Love Really Is Strange – Episode 30


By Lydia Jonathan

“Where are you going?” Mimi’s voice boomed as she entered the room, but I ignored her as I pulled out from my wardrobe, a buttoned down long sleeve shirt and a pair of sandals. I put the shirt on over my tank top and then the sandal still ignoring her and made my way downstairs with my purse in hand.

After hearing Evans is alive and they had kept it a secret and made me believe he died. Well I wouldn’t blame them cause I was in the hospital, but at this point, I had one mission, and that is trying to make out sense from all that’s been happening. That’s why I ignored my mom’s pleas and my family’s call to calm down

“Lizzy!” Mimi’s older brother Michael, walked up to me holding me down as I was half way out the door. I turned around and took that as a chance to look at the faces of the people in the room. Mimi’s dad was spotting a pitiful frown, her mom was looking sad, her other brothers were quietly sitted with sad faces on, and my mom was bawling her eyes out and mimi’s mom was trying hard to comfort her. The scene before me broke my heart, to see my family like this, but different emotions were swirling inside of me. I wiped the stray tear away angrily and turned back to Michael.

“Let me go Michael” I gritted

“Where are you going to? You’re not thinking straight right now” and he was right. I was a mess, and hearing Evans is alive is what’s keeping me sane. I just want to run to him, probably apologise for not confiding in him, for not telling him about janet and keeping him in the dark, hold him close and kiss him passionately.

“I’ll be fine” I looked at our hands as he still was holding mine. He got the idea, nodded and let go, since he knew he can’t stop me. I turned on my way banging the door and started my way to Evan’s office. He should be there right? Maybe he’s still angry at me, the little voice in my head nagged, that’s why I haven’t seen him even in the hospital, but I shook the thought away and went ahead to hail down a cab but missed it as Mimi came to up to me

“Liz please, you need to calm down and listen” she pleaded but I didn’t spare her a glance and went ahead to hailing another cab, which seemed scarce at the moment.

“Liz, please, please talk to me” she held my hand and turned me to face her, her eyes looked red, and I assumed she cried. “Please, you nee to hear me out”

“Hear you out? I snapped, did you just say hear you out? I was miserable Mimi. I love that guy and I was losing my mind, but you didn’t bother telling me in the hospital that he was alive and here I thought he died cause stupid George told me so, I angrily swiped the stray tear that escaped my eyes, I can’t seem to hold back the tears.

“So, don’t tell me to calm down okay? I need to see him, cause seeing him would make things a whole lot better, because the way things are going now, I wouldn’t be surprised to open a frigging cupboard and see narnia waiting for me, cause the impossible seems to be happening right now. I finished breathing heavily and Mimi seemed to be unable to control her tears, as she was trying hard to by the look on her face

“You don’t understand” she shook her head

“I don’t want to understand, just let me go” I pleaded and pulled my hands away and a cab finally stopped for me. I hopped on and gave him directions. Soon I arrived at his office, hurriedly payed the fare and ran into the office almost bumping into a lady, and apologising without looking back

“I know you don’t like me, but I need to see him, it’s important I pleaded with his secretary, and just then, Mimi came up from behind me

“Liz please you need to listen” Mimi pleaded from behind me, but I paid her no heed

“He’s not here” his secretary answered

“Okay, where can I find him? I asked her but she didn’t reply

“Please, I really need to see him” I pleaded. She looked at me, then at Mimi, then back at me. I guess she saw my dejected look then nodded

“He’s in his house, she replied. I smiled, and thanked her, but then realised I don’t know where his house is. I’ve never actually been there

“Ummm, please where’s his house? I politely asked and thankfully she just sighed and wrote down the address. I thanked her, took the paper and exited the building with Mimi on my tail calling for me to stop. I hailed a cab not waiting for her and hopped on, giving the driver the address. We arrived in a street and all the houses screamed luxury. I thanked the driver, payed him and he drove off. I stood by the gate, of the address giving to me, and took in a deep breath, a ghost of a smile on my face and was about ringing the bell when I heard my name being called from behind. I turned around and saw Henry and Mimi walking up to me from his car

“Lizzy, are you okay? Mimi told me…

“I’m okay, I cut him off curtly, still angry and proceeded to ring the bell. The gate man opened and asked who I was

“I…I.. I’m Lizzy” I stuttered. Is Evans home?I asked

“Yes but I don’t know you, he tried to close the gate but I stopped him, pleading

“I really need to see him, please” I begged, but he shook his head and then his head snapped up when he saw Henry

“Oga Henry” he smiled and opened the gate and I followed him in

“James who are you talking to” I heard the voice I’ve been meaning to hear, and froze. God I missed that voice, that calm, charming voice. I turned to where the voice came from and my breathing got hitched. He looked so fine. I smiled and ran into his arms tears trailing down my cheek but I didn’t care. He seemed surprised to say the least but returned my hug. After a while, he pulled me away gently and peered into my eyes

“Do I know you? He asked,a confused frown on his face, and I felt my tears stop as my eyes widened. Is he joking? I thought

“What?” I asked confused, but he seemed serious. I turned to Mimi and Henry and saw that she was sobbing, her palm covering her mouth

“He doesn’t remember you” Henry cleared.

I turned back to look at Evans and our gazes matched

“Not funny Evans” I scoffed, “Please be serious, I know I shouldn’t have broken up with you, I should’ve told you about Janet. I thought I could fix it, but I was….

“Janet?” he cut me off, his brow creasing in confusion.

“How do you know Janet? He asked and what do you mean break up, we dated?

“Wh.. what are you doing Evans? I asked, my voice breaking, you’re scaring me” Just then, Henry walked up and held me from behind

“What is he doing”, I turned to Henry “Why is he acting like he doesn’t know me?”

“Hey bro, shouldn’t you be in the hospital?” Evans smirked at Henry who was still holding me

“Is she your friend? She’s beautiful, he gave me a curt smile which made my heart hurt a little

“Whats going on Henry? I peered but all he did was shake his head and from behind, I heard Mimi break down from her silent sobs,to crying now, making me even more confused than I already was. This isn’t about my mother anymore I could tell, so what’s going on with her and why’s Evans pretending not to know me

“Miracle? Evans called in a soft tone, walking up to her. “What’s going on? Why are you crying, she couldn’t respond but just looked at Henry and I. Evans followed her gaze and it landed on Henry’s hand on my frame. His jaw tightened as if he just witnessed an injustice.

“What the héll Henry?” he gritted out, “What is wrong? He barked walking up to him and held him in his shirt

“Its not what you think? Henry dropped his hands from his shirt and locked gazes with him. Mimi’s loud sob broke their intense stare as Evans left Henry and went up to hug her.

“We’ll talk about this when I get back, okay?” he cooed, as he stroked her hair. He pulled back to look at her, but she shook her head trying to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out. He wiped her tears and pulled her back in before letting go and into hopped into his car, but not before turning to where Henry and I stood,sending me a death glare before driving off leaving me standing there dumbfounded

“What the héll just happened?” I finally spoke out after a while, turning to Mimi and Henry. He was now beside her, trying to comfort his sobbing girlfriend, who was a bit calm now

“Lizzy, first you need to calm down” Henry left Mimi, to face me

“If one more person tells me to calm down, I swear I’m going to lose it, so can someone just explain to me why Evans just pretended like he didn’t know me and left just like that?” I gritted out

“I’ll explain but first you need to promise to be calm” he looked at me cautiously as if not wanting for me to go off on him

“I nodded, crossing my hands

“He isn’t pretending not to know you, he’s like that because he doesn’t remember you” Henry explained slowly, peering directly into my eyes as if waiting for a reaction. I glanced at Mimi, who was calm now and had a pitiful look on her face, and it was directed towards me.

“What?” I asked confused even the more

“He lost his memory Lizzy” I heard Henry say and turned back to look at him. He had a serious face on. I chuckled, a little, looking back from Mimi to Henry, and then I laughed looking at both of them in amusement

“What’s going on with her?” Mimi asked worriedly to which made my laugh louder, and in seconds I was laughing hysterically

“She’s in shock” Henry stated and then my my laugh toned down a bit

“No, no, I’m not in shock, I said in between laughs,wiping the tears from my lids due to the excess laugh

“Going from being an orphan to seeing the mother I thought was dead but very much alive, and hearing I might also possibly have a father I know nothing about, and relatives I have never heard of. Now that is shocking. But this” I gestured to the situation,“ this is a joke, and I’m laughing cause it’s funny. You guys got me, I have to admit”

I finally stopped laughing but Mimi burst into tears once more and I looked at Henry’s face. It looked very much serious, then it dawned on me. Evans would never joke about something like that, and neither would Mimi nor Henry, especially now that I was fragile

“Is this what you wanted to tell me, back in the hospital?” I asked, peering at him.

“Yes” he nodded slowly.

“Liz…. Liz please say something” I felt Mimi’s voice close. I looked up and saw her standing in front of me, I didn’t even know when she got to my side. I looked at her through dazed eyes, many thoughts running through my mind

“How.. wh-why.. how did he? Wh.. what do…. I stuttered unable to form coherent words. Mimi pulled me in for a hug but I was to distraught to return it. She pulled away peering to my eyes, searching for something, anything I could feel it, but I couldn’t make any reaction. I felt numb,like I’ve been poured a whole bucket of ice cold water but too frozen to actually feel the pain and react

“He doesn’t remember me” I finally let out more like a statement than a question turning to look at Henry. He looked at me and blew out a breath. My palm flung to my mouth, trying to hide my quivering lips. After I was sure I could speak without completely breaking down, my hand left my mouth. Taking a deep breath, “What happened?” I asked Henry, my voice as steady as a child’s on the verge of crying from losing his favourite toy

“Let’s go Inside, I’ll tell you inside” he said, coming up to me, guiding both Mimi and I into Evan’s home, and I didn’t say otherwise cause, my insides are a mess as it is

We got inside and Evan’s house was really beautiful, but I was not in the right mind to admire it’s interior. Henry made me sit, and Mimi sat close to me holding my hand, I turned to give her a grateful smile before turning back to Henry who was seated opposite Mimi and I. I looked at him as if wanting him to go on

“Look Lizzy, we can wait till later, you know when you’re ready. You don’t look too good and you could do with some rest. Just please….

“No Henry, I can handle it, I’ve been through worse this few days, so tell me”

He took a deep breath and began “The night you went missing, Evans came over to my house, said you called him and was about saying something, but then your phone line went dead and he heard struggling but he wasn’t sure. He feared something must be wrong, that he went to the café and it was closed and then to your house but you weren’t there. He even called George” Henry’s jaw clenched as soon as his name left his mouth, like it was like venom in his mouth which warmed my heart a bit. Guess I wasn’t the only one that wants to sh00t him over and over again in the head. I shook the thoughts away and went back to listening to Henry’s explanation

“Evan’s thought you’d be in trouble since you were nowhere to be found, but I assured him you’d be fine. “Maybe you just needed a break after the break-up and hearing his voice was too much for you to handle” I had told him. If only I had known”. he frowned sadly and I could feel he felt bad also

“He finally agreed to give it a rest till the next morning. But morning came and there was still idea of your whereabouts. He became frantic. When we all gathered and no one knew where you were. But then George came along and said he doesn’t know either but said something about Janet. We were confused why Evan’s ex would have anything to do with it, then he said maybe he was mistaken and we shouldn’t worry and just hope we find you. We all agreed and decided to involve the police, but Evans was still unsettled, he never trusted George ever since the get together and didn’t fail to show it, but had to keep it in just for you. Then on the second day, with panic everywhere, and the police taking more details to aid their search. Evans called me, said he’s on his way to George, said he (George) might have an idea where you were and although he didn’t believe him, he wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt since you’ve known the guy for eight years and you’re still friends with him. He said he’d keep me updated, in case things get fishy, although I didn’t like the idea, I agreed and he left. Every twenty minutes, he said he’d send a message to keep me updated of their whereabouts,but sent only once. Then an hour passed and I didn’t get anything. I got worried and got into my car and started on my way to the last location he sent, and just then, I got a text. Immediately I fished out my phone and saw a single text from him “HELP!!!”

Immediately those words left Henry’s mouth, I felt my breath hitch and I got tensed. Mimi noticed and squeezed my hands reassuringly and I nodded in appreciation as Henry went on

“I drove two times faster following down the route till I saw Evan’s car parked and I stopped, jumping out of my car not even locking it but didn’t care. I followed the trail until I saw a cliff, though not too steep and at the bottom laid Evans. I rushed down and I was shocked. There he laid, his head bleeding from hitting the rock a little above his head I presumed. Panicked sipped into my veins. I bent beside him immediately knowing not to call for help, cause the place was deserted, but then I heard him groan, he turned to smile at me, handing me his phone which had a recorded file in it before passing out. With instinct, I carried him with much difficulty because he was limp and I was alone. I took him to my car and drove like a crazy person a journey of over an hour took thirty minutes” Henry chuckled amidst his narration and it was taking me all my will power to control the tears brimming in eyes from spilling

“We got to the hospital,and thank God he survived it after been treated but then, he woke up and…..” he paused to look into my eyes

“He didn’t remember” I muttered, the tears finally spilling. Henry nodded

“The doctor said, the impact the hit had on his head caused it and though he’s lucky he remembers anything at all, he only forgot some cause his brain couldn’t handle the pain and his brain is blocking the memories to avoid it. And that means you. He loves you too much, it hurts

At this point I was silently sobbing with Mimi still keeping me in place

“I gave the recording later to the police, which had George confessing to abducting and killing you in partnership with Janet. They took it and promised to hunt him down and bring about justice. Some days later, they called, said they’ve traced and found him. I went with them and that was when we saw you and George was already dead, so they had to take Janet alone in, but Evans still doesn’t remember. It’s like you got erased from his memory.

By the time he was done, I was already a wreck, my eyes felt sore and my head was throbbing. “I wish they had just killed me” I muttered.

…To be continued

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