The ground feels cold. I'm looking up at the stars. The stars are looking down at me. Something pops next to me. I try to turn and look. Pain crackles across my body. Stars glimmer around me. Did they fall from the sky? I reach out to grab one. It cuts my hand. I stare at the blood, confused. Glass. Not stars. I'm surrounded by glass.



Lightness starts to break into the dark. My eyes flutter open. It's so white it hurts. I start to close my eyes again.
"Mrs. Fuentes? Valerie?"

I turn towards the voice. A nurse is standing next to my bed. Wait, a nurse? I look around and realize I'm in a hospital room. My body is hooked up to machines that are whirring and beeping. How did I get here?

"Valerie? Can you hear me, hun?"

"Yea." My voice sounds weird. "What's going on? Why am I here?"

The nurse sighs. "The doctor will be here in just a sec. He will explain everything to you, okay? We called your husband and your family, they will be here soon."

I nod and pull at the blanket strings a bit, processing everything. "Did you say husband?"

The nurse sighs again. "The doctor will explain, I promise."

Right on cue, the door opens and an older woman with glasses enters the room. "Good to see you awake, Valerie. My name is Dr. Spiel. How are we feeling?"

"Confused as hell" I mumble.

Dr. Spiel smiles weakly. "Now Valerie, I'm gong to explain why you are here. Please try not to get too upset. You are in a very weak condition. You've been in a coma for seventh months. There was a car accident involving a drunk driver. There was major trauma... broken ribs, broken leg, the list goes on and on. You also received extensive brain damage which, I'm afraid, affects your memories. Can you tell me some basic information about yourself? How old are you? Where do you live? What do you do for work?"

All of the information makes my head throb. I close my eyes and think. My mind feels full but at the same time empty. I know there's things there, I just can't see them. I focus on what the doctor asked me. "My name is... Valerie Anjelica Day. I'm 17? No, 18? I live with my parents, because I'm in high school..." I open my eyes and look at the doctor. She's shaking her head.

"I'm so very sorry. Valerie, you're 24. You worked for a local advertising company. You have an apartment here in San Diego."

I shake my head. "How is this possible? How did I lose six years of my life?"

The door opens again. My mom and dad walk in. They look grayer than I remember. Mom has a different hair color. Another person walks in, a man.

"Mikey? Why are you here?" I'm so confused. Mike is one of my best friends. He has tattoos now, though. And different hair. Is that a piercing, too?

He comes over the bed and touches my cheek. "Val? Baby? You remember me?"

The doctor explains, "You also were recently married. Valerie, you're married to Mike."

This news hits me like a ton of bricks. Mikey? There's no way. We're only 18. He's my best friend! Last I heard he was after that Lorie girl. And besides aren't I dating...

"Drew. Where's Drew?"

Mike's eyes darken. "Now that's someone I'd like to forget."

Notes