I couldn’t stand the guilt of thinking he was spending the night outside on a park bench. “Come sit down.” I just wanted to keep him from fleeing. “There’s something we need to talk about if I’m going to stay here with you.” I nodded obediently. He looked down at our intertwined fingers, a frown forming on his face. I was grateful, not for the first time, that I had happened upon him tonight. Sleeping overnight in a homeless shelter would be a very humbling experience. It was too much.” “I see.” I understood just what he was saying. With nothing to my name and nobody who even cares. “Going through with that was like admitting I was nothing, a nameless, faceless nobody. Before I even realized it, my hand drifted to his and I lightly brushed the back of his hand. I just…couldn’t follow through with it.” I waited while he gathered his thoughts, not pushing him. Before I left the hospital they gave me the address of a shelter to stay at for the night and a social worker to visit in the morning about a work program they have for rehabilitating people. Assuming I did live here in Chicago.” “I guess that makes sense, but I mean, what was your plan? Sleep on a park bench tonight…and then…” I threw my hands up in the air. Or maybe someone might even recognize me. I’d rather be out in the city, experiencing life and seeing if anything sparks a memory. But they couldn’t legally hold me there anymore and I knew sitting in a hospital room wasn’t going to help me remember anything. “How could they just let you leave…? Without anywhere to go…any money…? That’s crazy.” He ran his hands through his hair. “So you’ll stay the night?” “Yes.” I claimed a small victory at winning this round. Just his physical presence made my head spin and I couldn’t be certain we were talking about the same thing. “Then how can I say no?” “You shouldn’t want to.” “I don’t.” Our conversation had too many twisted meanings and double negatives. “In the name of science, yes, I’d like you to stay.” He cracked a slight grin. “So in the name of amnesia research, you’re inviting me to stay?” His voice is tinged with just a bit of humor, like mine was. He let out a deep sigh, knowing I was winning this round.
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