IN THE DARK

Rebecca’s story

Coming so close wasn’t exactly a good idea, which is why he could definitely hear my heart beating like crazy. I couldn’t see him because of the bandages, but I was greedily inhaling his delicious aroma.

“Dominic Stone...” I repeated his name, and he immediately turned away from me. I couldn’t describe the feeling of abandonment I immediately felt.

“Therefore, you know me,” he reinforced the idea by hearing his name from my mouth. It wasn’t intentional, just an involuntary reaction, though. But my reaction was totally unexpected, even for me. I could say I was rude about it.

“Show me someone who doesn’t know you, Mr. Stone! And you’re here because...”

“It’s Dominic actually and I’m taking you home with me so I would answer your question without too many detours,” he concluded, and I even felt a victory glow on his face.

I shifted on the bed, barely restraining myself from laughing. At the same time, I was also nervous. I didn’t want to seem rude, but who would have thought that not only had the great actor saved me from the big bad wolves, but that he had invited me to stay in his house as well?

“I’m sorry I reacted this way, but you know I am, at this point, a person with special needs. Just look at me. I can’t walk, I can’t see... to hell with it, if I could just see you, so I know you’re telling me the truth...” 

- And I’m sorry too that you don’t believe me, but I trust that in time you will. The simple truth is that you’re coming home with me because you need my help. " 

What he just told me not only made me think seriously, but it made me even more intrigued. It wasn’t like I didn’t have someone to take care of me. I could afford to pay for the most expensive treatments and nurses to help me. 

“I don’t need anyone’s help, least of all yours. I can take care of myself,” I explained at length, trying hard to keep myself from bursting. Who did he take me for? 

“I’m aware of that, Miss Holland, but it is possible that the attack I saved you from cannot be accidental, so I will not risk your life. Therefore, you are coming with me!”

“Then why can’t I remember the attack? How do I know it’s not made up by you?” 

When I asked this, the room filled with a heavy silence. Frankly, I didn’t like it one bit. But just then Declan explained.

“Miss Holland, the reason you don’t remember the attack is due to post-traumatic shock, which seems to have caused more damage to your body than I expected. You are currently suffering from what I call selective amnesia.” This news fell like a bombshell and although I couldn’t see the faces of the two men, I could feel their eyes on me. 

“Selective amnesia? Can you be more specific?”

“It means that there are specific parts of your life, most of them distressing, that you may not remember. Your mind is selecting memories in order to protect you. Therefore, your brain has blocked out the moment of attack”

“Protect me from what, doctor?” I already didn’t like the way Declan was expressing himself and I felt like my problem was going to cause me a lot of trouble in the future. And it was something I couldn’t allow. 

“If you remember all the bad things that happened to you all at once, your mind might not be able to cope and it can collapse. The brain thus developed a protective barrier. In other words...”

“I’ll go crazy...” I added it in shock over the verdict.

“In a way, Miss Holland. I’m so sorry to bring you such terrible news”

Was he really? It didn’t really matter now that I still had a bandage over my eyes that he hadn’t removed yet. God knew what was waiting for me. 

“Enough chatter, it’s time to tell you Miss Holland that I won’t leave you alone!” that male voice intervened and every time I heard it sent shivers through my body. 

“I see, Mr Stone…” I approved by looking at him, but the bandages still bothered me. 

“So you do know me...” His voice got a tone lower.

“Who doesn’t? Are you here because...” I had to acknowledge the actor’s notoriety but there was no guarantee that the man in front of me, whom I couldn’t see, was actually Dominic Stone.

“I have only one reason for being here. I’m taking you home with me!”

That news fell like a bomb to my ears. I shifted on the bed, struggling to keep myself from laughing. I was not trying to sound rude, but who would have thought that not only did he not save me, but Dominic Stone, the man an army of women sigh for, came to take me home? To what purpose? And then I burst.

“I’m deeply sorry, but you are aware that I am a person with special requirements at the moment, right? What I mean is I can’t walk, apparently I can’t see either... damn, if I could only see you so I would know you are telling me the absolute truth”

“I am sorry too that you don’t believe me, but God knows, in time, you will. Still, the truth is you’re going home with me because you need help and I can provide you with that help.”

He spoke with such certainty and determination that for a moment I felt that this was what I was supposed to do, go to this stranger’s house. But my mind was still in a fog. I still didn’t fully know what had happened to me. I just didn’t trust a stranger. Even if he was the one who saved me, because it was pretty obvious that he did.

“What will happen to my family?” I had a sister that could be worried sick.

When I questioned this, the room filled with a harsh stillness. Frankly, I didn’t like it. But then doctor Dominic interfered again, explaining.

“Miss Holland, I am aware you have a next of kin, and I am aware she is not here, in New York. Rest assured that I will call her and explain about your situation. I have to, being your doctor. As for Dominic here, he saved you and to be honest you would need some help in the near future, so he is the only one now that can do it” 

I’ve often heard men support each other’s opinions, but this was a unique situation. Or at least that’s what I was trying to convince myself. I said it with my own mouth. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t feel my legs, I wasn’t sure I could see either.

Although I hated to admit it, Dominic was right. And whether he was the actor was less important. This man had saved me from the clutches of death. It was impossible. He could hurt me. 

I wanted so much to remember the attack, to know who did it and why? And more importantly, to know if I was with anyone else. But the memories were so distant.

“Doctor, if you want me to go to his house so badly, then you’d better take the bandages off as soon as possible,” I said, perhaps a little more determined than I would have expected. I could almost hear his smile. 

“Ok, your wish is my command. In fact, that’s exactly what I intended to do, so I came prepared” Even the cheerfulness in his voice surprised me. Maybe I really got seriously injured and my recovery was this doctor’s victory. 

As soon as I heard the clink of utensils, I knew it was the big moment. The moment of truth. If I said I wasn’t nervous, I’d be lying. I was. A lot depended on my vision. 

Somehow behind the bandages, I closed my eyes as I felt the cold stainless steel on my cheek, cutting the piece of cloth covering my face.

I could feel my heart beating like crazy and even expect either joy or disappointment. From two precise cuts, the bandage fell gently caressing my cheeks. Now there were the patches remaining stuck to my eyes. My breathing quickened and as I felt Declan’s deft hands, I was one step closer to the truth. As soon as he peeled off my white patch, I expected everything to be dark until my eyes got used to the light. Declan himself was keen to assure me of that.

“Miss Holland, don’t be scared. You won’t see anything at the moment. It’ll take ten minutes, a quarter of an hour tops to figure out the result. In the meantime, allow me to use the medical flashlight...”

I had calmed down listening to the doctor, but I had to admit I was afraid. Time passed rather quickly, and the room had become quiet. I still couldn’t see anything, and I was panicking.

“Doctor, what’s going on? Why can’t I see yet?” I panicked, turning my head left and right as if searching for the perfect position for my eyes to receive vision.

“Let me look...” And Declan approached again with the flashlight. “Do you feel that? Does it bother you?” he asked curiously, but I didn’t even know what I was supposed to feel. 

“I don’t... I can’t see... What is supposed to bother me?” 

“The light! Something’s wrong, Miss Holland!”