The Sweetest Memory by Melissa Storm

Author:Melissa Storm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Partridge & Pear Press

Fifteen

Well, Ellie didn’t choke on her sandwich, and now she was forced to come up with some kind of response to Landon’s half-sarcastic, half-painfully-true statement. “You make me sound like I’m some kind of annoying child who doesn’t obey orders,” she said at last. Tears once again threatened to spill as she realized how true his words had been. She was a handful and then some. She did act like a temperamental child. But then again, what was a child besides a tiny human who had its full life ahead of it? Maybe Landon wasn’t so far off base, after all…

“No, no. Hey! I didn’t mean it like that. I mean, yeah, you’re not the biggest fan of rules and restrictions. But you also keep forgetting what you’ve been through. You push yourself too hard sometimes, and then you get frustrated with your lack of progress. Stop that.”

Ellie brought her knees up and hugged them close to her chest. “You have no idea how frustrating this all is. No idea what it’s like. The hospital, the therapy, the pharmacy full of medicines… none of it’s been enough yet. Nothing is happening, and it makes me wonder if I’m just kidding myself. I guess… I guess I just need something to happen to prove to me that I can get better.”

Ellie couldn’t believe she’d just voiced her deepest worries to Landon of all people. Would he think she was being weak? Complaining after he and Liz and the others had done so much to try to help her get better? She felt like the worst person in the world, until Landon looped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her gently to his side.

“You’re right—I can’t understand it, Ellie. All I can do is listen and try to help in whatever way you’ll let me.” He gave her a little squeeze and, for a moment Ellie felt safe. No matter what happened with her memories, she had people who cared for her. Maybe that could be enough.

But then Landon spoke again and ruined everything. “After all, it’s my job to help you get better,” he said with a casual shrug.

“Right, I forgot. I’m your job to take care of.” She slipped out of his arms and struggled to her feet, doing her best to maintain the tiny shred of dignity she had left as she brushed the grass from her bottom.

“That’s not what I meant, Ellie. I don’t just think of you as a job.” Landon was quick to his feet, a worried expression marring his handsome features.

“It’s okay. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just head back. You’re right. I’m tired. I want to go back to my cabin and grab a nap.” Her thoughts were jumbled, and she was embarrassed at how petty she was acting. She couldn’t even figure out what had set her off. They’d been having a nice time, sitting and talking, and for some reason she’d just let her insecurities get the best of her.

Maybe her head injury had done more to her than they’d all originally thought.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.