush on you since High School when we started talking during our Senior year. I know you only see me as a friend and maybe as sister but this secret has been eating me away for years.” By this time I couldn’t even look at him in the eye, it was unlike me to pour my feelings out “This might sound strange, but I still have dreams about you and it’s nothing bad really…it’s just that I still think about you and wondered if you ever….well…um…like me…cause you know sometimes people are so nice to others that they take it the wrong way…I always wondered—”
I was cut off when he leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. I let him kiss me but I didn’t return the kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, he pulled away “I’ve been waiting five years to do that.” He whispered next to my cheek.
“Me too.” I said softly, trying to catch my breath.
He smiled at me and started to lean in for another kiss when I turned my face and he kissed my cheek instead “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to tell him that it felt strange “Nothing, I just want to hear more about what happened in the past five years that’s all.” I said casually, hoping he won’t notice that I was not feeling myself.
He chuckled and moved his chair closer to mine as he put his arms around me “Well, I went to school and I’ve finally finished it last year. I’m working at an architectural company that pays me more than I deserve.” I smiled as I thought about how modest he was “My co-workers are fun, they are such great friends. I tell them about you and they always urged me to call you and tell you what I felt. To be honest, I’ve liked for so long but I never had the courage to tell you. Girls think guys just have it so easy, see a pretty girl, ask her out, she says yes and they’re dating. Not in the real world.” He sighed “I was the shyer guy, believe it or not. I joined all the sports just to be more open with everyone. Still it didn’t help when it came to girls. You were always so sweet to me, but then again, you were sweet to everyone. I never thought it was possible that you would ever like me so I always said you were a good friend or treated you like a little sister. I did give you a more special treatment.”
I shook my head at the irony behind it all “I think we were too worried about losing each other as a friend that we didn’t dare step over the line of possibly dating. Therefore we lost five years from that.” But I thought about if it didn’t happen, I would have never met Neil.
“So what did you do?” he was interested in hearing about what I wanted to say.
“I’m a psychology major.” He raised his eyebrows in shock “Yeah, I know, I didn’t learn much about it. You know I hate any kind of science.” He nodded with a laugh “Anyways, I met a friend, he’s a guy in one of my classes. It’s sad cause he’s the only friend I ever made in college. People were just too involved with their school, they had no time to care about this quiet girl.”
“What’s his name?”
“Neil Cheung. He’s so funny, always making me laugh and well today is his birthday and he took me here for dinner and when I saw you, he made me go over to say hi to you.” I explained quickly.
“Wow, he sounds like a great guy. Can I meet him?”
I nodded “Sure.” Excited that Lance was okay with meeting Neil, I led him to our table only to find it empty. “I wonder where he went?” I said to myself.
The waiter saw us and walked over “Oh, Mr. Cheung left earlier and he said to tell you that he’ll talk to you later and for you to have fun.”
I was disappointed but Lance tried to cheer me up. “Oh well, I’m sure we’ll get our chance one day. Come on, I’ll introduce you to my co-workers.” He put his arms around my waist and walked me over to the group. They were very friendly and warm people and I was grateful that they tried to let me fit in. But I still felt awkward, like I didn’t belong. If it wasn’t for Lance’s presence I wouldn’t know what to do.
Chapter 11
Nicole aka Niki Leung – Noel Leung
Lance Koo – Louis Koo
Neil Cheung – Nick Cheung
The next morning I was up early because I couldn’t sleep. I was worried about Neil, I wondered if he was awake yet? I felt like a zombie the whole morning, walking around the apartment but didn’t know what else to do. Lance said he was going to pick me up later that day to go to lunch. I had a few hours to kill so I decided to go for a walk. The city was packed with people as usual but it didn’t stop me from walking. I didn’t know where I was going and it didn’t really matter, I just wanted to clear my head and keep walking. I looked up at the light and it was white so I walked across the street. My mind was somewhere else because I didn’t see the fast car coming at me. I think I heard a few people yell out “Watch out!” But even then it was too late. I felt an impact of the metal car crashing into my side.
I knew it hurt like no other pain and I fainted into the cement. The last sound I heard was “Call the ambulance!!”
I don’t know how long I was out or where I was. Did I die? I know I was dreaming about seeing my family and friends. Ginny was there. So was Daniel. I vaguely saw Lance and I could have sworn Neil was there too. It was a strange dream but I wanted to wake up. I tried to tell myself not to sleep anymore, my family would be very worried about me.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a room with white walls on all sides. There was some sort of machine that was monitoring my heartbeat. The curtains were half closed and I could tell it was getting late. “How long was I asleep?” I asked myself.
“Just a few days.” I heard a voice to my right. When I turned over, I saw a nurse. She smiled at me as she checked my pulse “Your boyfriend will be happy that you’ve waken up. He’s been here every day to check on you.” She looked up at the entrance and exclaimed “Speak of the devil.”
I turned around to see a complete stranger. “Do I know you?” I asked cautiously.
He had the most devastating look on his face “You don’t remember me?”
I tilted my head and stared at him long and hard but I really didn’t recognize him “I’m sorry…I don’t know you. Are you sure you know me?”
He dropped the flowers and ran to my side “Don’t scare me, Niki! You can’t forget me…no, you just can’t!”
I wondered if it was some kind of a joke “Sir, please move aside, let me take a look at her.” The nurse said gently as she looked at my eyes and checked my temperature. “She’s not delusional. Let me call the doctor. We might have to do more tests.” I saw the nurse rush out the door in a hurry while the guy continued to grasp my hand. For some reason it didn’t bother me that the stranger was so worried. Maybe I did have amnesia?
“Who are you to me?” I asked wondering out loud.
He seemed more collect as he smiled sweetly “I am a very good friend, Angel.”
“Angel?” I looked at the bracelet tag that showed my name “It says Nicole on here.” I pointed to the plastic wristband.
“It’s a nickname that I’ve been calling you ever since we met.”
I nodded calmly. It was a strange feeling, you know? For a person to claim that they knew me yet I have no image of their face in my mind whatsoever. “Are you my boyfriend?” I don’t know why I asked that question, it was something that I was wondering.
He chuckled ever so comfortably “No no, but we would have eventually become a couple. Except that guy had to be out of the picture.”
“What guy?”
“You never told me his name.” Did I sense hurt in his voice? “Oh, I’m sure he’s worried sick about you. Maybe you should call him?”
I looked at him strangely “You want me to call someone that I have no recollection of?”
He laughed comfortably “Gosh, I keep forgetting. You just seem a lot more calm than a person who doesn’t remember anything.”
I shrugged my shoulders “You seem harmless enough. What is your name by the way?”
“Neil.” He smiled that same smile that made me feel so warm inside. Maybe I did know him?
“What am I suppose to do with that other guy? Is he my boyfriend?” I asked innocently.
He nodded “I think so, the last time I saw you two were very happy.” I knew he was being very sincere. My instincts told me to trust him.
“Sorry, Mister but you will have to leave. I need to do some tests.” The doctor had come in and was checking on me.
“Yes, of course.” He said politely, he raised his eyes to me “I’ll be waiting outside okay?”
I nodded while I let the doctor probe my face and neck. After another two hours of tests, they diagnosed me with Temporary Amnesia. The doctor began to explain when I stopped him “Sorry, doctor. Can you ask my friend, Neil out there to come in before you go on? I want him to hear this.”
“Sure.” He looked a bit surprised “You recognize him?” I shook my head “Well, the only reason why he knew you were here was because you had an emergency contact in your purse and it was his number. I assumed he was your boyfriend.”
I shook my head “He said he was a good friend.”
“Well, whatever happens. I want you to make sure Neil is by your side. Assuming he is a good friend, he should know everyone around you. Therefore you should be safe with him.” I nodded agreeing to his request “Nurse, call Mr. Cheung in.”
In a few seconds, I saw Neil walking in “Yes?”
“Miss Leung requested that you stay here and listen to her diagnostic. She has something called Temporary Amnesia. There is a Long Term and a Temporary. Obviously long term is something that was caused by some sort of brain failure due to an accident or falling on something and hitting your head. It is like breaking a nerve that allows you to memorize things. Temporary is when it an impact hits her, in this case an accident and at the same time, her mind was working too hard to think about something and the accident caused her to rupture her brain. Causing her memory to lapse. It could be for a few weeks, months or eventually turn to Long Term Amnesia. It will all depend on the patient’s will to remember and it will also depend on her family and loved ones. I assume that you being her emergency contact that you know her family and friends?”
Neil shook his head “Actually, Niki lived very far from her home. She moved out after high school and rarely sees her family. Her friends all went their separate ways, currently I am her only friend.”
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that because I think the possibility of her recovering depends on those factors. Is there somehow you can find out and tell her family?”
He nodded “Sure, I can look in her apartment.”
“Can I go home?” I asked eagerly. “As much as I love the food and service, I’m ready to go home. Maybe seeing everything will trigger my memory?”
“That’s good for you. I just checked you again, you seem very healthy. Luckily that car didn’t hit you too hard and the impact was more on your thigh then your hip. A little higher and you would have been paralyzed.” The doctor smiled at me because I gave him the most scared look “Don’t worry. I’m sure Mr. Cheung will take good care of you. But before I let you out, you need to do some leg therapy. It might be asleep when you stand up.”
“Thanks doctor.” He nodded at me and walked outside leaving the nurse and Neil there to help me up. My legs were a little weak but after a few rounds down the hall of the hospital, I was okay again. By the end of the day I was ready to go home. Neil was great as he helped me to my apartment, which I did not recognize. I looked around at the place, it looked very homey “Where’s the bathroom?”
He laughed as he shook his head “I’ll take you there.” He walked me down the hall to the right where the bathroom was.
“Thanks.” I smiled gratefully at him.
He closed the door for me and I heard him walk away. When I walked outside, I saw him preparing something on the stove. “You must be starving from all that jello and mash potatoes that they feed you in the hospital.”
I nodded with my hand on my stomach “Actually, it’s been growling since I walked into the apartment. Maybe it knows that I’m hungry?” I joked. Suddenly, my cellphone rang, at least I thought it was my cell phone. “Is that mine?”
He looked up and ran to my hand bag and looked at the name flashing on the screen. It read “Lance”. He held it up for me to see and I shook my head. So he picked it up for me “Hello?”
“…Uh…is Niki there?”
“Yeah, but actually, she’s not herself. This is Neil…”
“Oh! Yes, Niki mentioned you.” Neil’s eyes wandered up to mine as he looked at me. “What happened? I was calling her for a few days now and she never answered her phone.”
“She got in a car accident. A lady hit her while she crossed the street –”
“Oh my God! Is she alright?” I heard the guy exclaim with much concern.
“Yes, yes. But she has Temporary Amnesia. Maybe you should come over to see her? I’ll explain everything.”
“Alright. I don’t know where she lives…”
Neil quickly gave him my address and hung up the phone “Now this guy is your boyfriend. You might recognize him.” He didn’t sound too sure and I was almost positive that I would not.
“Well, how long have we dated?” I wanted to be prepared before he came and saw me.
“I’m not sure, you two just saw each other a day before the accident. Its been five years.”
“Five years? And I saw him and just started dating him? Wow, what kind of a person was I?” I wondered sarcastically. It just didn’t make any sense.
He chuckled and pulled me down to the sofa to explain further “No, silly girl. You’ve liked him ever since high school, but you never had the chance to tell him. A few days ago, we had dinner at this restaurant and you saw him again. You two talked and I’m pretty sure you got together.” He said calmly but surely.
I wrinkled my forehead “What do you mean you were sure? Weren’t you there?”
He shook his head “No, I didn’t want to bother you two, so I left early.”
“Well, that wasn’t nice.” I commented.
“Why not? I gave you two a chance to be alone. It was something you’ve been waiting for Niki.”
I shrugged “Five years is a long time. I mean what if he turned out to be a killer? He would have murdered me and threw my body across the street and then you would have regret it.” I don’t know what got into me, all of a sudden, I was resenting the fact that this friend guy had left me with another guy that I had a crush on for years? I don’t even remember anything that he just told me, what right did I have to be mad at him?
He smiled calmly and took my hands in his “Sweetie, you told me this guy, Lance, was a complete gentleman and that was one reason why you fell for him.”
“Well…It still doesn’t make any sense.”
He sighed softly as he brushed my hair with his hands “I know, but it will one day. Just be patient. You always told me, patience was a virtue that not everyone has. Some people have to work hard to get it.”
“I said that?” I was surprised, it sounded so profound.
We chatted for a while when the doorbell rang. Time seem to freeze as we both looked at each other. Maybe wondering the same thing, if I saw this guy would I remember him?
Chapter 12
Nicole aka Niki Leung – Noel Leung
Lance Koo – Louis Koo
Neil Cheung – Nick Cheung
I looked at Neil, hoping that he’ll get the door for me but he shook his head “You have to do it, dear.”
I nodded understandingly as I sighed and slowly opened the door. A handsome guy stood before me with the same look of concern that Neil gave me when he realized I didn’t know him. “You must be Lance.” I nodded “Hi.” It was irrelevant for me to say it, but he was a stranger to me. Sure enough, I did not recognize him either.
“Niki…” he seemed a bit emotional, I could almost tell. Suddenly, he reached out and hugged me tightly. I didn’t know what to do so I turned my head to look at Neil. He only smiled at me and nodded for me to embrace Lance. So I did as he told.
After a moment, I uncomfortably let go and walked back to Neil as I took a seat next to him. “Do I have to introduce you to?”
The guys chuckled like I had a made a joke. “It’s nice to meet you finally.” Neil was the first to speak up and I wasn’t at all surprised that he was a bit more outgoing.
“Lance, she’s told me a few good things about you.” Lance shook his hand welcomingly.
“Well, let me explain what happened.” Neil began telling him the story about what had happened to me. It sounded like a story to me since I didn’t not recall anything that he had told me.
“How do you feel?” Lance asked after Neil was done.
I shrugged “I feel good. Just a bit tired.” I let my mind float away as I noticed myself giggling “It’s kinda strange to have this feeling of not recognizing anyone yet people are claiming that they know me.”
The guys looked at each other strangely, maybe I wasn’t making any sense. “Well, what can I do to help?” Lance was eager to help me recover my memory.
“The doctor says to tell her more stories about the past, something relevant in her life and maybe it will trigger her memory?” Neil explained. “Maybe we should take her somewhere? Where did she like to go when she was in high school?”
“I’m not sure. She lived so far from me that we rarely had the chance to go out. How about you? Have you taken her to any special places?” Lance asked.
“Just the beach, but it’s not of any importance.” Neil said nonchalantly.
They continued their dialogue and I turned from guy to guy and couldn’t help but feel that they were keeping something from me? But that was ridiculous to think, wasn’t it? It was strange enough having two guys I did not recognize talk to each other about me as if they’d known me for years. For all I know they were probably lying to me.
************
The next morning, Neil and Lance showed up on my door early to take me to some places that they thought about the night before. I quickly changed into my jeans and casual shirt as we drove to the beach “What did we do here?” I asked out loud as the three of us walked along the shore.
“We use to come here to chat because you told me it was peaceful and very relaxing.” Neil explained.
I nodded as if I knew “Oh…that’s all?”
He seemed to be pondering something that he wasn’t sure if he should tell me. “And…well, there was this one time when I took you out here to have a dinner picnic.”
I saw Lance turned to Neil with raised eyebrows, but he bit his tongue and didn’t ask. “We did?…why did you take me here?” I was a bit more curious because it almost seemed like he was holding back.
“I took you to this bar and it was Lesbian and Gay night and we were getting hit on, so after an hour, I took you here to make it up to you.” He had a small smile on his face and I knew he was recalling the night.
I glanced at Lance to see what his reaction, but he had a blank expression on his face. We continued to talk on and eventually, we ended up sitting down on the warm sand to take a break. “I feel like ice cream, you guys want any?”
“Chocolate for me please.” Neil said with a grin.
Lance smiled at me “Strawberry. Thanks Niki.”
“Sure!” I ran off to the nearest ice cream parlor. I had a feeling that the guys needed to talk, so I gave them a chance. I think they knew it too.
When I returned I found them standing in the same place with a grim expression on their faces. “Ice cream’s here!” I announced as I handed them their ice cream. “Thank you, that would be 10 dollars each.” I put out my hand to have the guys pay me.
Neil laughed as shook his head “You’re kidding right?”
I gave them a serious expression “Of course not. I’m not made out of money guys. I offered to get ice cream not buy it.” I saw Lance pull out his wallet in the corner of my eyes and suddenly burst into giggles “I’m just kidding! Was I that cheap?” I asked Lance.
“Of course not!” he answered quickly “It’s just…I don’t know…maybe you’ve changed?”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t remember.” I could already guess that Neil and I were a lot more closer by the way he reacted to my question. I began to doubt myself and Lance. Maybe by not seeing each other for so long, we had drifted away?
The rest of day composed of my mind wandering off every now and then thinking about what had happened to me and if it was a good or bad thing? Maybe I was better off not remembering. That way I could start my life all over again? I went home early to sleep that night and I had the strangest dream. Neil and I were sitting in the water at that same exact beach that we were at in the morning. Our conversation was deep and casual at the same time. We looked so comfortable just talking but Lance was not around. The dream was so vivid that I could have sworn that it did happen. When I woke up the next morning, I received a call.
“Hello?”
“Niki?”
“Yeah, who’s this?”
“Lance.” I still didn’t recognized his voice. “I have bad news.”
“What happened?” I could feel my heart beginning to thump eventhough I could not think of anything bad that could have happened.
“It’s Neil, he’s been in a car accident. He was on his way to work and a drunken idiot ran into him head on collision. He’s been in the hospital all night, the doctors say that he might not make it.” I could hear his voice shaking as he told me the news.
My heart skipped a beat but I still had to ask “How did you find out?”
“Your name was on his emergency contact. The nurse that filled out the paperwork remembered you being in the hospital not too long ago. She recalled you were here for Temporary Amnesia. So she got a hold of me instead.”
“I have to see him!” It was as if it finally occurred to me. I don’t know why I had the sudden need to see him.
“I’m on my way over Niki, get ready and meet me downstairs.”
I hung up and went to change. When we got to the hospital, I was even more frantic “Neil Cheung, what room is he in?” I asked the head nurse.
She was on the phone as she put her hand up to hush me. “Yes, Mam…I understand Mam..” she rolled her eyes at the phone.
I don’t know what came over me as I reached through the small crack of the window and yanked the phone from her hand “Neil Cheung.” I said through clenched teeth.
She gave me a deadly glare but pulled it away to look at the list of patients. “Intensive Care Unit, Room 5.” She pulled the phone back from my grip.
I didn’t care that she was giving me an attitude, I just wanted to see him. I rushed through the hallway with Lance close behind. “Intensive care…room five…” I mumbled to myself so I would not forget.
When we reached the unit, there were metal doors separating the guests from the patient. “I think we have to wait, Niki…” Lance said ever so calmly.
I snapped my head around “Wait for what? Until he dies?!” I didn’t realize I was yelling until everyone in the waiting room was staring at me. “Open the door!!” I cried as I banged my fists on the metal doors.
“Niki…” Lance grabbed a hold of my shoulders as he pulled me back “Calm down…we’ll get to see him. Let me call the nurse inside.” He practically pulled me inside the waiting room. “Have a seat.” He picked up the phone to call into the Unit “We’re here to see Neil Cheung? Niki and Lance…Thank you.”
I saw him hang up the phone “Are we next?” I asked quickly. I probably looked like a mess but I didn’t care. I just wanted to see Neil.
“Yes, they’re going to open the door for us. Just wait a minute.” He said soothingly.
I sat restlessly on the chair as I arched my neck every few seconds to see if the metal doors had opened. “What is taking so long?” I asked out loud.
Just as I said it, the double doors opened and a nurse came out “Niki and Lance?”
I popped from my seat like a daisy as I rushed into the room “Neil…” I didn’t care about anything else as I rushed to his room. Inside, he was covered with wires and tubes taped all over his body. They monitored everything from his heartbeat to his digestive system. I could feel the tears rolling down my face as I got a closer look. It was the most devastating thing I had ever seen. “Neil?” I whispered through my cracked voice.
My vision was blurring from all the tears. I sat down on the chair right next to him and it was the first time I saw his bandaged head. The blood stain still fresh on his forehead. He was breathing through a tube and his legs was rolled in white bandage. My hand was quivering as I reached for his face and I pulled back not wanting to hurt him. I didn’t know what to do as I turned to Lance who was quickly by my side “What’s wrong Niki?” he asked.
I wanted to ask him was he crazy? Neil was lying there half dead and he asks me what’s wrong? When I finally calmed myself down, I realized that he was asking why I didn’t dare touch Neil. “I don’t want to hurt him.” I choked out the words softly.
Lance placed his hand on my shoulder “Go on, I’m sure he’ll know it’s you.”
I turned back to Neil and this time I touched his face. “Wake up, Neil…” I whispered.
But he did not wake up. I kept staring at the heart monitor to make sure that he was still breathing. The nurse walked in as she waved to us “Times up you two. He needs his rest. He was just in a four hours surgery.”
I shook my head vehemently as I looked at Lance for help “I’m sorry, but can she stay at least? She’s very important to him, maybe he’ll wake up if he knows she’s here…” he said with much feeling and I silently thanked him with my eyes as he smiled and nodded at me.
The nurse seemed to debate the question and eventually, she nodded “Okay, only she stays.” She said sternly but smiled before she gave us some time alone.
“I’ll be outside if you need me.”
I nodded thankfully “I owe you Lance.”
He touched the top of my head as he smiled down at me “You sure do.” He sighed as he walked out of the room leaving me alone with Neil.
Chapter 13
Nicole aka Niki Leung – Noel Leung
Lance Koo – Louis Koo
Neil Cheung – Nick Cheung
After Lance left the room, it was almost dead silence. I inched myself closer to Neil as I watched him sleep, or was he even sleeping? All I know was he looked so peaceful lying on the bed. I took a hold of his hand as I sandwiched it between mine. “I’m sorry…” I muttered. I was too choked up to even talk.
Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open as he closed them and opened them again as if he was coming in and out of a trance. “Angel?” it was barely audible.
“Yes…Neil, you’re awake.” I continued to whisper but I was more excited this time. “You’re going to be okay.” I reached out and smoothed the hair that was over his eye. “Doesn’t that bother you?” I asked.
He shook his head “No, not to a blind person.”
My heart nearly jumped out of my skin as I pulled away from him “What?” I thought I was hearing things.
“I’m blind, Niki.” He said ever so calmly, making me feel even worse inside. He’d known since the accident?
“But…how?” I knew it was a medical question but I didn’t know what else to say.
“It’s okay. I’ve come into terms with it. I’ll just be in permanent disability, that’s all.” He said it so nonchalantly.
“You were always there for me, so I’ll always be there for you.” I felt a tear creep out of my eye as I quickly wiped it afraid that he might find out I was crying.
“Is that the only reason why you said that?” he asked. He didn’t even notice that I had slipped.
“And because you’re my best friend. For years I lived my life in solitaire, going to school and then working part time. If it weren’t for you, I might have gone crazy by now.” I giggled at how ironic the last line was.
“What’s so funny?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing…I’m just laughing at how ironic life really was. You don’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone.” He wrinkled his forehead in pain “What’s the matter?” I asked with concern when I noticed he looked like someone had bit him.
“It hurts.” He whispered as he closed his eyes waiting for the pain to pass over.
“Should I get the nurse?” I asked as I got up ready to race outside but he reached for my hand and pulled me back.
“No, no…I don’t think it’ll help.”
I knew he was saying the unthinkable “No, you’ll be okay.”
He shook his head tiredlessly “No…Niki, you need to face the facts. Look at me. Do I look healthy to you?”
Of course he didn’t, he had tubes running through every part of his body and his face was as pale as a ghost. “You look fine.” I said unconvincingly.
“He smiled. Same old Niki…glad to have you back. Or were you ever gone?” He winced in pain again.
“I can’t see you like this, I’m going to get the nurse.” I began to get up.
“NO!” he yelled as he sat upright and just as soon as he did, he began choking and coughing uncontrollably. “It’s usless!” he waved his hand in front of himself looking for me.
I was crying so hard that I had to press my hand over my mouth to keep the sound from coming out. After a moment, I returned to the chair next to him as I reached for his hand “I’m sorry…” it was all I could say.
“Don’t say that.” He whispered and then began to hypervenilate. I’ve never seen anyone do that before so I was frozen from fear and I knew I was shaking when I tried to reach for his hand because he was having horrible spasms.
“Neil!…” I could hear my voice rising “Nurse!” I screamed so loud that I knew someone had to hear me. “Where in the world are they!?!”
When his breathing slowed down, so did his heart beat, I saw the monitor beeping slower and slower as he sank down into the bed. He looked so weak as he looked around aimlessly “Angel?”
As if time has stand still for us, once again I grabbed his hand in mine “I’m here.” I choked back the tears.
“We would have had beautiful children…” I smiled through my tears as he continued “I’m sorry, we’ll never get our chance…and I hope that you will stay with Lance. He’s a great guy, I’ll be happy too because I know that he loves you very much.” His voice was a mere whisper now. I had to move closer to hear his words. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be in a better place…”
This time I could not hide my tears as I pressed his hand against my face “I can’t lose you, Neil.”
He felt my tears running down his hand and he pulled back to touch my face “Don’t cry. I don’t want you to cry for me…” he winced in pain again and I saw the monitor beginning to beep uncontrollably. That’s when the nurse finally rushed in with the emergency group, but Neil stopped them as he shook his head slowly “It’s useless…I know my time is up.”
I gripped on his hand harder as if that was how I could keep him alive “No…you can’t leave me alone.” I trembled through gulps.
He looked towards me with a smile so content “I love you…” it took me a few moments to let the words sink in as he drifted off slowly leaving me forever. His hand weakened in my own hands and his body relaxed slowly and I knew it was over. I had lost him.
I felt one of the nurse’s hand on my shoulder “I’m sorry Miss.”
I turned around like a zombie, my face smeared with tears. I walked out of the room and quickened my pace after the metal doors. I past the waiting room where Lance sat but I didn’t look up. I just wanted to get out of the forbidden place. I didn’t make it very far because I tripped over a few pebbles outside the hospital door and that was where I sat and cried until there was no more tears left.
I don’t know how long he was standing there but he was kind enough to give me time to mourn. For what seemed like hours was only half an hour that I sat in one place and cried. Finally, he walked over and sat down next to me “Since the accident, I often wondered if it was me on that death bed, would you be this sad?” Lance signed to himself “Don’t lie to yourself Niki.”
My mind was somewhere else, when Neil left my heart seemed to have gone too “I know that I love him. But at the same time I could not let go of you. Maybe it was my fault for not telling you and now it’s too late to take it back. Maybe if we got together, then I wouldn’t have met Neil and he wouldn’t have died.”
“Everything happens for a reason, Niki. We knew you were faking your Amnesia the whole time.”
His words seemed to snap me out of the daze as I looked up “You both knew? But how?”
He smiled at me “Actually, I didn’t know, it was Neil. He sensed it all along.”
“He new me more than me…I thought my plan was so good. I just wanted to forget everything. I didn’t want to make the choice. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, I’m sorry.” I shook my head over and over.
Lance sighed as he leaned over and hugged me “I know, Niki…I know.”
He rocked me slowly as he stroked my hair. I was finally calming down as I let my eyes wander up. Were my eyes deceiving me? I knew I missed him terribly but I was looking at him. But how could it be? Yet, he was standing there with his white gurney and his bandaged head was no longer there. “Neil?” I whispered. I thought Lance was going to say I was crazy.
Lance pulled away as he took a hold of my shoulders and picked me up on my feet. “At least you finally know who you were going to chose.” He smiled brightly as he turned around to Neil “Don’t just stand there, come over here and hug her.” He scolded.
I looked from one guy to another with a look of shock, no, it was beyond shock. There is no word to describe it. “You…and you…” I pointed to the smiling Neil “You set me up?”
Neil’s face fell as he walked over to me “I’m sorry. I thought it was the only way for you to be true to your feelings.”
I shook my head as I began to come over the shock “You scared me to death!” I pushed at him angrily “How could you put me through that!”
He seemed to guessed that my reaction would be that way as he reached out to me calmly “Angel…calm down.”
“NO!! Do you know what an emotional rollercoaster it’s been for me since I met you, Neil? You don’t even know how hard it was for me. And for you to keep pushing me to talk to Lance. If you would have left things alone…”
“Then you wouldn’t have realized that you love me.” He finished the sentence for me, eventhough it wasn’t what I wanted to say. “I know it was wrong of us to do this to you, but we couldn’t have think of any other way to do it. I’m sorry…”
I was still trying to cope with the shock as I turned to Lance “I…I don’t know what to say.”
I felt Neil’s hands wrap around me as he hugged me gently “I promise you that I would never let you cry again.”
“Too late…” I whispered as a tear dropped on his shoulder.
“Tears of joy does not count.” He pulled away from me with a smile. The same smile that I loved to see. It seemed like yesterday when I thought he had left me forever at the hospital. But today, six months later, we were dancing to our own song in our own wedding. At the corner of my eye, I could see Lance dancing with his date. He looked so happy and it made me happy just to see that. “It’s too late to make a switch, you’re already my wife.”
I giggled at his joke as I hugged him closer and we swayed to the music. “I love you.”
He nodded over my shoulder “I know. I always knew.”
I smiled to myself, I was in complete bliss. My life couldn’t have been more perfect. I found my perfect man eventhough it took an obstacle to get there. But I was glad that I fell in love with him. As for Lance, he will always be my first crush, the guy that I could not forget. But I learned a lot from Neil. Seize the moment. Don’t let the moment pass you by and then regret it later. It will just cause you more pain and you would have to endure your own tears. Neil often asked me, if you had the choice to live your life happily or tearfully, what would you chose? My answer was obvious wasn’t it?
THE END
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