Her POV
"Oh my God," I said, feeling embarrassed. I quickly picked up the blanket and wrapped it around my body, even though it was of no use anymore. He had already seen everything.
I felt horribly embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry. I thought you were hurt and needed help. That was the reason I turned. I didn’t know the blanket had slipped away from your body," he said, and I saw sincerity in his cute eyes.
"It's okay," I said, walking back to the bed and sitting on it. The damn pee that made all this happen had already flown away. Gosh! This guy saw the whole thing.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized again, and I nodded.
We heard the door open, and a pretty young lady came in carrying two full shopping bags.
Her hair was black and shiny, styled in a bob. Her eyes were big and brown, her nose perfect just like this guy’s, her lips small and pink. She was beautiful, plus she had an amazing figure.
She must be his sister.
"Oh my God, you are awake!" she said, walking toward me. "How are you feeling now?" she asked.
"Better," I replied slowly.
"I brewed some coffee for her, and I think it helped a bit," the guy said, and the lady nodded, winking at him.
"Okay, what’s your name?" she asked.
"My name?" I said.
"Yes, your name," she repeated.
"My name…? I don’t know my name," I said.
"You mean you don’t know your name?" she asked.
"Yes, I don’t remember my name," I said, trying hard to remember, but I couldn’t. Instead, the headache increased.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Where did you come from?" she asked.
"I don’t know. I can’t remember that either," I said.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes, I can’t remember anything before now. What’s happening to me?" I asked worriedly.
They both glanced at each other.
The more I tried to remember, the more the headache increased.
"Mig, she’s got amnesia," she told her brother with a sad expression.
"Amnesia?" Mig exclaimed.
"Amnesia?" I thought within.
"Yes, your memory has been lost. You won’t be able to remember anything from the past for some period of time," she said, and my heart dropped.
"That’s pretty bad," Mig sighed.
"Yes, it is. And also, we didn’t find any means of identification on you," the lady said.
I tried holding back the tears that were threatening to fall, but I couldn’t. They rolled down my cheeks continuously.
Why couldn’t I remember a thing?
What if my family was out there worried about me?
Did I even have a family?
"Hey, it’s okay. You don’t need to cry," the lady said, cleaning my tears with her thumb.
"I can’t remember anything… not even my own name. For how long will this continue? Where will I even stay till then? How am I going to survive?" I said through tears.
They both looked at me with pity, and I cried even more, my head throbbing terribly.
"No, you don’t have to pity me. I will find my way," I said, even though there was no way I could find.
"No… you will stay here with us for the meantime, till you regain your memory," she said, and I looked up in surprise.
"Yes, you can stay here with us, okay?" Mig said.
"You mean you will both accommodate me without even knowing where I come from?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course. We can’t leave you to go out to the streets," she said.
"Thank you so much," I said with excitement. "Thank you, thank you," I said with a smile.
"You are welcome," they both said, smiling back at me.
"Don’t force yourself to remember anything, ’cause it’s going to make your head throb with pain. Just be free, and the memories will come steadily, okay?" Fleur said, and I nodded.
"So… let’s start the introduction. I'm Fleur, and this is Miguel, my elder brother. We stay in this house alone. I’m a nurse, and I work in the hospital not so far from here. Miguel takes care of the horses in the stable and also goes to work once in a while. He’s lazy, you know," she teased, and I chuckled. Mig shot her a playful glare, and she laughed.
"Thanks, Fleur. Thanks, Mig," I said, and they both nodded.
"You will get to know more about us as time goes on," Mig said.
"Now you need to take a warm bath and also eat a hot meal. I bought some soup ingredients along with clothes for you. So while you have your bath, I will be in the kitchen preparing the soup," Fleur said with a smile.
"Thanks, Fleur," I said.
"Okay, but first I need to change your bandage. It’s soaked," she said.
"Bandage?" I asked, scanning my body but not seeing any.
"Yes, you have a deep cut on your head, and I’m afraid it will take long to heal," she said, and I gasped.
I touched my head, and truly, there was a bandage. I now realized why my head ached badly. I exhaled.
"My bad," Fleur said. "We have to give you a name."
"Do you like Elva?" she asked.
"No, Diana is better," Mig said.
"No, Elva sounds cooler," Fleur said.
"No, it’s Diana."
"No, it’s Elva."
"Diana is better."
"Elva is better."
"She’s going to be called Diana."
"She’s going to be called Elva."
They kept arguing, and I couldn’t help but smile.
"Okay, let her choose herself," Fleur said, and they both faced me. My heart skipped a beat.
I didn’t want to offend Mig or Fleur, but I liked Elva better.
"Hmm… I like Elva more," I found myself saying, giving Mig an apologetic look. Fleur squealed and stuck out her tongue at Mig. Mig shrugged.
"I’m not surprised she likes the name you offered, because you are both females," Mig said, and I was glad he wasn’t offended.
"Okay, Elva you will be called," Fleur said, and we both smiled. She walked to a drawer, opened it, and brought out a white square box. I saw FIRST AID BOX inscribed on it. She walked back to the bed and placed the box on the bedside table.
"I will leave you both to it. I have some laundry to do," Mig said.
"Okay, bro," Fleur said, opening the first aid box. Mig walked out.
She wore her gloves before loosening the bandage on my head. She folded it neatly and placed it on a transparent board; it was soaked with blood.
She brought out an antiseptic followed by cotton wool.
She took some cotton wool and cleaned the sides of the wound. She disposed of the stained wool and took a new one, applied some antiseptic on it, then placed it on the wound.
I winced in pain. "Sorry, Elva," Fleur said, and I nodded.
She rolled out a clean bandage and wrapped it around my head several times before clipping it.
I sighed in relief when she was done. "Thanks, Fleur," I said, and she nodded.
She packed her tools back into the first aid box before locking it firmly. She took it back to the drawer and walked back to me.
She dropped the used bandage and cotton wool into a disposable nylon.
"Now have this," she said, stretching two shopping bags filled with clothes to me. "Have your bath, dress up, then come to the dining room," she said.
"Thanks so much, Fleur," I said, collecting the bags.
"It’s nothing. I will give you your medications after lunch," she said, and I nodded.
"Okay then. I will be in the kitchen, and there are two shower caps on the bathroom cabinet. You can use the pink one because it’s new. Make sure you use it to cover your hair completely so the bandage won’t get wet," Fleur said.
"Okay, Fleur, thanks," I said, and she nodded, walking out of the room.
I poured the contents of the bags on the bed, and a "wow" escaped my lips. There were dozens of clothes with underwear, and they all looked beautiful.
I checked everything and settled for a black T-shirt with a pair of blue jeans and a purple and black underwear.
I removed the blanket from my body and hurried naked to the bathroom with the clothes in hand.
I finished bathing, and my body felt stronger and better. I dried myself with the towel I found on the bathroom cabinet, wore the undies, then slipped on the T-shirt and jeans. The jeans fitted me perfectly, but the T-shirt was a bit loose. I liked it that way.
I removed the shower cap, and my hair flowed down to my waist.
Woah… I had very long hair. I carefully brushed through it with my fingers to avoid touching the bandage.
I was done.
I walked out of the room and entered a short passage. There were four doors, and I wondered which one led to the living room. I stood there deliberating.
"Open the left door," I heard behind me and flinched. I turned around to see Mig.
"Sorry I startled you," he said.
"It’s okay," I said, staring at him.
"This left door leads to the living room, dining, kitchen, and a lot more. This right door leads to my room, while the two other doors are the guest rooms," he explained, and I nodded. He entered his room, and I opened the left door.
There was the living room. I walked inside.
It wasn’t very big, but it was beautiful, neatly painted in cream and orange. There were four beautiful couches, and the floor was covered in floorboards. There was a big fireplace opposite a three-seater couch, and a wooden table stood at the center of the living room with a beautiful flower vase on it.
An enormous television was stationed across from the leather recliner, with a medium-sized shelf filled with films.
So simple and beautiful. I liked it.
"Elva, over here!" I heard Fleur call. I turned to see a transparent curtain demarcating the living room from the dining room. I walked toward it and opened the curtain. A delicious aroma filled my nostrils. I was standing in the dining room, which had six chairs and a center table covered in a floral tablecloth. I looked across, and there was the kitchen. Fleur was coming out with three bowls of steaming homemade soup in a tray. She smiled when she saw me, and I smiled back.
She placed the bowls of soup on the table. I saw some other things on the table to eat with the soup.
I felt my stomach rumble and my throat tingle.
"Have your seat, Elva. And besides, you look good," Fleur said, and I sat, smiling.
"Thanks," I said.
"Mig, lunch is ready!" Fleur called loudly, and I heard heavy footsteps coming toward the dining room. The curtain opened, and Mig came in. He took a seat opposite mine while Fleur sat beside me.
We started eating in silence, and I kept wondering if I was making them uncomfortable. I mean, it must seem weird to suddenly have a new person in the house.
Anyway, the soup was delicious, and I couldn’t help rushing it.
We finished eating, and I said “thanks” to them. Mig nodded, stood up, and left the dining room. Fleur stood up and started packing the empty dishes. She was going to wash them. I couldn’t let her do that. I had to help.
"I will wash the dishes," I said, wanting to collect them from her, but she didn’t give them to me.
"No, Elva, just go sit in the living room. I will join you soon," she said, but I shook my head.
"Just leave the dishes to me. I will wash them," I said.
"No, you aren’t very strong for this," she said.
"No, I feel strong. Please just allow me to wash the dishes," I said. But it didn’t seem like she was going to give in. "Just to exercise my numb bones," I added, and she sighed.
"You sure know how to persist," she said, and I smiled.
"Okay," she said, and my smile widened. "But," she added.
"What?" I asked.
"I’m not going to let you wash the dishes alone. We are washing them together," she said.
"Okay, Fleur," I said, collecting the unclean dishes from her and heading to the kitchen.
She packed the remaining ones and came to join me.
The kitchen, as well as the rest of the house, was wide and beautiful.
We finished washing the dishes and dried our hands on a clean kitchen towel.
"Come with me. Let me show you around the house," Fleur said, and I nodded, following her.
I felt happy that I had a beautiful place to call home, and with the nicest people I had ever met.
Well… I didn’t know if they were the nicest people I had ever met, since I couldn’t remember anything or anyone.
Well… I owed them a lot.
TBC…
Mig’s POV
I sat on the couch in the living room after lunch. Fleur was outside with Elva, showing her around the house.
My mind flew back to when I saw her unclad. I couldn’t seem to get the image out of my mind. Her body was thick and beautiful, with alluring curves.
I kept stealing glances at her while we were eating lunch. Her boobs pushed against the T-shirt.
Even the jeans fitted her like second skin.
Her shape was just overwhelming.
Of course I should stop this! She’s a stranger, for goodness’ sake. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I slapped the remote control on my head and kept mumbling.
"Mig," I heard Fleur call, interrupting my thoughts. I turned and saw Fleur and Elva standing behind me.
"Elva wants to borrow your favourite novel. She read the summary in the library and said she would like to read the entire novel, so I brought her here to ask for your permission. Can she take it?" Fleur asked.
That was my favourite novel, but I had no choice — not when Elva was using those cute eyes to plead with me.
"Please, bro. I know it’s your favourite, but just lend it to her for some days," Fleur said, and I nodded.
Elva shifted behind her, and I wondered if she was shy to ask me herself.
"Okay, but please make sure it doesn’t get torn," I said, and a smile lit up her face.
"Thanks, Mig," Elva said.
"You are welcome. And trust me, you’re gonna enjoy it," I said, and her smile widened.
"Come, Elva. I have to show you your room before I leave for work," Fleur said.
"That room I was in…" Elva mumbled.
"Oh, that’s my room. I just thought you’d like your privacy, so I decided to give you another room. But we can stay together in mine if you want," Fleur said.
"No, it’s okay. I will stay in the other room you prepared for me," Elva said. "But the clothes are still in your room," she added.
"Okay, let’s go pack the clothes to your room," Fleur said, and they both walked away. Fleur led the way, while Elva was at the back. I kept staring at her until they cornered into the passage.
"Mig, get a grip on yourself," I mumbled, slapping the remote control on my head.
"Ouch… It hurts."
Elva’s POV
I lay on the soft bed in my new room after Fleur had shown me around the house.
She had left for work, saying she was on afternoon shift.
My room was as big as Fleur’s. It had a one-seater couch beside a little shelf, a fireplace opposite the bed, and a bedside table with a table lamp on it. The floor was covered in floorboards — virtually all the floors in the house were.
I checked the bathroom, and it looked fine.
This house was big. I kept staring in surprise when Fleur was showing me around. It was big and beautiful with clean surroundings. She showed me the stable, and I saw their two horses. She also showed me the farmhouse.
But what interested me most was the library. There were tons of novels in there, and I had the urge to read them all.
Did I read novels before? I asked myself. But how would I know?
The first novel that caught my fancy was Mig’s favourite novel. The summary really got me, and I yearned to read it.
I stared at it in my hand and smiled. I was glad he agreed to lend it to me.
I positioned the pillow comfortably beneath my head and began reading.
**
"Oh my God… to hell with Nicky, for embarrassing Elara on her first day in school. This seems more interesting than I thought…"
I heard a knock on the door and stood up from the bed. I slipped my feet into the bunny slippers Fleur gave me and walked to the door.
I opened it and saw Mig standing there.
"Hmm… I was thinking if you’d like to watch a movie with me," he said.
Ohhh… I badly wanted to continue reading the novel, but I couldn’t turn him down — not when he had been so nice.
"Okay, I would love to," I said, and he smiled. I closed the door and followed him to the living room.
I saw some biscuits in a wide plate with two cups of chilled orange juice. I sat on the couch while he went to switch on the TV and insert the disc into the DVD player.
"It’s a K-drama. I purchased it when I went to the city," he said, walking back to me. He sat on the couch beside me.
"City?" I asked.
"Yes. We are in the countryside of Australia — Fraser Island, to be precise," he said.
"Ohhh," I said.
"The countryside is a beautiful place to live. The only disadvantage is the power supply. The power is supplied once in a while, but with the fresh air and the natural things you’ll see around, you won’t even notice the power issue," Mig said.
"Really?" I asked.
"Of course," he said.
Where did I stay before? Was it in the countryside or the city? I thought, but I couldn’t remember.
Gosh, why can’t I just remember a thing? I thought furiously.
"I believe the floor is the best place to sit or lie while watching a movie. So, should we?" Mig asked.
"Of course," I said, and we both slid to the floor and began watching the movie, crunching the biscuits and sipping the juice.
"I’m home!" we heard, and we turned toward the door.
It was Fleur, holding two full big nylons.
"Welcome, Fleur," I said, standing up to meet her.
"Welcome, sis," Mig said.
"Thanks, guys," Fleur said.
"Elva, come with me. I need to show you some things," Fleur said.
"Mig, can you please pause the movie? I will be right back," I said.
"Okay," he said.
"Thank you," I said and followed Fleur to her room.
We entered her room, and she handed me a nylon bag.
"Fleur, the clothes you bought for me are okay for now," I said, already feeling like a burden.
"No, Elva. I would have bought you more in the morning if I knew you would be staying here. Just accept it, okay? You really need it," she said, and I collected the nylon from her.
"Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.
"It’s nothing," she said. "And take this," she said, stretching a smaller nylon bag to me. I collected it with a "thanks."
"It contains some sanitary pads. I hope you didn’t forget how to use it?" she asked.
"No. Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.
"It’s okay. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?" she said, and I nodded. I couldn’t resist the urge to pull her into a hug.
Was this how nice people were?
How could these people be so nice to a stranger overnight?
Fleur was nice and caring — the perfect definition of a nurse.
I hugged her and sobbed quietly on her shoulder.
"It’s okay, Elva. I understand. Don’t cry, okay?" Fleur said, and I nodded, pulling away from the hug.
"Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.
"It’s nothing… Now go meet Mig. You’re keeping him waiting," she said, and I nodded, thanked her once more, and left her room.
I walked inside my room, dropped the clothes in the cupboard, the sanitary pads on the shelf, then hurried back to meet Mig.
I entered the living room and met him patiently waiting.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mig," I said, sitting on the floor beside him.
"It’s fine," he smiled, and we resumed watching.
But my mind kept drifting to the novel I was reading. I couldn’t wait to finish watching this movie. I needed to go and read what Nicky did to Elara at the cafeteria.
**
We finished watching the movie, and I said thanks to Mig. I stood up, about to continue the novel when I heard sounds from the kitchen.
"Is someone in the kitchen?" I asked Mig.
"Yes, it’s Fleur. She’s preparing dinner," he said.
"Wow, I didn’t know it was evening already," I said and went to join Fleur in the kitchen.
...
We finished eating dinner. Fleur and I washed the dishes, and we all sat in the living room and watched another K-drama for a couple of hours.
I started yawning and was already half-asleep on the couch when Fleur woke me up to go to my room.
We exchanged goodnights.
I landed on my bed immediately I entered my room and fell into a dreamless sleep.
T.B.C
Fleur’s POV
I yawned and opened my eyes at the sound of the alarm. I slipped the blanket off my body and sat up. After switching off the alarm, I got to my feet, wore my flip-flops, and headed to the bathroom.
I’m on morning shift, so I have to get to work before 9 a.m. I reached the bathroom, pulled off my pyjamas, and placed them on the sink. I have to get pyjamas for Elva soon, I thought as I put on my shower cap and got under the shower with sponge and soap in hand.
I took a towel from the cabinet after bathing and tied it firmly around my body.
Plus a towel for Elva, I thought.
I walked to the sink to brush my teeth. When I finished, I hurried back to the room, opened the wardrobe, and brought out a cream armless gown with a belt. I opened the drawer, selected my underwear, then walked back to the bed. I laid the clothes out, dried my body, and applied body lotion.
I got dressed, and within a few minutes, I was done.
I picked a pair of black shoes and quickly slid my feet into them.
I brushed my hair, applied hair lotion, carried a black shoulder bag, adjusted my dress once more, and walked out of my room.
I knocked on Elva’s door but got no response. I knocked several times—still nothing.
Or could she be in the living room? I thought.
I peeped into her room and saw her still asleep on the bed with a novel on her chest. She was still in yesterday’s outfit. I really need to get her pyjamas today.
I didn’t want to disturb her, but I had to tell her something.
I tapped her shoulder twice, and her lashes fluttered. She was waking up.
Elva’s POV
I opened my eyes at the taps on my shoulder.
Yawns
It was Fleur. She was already dressed for work.
“Good morning, Fleur,” I greeted, sitting up.
“Morning, Elva. Hope you slept well?” she asked.
“Yes, Fleur, thanks,” I said.
“I didn’t want to disturb you, but I just wanted to tell you that you can microwave yesterday’s leftovers. I’m running late and won’t be able to make breakfast,” she said.
“Okay, I will,” I replied.
“Bye, I’ll be back by afternoon,” she said, heading to the door.
“Bye,” I said.
“Arrgh,” I groaned and fell back on the bed. I felt like sleeping more, but it was already morning.
I got up and walked to the cupboard. I opened it, and a blue blouse with black shorts caught my eye. I picked them out, grabbed my underwear, and headed to the bathroom.
I pulled off the clothes I was wearing and set them aside for laundry. I wore the pink shower cap and got under the shower.
I brushed my teeth and dressed in the bathroom. I didn’t know if Fleur took my measurements, because the clothes fit perfectly, like they were made just for me.
I walked out of my room and headed to the kitchen.
I brought out yesterday’s leftovers from the fridge, plugged in the microwave, and placed the meal inside.
I leaned against the kitchen counter with my arms folded beneath my chest, waiting for the food to heat up.
I wondered where Mig was.
Should I ask if he wants some?
“I better do,” I said and walked toward Mig’s room. I knocked gently. I was about to knock again when the door opened, revealing Mig. His hair was messy, and he was still in his pyjamas.
Even like that, he still looked perfect.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as we stared at each other. I didn’t know why I was always shy around him.
“Good morning, and I’m sorry for disturbing you. I’m microwaving the leftovers, so I came to ask if you want some,” I said.
“Oh… sure. I’ll join you soon,” he replied.
I nodded and walked away, releasing a sigh of relief when I entered the kitchen.
I switched off the microwave and brought out the hot meal. I dished the food into two plates and carried them to the dining room. Then I went back to get two bottles of water and two glass cups.
I sat down, unsure whether to wait for him or not. I decided to wait a few more minutes. If he didn’t come, I would start eating.
**
I perceived the scent of shampoo and heard approaching footsteps. They grew louder as he neared the dining room. I didn’t need to turn—I knew it was Mig.
He sat opposite me and… damn.
He looked hot.
He was wearing a black sweater and grey pants. He looked fresh from the shower, and his thick black hair was dripping wet. He licked his lips, and I almost shivered.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” he said, and I nodded, swallowing hard.
We ate in strained silence. My thoughts were all over the place.
As soon as I took my last spoonful, I stood up, walked to the kitchen, and placed my plate in the sink. I started washing it with more effort than necessary.
I washed, rinsed, and placed it in the drainboard, then dried my hands and walked out of the kitchen.
“I’ll be in my room,” I said to Mig. He nodded.
I felt his gaze on my back as I walked away. I entered my room and gently closed the door behind me.
I sat on the bed, picked up the novel from the bedside table, opened to the page I stopped at, smiled, and continued reading.
Mig’s POV
Arrrgh!!
Why does she have to be so damn attractive? She is exactly my type. I like ladies with more flesh. She is beautiful, with nice curves, and I found myself staring at her while we ate breakfast. Her deep black eyes glistened, her lips looked pinker than yesterday, and her face was starting to regain its color.
Her black hair had a natural shine even without lotion, and it was so long it spread down her shoulder to her waist.
I was about to start a conversation when she suddenly stood up and went to the kitchen. Then she walked back to her room.
Of course, my gaze rested on her back as she walked away.
“Oh, God, get a grip on yourself,” I scolded. She was just a stranger who would leave once she regained her memory.
I stood up. I needed to go feed the horses. I grabbed some carrots from the store, filled a bucket with clean water, and walked to the stable.
I opened the small door, dropped the carrots and water, and smiled as I walked toward the horses.
We had two horses in the stable, Clea and Con—Fleur’s and mine. Clea was mine, and Con belonged to Fleur.
I rubbed their backs and they neighed in recognition.
I picked up the carrots and fed them. They chewed quickly, so I kept giving them more until the carrots were gone.
I placed the bucket of clean water in front of them, and they dipped their mouths into it.
I was about to rub Clea’s back when I suddenly heard a loud bang followed by a scream of pain from the house.
“OMG, that’s Elva! I hope she isn’t hurt,” I thought, rushing back inside.
TBC…