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Chapter 5
“I wasn’t trying to upset him. I love Jace and I want him to be happy. I just don’t want Liam to feel like he can’t be around his family, you know?”
Dr. Wilson—or Walter as he told me to call him—jots something down in his notebook. “Let me get this straight. You think if Dylan keeps her distance, Liam will come visit you.”
“I hope so.” A pang of sadness shoots through my heart. “Jace and Liam weren’t just brothers, they were friends. It can’t be easy for Liam to see him with Dylan.”
“Just to make sure I understand—in your mind, keeping Dylan away from Jace protects Liam.”
Eureka. Finally, he’s starting to get it.
“And Jace,” I clarify. “Given she hurt Liam, who’s to say she won’t hurt Jace one day, too?”
He folds his hands. “I see.” He clears his throat. “Now that we’ve got that squared away for now, I think it’s important we talk about your mother.”
And just like that, pain wraps around my heart, squeezing me so tight I can barely breathe.
“You said I didn’t have to talk about anything I didn’t want to,” I remind him.
“That’s correct.”
“Well, I don’t want to talk about her. Not today.”
Not ever.
It hurts too much.
“Have you figured out why she’s not eating yet, doc?” Cole interjects from the doorway of my room.
Dr. Wilson looks at me. “You aren’t eating?”
As if on cue, Jace pops up behind Cole. “Not since yesterday morning.”
Tattletales.
The psychiatrist adjusts his glasses. “Why aren’t you eating, Bianca?”
“I’m just not hungry, Walter.”
Truth is, I’m starving, I’m just so sick of what they’re serving here.
And sure, Jace and Cole have brought me outside food, but it isn’t any better.
Just a bunch of fruit, veggies, and other gross, bland, healthy stuff.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were subliminally trying to get me to lose weight, but according to my nurse I’ve never been overweight, and I’ve lost seven pounds since I’ve been here.
Therefore, I’m really not sure why they’re shoving all this healthy crap down my throat every day, but I wish it would stop.
Walter strokes his chin as if pondering something. “If you could have anything in the world to eat right now, what would it be?”
It takes me less than two seconds to answer. “A big, greasy, bacon cheeseburger with ketchup and mayo
My stomach roars to life, growling its approval.
“I see,” Walter says, jotting something else in his notebook.
Jace and Cole’s mouths drop open.
“You want a burger?” Cole exclaims. “Like a real one?”
Well, I certainly don’t want a fake one.
“Are you sure?” Jace questions.
“Positive.” A pang of guilt hits me. “I know you guys want me to eat super healthy and stuff but—”
Cole starts laughing. “No, we don’t.”
Color me confused. “You don’t?”
Jace shakes his head. “Bianca, you’re a vegetarian and a devout health food nut.” Jace’s lips twitch. “I can’t even recall the last time you ate a potato chip.”
This is news to me. “Really?”
“Yeah…or at least you were.” He looks at Walter. “Is this normal?”
He nods. “It’s not uncommon for those with head injuries to have personality and other changes.”
Jace and Cole exchange a glance.
“Makes sense,” Cole mutters.
Jace nods in agreement. “Definitely.”
I hate feeling like I’m the butt of an inside joke that I have absolutely no recollection of. “Care to share with the class?”
Shrugging, Jace shoves his hands in the pocket of his hoodie. “It’s nothing bad. You’ve just been a little…you know…different.”
“The word you’re looking for is nice,” Cole mutters.
Hold the phone.
I’ve attacked my poor doctor and nurse, not to mention them last week and they think that was nice?
Cole starts to speak again, but Jace clamps a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s put this conversation on the backburner for a minute so we can go grab her that burger.”
Cole grins. “We should go get her one from Fatty’s.”
I have no idea what Fatty’s is, but I’ll eat just about anything as long as it’s not healthy.
“It’s the best burger you’ll ever have,” Cole declares as they head for the door. “Are you sure you want pickles though? You used to have a phobia of them.”
“A phobia of pickles?”
Jace laughs. “Yeah. When you were five, you got it in your head that pickles were really dead frogs in a jar, and you were terrified to eat them.”
I have no recollection of that at all. “That’s so…weird.”
Not to mention, it makes no sense.
“Tell me about it,” Cole says. “But it was fu
I bet.
Walter stands up. “I have another appointment, but what do you say I stop by in a few days so we can talk some more?”
“Sure.” I gesture to my bed. “I’ll be here.”
Wondering who the girl I used to be was and what happened to her.