Winnie and Martin looked at Michael intensely, waiting for him to start talking.
"When did you get your memory back?" Martin asked after a few seconds, unable to wait anymore.
"Umm yesterda... the day before yesterday."
"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Martin, heartbroken that he didn't come to him first.
"I...I wanted to surprise you when you get back. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
"Is that why you didn't come back to us? Because you lost your memory??" Winnie asked more to herself, in a low sad voice.
"Yeah," Michael looked down apologetically.
"He was in a coma for a whole year, and when he woke up we found out he had no any memory of his past," Martin explained.
"Oh my god!!" Winnie sobbed "You must have felt so alone and sad not knowing who you are, I'm so sorry Michael."
"No, it's ok. Martin treated me like his own son. I wasn't lonely at all," Michael assured her with a small smile. Martin and Winnie returned the smile back.
"We've to get you to the hospital. Let's go see your doctor to see if everything is okay," Martin told him.
"No Dad. It's fine, I'm really okay,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm sure," Michael reassured him.
"I understand you calling him Dad, since you had no one and he treated you like his son so it's understandable but why is Mr Martin calling you Henry? Or did I hear it wrong earlier?" Winnie questioned after a small silence.
"No you did not," Michael responded.
"Then why would he call you by that name when his son is alive and well?? We read about him in newspapers everyday," Winnie looked at the two, not understanding what was going on.
"My real son Henry is dead," Martin said sadly, "He died five years ago."
"WHAT?? so who have we been reading in the newspapers and magazines everyday? The one who has been working in the Martin Gold and raised the profit peak, the one who won that award?" she asked them dumbfounded. They both looked down.
"Was that you Michael? Have you been living as Henry all this time?" she questioned after seing their reaction and put two and two together.
"Yeah. It turned out that way," Michael answered her in a low voice.
"What the hell!??" Winnie yelled before turning to Martin "Why would you do that?Because of that we never found him!! If only you could have tried to find his identity and use your power to find his family you would have gotten his family in no time. Do you know how much his family longed for him? How sad we were?"
"Winnie calm down. I myself agreed to it. It's not like he forced me to be Henry. And-"
Martin interrupted him, "No Henry, that's not entirely true. I was selfish. I should have done that, I didn't put myself in your family's shoes. I only thought of my happiness."
"No that's not true. You cared about me. All this time you wanted me to be happy. If that's not putting yourself in my family's shoes then I don't know what is," Michael argued.
Martin smiled sadly at him. He couldn't help but feel that he was selfish, that he only did what was best for himself and not him.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I wasn't thinking straight. Instead I should be on my knees thanking you for taking care of him when he was sick and when he had no memory of his past, I'm really thankful for that," Winnie said apologetically.
"No it was nothing. It's not like what you said was entirely false. Plus Henry brought so much happiness in my life that I should be the one thanking you guys," Martin gave her a small reassuring smile.
Michael looked at Martin and smiled.
"So have you met you parents already??" Martin asked him.
"It's just my mom. And no, not yet," he answered. Martin nodded.
"Umm sorry to ask this but why is she here? And in your clothes at that!?" Martin suddenly asked Michael before turning to Winnie and add, "Not that you're not welcome here, don't get me wrong. It's just that the situation doesn't add up."
"I kind of had a situation, he found me collapsed and brought me here. My clothes were a mess that's why I'm in his," Winnie answered, beating Michael to it.
"And why are you holding hands? Are you sure you're just friends?" Martin asked, being curious to ask that ever since they sat down.
"What!?" Winnie looked at her hands that was intertwined with Michael's and quickly removed it. She didn't even notice they were holding hands. She looked down embarrassed, her cheek must have been so red.
Michael coughed and looked away awkwardly. Martin smiled at their reaction. 'They are just so cute,' he mentally cooed.
"Why did you come back early? Weren't you supposed to be back tomorrow?" Michael changed the topic.
"I was. I just decided to take a late flight today. I had some other things to take care of tomorrow."
"Ah I see," Michael nodded.
"Michael you said you got your memory back the day before yesterday, so why haven't you met with Katherine? Aren't you curious to know how she is doing? She really missed you," Winnie suddenly said, only now registering the fact that Michael had two days since he got his memory back and he didn't do anything. She felt a little sad that he didn't at least call them, call her.
"I miss her too and I wanted to see her so badly but I couldn't go yet. I had somethings to sort out before that. I also wanted to talk to Dad first," he told her.
"Who is Katherine?" Martin asked.
"His Mom," Winnie answered.
"Your Mom's name is Katherine!??" Martin asked, shocked "And your name is Michael!!" Martin laughed at the coincidence. It can't be!!
"You last name isn't Jeremy, is it??" He asked him.
"Yeah Jeremy is my last name, how did you know?" Michael asked, surprised.
Martin jaw dropped. He is Katherine's son!! What a small world!!! He wanted to yell it out loud but he thought of something better and he had to refrain himself from doing so.
"No, nothing. I just think I read somewhere," Martin attempted to lie, only realizing how lame his excuse was after voicing it out.
"Oh you read the newspaper?" Winnie asked him.
"The newspaper?" Michael asked.
"Yeah, Katherine put an add of you a few times. Just incase you were washed away and somebody recognizes you," Winnie explained.
"But didn't you recognize Michael's photo? There was a photo on the add," she asked Martin. Martin opened his mouth to try to come up with anything but nothing came out.
"Of course you didn't!! We wouldn't be here if you did. What a silly question," Winnie laughed at her silliness.
Martin sighed at that, that was close. If only she knew that he rarely glances at newspapers. He always has his secretary to tell him the top news every morning. He had no time for newspapers and magazines. It would be an understatement to say he was kind of workaholic.
"Umm one minute..I've to make a call," Martin excuses himself before he quickly walked out of the room. He walked a little bit farther and took his phone out and called Katherine's number.
"Oh hey Katherine," he smiled as soon as she picked up.
"Hey what's up? Why are you calling so late?"
Oh shoot! He totally forgot that it was so late.
"I'm so sorry to call you this late. I've been meaning to call you all day but I had so many things that I forgot, I also wasn't in the city. I only came back an hour ago." he rambled "So what I was trying to say is my son Henry asked me to bring you over for lunch tomorrow. I'm so sorry to be telling you this now."
"Tomorrow!!?? And why would I be meeting your son this soon? What would we even talk about!" Katherine regretted that as soon as it came out of her mouth. It's not like we're dating or something, why did I have to put it like that?
"I kind of told him how I met my childhood friend and he really wanted to meet you tomorrow. He offered to cook us lunch himself, so do you think you can make it?? Pleeasee."
Katherine sighed, "Okaaaay."
"Aww thank you so much. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll come to pick you up. Bye bye good night. Have sweet dreams," he said cheerfully.
"Thanks. You too," she answered before disconnecting the phone.
Martin muttered a small yass and smiled. He walked back into the room and quickly coughed to make them notice him since they were deeply staring at each other's eyes to notice anything going on in their sorrounding.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt your moment..." he grinned.
"...But Henry do you remember my first love I told you about?" he asked Michael.
"The one you wouldn't stop talking about? Yeah," Michael nodded with a smirk on his face. Martin closed his eyes and took a big breath to prevent Michael's provocative answer to get to him.
He closed his eyes and smiled, "She wanted to meet you, I invited her over tomorrow for lunch. I told her you would cook her lunch. So be prepared."
"Did you two already reach that stage of meeting family? In a day only?? Wow Mr Martin you're incredible," Michael joked. But the smile on his face didn't exactly reach his eyes. He had too many things in his head.
He added, "But incase you haven't noticed I've a lot of things going on right now. I don't think tomorrow is a good day."
"It will be just for a short while, don't worry." Martin smiled at him. Michael quietly sighed.
"And with that being said, Good night you two lovebirds. I would have an extra room prepared but I don't think you will be needing two separate rooms anyway so I'll be out of your hairs. Bye...you can now continue," he shouted before leaving the room with a big smile.
"Hahaa," Michael laughed awkwardly. "Don't mind him. Get some sleep here, I'll sleep in one of the rooms on the next floor. If you need anything you can just press one from there," He pointed at the telephone on the bedside table.
"No, stay. Just sleep beside me. I won't bite I promise," Winnie told him with a smile.
"Well since you promised then okay," he smiled back.
Michael didn't sleep a wink that night, he just watched Winnie drifting to sleep before he drifted to his millions thoughts in his head.
A tear fell from his eye.
*******************************************
~6 years ago~
"Watch where you are going you freak!" Yelled a guy who Haroon accidentally bumped into. They were a group of five guys with two women. One of them clearly the guy's girlfriend with how she had her body all over him.
"Sorry sorry," Haroon quickly said.
"Who the hell are you calling freak!!?" Calvin yelled angrily.
"This is not your concern macho man."
"Oh it became my concern the minute you called him freak,"Calvin narrowed his eyes at him, annoyed.
"And who are you? His bodyguard?" He laughed, his friends joining him.
"How about I show you?" Calvin approached him as he clenches his fist.
Michael quickly held Calvin back. He turned to the guy, "Listen man, it was an accident. He didn't mean to bump into you, we were talking and he was not looking ahead. So let's not make this bigger than how it actually is."
"I'm the one who decides what to do, I'm the victim here!" The guy shouted.
Michael snickered, "You two bumped into each other and so it's both your fault for not watching where you're going. We were just being polite to apologize first."
"What pretty boy? Are you saying this is my fault? Don't you know who I am? Are you new to this college?" The guy said in a low threatening voice as he takes small steps towards Michael. He stopped only when he was few inches away from him.
"I don't actually go to this college. And for once I'm glad I don't. I can't imagine the life of seeing your ugly face in the campus every single day," Michael smirked.
"Boo!! boo!!" Few people who were around to witness the commotion shouted. The guy turned and shot them a glare which turned them silence. Michael almost laughed at how similar the guy was with Calvin, he guessed that's why him and Calvin are not friend. He didn't know the guy but he could tell there's no way this guy got along with Calvin even once. They both like to dominate.
The guy glared at Michael, which Michael responded with an equal glare before he turned and walk away. Haroon and Calvin followed behind him, after Calvin also shoot him a glare of his own.
"Woah Mike, that was..." Haroon started before he was interrupted by Calvin.
"Splendid!" Calvin finished. "I was so proud of you I almost cried. You should get into fights more often."
Haroon shook his head at his silliness.
"I was not trying to get into a fight with him. I was actually trying to stop one but he was being an asshole," Michael shrugged.
"Did you see his face when you called him ugly, he was at loss of words. His girlfriend and the rest of his group were trying so hard to not laugh. And I could tell his girlfriend was checking you out. Oh man you just made my night!" Calvin awed.
"So who is he?" Michael asked.
"He is Dan! The principal's son. He likes to act like he owns the college," Calvin told him.
"And you Haroon! What's with you? Why would you lower your head and say sorry to someone who just called you freak?" Calvin reprimanded him.
"Hey what would I've done? It's Dan we are talking about," Haroon argued.
"Oh please, you do that to almost everyone. That's why they want to step all over you!" Calvin scowled.
"Calvin is right Haroon. The world is a scary place. You should learn to stand up for yourself," Michael said. "People always finds people who appear weaker than them and bully them. And why? So they can feel stronger! So stop being an easy target."
"It's not like I don't try. I try but most of the time it turns worse than if I just lower my head and say sorry. It's easier that way!" Haroon said in a low voice.
Calvin lightly punched him on the shoulder, "Stop that bullshit now! I swear the next time I see you doing that again you'll face my wrath."
"Ouch!" Haroon rubbed the spot as he sulk. Calvin glared at him.
"Okay that's enough Cal. I'm pretty sure he got the point." Michael said as he pulled Haroon away from Calvin and give him a side hug.
"That's what you say every time. But it keeps on repeating and repeating. Means he doesn't get the point!" Calvin told Michael.
"Yes. But yelling and glaring at him is not helping much either. I'll talk to him nicely so he understands."
"You better do!"
"Oh thanks Mike! I was more afraid of him than when Dan was yelling." Haroon said as he releases a sigh of relief.
"I heard that!" Calvin scowled.
Haroon and Michael fell in a fit of laughter.