I stood outside the hell I’d been forced to call home. Nurse Debby stood at my side with all my bags and one unfamiliar one. I held my breath as I waited for my mother’s blue SUV to round the corner. The gates would open, and I would be free—in one sense. I dreaded the glares, the awkward phone calls that would define every relationship. I needed a friend; my best friend was gone. I was accused of killing her. Not even I know the truth but deep down in my heart. Bits of memories remain, just enough to haunt me forever. The pieces that hold the key dissolved as if they were never there. I dreamt of that night as I dreamt of other things that in time came true. I never dreamt that I would be the one to kill her. My mind was a complex thing, ever since I was little, letting me foresee the future, and hiding away the memories that mattered most.
I never felt insane until I was brought to this place; I guess they design them that way. After all, this wasn’t Meadowbrook hospital for the mentally sane. Staring into a white oblivion I had plenty of time to see that there was something wrong with me. I thought I was normal until I came here, but according to them no one can see the future. Not to mention the whole memory-loss-thing, which the nurses deemed convenient given the circumstances. For if I hadn’t done it, I would remember what happened that night, and that was enough to convict me, at least to this place. There was no evidence, not even her body was found. How these people thought a 115-pound girl could carry off a girl at least her size was beyond me. Nevertheless, other people believed as well. I didn’t hear from one-single-person during my six-month stay, not even my own mother. I began to wonder if she would show up at all, then she pulled up to the gate.
The nurse typed in the code to open the gate, paying no attention to me watching over her shoulder. 5961. I made a mental note. Who knows, I could end up back here. The gates opened, and I noticed she wasn’t alone. Sitting next to my mother, who’d cut her long black hair during my stay, was a tall, dark featured man who had to be two feet taller than her. Who was he, why was he with her? Was she too frightened of me to come alone? She felt she needed protection? Noticing my reluctance, the nurse opened the back door for me. Once I sat, she handed me my bags, and gave the unfamiliar one to my mother.
“Instructions are inside,” The nurse said.
“I don’t know how to thank you Deb—” Nurse Debby shot my mom a warning glare. I didn’t understand what my mom had to thank her for; it was her job wasn’t it? “Nurse...” my mother said, intimidated.
“No problem,” She grumbled. “If you have any problems call this number.” She handed her a folded piece of paper.
“Thanks again,” My mother said under her breath.
Nurse Debby shut the door, and my mother took off. I waited for her to say something, after a few moments I couldn’t help myself.
“So…” I said as casual as I could manage. “Who’s this?”
“Joe, I’m sorry I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“What, during all the phone calls, or the visits?” Sarcasm was the only way to deal with her.
“We met when—” she started.
“What, you don’t recognize me?” He turned around.
I didn’t recognize him, not until I heard his voice. I recognized it from one fragment of memory that remained from that night. After all, I wasn’t expecting him to be the officer who questioned me that night.
“What’s going on?” I demanded.
“I can’t help who I love Scarlett, even if it’s inconvenient for you.”
No, it was past inconvenience, try traumatizing. It was just another reminder of that night, if I could remember, the case would be solved. While I was certain I wasn’t a criminal, it still reminded me that my best friend was no longer here.
“Okay, mom you’re a grown woman you can date whoever you want, but in this case, I would prefer to be kept out of it as much as possible.”
“The three of us will give you as much space as you need, in fact, your new room—”
“What?” I looked out the window. “We moved? And who’s the three of you? Did you get a dog or something?”
“Yes, we moved, and yes Joe is living with us… and so is his son, Skylar.”