Listen to Your Heart(41)

“Anything else?” Juliana asks.

“No . . . should I?”

I close my eyes. This can’t be happening.

Caleb squeezes my hand while Rafe takes the doctor aside.

Luisa smiles at me. “I’m sorry, dear. Your name escapes me.”

I drop Caleb’s hand. Hopefully she didn’t notice.

“I’m Skye.”

“Oh, yes. I’ve been thinking about the bridesmaids’ dresses. I know we chose pastel pink, but now I’m thinking black. Most people associate black with mourning, but I think black can be elegant, don’t you?”

I nod numbly. Caleb tries to take my hand again, but I step away. He can’t touch me. Not here. Not in front of this woman who still believes I’m planning her daughter’s wedding. Not when her voice grows stronger and stronger as she talks about dresses and bouquets. I answer her questions as professionally as I can manage considering my heart is breaking into a million pieces all over again.

With a heavy sigh, Caleb walks toward the window and gazes out into the city while Luisa talks with startling clarity about every single detail of the wedding. I find it fascinating that she can recall the name of the caterer we chose two months ago, and yet, she can’t remember a conversation from this afternoon.

I glance over at Juliana who looks grief-stricken. The expression on her face is undeniable.

We’re right back where we started.

Until this moment, I couldn’t truly understand how Juliana and Caleb could concoct such a lie and have every intention of following through with it, but standing here now, it’s easy to see why. I’m not a doctor, but as Luisa talks about flower girls and ring bearers, it’s obvious that this wedding is the only thing keeping her alive. The only thing that gives her the strength to hold on day after day.

Wouldn’t I do the same thing if it meant I could have my mom with me, just a little while longer?

From across the room, Caleb’s eyes find mine. He must realize I’m at my breaking point, because he tells Luisa we’ll let her rest. We say goodbye, and Juliana and Rafe follow us out into the hall.

“I . . . don’t know what to say,” Rafe whispers. “The doctor thinks the memory loss could be temporary. She’s been through so much today. Perhaps with some rest . . .”

“Maybe she’ll remember,” Juliana says. “And if she doesn’t—”

“Then we’ll tell her again. When she’s a little stronger, we’ll tell her again.” Rafe smiles sadly at me. “It was wonderful to meet you, Skye. I should get back in there.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

Juliana hugs us and then follows her father back into the hospital room.



The drive home is a quiet one, and when Caleb and I walk back into my apartment, we head straight to the couch. This time, however, there are no frantic kisses or heated whispers. Instead, we snuggle in each other’s arms and try to decide where to go from here.

The answer is obvious.

Luisa’s memory loss may be temporary. It may not. If she wakes up tomorrow and suddenly remembers that her daughter’s wedding was a big fat hoax, then problem solved.

I’m not optimistic. We just don’t have that kind of luck.

Like Rafe said, we can always break the news to her again. But will that be followed by another fainting spell? Another lapse in memory? Do we really want to keep putting her through that? Do we want to put ourselves through it?

If we do, she’ll never smile again like she smiled this afternoon.

How can we deny her that little bit of happiness?

I rest my cheek against Caleb’s chest, letting his sweet scent and warm embrace anchor his heart to mine.

Could this be enough for now?

I could love him, and he could love me.

And someday, we could be together.

So many coulds.

“What are you thinking?” he asks softly.

I take a deep breath and will my voice to remain strong.

“I’m thinking you should marry Juliana.”

“Skye, no. I won’t live without you. I won’t do it.”

“You won’t have to.”

Raising my head, I stare into the deep blue eyes of the man I love so much. “Did you see the look on her face? How happy and energetic she was when she was talking about the wedding?”

“I’ve seen that look many, many times. Why do you think I was so determined to go through with this?”

“I understand now.”

Caleb sighs sadly and shakes his head. “I just don’t get it. She was so alert when we spoke to her. So understanding. So forgiving. And now she doesn’t remember a word of it.”

“We have to accept that she may never remember it.”

“The doctor said maybe . . .”

I lace his fingers with mine. “What if it doesn’t? Can you really look into that woman’s eyes again and tell her you’re not marrying her daughter?”

“Yes. I want to be with you. Period.”

“I’ll wait for you, Caleb.”

His wide eyes search mine, looking for any sign of doubt. He won’t find it. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life.

“You were going to give up everything for me. I should be willing to give a little, too. It’s up to you and Juliana, of course, but I’ll support whatever you decide. And I’ll wait for you.”