Close Your Eyes, Remember Me (TBF Book 1)

Elijah

The soft beep of the heart monitor suddenly stuttered a little and sped up, only by a small increment, but enough to snap Elijah and Sariyah's heads in their charge's direction.

Long and dark lashes fluttered, eyelids twitched and a shallow crease appeared in her brow. Every muscle in Elijah's body was tensed. His eyes glued to her face.

Lucia's eyes slide open slowly and with a flurry of blinks. Her irises were so dark they blended in to her pupils as she stared straight ahead for a few moments. Neither he nor Sariyah breathed the entire time, not that they needed to but it was usually habit. Her mouth slid down into a frown and her brows pulled together, he assumed the pain was catching up with her.

"Lucia?" Sariyah whispered hesitantly.

Her eyes drifted across dazedly, following the sound, but her head didn't move. Her heart rate raised again as Sariyah entered her field of vision.

"How're you feeling, honey?"

A long pause before she managed to find words, "It hurts." Lucia croaked quietly.

Sariyah jumped up, "I'll get Dr Farris." she said.

"Thank you." Elijah muttered gratefully without looking away from Lucia's face, her eyes switched slowly to gaze at him blankly. "Dr Farris said you might feel nauseas or dizzy or... lots of things really..." She didn't respond so he added, "Do you feel... sick?" and crept closer to her.

"I... don't think so." She spoke slowly but clearly which Elijah was incredibly grateful for. "Just a bit... confused."

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked carefully.

"Um... which hospital am I in?"

"You're not in a hospital, you're in our private wing."

"A private... wing?"

"Yes, you might not have seen it before given that it doesn't get used much."

"Why doesn't it get used?"

"Well, there aren't many humans in the house."

Lucia didn't answer but her expression said it all, she hadn't a clue what he was talking about.

Elijah wasn't sure where to go from there, so he simply asked, "You okay?" lamely.

"Y-yeah..." Her answer seemed more reflexive than he would have liked. Finally she added, "Where's my family?" with a slow drag of her eyes from Elijah to the opposite side of her bed where Sariyah's empty chair sat.

A long and awkward pause sat between them. Either she didn't remember her family selling her, or she believed they would actually come and visit after doing so... Elijah wasn't sure which was more heartbreaking.

"Lucia, do you know who I am?" He asked slowly.

"Oh, um... I'm sure I do..." Her cheeks gained a hint of colour as she struggled to think, "I just can't seem to place your name, that's all..."she couldn't hold his gaze.

"Do you know how we know each other?" He tried instead.

She was able to answer rather quickly, "You're my friend?" but his face must have betrayed him because she seemed to be able to tell almost instantly that wasn't the million dollar answer.

"We're engaged, Lucia."

"Oh."

Sariyah returned with Dr Farris in tow.

"Lucia, do you know who that is?" He asked softly, pointing at Sariyah.

The pair paused at the end of the bed with matching expressions of apprehension.