Fallen

Chapter Thirty-One

Days following Audrey's seizure were agonizing for a couple reasons. Audrey was awake and alive, but she did not remember who I was or who she was.

Etta gave me reasons why I could not see her. One, Etta didn't want me to upset Audrey since I was the one that yelled her name when she woke. And two, she needed to rest after her seizure.

It was also unbearable because I could not talk to anyone about it. April, she couldn't know I knew Audrey or know who I really was. Ben and Alec were impossible to talk to since females can't talk to males alone.

Though I hadn't talked to them, Ben and Alec knew what happened to Audrey. It was all over the Settlement that she had a seizure and was resting. But what the people didn't know was that she had amnesia. I was able to tell Alec that she had it the day after the wedding when I walked past the stables while running errands. He saw me walk past the door and stopped me quick. I made of show of flipping through the papers in my hands and shaking my head as we talked.

The whole situation to get Audrey out of the Settlement would be difficult since she was still in a delicate state. If we just grabbed her and ran, what kind of trauma would that cause her? Since I can't get close to her, she was creating a rapport with Etta and I was a total stranger. If I tried to sneak her out, Audrey may fight me because she doesn't know me. It was best to bide time. None of us was in serious danger.

The door opened to Morgan's office. I glanced up from the paper I was copying. Colt and his ever-present cocky grin closed in on my desk.

"Why hello," he said.

"What?" I snapped.

Since our last encounter, we had kept our distance. Mostly because we were both busy but I wanted to stay away because he was getting too interested in who I really was. He may be a pretty face, but he had a calculating mind behind that wide grin.

"Is Morgan in?" he asked, glancing toward the closed office door.

"Yes." I went back to copying the piece of paper in front of me. "He doesn't want to be disturbed."

"I guess I will talk to you." A hip leaned against the desk.

I looked up to those clear blue eyes. "I don't want to be disturbed."

His bottom lip pouted. "Even when I have information on our mutual friend?"

A part of me shouldn't have said anything, I should have gone back to my work but I said, "What about her?"

"Well," Colt crossed his arm, "I only saw her yesterday. A quick visit. She's fine and was talking. Still doesn't remember who she was." Those calculating eyes watched me and hid my disappointment. Disappointment that Audrey didn't remember who she was and that I wasn't allowed to see her.

"Well," I sat back in the chair, "I'm happy you got to see her and she is doing well."

His eyes flickered to Morgan's door and back to me. He leaned over my desk, his voice low. "Come Melissa, let's be friends and talk."

Talk. I knew what he wanted to talk about. About Audrey and who I really was. I opened my mouth to say something but I was cut off.

Outside there was a yell that drew our attention to the windows. People rushed past.

"What the hell." Colt straightened. Curiosity forced me to stand and follow him to the door.

Outside, the wind chilled my body and I wrapped the quilted shawl over my shoulders that April's grandmother gave me a few days ago to keep me warm.

People crowded the store fronts, they all watched the crowd that marched down the street toward Morgan's office. In front was Porter, April's father, he held Gary, April's lover, by the back of the shirt. The old man was dragging the young one down the street.