“The false memory thing? Yeah, she did, and the way I see it, whatever I remember might be my brain making its own epic blockbuster movie.”
He chuckled. “Not necessarily, and again, as a family doctor this isn’t my area of expertise, but from what I’ve read, I suspect Lily being here is an opportunity. She may be able to help you reconstruct your more recent history and be instrumental in unlocking your past. I’d advise you to spend time with her, if you feel comfortable doing so, and if it doesn’t cause you stress. It could be of great benefit.”
I nodded, more excitement building in my chest. “I think I’d like that,” I said, and as I pictured Lily, a sense of calm seemed to gradually wrap itself around me, making my heart rate slow. “And I’ve been thinking about working, too, doing some projects around the house.”
“I can imagine boredom is beginning to set in, but you have to take your time and listen to your body. Your accident wasn’t long ago, and you still need plenty of rest. You can do the odd job here or there, but build up slowly, and if any of your symptoms get worse, ease off immediately.”
I was about to argue I’d be fine when I heard a creak outside the door. I closed my mouth, didn’t want Maya to hear Dr. Adler repeat the fact he thought I should take it easy. She was protective...and a little intense if I was being completely honest. Sometimes I’d find her standing in the doorway observing me, and more than once her doing so had weirded me out. I knew it was strange for her, having me—most of me—back here, and it couldn’t be easy for her. One moment I was vulnerable yet angry, the next apologetic yet ungrateful, and consistently argumentative when she told me my recollections were off. Not a fantastic combination for her to put up with. Plus, I was her older brother. As far as I was concerned, and old-fashioned as it sounded, I was supposed to look after her, not the other way around, even if Maya was perfectly capable of taking care of the both of us.
I looked up as she stepped into the room. She smiled and pointed at the neatly aligned row of blood-filled vials. “Jeez, Ash, you’re completely hollow.”
I forced a laugh that sounded false even to me, and after finishing up with Dr. Adler, who promised he’d call me with the results in a few days despite his going to Mexico on holiday, we thanked him and left. It was almost three by the time we’d stopped off at the grocery store and got back home, but ever since we’d left the doctor’s office, Maya had hardly said a word.
“Are you all right?” I said as we finished unpacking the groceries.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “I was a bit shocked when Lily turned up. I don’t trust people at the best of times, and certainly not someone you don’t recall. A person I’ve never met, and who claims she’s your girlfriend, but to whom you gave a fake name.” She sighed. “I don’t like it. Maybe you lied because you never trusted her to begin with. We invited her to our home. What if she’s a psycho?”
I threw my hands in the air. “I’ve no idea, but it seems unlikely, doesn’t it? Going to all that effort to find me? Coming all this way? I need to see her. She has information about me, information I badly need. It’s a huge breakthrough.”
Maya stared at me. “Did Dr. Adler say anything else about her being here?”
I knew she wouldn’t approve of him suggesting I spend time with Lily, so I said, “He was too busy playing vampire, the bloodthirsty bastard.” When Maya didn’t laugh, I added, “I’m going to do some research online before Lily comes over. And before you say I shouldn’t be on a screen—”
“I won’t.”
I frowned. “I thought you were adamant about me staying off them?”
She shrugged and grabbed a pen and piece of paper, writing down a sequence of letters and numbers. “Here’s my password. Want me to help you?”
I shook my head. “This is something I need to do alone.”
Maya looked at me for a second before giving me a nod. After she’d left the kitchen and headed upstairs, I reached for the laptop. Taking a deep breath, I took my time as I opened the lid and typed in Maya’s password, all the while trying to convince myself I was ready to find out the truth about who Jack Smith really was.
19
LILY
I’m not entirely sure how I made it back to my car, or when I realized I had to find a place to stay for the night. It was as if the logical part of my brain was still functioning somehow, and it took over, forcing me to drive through town. The choice of accommodation was between a hotel, which looked way out of my price range, and two more budget-friendly motels. After I’d gone past both twice, I pulled up in front of the Harbor Inn, which wasn’t anywhere close to the harbor, but was the only place with a vacancy sign. I parked the car and sat in the lot for a while, trying to come to terms with what had happened.
Jack—Ash, he said he was Ash—was alive. Finding him had been something I’d barely dared dream of, something I’d played out only in my wildest imagination. The discovery had also brought home how much I’d given up on him, and while I hadn’t wanted to admit it, I’d resigned myself to the fact that Jack—damn it, Ash—was gone. Regardless of his name, it made me feel like a traitor, and I wondered if he’d sensed my abandonment somehow. Was that why he hadn’t come home? It was a stupid theory. He had amnesia. He’d had no idea who I was, had looked
