Chapter 013

TINE'S POV After we ate dinner, I invited Vienna to the garden so that I could talk to her and everything would be clear to me. I was wondering a while ago, mom had met Vienna before but why didn't I meet her on Vince's birthday? How come? I was at the celebration. I know that only Vienna can answer that. She was sitting on a swing, I knew she was thinking and I saw the curiosity in her eyes earlier. My mom still remembers her but she doesn't. Even though it's been a long time, I still remember what happened at the party. I sat on the vacant swing and looked at her but she was looking away. What happened to her before? Why does she seem to remember nothing? "Vienna, is it okay to ask you some questions?" I asked, and she nodded in response. "If Mom has met you before, how come I didn't know you and you don't remember them?" I asked but she didn't answer immediately. With the depth of her thoughts, I can already see the sadness in her eyes. "Vienna, did something happen before? Can you tell me?" I asked again and she looked at me. I already saw the pain in her eyes, she was afraid to tell the story and I feel it. "3 years ago, I was in a car accident," she said sadly, which surprised me. 3 years ago? But why Vince didn't tell me what happened to his sister? "I was only 16 at that time, I already know a little bit about driving. When I got home, I saw my mom kissing someone. During those times, it was only then that I found out who's her lover and the reason for their separation. I was so hurt by what I saw, I couldn't believe my mom could do that. I left the house with her car, they followed me but I didn't stop. I just drive the car until I hit a ten-wheeler truck. The car was rolling on the road and I didn't know what was going on around me. And at that point, I thought that was the end of my life." The pain she was going through was evident in her voice. I was just listening but was hurt by her story. "I didn't hear anything at that time but I knew that the people around me were shocked about what happened. I was in a coma for more than two weeks. When I woke up I didn't know the people in front of me. The doctor said I had retrograde amnesia caused by a major head injury and I find it difficult to remember and relive the events of my past. But my dream is always about two people kissing and the accident that happened to me. I've been through different kinds of therapy, consultation, and medication but my memory still doesn't come back." Tears welled up in her eyes as if they would pour out at any moment. I approached her direction and gently turned her in front of me to hug her. I have nothing to say but I am hurt by every story she tells. "That's why I became close to the nuns because I lived in the orphanage, they helped me in my recovery. If it wasn't for the nuns and the kids, my life might have been completely ruined and maybe until now, I still don't have a single memory from my past. After 4 months, I returned to the US and I never came home to the Philippines. I never visited my mom and brother. And, last year December 15, we received news that my dad was sick, colon cancer stage 4. For almost 7 months that my dad stays in the hospital, he won't last long because he left me." She was already crying and I couldn't stop myself from crying but I still hugged her. "After what happened to dad, I had another accident and I can't understand why God let me live. Because of that accident, my condition got worse. I went through another therapy but it didn't make sense. I didn't force myself to remember what happened in my past." Everything became clear to me, I understood. I never thought someone like her could go through such a thing. She was too young to experience such a dark and painful past. I want to help her but how? What will I do? VIENNA'S POV After what Tine and I talked about, I decided to go home. I also said goodbye to his mom and dad, especially to him. When I got into the car, I immediately leaned on the steering wheel. I didn't expect that I would open up to Tine. He was just listening while I was telling the story but I could feel his tight hug earlier. They were right, Tine was kind and caring. I am grateful to him because he is there to help me let go of sadness. I appreciate his concern, it's like he's my older brother. I remember what happened to me 3 years ago. I did a lot of things just to get my memory back but nothing good happened. My condition is not curable, there is no cure but to focus on therapies and techniques that can help improve my life. I still remember very little even the people who have been a part of my life I don't know or remember. Because of the stories of my brother and mother, I will only remember them. But my only question to my mom was if I had a friend before but they couldn't answer directly. They say there is but they don't remember the name anymore. I don't know if what they told me is true or not. Now I'm 19 but I can't remember anything and I think I'm in a stage of permanent amnesia. This condition deals with forgetting my old memories but still, I'm hoping and praying that I will remember at least one episodic memory from my past.