“Because of the injury to her brain.”
Anna’s voice was gentle, almost painfully careful.
“Her brain has been through a lot, and sometimes when something like that happens, memories can become difficult for the brain to access.”
Ava stared at her.
For a few seconds, she didn’t say anything. She just stood there, her little fingers tightly intertwined with Eli’s, as though holding onto her brother was the only thing keeping her grounded.
“But she doesn’t remember us,” she finally whispered.
Anna nodded slowly.
“For now.”
Eli immediately shook his head.
“But that’s not fair.”
“I know.”
“She remembers people from when she was younger.”
“Yes.”
“She remembers Grandma and Grandpa.”
“Yes.”
“She remembers Auntie Ini.”
Anna nodded again.
“But she forgot the people she has now?”
Anna’s throat tightened.
“Yes.”
The word barely left her mouth.
Eli looked at Dave.
“Daddy?”
Dave stepped closer.
“Yeah?”
“Can Mummy get her memories back?”
Dave glanced at Anna.
It was one of those questions neither of them wanted to answer because the truth wasn’t comforting enough.
Still, Dave couldn’t lie to him.
“We’re going to do everything we can,” he said quietly.
Eli frowned.
“But can she?”
Dave’s jaw tightened.
“We don’t know yet.”
Eli’s face immediately twisted.
“You keep saying you don’t know.”
Anna crouched down in front of him.
“I know that makes you scared.”
“I’m already scared!”
His voice cracked so suddenly that Anna felt it right in her chest.
“I was scared when they said she was in a coma!”
Ava immediately reached for his hand.
“We couldn’t even see her,” she said, her own voice trembling.
“I know.”
“We couldn’t talk to her.”
“I know.”
“We thought she might die.”
Anna swallowed hard.
She could still remember the fear on their faces when they had first heard about the accident.
The endless waiting.
The uncertainty.
The questions they couldn’t answer.
And now their mother had finally opened her eyes.
Except somehow, that wasn’t enough.
“And now she’s awake…” Eli whispered.
He looked toward the hospital room.
“…and she doesn’t know us.”
His voice broke completely.
Ava squeezed his hand.
“What happens now?”
Anna inhaled shakily.
“Her doctors are going to keep monitoring her. Her brain needs time to heal, and sometimes memories can return gradually.”
“Sometimes?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
Anna hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
Eli groaned and covered his face with both hands.
“Everyone keeps saying they don’t know!”
“I know.”
“I hate this!”
He kicked lightly at the floor before immediately looking down, almost as if he had just remembered where they were.
“I hate this so much.”
Ava’s face crumpled.
“Oh my God.”
Anna turned toward her.
“Ava…”
“What if she never remembers?”
“Ava…”
“What if she looks at us every day and we’re just strangers?”
Anna’s eyes filled.
“She won’t be alone.”
“But that’s not what I asked.”
Anna went quiet.
Because she knew exactly what Ava was asking.
Will she remember us?
And she didn’t know.
She couldn’t promise something the doctors themselves couldn’t promise.
Ava covered her face.
Eli stepped closer to his sister.
“Don’t cry.”
“You’re crying too.”
“I know.”
“And you’re telling me not to cry?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing!”
For half a second, despite everything, Anna almost laughed through her tears.
Almost.
Then Ava’s fingers slipped from Eli’s.
Her knees suddenly gave way.
“Ava!”
Anna lunged forward.
At almost the exact same moment, Eli swayed.
“Eli!”
Dave rushed toward them.
He caught Ava before her head could hit the floor, while Anna grabbed Eli around his shoulders.
“Someone help!”
A nurse came running down the hallway.
“What happened?”
“They fainted!”


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