Letting Go - 19. Chapter 19

The storm had finally ceased but the chaos it had created for the traffic would not disappear so easily for the next few days. Keith sat impatiently in the taxi back to his penthouse from the airport, his cellphone was soaked in sweat from the grab in his hand. The traffic did not seem to be moving at all, cars honked like a late Christmas chorus.

 

The dream he had had two nights ago on his birthday tormented him at every living second, and Hayden’s phone call did not improve the situation at all but instead made it unimaginably worse.

 

Elliot had woken up.

 

But his memory did not wake up fully. His memory stopped right after the death of Jasper. Elliot’s parents were in deep concern about the fact that their son would have to go through the pain of Jasper’s death one more time, and Keith was heart broken to picture staring into Elliot’s eyes while Elliot had no recollection of him. Hayden had told Keith on the phone that Elliot did not know who she was, nether did he remember Albert, and the doctors still couldn't determine whether the memory loss was permanent or only temporary, but perhaps his memory would return when he saw Keith in person, and Hayden did not have the heart to tell Keith that Elliot had not recognized Keith’s photo, including those they had taken together back then, and that the doctors had warned if Elliot’s memory stopped at the moment of Jasper’s death, the relationship he had with Keith was highly possible to trigger a traumatic mental overload.

 

Keith was devastated, he tried to convince himself to be happy for Elliot’s recovery from the coma, but the thought of Elliot staring at him like a stranger was like a mental sword slicing mercilessly at his strength to prevent a mental breakdown. He craned at the lifeless traffic from the taxi window and checked his watch, it was 14:38, almost one hour had passed since he had got in the taxi. Keith took another deep breath and leaned back to the seat, his leg started to shake unconsciously, and he grabbed tighter on his cellphone.

 

In about another half an hour the taxi finally pulled over in front of Keith’s hotel building, he rushed out of the taxi without asking for the change, and dashed to the lift in the lobby after getting his suitcase from the trunk, Hayden was supposed to be waiting for him in the penthouse already, and he is desperate to know more about Elliot’s condition, no matter how painful it would be for him.

 

Just like he had expected, Hayden jumped out of the sofa from the book she was barely concentrating on reading when the lift signaled Keith’s entrance, she walked to her brother and give him a silent hug. For every second in the past days Keith had wanted to ask his sister in person about Elliot, but now when he was standing right in front of her, he couldn't bring up the courage to ask, or to confirm the expiration of his hope.

 

“Are you sure you want to visit him in the hospital today?” Hayden broke the silence, she had told Keith that the doctor had decided to release Elliot from the hospital today since he had recovered, and he would continue receiving treatment in his own house where he would be more easily taken care of by his family, and they hoped the surroundings in the house might trigger his lost memory to return.

 

“When did you say he is leaving the hospital today again?” Keith asked.

 

“At 4 p.m..”

 

Keith reminded himself the traffic outside. “Maybe it’s better to see him at his place, the traffic is hideous, there is a chance we might not make it in time to the hospital.”

 

“Okay.” Hayden looked at her brother with great concern, “Why don’t you go take a shower now, I will call Mrs. Brooking about our visit.”

 

Keith nodded and left to his room with his suitcase, he had been in deep despair after he had heard about Elliot, every single second of his time alone was filled with tear and denial to the reality. But now he was finally about to meet Elliot his senses suddenly all went numb and he didn't know what to feel, or how to feel. He felt like he was so overwhelmed with all the emotions which were all trying to take over to dominate, his ability to feel these emotions was being pulled out of him all of a sudden, but instead of feeling relieved, he felt empty, empty of hope, empty of desire, empty of longing.

 

Half an hour later he got out of the bathroom, changed into his fresh cloth, and went to find Hayden to check when they shall leave.

He knocked on Hayden’s door and entered his sister’s room. Hayden hadn't been living here for three years now, she had her own place near to her campus, although she came to visit Keith at least once a week to catch up as a tradition, and if she were lucky, she could bump into their parents as well here.

 

“Did you make the phone call to Mrs. Brooking?” Keith asked his sister.

 

Hayden sat up from her bed. “I did, we may leave any moment you are ready. But Mrs. Brooking asked you for a favor.” Hayden sounded very uncomfortable.

 

“What is it?” Keith asked, even though he could guess what it might be.

 

“She asked whether it is okay for you not to tell Elliot the story between you two yet if he doesn't remember.”

 

Keith had guessed it right, he simply nodded without uttering a word, he understood Mrs. Brooking’s concern, he had thought about it himself, he knew right now Elliot’s memory stopped at the moment when Jasper had died, nothing good but damage would come out had Elliot learned the truth.

 

“I’m sorry Keith.” Hayden hugged her brother, “I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you.”

 

“It’s okay, I understand, right now what is more important is Elliot’s health, he is going through more pain than I am, I have sworn to him that I will be more supportive, more understanding, even though I will appear as a stranger in his eyes, he is not in mine, he is my Elliot, my sweetheart and I will walk this journey with him, no more walking alone.”