Read Part 1 HERE, Part 2 HERE, and Part 3 HERE

Noel and Kris sit together on her hospital bed as Kris tells her the stories that accompany the many photos in her scrapbook.

“So, I just came up to you and kissed you?” she says laughing.

“Yea pretty much, you said you thought I was cute and wanted to know what it’d be like,” he says laughing.

“Oh my gosh! Wow. Did you like it? Or were you totally weirded out?”

“Are you kidding me? I thought it was sexy as hell.”

Noel covers her face and starts laughing.

Kris laughs and shakes his head, “she’s still my girl,” he thinks.

Noel notices, “so are we one of those affectionate couples that make people sick or…” she says trailing off kind of hoping that was exactly the case. 

“Um…I guess…” Kris says puzzled.

“Hmm, what does that mean?” Noel says laughing and looking over with wide eyes.

“We’re very affectionate normally, like in our own home we’re basically all over each other,” (he says laughing).

“Oh?” Noel smiles as she raises her eyebrows.

“But with PDA, we’re a little more reserved.”

“Ah, I guess I can understand that…”

Kris smiles at her.

“But wait one second, I have a question.”

“Ask away,” he says smiling as she slides her hand onto his, intertwining their fingers.

He looks down and smiles.

“If I’m so reserved, why was I able to rock that red little lacey number without a problem.”

“It’s not that it’s problematic for you, it’s just that you tend to blush easily,” he says laughing.

“Ah, so in other words, I just like when it’s a secret between you and me?” Noel says her head lifting up from his shoulders as her brown eyes sparkle up at him.

“Yea that sounds about right,” Kris says smirking at her, their lips close. 

Noel looks up at Kris, pressing her lips against his, cupping his neck with her hand as she pulls him closer to her.

Kris kisses her back for a beat and then pulls away.

“Is everything ok?” she asks confused.

“Yea, of course.” he says hopping off of the bed as Noel’s brow furrows. “I just remembered I promised I’d call our best friends to update them about you,” he says with a nervous little laugh. 

“Oh, okay,” she says feeling suddenly uncomfortable for kissing him. 

“I’ll be right back,” Kris says kissing her left hand right near her sparkling rings, quickly before exiting the room.

Noel looks up at the ceiling in frustration and confusion as she reaches for her purse. 

Kris rushes off to the side taking out his phone, he dials a familiar number.

“Hello?” a young brunette answers quickly in a panic as she sits impatiently in an airport, simultaneously tapping a young man on the shoulder sitting beside her.

“Hey Rebecca,” Kris says sullenly.

“Kris! Oh thank god! We’ve been trying to get through to you since we got your message! Griffin and I have been stuck at the airport for a day, and our phones have been all messed up! How’s Noel? I’ve been worried sick.”

“She’s ok, she’s doing much better. The doctor says her recovery is going nicely”

“Oh thank god!” Rebecca says grabbing her chest in relief.

Griffin looks on anxiously, taking Rebecca’s hand.

“She’s okay” she mouths to him, as Griffin sighs in relief. 

“So everything went well with the surgery?”

“Yes, it was less evasive than they thought would was great and she is feeling good, she’s just having some trouble remembering things.”

“What do you mean, she doesn’t remember anything?”

Griffins eyes go wide.

“She doesn’t remember anything. Not me, not the fact that I’m her husband, not Holly, or her parent’s death…nothing.”

“Oh my gosh, Kris that’s terrible. I’m sorry, that’s heart breaking.”

“You would think so, but she’s been so great, she wants to know everything, she’s completely optimistic, but I-“

“You’re going through a lot right now, it’s hard, I know,” she says her voice softening as she hears the tears building up in his throat.

“Yea,” Kris says shoving his hand in his pocket as he leans against the hallway wall, mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted.

“Hey Kris, do you wanna talk to Griffin?”

“If you don’t mind…” he says with a small chuckle.

Griffin takes the phone, “Hey buddy,” he says gesturing to Rebecca that he’s going to step to the side, she nods as he places a kiss on her cheek.

“Hey man…”

“I’m so sorry dude, I can’t believe all this,” Griffin says hearing his friend’s voice crack.

“I don’t know what to do man, I love her so much, you know how much I love my wife.”

“I know man.”

“But I was in no way prepared for something like this. I know she’s trying and I know it could be worse, she could not want anything to do with me. I mean to her I’m a complete stranger… but she’s being completely amazing, she’s still kissing me and holding my hand,”

“Well that’s a good thing right?”

“Yea, but I know she doesn’t remember me. And I just feel like maybe she’s just doing those things to make it easier on me.”

“Well I mean like you just said, she doesn’t know you right? So if she really didn’t want to do something she wouldn’t. I mean so the way I see it, is she’s embracing the fact that your her husband and she’s doing her best to get back to the life she knows she used to love.” 

“I love her so much, I do. But I am petrified that I’m going to do or say something that’s going to freak her out. And then I’ll lose her for good.”

“What do the doctors say? Do they think she’s forcing herself to remember too much too quick?”

“I don’t think so, I mean everything has been quite a blur since last night.”

“I can imagine, man, but look I think you just need to talk to her, ok, tell her your concerns. Even if she is trying to do it for you, even that says something right. She cares.” 

Meanwhile back in her hospital room, Noel sits going through her cellphone. She looks at pictures of her old life, as her eyes begin to fill with tears.

She dials the number for Holly.

“Hey you!” Holly answers excitedly as she shuffles through her keys trying to open her door.

“Hey,” Noel answers her sadness evident.

“Oh no, what’s wrong, love?” Holly says walking into her apartment and flipping the light on.

“I don’t know. I just feel like somethings going on with Kris and he won’t tell me. And I just feel like he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Oh sweetheart, you are going insane, I think,” she says laughing

“Why are you laughing?” Noel says in between sobs.

“Kris Thornwood is obsessed with his wife, anyone you ask would say the same. The minute you kissed him at that party he was a goner. Ok? There is no way anything that your saying is true.”

“Yea Kris Thornwood may be obsessed with his wife, but I am NOT his wife. At least that’s what I feel like he’s thinking.”

Kris starts to come down the hall, and he over hears Noel’s voice, and ducks back to the side, listening in.

“Stop it! Yes you are his wife.”

“No, I’m not. I can’t remember anything. And that sucks. Ok I get it, he’s struggling with the fact that I’m not the woman he fell in love with. But I’m trying here, and I just feel like maybe I’m just not who he wants me to be. I wish he would just talk to me, I mean I can’t get better without him.”

Kris walks in his eyes full of tears.

Noel turns and notices, tears streaming down her face.

“Holly…I’m gonna have to call you back,” she says hanging up. “I’m so sorry,” Noel says looking at him.

“No. I um…I’m so sorry,” he says walking over to her. 

“I just didn’t know what else to do…” she says shrugging, her tears falling more freely.

“Stop crying, stop.” he says cupping her face and wiping her tears away with his thumbs. “You are exactly the woman I fell in love with, you are the woman I love with all my heart. Memory or not. I do, I love you so much. I need you to know that.”

Noel smiles in between sad and happy tears.

“I’m so sorry that I’ve been so distant. I just, I’m scared.”

“Scared…of what?” Noel says confused.

“When the doctor called me to tell me you were in an accident, I’m pretty sure I stopped breathing. It was the single most terrifying moment of my life. You are my everything and when I thought I was going to lose you, I kind of lost it. So when I heard you were going to be ok, it was like every prayer I ever made was answered. And I was so happy, but when you said you didn’t remember anything, I started to worry that what if I pushed you too hard, too quick and you ended up hating me or even worse what if I put your health at risk.”

“But Kris, look at me, I’m fine.”

“I just worry. My greatest fear in life, is losing you.”

Noel softens, as she looks at him with kind eyes. 

“Come here,” she says holding out her arms. 

Kris looks away hesitantly.

“Come here,” she says pulling his hands toward her as she pulls him into a hug. “I may not remember anything right now. But I can already tell how in love we are. And I want that back. I know my heart knows you, I just need some time for my mind to get there again. I like hearing about our life and seeing pictures, I like being with you, I love kissing you.” she says smiling up at him, as he looks at her with a smirk. “I know that I can fall in love with you, in no time. I don’t want you to apologize for touching me, or to second guess talking to me. I’m your wife. I need you to talk to me. Because I am committed to my recovery and I’m even more committed to you and getting our life back.”

“God I love you,” he says pulling her into a kiss. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

*I do not take credit for any images used in my edit.*

-<3-