Turning more towards me, he grabbed my hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be. It’s just that… Scarlett, you almost died. You’re hurt and right now you’re stressing over dreams. I would rather you focus on figuring out what your dreams mean once you’re better.” He swallowed. “I thought I’d never see you again, and I want you to be okay.”
He was right. Even if they were memories of before the fire they were still silly little memories that didn’t mean much. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, not really. Not that I could remember properly now anyway.
“Yeah, sorry. I thought it might be the start of getting those years back.”
He groaned. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be insensitive. I just need you to be alright.”
“I’m okay.” I zipped my mouth. “No more dream talk. What have you been up to while I was out of it?”
“Waiting for you to wake up. Worrying that you wouldn’t. Snapping at everyone. Then there was more waiting and more worrying.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise for being in an accident.”
“Right, sorry.”
We both laughed at the same time and he leant back against my pillows. “My dad was released.”
“Yes, I’ve seen them. That’s good news. You were the one who came off worse.”
“I know. Jeremy barely has a scratch on him, thankfully. Guess I’m a good pillow, huh!”
Noah frowned.
“Too soon?” I asked and he nodded.
I was glad that I was able to save my brother from the impact. I didn’t want him to be hurt.
“What’re we doing for the rest of break then?”
He shrugged. “What do you want to do?”
“Movies? Hanging out with the guys. The usual.”
“Sounds good. When you are better, though.”
I saluted and he smiled so wide it made me laugh.
Noah held his hand up and shook his head. “Alright, that’s it, you need to sleep.”
“You think I’ll dream more if I do?”
He leant forward and placed a kiss on my lips. “Sleep, Scarlett.”
Once Noah left, I drifted in and out of a very light sleep. Just when I would nod off I’d see the flicker of the flames, feel the heat, hear a woman’s voice that wasn’t my mum’s, and I would see Evelyn. She was so young and so pretty. I felt her eyes on me, as she ran past with Jeremy she watched me, it was only for the briefest second but that one small glance stirred familiarity and it wasn’t something I could forget.
Noah
“HOW IS SHE?” Jeremy asked the second I closed the door to her room. Scarlett had fallen sleep soon after I told her to rest. Her recovery was far more important than anything else. She was starting to remember pieces, which scared and excited me. But I was concerned that she would remember suddenly. We didn’t want that. There was too much time left. If she found out the truth now, she would never come with me.
“Acting strange,” I replied.
“She’s always weird.”
I sat down next to him on the seats opposite Scarlett’s room. “Alright then, more strange. She kept talking about some dreams she had. In Scarlett’s head, you chase girls.” I smirked at him. “I won’t tell Amie.” He rolled his eyes. “Do you know someone called Evelyn?”
Jeremy froze. “Evelyn?”
He knew her.
“Yes, that’s the name Scarlett gave. Do you know her?”
After a pause, he replied, “Not really. Scarlett had a doll called Evelyn when she was really little. I think that was its name anyway. It was lost in the fire.”
I laughed on cue. “So you chase girl dolls in her dreams.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“She was talking about her like she was a person, though.”
“You said yourself that she’s strange.”
“Right,” I replied, nodding. “She just seemed upset over it so I thought I should ask. She must remember the doll and her mind created a person.”
“Yep,” he replied, his posture visibly stiffening in front of me. He was worried.
“She okay in there alone?”
“Yes. She’s sleeping.”
“Good. Look, I’m going back down to meet the folks, they’re getting even more magazines for her.”
I stood up. “Sure. I need to get home anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Tell her I’ll call later?”
“Will do. Later, Noah.”
“Bye, Jeremy.”
I walked out of the hospital feeling about twenty pounds lighter now I knew she was alright. But I was left with an uneasy sense of relief that she was remembering.
My dad was waiting for me in the car park. “Hi,” I said as I got in.
“Is she alright?”
“Yes, she’s fine. She’s awake and her usual self.”
I should tell him about her memories. It was a big deal and something Eternal Light would need to know, but the image of her eyes fluttering up at me and her face breaking into a smile stopped me. I told myself that it didn’t really matter because she was confused and remembered very little. They could be passed off as dreams for now.