Remember Me E-Book

Sandra W. Burch

• Herausgeber: Revival Waves of Glory Books & Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Elizabeth Ben-David believed in the power of prayer. From the moment her husband, Nic, had woken from a coma and through an extended stay in intensive care at Martha's Vineyard Hospital, he hadn't had any recollection of their lives together. All of the memories that they had made together were lost to him.

Elizabeth did not know how it could be that she was a stranger to the man she loved so fiercely. Not only was he the father to their young daughter, but he was also Elizabeth's best friend. There was so much to say, and so much that couldn't be put into words. Love was like that, it could only be felt.

Nic reached out for her hand. His movements were slow, his touch gentle, as he wrapped her hand with his. His gaze was full of emotion and tenderness. "Help me remember, Liz."

Leseprobe

Remember Me

Book 3 in the Seaside Series

Sandra W. Burch

Remember Me

Copyright © 2016 by Sandra W. Burch. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of Revival Waves of Glory Books & Publishing.

Published by Revival Waves of Glory Books & Publishing

PO Box 596| Litchfield, Illinois 62056 USA

www.revivalwavesofgloryministries.com

Revival Waves of Glory Books & Publishing is committed to excellence in the publishing industry.

Book design Copyright © 2016 by Revival Waves of Glory Books & Publishing. All rights reserved.

Published in the United States of America

Paperback: 978-0692664162

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Also Available by Sandra W. Burch

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. ~ Hebrews 13:3

Prologue

Elizabeth Ben-David had never felt so cold as she followed the nurse along the dimly lit corridors of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Their movements echoed like heartbeats along the barren walls. First the squeak of the nurse’s rubber-soled shoes, then the tap, tap of her high heels.

When Elizabeth looked down, she saw the bright pink polish on her toenails. She had painted both hers and her daughter’s just this morning. Julia had been as cheerful and warm as July sunshine. Now hours later, it was if the sun had gone down for the last time.

“You have ten minutes.” The nurse’s voice startled her, although she spoke in a hushed tone barely above a whisper. “The equipment can look frightening at first. Your husband is unconscious, so don’t be alarmed. Hold his hand and talk to him. He will hear you.”

“How can this be?” Elizabeth cried out. A faint hope flickered, then died as if it were a flame in a harsh wind.

“The hearing is the last of the senses to fail,” the nurse explained. “Besides, I believe our hearts are always listening. His heart will respond to you.” She led the way into the small, isolated room.

Elizabeth trembled at the sight of the motionless stranger lying on the hospital bed. Her heart ached for her husband. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, kneeling beside his hospital bed. She stared at the bags of fluids that hung like Japanese lanterns around his bedside. The whir of a ventilator and the beeping monitor, that represented his heartbeat, were the only sounds.

He hardly resembled the man she had married. His wavy black hair had been shaved to his scalp, marred by a zigzagged suture line and bandages. His face was swollen with a stitched gash on his cheekbone and a bruising black eye. He looked as if he were already gone, despite the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Elizabeth held Nic’s cool hand in hers. It didn’t feel like his big, strong hand that she was used to holding. Now it was weak and still. Lord, please, don’t take him from me. It was a plea from her very soul. She leaned her forehead against the palm of his hand. “Don’t leave me, Nic,” she pleaded.

The things that had occupied her thoughts earlier in the day no longer mattered. The only thing that mattered to her now was the life of her husband.

Please, Lord, don’t take him, she prayed aloud, but she heard no answer above the noise of the machines. So she held on tight to his hand as if she had the strength to hold his soul to his body. Fear shattered her and she choked on grief. Then she felt arms wrap around her to comfort her, but she saw no one in the translucent light.

Chapter One

Elizabeth Ben-David slowed the black Range Rover and turned into the driveway of their home, a former bed and breakfast in the heart of picturesque Edgartown, Massachusetts. A town and house they had fallen in love with together. As she eased her foot onto the brake pedal, she turned her attention to her husband, Nic, seated in the front passenger seat. Since his near fatal head injury and coma, she was a stranger to him. She wished she could control the rapid beat of her heart as she watched him study the historic Georgian house in front of them.

Dear God, please let him remember our home. She knew it was a lot to ask, but she believed in the power of prayer. From the moment he had woken from a coma and through an extended stay in intensive care at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Nic hadn’t had any recollection of their lives together. All of the memories that they had made together were lost to him. 

She did not know how it could be that she was a stranger to the man she loved so fiercely. Not only was he the father to their young daughter, but he was also Elizabeth’s best friend. She had hoped that the sight of their home would spark something for him, but no recognition flashed in his eyes as he turned to look at her. “Who lives here?”

“We do.” The words scratched like sandpaper against the back of her throat. She tried to fight back the tears that filled her eyes. “We moved in not long before Julia was born.”

“Julia?” A frown formed on the corners of Nic’s mouth as he repeated the name.

“Julia is our daughter, remember? I have told you all about her. She was named after my mother, Julia Grace.”

“Yes, that is right.” He released a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. “Is she here now?”

“No, she is at our neighbor’s house. Mrs. Vie was kind enough to watch her so that you could take things one step at a time.”

Nic looked truly distressed as his forehead furrowed in thought. “What is wrong with me? I can’t even remember my own daughter!”

“Don’t worry, it will all come together.”

He gave her a lopsided smile which was all he had to offer.

She shut off the engine and reached for her designer purse without much thought. She had been praying for this day to come for so long, but now that it was finally here it seemed surreal. Disappointment sifted through her. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she felt her lungs ache. She slowly exhaled hoping that Nic wouldn’t notice.

“Well, we are here!” she exclaimed with dismal hope. When he turned his questioning gaze to her, she knew that he did not remember the place. It was a spacious four bedroom house with a sitting room, state-of-the-art kitchen, and a small sunroom off the kitchen. “Maybe once you are in the house, the place will seem more familiar to you.”

He stared back at her with concern on his face. “What if it doesn’t?” he grimaced.

“It does not matter, Nic.” She replied, wanting to believe her declaration as much as he did.

As she stepped out of the Range Rover and closed the door behind her, she realized he was still sitting in the passenger seat, with sadness in his eyes. She wondered how he must feel to come home to a place he could not remember. And to bear the pressures of his wife’s unfulfilled expectations.

She took another deep breath and walked around to open the passenger door. This was hard for her, but it was even harder for him. But at least he was here. She was grateful for that. She reached for his hand and as he clasped her hand in his, all of the love in her heart overflowed into her very being, giving her strength to carry on.

She tucked the keys inside of her purse and then tugged it up on her shoulder. “You can lean on me for support if you need to.”

“I may not be able to remember things, but I can walk!” he quipped.

Her heart ached as she watched her once-strong husband struggle between steps. She unlocked the front door and held it open for him while he made his way up the doorsteps. She touched her hand to his and forced a smile. “You made it. Welcome home!” Then she dropped her purse and keys on the table in the foyer.

Nic was quiet for a moment as he gazed around the quaint room. He hardly noticed the rich colors and textures of the living room as he focused on the family portraits placed on varying tables and shelves. “Is that Julia?”

“Yes, that is our daughter.” Elizabeth studied the professional photographs taken just a few weeks before Nic suffered his injuries. She turned to look at him and he had the usual lopsided smile on his face. She wished she knew what he was thinking and feeling. Determined to keep the mood uplifted, she placed her hand on his broad shoulder. “There are some pictures of you and me in the hallway.”

“I would like to see them,” he replied.

She nodded once in agreement. “Sure, but first let’s get you sitting down.”

He slowly made his way across the luxurious carpeted floor. She supported his arm as he dropped onto the posh, burgundy colored sofa.

“I’ll be right back,” she announced then smiled at him.

It frustrated her that the emotional connection that had always been between them no longer existed. Why had she thought things would be different once they were home? She knew it wasn’t fair to pressure him and that she needed to give him time, no matter how hard that would be.

He had asked her for photographs, so that’s where they would start. She grabbed a few photos from the hallway and made her way back into the living room. She noticed he was watching her as she came toward him. She wondered if he was still attracted to her or if she was a disappointment to him. She’d been spending so little time on her appearance in recent weeks, not to mention the weight she had gained during the pregnancy - and had been unable to lose. Suddenly she became aware of the faded, worn jeans and old tennis shoes she’d put on that morning and thought she must look hideous.

She slid the photos onto the mahogany coffee table that separated them. “These photographs were taken on our last vacation.”