“I remember the day after your accident.. It was an airplane crash. Four people
lived. And you were one of them. You were coming home- home from a million dollar
tour with Faith Hill. She’s a famous country singer. I.. I can’t even begin to tell you how
many times she was in here... But anyway.. Justin was heartbroken. I remember a picture
that someone must’ve snapped when Justin was on his way here. There’ve been few
events where I’ve felt someone’s pain as much as I felt his. He loves you. He loved you
then, and I suspect more than anything that he loves you now. Amnesia... is something
that you may suffer from forever. You may, sadly never get those years back, Gabby.
But, why don’t you start anew then? With Justin?”
A curious gleam in her eyes, Gabby shot back, “If I start over.. Well... Let’s just
say we’re like sisters. I start over, so do you, sis.”
“What do you mean?” Macy asked, a bit shocked.
“I mean.. Go to rehab. Physical therapy.. Whatever you want to call it.. I’ll go
with you. I’ll go with you there, and the day you walk out of this place, so do I. If I have
to snap out of whatever you call my position. It’s about time that you snap out of your’s,
Macy. You’re young.. You’re pretty. And you’ve got a damn talent that I can’t imagine
giving up for the world. Virginia brought me one of your books, you know. Look at me,
Macy.” She paused, making sure Macy was listening.
“You just told me about this life of mine.. This life that I cannot remember no
matter how hard I try. And I have a talent.. and I just can’t remember. I don’t remember
anything. But you. You never lost it, Macy. You never lost that fire inside of you. It’s
somewhere down there. But.. what’s there to be afraid of? Are you afraid you’re going
to try and walk and fall? If you fall.. I’ll pick you up, and we can start over again. Are
you afraid that there’ll be another accident? You can’t live like that. There’s always that
risk. But don’t let that fear run your life..” She paused again, “And if you’re scared that
you’re going to sit down and try to write and you won’t be able to.. you’re being a
coward. You have something Macy. You have something that no one.. No one at all..
can ever take away from you.” Macy kneaded her sheets between her hands, a silent tear
streaming down her face. “So.. what do you say Macy?”
The seconds they sat in silence droned on, seeming like hours. Finally, in a small,
hoarse voice, Macy answered, “Yes.”
“Yes?” Gabby asked.
Macy’s eyes traveled up, studying Gabby’s face. The girl had a heart of gold, and
was the base of Macy’s own strength. “Yes Gabrielle. Yes. Yes. I want to walk again.
But.. I.. I need you there.”
Smiling tenderly, Gabrielle replied, “I thought that you’d never ask.”
Looking back at Justin, Gabby looked aprehensively at him as she slowly opened
the door to her apartement. He smiled slightly, “Nothing’s gonna bite you in there,
Gabby.” Nevertheless, Gabby did not move further into the doorway. Justin broke ahead
of her, grabbing her hand and pulling her in the tiny apartement.
“See. That wasn’t that hard. Now to find that cat of yours. She’s been driving
me crazy for the past few months...”Justin trailed off, beginning to wander to look for
Tinkerbell.
Thoughts driving her crazy, Gabrielle’s voice came out louder than she expected,
“Why are being so nice to me? Why are you still here, Justin? After I was.. so mean to
you?”
He spun on his heel, his voice coming out smoothly, “Because, I love you. I knew
you before the accident, I don’t plan on leaving you now.” Coming closer to her, his hand
went under her chin, “And because.. I know you’re trying to remember, baby. I know you
want to. And I remember.. That’s enough for me, Gabrielle.” He leaned down and
placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Dumbfounded, Gabrielle watched his retreating form. Justin Timberlake,
teenheartthrob with the golden curls, wasn’t nearly ready to leave her, that much she could
tell.
Sitting in Chris’s living room, JC’s face contorted into a grin, “You mean to tell
me that.. Macy and Gabby are best friends.. And Macy’s left out the fact that she knows
me?”
After taking a sip of his drink, Justin grinned, “I can’t explain it any more than you
can, man. Gabby’s.. she’s just realizing that I’m not about to leave. Just yesterday she
told me about Macy... She’s been going over to see Macy everyday.”
A smug grin appeared on JC’s face, and he replied, “Well, well, well Curly.
Looks like Miss Macy’s in for a visit from me.”
Macy spent her days with Gabby, and an hour in the evening with JC. It was
perfect timing, and thusfar they had never run into each other. Macy had it planned to
perfection- or so she thought.
Dressed in overalls, a light yellow shirt, and a bandana to match, Gabby nodded
enthusiastically, “C’mon Mace. I know you can do it. Just a few short steps.. You’ll be
running before you know it. Then we can go shopping.. and you can walk towards that
best friend of yours that you don’t want near you..” Macy smiled at the mention of JC,
and the fact that Gabby still hadn’t pieced together their relation.
It was the seventeenth day of rehab, and so far, Macy had been progressing slowly,
but doing well. In the first two weeks, they had worked her leg musciles out to try to
regain some strength, and in the past few days, she had been on the bars, trying to walk.
“Ohh.. so this Josh.. This Josh is the ticket to getting you over here, huh? Maybe I
should go get your address book while Marc has you by the arms there... You know..
give this guy a little call...?”
A slight smile on her face, Macy replied feistily, “Gabs, I’ve never told you this
before...”
Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “What, Mace?”
“Shut up, girl!” Macy answered, laughing as she felt Marc laughing behind her.
Her knuckles became white as she gripped the bars roughly, “Get off me Marc. I
pretty much think that it’s time that I tried this on my own.”
Marc’s eyes locked with Gabby’s and she nodded slowly. A gleam appeared in her
eyes as she slowly spread her arms. “Come on Mace.”
With a determined gleam in her eyes, Macy’s arms tightened as Marc released her,
and went to stand behind her for support in case she was unable to do it. Ever so slightly,
Macy took a step, a small smile growing on her face.
Many short steps later, she was just a foot or two away from Gabby. In her most
risky move thusfar, she took a giant step, crashing into Gabby’s arms. Beaming, she
hollered for joy, “Gabs! I did it! We did it! Marc! We did it! Can I walk without these
stupid bars yet? Get me out of that chair! I want crutches!”
Silence passed between the two young women after Marc went to see aobut
crutches for Macy. Gabby’s voice came out hoarsely, filled with emotion, “See, Macy.
See... you did it.. You did it. You got up and took that step. You didn’t fall, and no one
laughed.”
Recalling the best they had made shortly before Gabby had been discharged, Macy
replied, “It’s your turn, now isn’t it? It’s due time that we get you your life back,
Gabrielle Reynolds. Time for the public and your fans to know. Isn’t it?”
Silence hung thick in the air as Macy awaited Gabby’s answer. Gabrielle stared
back a frightened look about her.
