“You know there is. Your Aunt Teresa has never missed one week in three years.” She passed Pam a stack. “And a few more, I’m afraid – bills.” Pam turned to leave. “Hold up, Doctor Legend. There’s a parcel for you that the entire staff is talking about.”
They waited for Jane to return. When she passed the package over, she grinned. “It’s from the Arctic Circle – the North Pole to be exact?”
Pam shook her head while staring at the return address. “Okay, who’s playing pranks now? Is it Sam because I wouldn’t increase the dosage on his prescription for painkillers?”
“No. Sam knows you called him right on that one. He was gobbling them pills up too fast. Getting addicted, pure and simple. We all warned him, but thanks to you, he’s finally listening.” She tapped the parcel in Pam’s hands. “Funny thing is, you were the only one who refused to place a letter in Santa’s mailbox, and now you’re the only one with a gift from the jolly duo. Doesn’t sound fair, if you ask me,” Jane said adding a pout for effect.
“The Santa mailbox is a fun exercise for kids – not adults,” Pam said, trying to explain her opposition to the idea. Yet, here she stood holding a box with the sender postmarked as from the North Pole. Did they even have mail service there? “Someone is having fun at my expense and when I find out who, they will be sorry.” She glanced behind her and noticed John’s face was as white as a sheet.
Pam hurried to the door where he leaned against the doorway. “John, you may suffer heat stroke standing in the hot sun? Listen, I need to drop off my parcels. Let’s slip by my apartment. I mixed some fresh ice tea this morning. A cold refreshment will do us both good.”
John never spoke but allowed her to usher him out the door. Great! Now she was bringing a stranger home. Not a well thought-through plan.
In Pam’s apartment, he sat on the couch, still quiet and unresponsive. She placed her baked goods and the parcel on the island counter and hurried to the refrigerator. Moments later, she brought two full glasses of ice cold tea into the living room. He hadn’t moved. So much for worrying about a killer in her midst.
“Drink it, John.” Pam watched as he lifted the glass and gulped a mouthful, and then another. When he’d drained the tumbler empty of its contents, he continued to hold it tightly in his grip and stare at the floor.
“John, say something. I know you can hear me.”
“Is the North Pole far from Cedar Springs?”
Pam nearly choked on her first sip. “It’s very far. Why do you ask?”
“Your parcel came from there, right?” he asked.
“I suppose so. But few live that far north – just scientists, explorers, and crazy workers who want to earn their life’s wages and retire by forty.” Pam laughed. “And perhaps the mythical Santa Claus, if you’re a die-hard believer of such things.”
John glanced quickly in her direction. “Santa is mythical, you say?” He hesitated. “Of course, he is. Perhaps I just heard the name mentioned as a kid?”
“Possibly. Most homes have a little fun playing up the story of the jolly man dressed in red.” Pam noticed his flighty eyes focus and his fingers loosened the grip on the drinking glass. She focused on his new interest, hoping to spark a clue as to his identity. “You seem attracted to all things Christmas. How about we go to the Boutique? They have it decked out extra special for the weekend event.”
“I need to be at the center to help serve the dinner by four,” John said while struggling to his feet. His balance was off.
“Has your head been giving you more trouble since you left the hospital?”
“I need to get a grip, that’s all! This memory thing is taking a toll on my good sense if I ever had any.”
“I’m also helping at the center, John,” Pam said. “So we may as well spend the afternoon together – if you’d like.”
John ran his fingers through his hair. “Are you doing this out of pity, Doc? I don’t need your pity.”
“That’s the first thing you’ve been sure about all week. There may be hope for you yet.” The corners of his mouth turned up slightly when he noticed Pam wasn’t giving in to his mood. “Enough of your self-bashing. I want to see more of those dashing smiles that light up your entire face, not ones that verge on poor-miserable-me. So, let’s be off.” Pam was rambling now. Was she nervous? Regardless of her source, the spiel continued. “I can spend hours in the Christmas store. It’s such a magical place.”
“Tom’s wife runs it, right?” John asked.
“Yes, Denise is my best friend.”
Along the way, Pam pointed out different things of interest to John to distract him and keep his mood positive. For the hundredth time, she wondered why she cared so much to see this patient’s memory return. She reasoned that common decency would be a good start. No one should abide in the dark with no past to lead his path into the future. Ten minutes later they entered the store, and the jingle of the bell over the doorway announced their arrival.
“Pam,” Denise said as she dropped her scissors and rushed over. “I am so glad you popped in here before heading to the center. I have a new shipment of unique Christmas items I am dying to show you.”
Pam nodded toward the man standing at her side. “Denise, you’ve met John, haven’t you?”
“Yes, he’s staying in the storage room at the center, and I walked in on him once without thinking. Embarrassing!”
John intervened. “I was reading – no need
