quickly, or it may never come back. He encouraged us to subject him to familiar surroundings, situations, and people in order to help prod his memory. The problem is . . .”
He paused to gaze at her knowingly and continued.
“ Veronica has her own plans for Daniel. This situation—his not remembering you—is her dream come true. Somehow, by using Daniel’s vague remembrance of growing up with her, she’s made Daniel believe they’ve always been crazy about each other, and now they’re engaged. I can’t seem to stop that nonsense.”
“Then why did you send for me? You have what you always wanted. He can’t remember me, so that should make you happy. He can marry your precious Veronica.” The sneer in her voice was not like her at all, but she couldn’t hold back the derision.
Gerald’s head hung low. Grief, guilt, and shame all circled like a cloud around his bowed head.
“No, Marti. That’s not what I want at all. I admit I played a major part in Daniel’s decision about the divorce, but I have to acknowledge the fact that during the four years you were together, Daniel was the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Veronica and Daniel always enjoyed a close friendship growing up, but marriage between the two of them . . .” He shook his head. “It just wouldn’t work.”
“I know he loved you, Marti. After you left here, he wasn’t the same. He was moody and walked around with a scowl on his face. He was miserable and made everyone miserable around him.”
Marti sat up even straighter, barely breathing. Gerald had made it no secret he disapproved of their marriage from the beginning, but he had never been so vocal until she had given her life to Christ six months before the accident.
Marti looked at him now. He seemed a broken man. He must be at the end of his rope if he was asking her to help. A tiny flame of compassion flared in her heart, and she knew forgiveness would not be far behind. That thought scared her to death. Completely forgiving someone for ruining her life seemed almost impossible.
She tried to grasp the situation, her breathing raspy and broken.
“So what do you want from me?”
“I . . . I need you here to help Daniel remember those happy times. To discover his memory again and hopefully the closeness you once felt for each other.”
Gerald’s eyes once again roved to the window before he continued. “I know I have no right to ask, but I’m hoping if Daniel sees you, his memory will return. After almost losing him, I just want him to be happy.”
He paused and looked into her eyes. His eyes filled with unaccustomed tears. “With you, I know he will be. With Veronica, well . . .” He waved his hand weakly.
Marti shook her head and walked across the room, staring out the large windows. “It won’t work. He already saw me at an artist reception in Landeville a couple of weeks ago. Didn’t he tell you? He didn’t recognize me then. What makes you think he’ll remember when he sees me now?”
“Yes, Marti, Daniel told me about the reception, but I didn’t realize it was you he saw until later. I’m hoping your being around him consistently will gradually bring back memories that are familiar.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to stay here for a while so Daniel will remember his life without Veronica, and realize he’s not in love with her?”
Gerald nodded. “Yes. If he’s around you every day, he might remember snatches of your marriage. I’m hoping he’ll see the difference between how he feels when he’s with Veronica and how he feels when he’s with you. He loved you once. I’m hoping and praying he can find that love again.”
“Why don’t you just tell him he was married before? Show him pictures. I’m sure you have them around here somewhere.”
“I tried that, Marti. I showed him several photographs of your wedding and of the cruise you took on your honeymoon. I prayed so hard it would help him remember, but it didn’t. It only made
He paused to gaze at her knowingly and continued.
“ Veronica has her own plans for Daniel. This situation—his not remembering you—is her dream come true. Somehow, by using Daniel’s vague remembrance of growing up with her, she’s made Daniel believe they’ve always been crazy about each other, and now they’re engaged. I can’t seem to stop that nonsense.”
“Then why did you send for me? You have what you always wanted. He can’t remember me, so that should make you happy. He can marry your precious Veronica.” The sneer in her voice was not like her at all, but she couldn’t hold back the derision.
Gerald’s head hung low. Grief, guilt, and shame all circled like a cloud around his bowed head.
“No, Marti. That’s not what I want at all. I admit I played a major part in Daniel’s decision about the divorce, but I have to acknowledge the fact that during the four years you were together, Daniel was the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Veronica and Daniel always enjoyed a close friendship growing up, but marriage between the two of them . . .” He shook his head. “It just wouldn’t work.”
“I know he loved you, Marti. After you left here, he wasn’t the same. He was moody and walked around with a scowl on his face. He was miserable and made everyone miserable around him.”
Marti sat up even straighter, barely breathing. Gerald had made it no secret he disapproved of their marriage from the beginning, but he had never been so vocal until she had given her life to Christ six months before the accident.
Marti looked at him now. He seemed a broken man. He must be at the end of his rope if he was asking her to help. A tiny flame of compassion flared in her heart, and she knew forgiveness would not be far behind. That thought scared her to death. Completely forgiving someone for ruining her life seemed almost impossible.
She tried to grasp the situation, her breathing raspy and broken.
“So what do you want from me?”
“I . . . I need you here to help Daniel remember those happy times. To discover his memory again and hopefully the closeness you once felt for each other.”
Gerald’s eyes once again roved to the window before he continued. “I know I have no right to ask, but I’m hoping if Daniel sees you, his memory will return. After almost losing him, I just want him to be happy.”
He paused and looked into her eyes. His eyes filled with unaccustomed tears. “With you, I know he will be. With Veronica, well . . .” He waved his hand weakly.
Marti shook her head and walked across the room, staring out the large windows. “It won’t work. He already saw me at an artist reception in Landeville a couple of weeks ago. Didn’t he tell you? He didn’t recognize me then. What makes you think he’ll remember when he sees me now?”
“Yes, Marti, Daniel told me about the reception, but I didn’t realize it was you he saw until later. I’m hoping your being around him consistently will gradually bring back memories that are familiar.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to stay here for a while so Daniel will remember his life without Veronica, and realize he’s not in love with her?”
Gerald nodded. “Yes. If he’s around you every day, he might remember snatches of your marriage. I’m hoping he’ll see the difference between how he feels when he’s with Veronica and how he feels when he’s with you. He loved you once. I’m hoping and praying he can find that love again.”
“Why don’t you just tell him he was married before? Show him pictures. I’m sure you have them around here somewhere.”
“I tried that, Marti. I showed him several photographs of your wedding and of the cruise you took on your honeymoon. I prayed so hard it would help him remember, but it didn’t. It only made
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