Amnesia (Completed, Being Edited)

Five: Black Rings

Evetta's treatment worked wonders on me; to my surprise, I'm almost completely better after just one day; I feel nothing near to the helpless being that I was yesterday.

Evetta stayed in the guest bedroom last night; I begged her to go home, but she refused. I think she's downstairs talking to my mother.

Since yesterday, other things have begun to come back to me as well; it's as if a plethora of memories, some about Evetta, some about other things entirely, have just decided to rush back into my head.

I feel less angry, less irritable; I feel more confident that my memories will be restored.

I hear two knocks on my bedroom door, and I smile, knowing that it is Evetta; I know the way she knocks, and I can sense her on the other side of the door. When I look up, I see her crossing the room to sit on the bed beside me her coconut oil, beeswax and baking soda scent lingering in the air, but this time, it is accompanied by the strong smell of cocoa butter.

"I've missed you," she murmurs, her head resting on my shoulder.

My eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"What do you mean? I've been awake for weeks—"

"The real you. This you."

Oh.

"I just want you to be happy," she says softly.

"I feel the same about you," I admit.

We sit there in silence for a few minutes, before I break it.

"Evetta?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did I get on that horse?"

She chews the inside of her cheek, before letting out a deep breath.

"Because of me," she whispers; I look, and I see her bottom lip trembling, but even though she's holding back the sobs, she can't hold back the tears.

"Evetta—"

"I wanted you to get over your fear of horses, so I took you to a ranch. You were dead set on impressing me," she said letting out a humourless chuckle.

"You decided that you were going to go on a untamed, unbroken horse; I begged you not to—"

"So I didn't get on the horse because of you," I state, cutting her off, "I got on that horse because I took your attempt to help me too far. You told me to ride a horse. I decided to ride an unbroken horse. There's a difference, and you know that, because according to what you just said, you begged me not to get on that horse."

"I put the idea in your head—"

"—and I turned what could have been a beautiful bonding experience into a nightmare."

She's full on crying now, sobs shaking her body. I feel like shit for even asking her, considering the amount of pain that she is in now. I wrap my arms around her and hold her, rubbing her back in small circles.

After a while, I hear her sniffing, and then soft snoring. I let out a long sigh. If this is the reaction that she has today, I can only imagine the pain that she was in over a year ago, when I just fell off of the horse.

"One day," I murmur, "I swear, I will make up for all of the shit that I've put you through, because no one as beautiful as you should have to go through the pain and guilt that you felt, the guilt and pain that you feel to this day."

The only response I get from her is a loud snore.

***

Evetta left. I finally convinced her that I would be okay, and got her to go home. I couldn't have her stay over and neglect her family any longer.

Truth is, I miss her already. I want her with me.

I'm so whipped.

Looking for something to distract myself with, I decide to search my room for anything interesting. I haven't gotten back all of my memories; maybe, this will help.

I start with my drawers, searching the bottom of each one; in my underwear drawer, I find a small, green post it, with something scribbled on it.

"Date tonight at 7:30 p.m."

Then, I get a flashback; Evetta left this on my bathroom mirror to remind me of my date. She always does this.

Well, that's one more memory.

I continue to hunt through my drawers, but find nothing else that interests me.

Time to check the closet.

I haven't been in my closet that much recently; since I barely leave the house, I wear my inside clothes which are in my drawers.

I rummage through the closet, and find a small box of things at the back. At first, I think it's just a bunch of shit that I was supposed to throw out, but then, I look closer, and see what it really is.

Pictures. A shitload of pictures, all of which Evetta is present in. Us in Trafalgar Square, in a restaurant having dinner, on Oxford Street, walking and holding hands; just a lot of pictures. I have no idea what they're doing here, but I plan on asking Evetta; she'd probably know. Maybe she put them there.

I'm so caught up in the pictures, that I almost forget that the box is there, until I look down and see something else; two little black boxes.

With shaking hands, I pick up one of the boxes, and I open it. Inside is a little, multi faceted black ring, made of some kind of stone.

Then I remember.

Evetta likes stone rings; she always told me that her dream wedding ring would be a black, stone one. I bought both rings; they're black agate. I had them custom made. I remember being in the jewellery store ordering them, and then picking them up. I remember the intense nervousness that I felt.

Sure enough, when I look inside of the ring, I see "Evetta & Caleb ∞" inside of it.

When I take out the other ring, it's almost identical; same inscription, same colour, same basic design, except this one is a few sizes bigger. It's for me.

I was going to propose to Evetta.