love over memoirs

the face behind the name

A life advice from Ben Warren: when you're trying to escape a medical facility, make sure you don't cripple trying to run through the hallway.

It's pretty obvious what happened, really.

On his third day in the hospital, he left his room, taking out the wires connected to him with care and ease, as if he'd done it already before. He was out of his hospital gown, and wearing some stolen scrubs. It looked pretty good on him, and he would've gotten away if only the Attending he'd bumped into wasn't handing out charts like a desperate real estate agent with flyers.

One minute, he was running from Nurse Maia, who'd recognized him, and the next, he was back into his room.

Ben sighed as he stared at the LED lights. A few minutes after he woke up, someone entered the room with his recovered belongings, and told him that his flight was from LA to Seattle.

It got him thinking. Seattle. Was that his home, was that his life?

He couldn't very much reach the bag that contained everything he owned. He wasn't even sure if it was his. Maybe they got it confused with another Ben? It would just about complete his luck for today.

Thinking of the life he left behind, and couldn't even remember, he pushed the button behind his bed.

Maia entered, looking concerned. "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah. To get the hell out of here." He spoke with as much kindness as possible. But it was only so little. He needed to go find his wife. Or whoever Miranda was supposed to be to him.

She sighed. "You know you can't do that. You're still too weak. And being monitored. You didn't even get at least 10 feet from here before you collapsed."

Ben gritted his teeth. "I… I need to find Miranda. She… she's looking for me. I need to go to her!"

"And how do you know that?" Maia raised an eyebrow. "You don't remember anything."

"I remember enough." It was a lie and they both knew it, but she let him have that, she let him try to lie to himself, if it means he'll stay sane. He remembered her name, and that wasn't enough.

"I'll be outside. Don't even try going out." She turned to head outside, but he called out to her. "Yeah?"

"C-Can you hand me my things?" He pointed to the ziplock bag seated on the table at his feet. "I couldn't reach it."

Maia nodded and reached for it. "Here."

"Thank you."

As the nurse left, he stared at the closed bag on his hands. He could spot a dirty wallet, a cell phone and a couple clothes. With trembling hands, he reached for the wallet first.

Thinking about the name Miranda, he opened the wallet. His heart pounded and blood rushed to his ears. The photo was a little bit ruined, probably from its fiery trip on the plane, but it was still a little bit clear.

The guy who he recognized as himself was smiling at the girl in his arms. She was staring back at him with a grin of her own. They looked smitten. He looked smitten, and she looked smitten.

For some reason, staring at the photo was bringing back… not memories, per sé, but feelings, feelings that were so overwhelming, he started to sob.

Ben was crying for the life that he couldn't remember, crying for this woman he couldn't remember kissing, holding, making love to, this woman who was so gorgeous and perfect.

Miranda.

Finally, a face to match the name with. He didn't know how he knew, but the woman matched the name.

"Miranda," he tried it on his mouth slowly. "Miranda," he repeated it, louder this time. And one more, "Miranda!"

A smile broke out on his face, and he wanted, no, needed to find his woman.

Ben looked through the bag again, and he was surprised to see that only a few cracks were on the screen of his phone. "What the-- is this still working?" He mumbled to himself, trying to familiarize himself with the device.

Finding the power button, which was a little dented, he pressed and held on to it. After a few seconds, the phone vibrated.

His eyes lit up. Was his damaged phone really working? His luck was turning.

Famous last words.

As soon as the power up finished, he tried turning it on, and the screen was filled with different colored-pixels. Nope, it was not working.

"Damn it!" He threw the phone to the wall in anger. Someone entered, and it was another nurse.

He glared at Ben. "Dude, what the hell was that?"

Ben recognized him as Nurse Sean. He'd come to check his vitals from time to time. They'd talked and they were honestly becoming friends in the short time he was there. "My phone." He shrugged.

Sean scoffed. "I heard what you did a while ago. As your nurse, that… was stupid." He paused. "As a friend... why?"

"Miranda." He said one word, and the man understood.

"Ah." Sean nodded, moving closer to his bed. "The phone didn't work?"

Ben shook his head. "I found a picture, though." He moved his wallet and took out the slightly crumpled and dirty photo.

Sean looked, and nodded. "You guys… look like an amazing couple. I still can't believe you don't remember anything except your name and hers."

"Well, I guess I love her that much." He smiled, glancing down at the woman who'd captured his heart without so much seeing her in real life. Was this real? It seemed like a fairytale.

Sean chuckled and left after a few more banters. Ben sighed, and lifted the picture so he could see it better.

The photo was still a little ruined, but he could see Miranda's features better. Her nose was a little crooked, and she was short and chubby. He found it adorable. Although her curves and her posture told him that he held herself up in a very high manner, and he found himself wanting more of her.

From the deepest parts of his being, he vowed he would eventually find her. No matter how much memory he loses, no matter how long it takes, no matter how far he is, he just knew his heart would take him to where it belonged, rather to whom it belonged.

Miranda.