I Woke Up Holding My Nurse’s Hand… Then She Whispered, “You Still Don’t Remember Me?”
Chapter 2
The doctors explained that Daniel had suffered a traumatic brain injury.
His memory was intact in many areas.
He remembered his daughter.
His childhood.
His job.
His apartment.
His friends.
But certain periods of his life were missing.
Especially the last three years.
The doctors called it selective retrograde amnesia.
They couldn’t predict when his memories would return.
Daniel hated that answer.
He hated not knowing.
But there was one thing that bothered him more.
Emily.
Every time she entered the room, she looked at him differently.
Other nurses treated him like a patient.
Emily treated him like someone she was afraid to lose.
On the second day after he woke, Daniel asked her directly.
“How do you know me?”
Emily adjusted his IV.
“You’re my patient.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
She looked at him.
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
Emily remained silent.
Daniel waited.
Finally, she said:
“We knew each other before.”
“How?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because your doctor said we shouldn’t pressure your memory.”
Daniel frowned.
“That’s not an answer.”
“No.”
She looked down.
“But it’s the one I can give you.”
Later that afternoon, Sophie arrived.
The moment Daniel saw his daughter, his heart broke.
She ran into the room.
“Dad!”
Daniel opened his arms.
She hugged him carefully.
“You scared me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t supposed to wake up without me.”
Daniel smiled.
“I didn’t plan it.”
Sophie laughed through tears.
Emily stood quietly near the door.
Sophie noticed her.
“You’re Nurse Emily.”
Emily smiled.
“Yes.”
“You stayed with Dad?”
Emily nodded.
“A lot.”
Sophie looked at Daniel.
“She did.”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Sophie hesitated.
“Before you woke up, she came every day.”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“Every day?”
Emily shrugged.
“You’re my patient.”
Sophie gave her a strange look.
Then she hugged Daniel again.
After Sophie left, Daniel couldn’t stop thinking.
That evening, he asked the doctor:
“Who was with me while I was unconscious?”
“Your daughter visited often.”
“Anyone else?”
The doctor checked the records.
“Nurse Carter spent a considerable amount of time with you.”
“Why?”
“She volunteered for several overnight shifts.”
Daniel stared at the ceiling.
He couldn’t understand why a nurse would do that.
Unless she knew him.
Really knew him.
The next morning, Emily entered with his medication.
Daniel watched her carefully.
“Did we ever date?”
Emily stopped.
The question clearly hit her.
“No.”
“Were we friends?”
She swallowed.
“Something like that.”
“Something like that?”
Emily looked at him.
“You were the most important person in my life.”
Daniel’s breath caught.
“What?”
She immediately looked away.
“I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Emily.”
She walked toward the door.
“Get some rest, Daniel.”
“Wait.”
She stopped.
Daniel looked at her.
“Did I hurt you?”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears.
“Not intentionally.”
Then she left.
Daniel stared at the closed door.
For the first time, he wondered whether forgetting his past had protected him from something…
Or taken something precious away.
