I stared at the calendar for quite a long time. A feeling of sadness washed over me knowing I have yet to make another bitter decision.
We were down to three more days for our wedding reception and Maisie was not showing any signs of full recovery. It would be the third time I had to announce postponement of our wedding.
I sighed, knowing the potential headache that might come with the announcement. A big wall of text I prepared earlier was already waiting for that one click to be sent as a mass message and once it was sent, I received a quick generic reply from almost everyone.
Unsurprisingly in a minute in, both my phone and the landline was buzzing with calls.
Dad gave a 'well-noted' message while Lucienne was screaming in her voice message asking for details. Vincent sent me a private message updating the actual chaos I have set.
The whole interaction was something I had anticipated but that did not mean I could not dread the moment. I simply did not have the energy to deal with it and yet, I answered the call.
"Darling!" Mum's concerned voice burst out through the speaker of my phone.
"Hello mum," I responded with fake cheeriness to ease her worry.
"Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it with me?"
"I'm fine but I'm busy at the moment. I need to—"
"Aww, darling." I could sense sadness in her tone. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Thank you, mum. But I actually have it all sorted out."
"Sure?"
"Yes, thanks though!"
"Okay. Just reach out if anything, alright darling?'
"I will."
"Bye, Ed."
"Bye, mum."
Phew... One headache is gone. Thankfully mum was not prying as much as I thought she would. I made a mental note to thank dad for that.
Vincent's live update used to be annoying at first. I thought he was a kiss asser trying hard to fit into the family. I remained civil considering his actions never did hurt anyone. Thankfully, my assumption proved to be wrong when I noticed his interaction with his family were the same. It was simply because he felt comfortable with us.
A notification ping came and it was a voice message from Lucy.
'That came sooner than I had expected,' I wondered.
"Ed, you bully! You made mum cry!"
"She was worried sick. Be glad that I managed to talk her out from storming into your place!"
"Anyway, will my Austen and Zach be able to meet their soon-to-be aunt this Saturday evening?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? You're hosting it"
"How could you be absent at your own event?!"
"Trueee..."
"But she could come if she wanted to. No one knows how she looks like!"
"But Ed, what matters are so important overseas that you had to postpone the wedding?"
"You cow!"
Obviously, I had no intention of telling my family the truth of Maisie's condition no matter how tight-lipped they are. But I also did not want them to judge her based on the little information they had.
Things were starting to look up right after because Maisie came out of the bedroom out of her own volition this time. She did not utter a word but she took a seat by the sofa.
'That's a progress,' I thought to myself, feeling a slight happiness bubbling through me.
"Do you want something to eat?" I asked as I handed her the TV remote.
She shook her head, looking rather timid.
"Here, wrap yourself around this fleece," I handed her her favourite mint-green fleece, feared she might be cold from the opened window.
She was behaving a little peculiar than usual - quite timid and conscious of her surroundings. A part of me hoped she regained some of her memory but I tried to suppress these expectations in case it comes and bite me in the ass.
I was busy drafting an email when I could hear a squeak from her. I turned to see her flushing red in the face with her head facing down. Her fingers fiddled around and was not sitting still despite the small space she covered.
"Are you okay?" I asked. My first thought was her having a fever. Instinctively, I closed the window and scooted closer to her to check her body temperature.
"I'm ...," she mumbled.
"Sorry? You're what?" I leaned in even closer, my ears completely facing her.
"I said I'm sorry," her meek voice tickled my ear.
"You're sorry? For what?" My eyebrows furrowed. It was the least thing I expect to hear from her. I turned to face her but she was already hiding her face under the fleece.
"For lashing out," she hushed. Her sincere apology touched my heart - enough to fuel my happiness and remove my fatigue. Not because she apologised but because she must have been worried about me.
"It's alright. I can understand where you're coming from," I assured her. I knew her anger was not directed at me. It was simply because she did not know where to express her frustrations and I happened to be the only one she could vent it out.
"Don't you find my behaviour repulsive at all?"
"Repulsive? I would be an even more repulsive person if I feel that way, don't you think?" I chuckled.
"What do you mean? How does that even work?!" The way she raised her voice every single time it confuses her brought a smile to my face. At least there was something constant in my life despite the huge changes.
"Simply because you lose your memory."
"So? Does that make it right for me to be bitchy?"
I wanted to roar with laughter but I ended up stifling them instead. Maisie was simply being Maisie, even with her memory loss.
"No. Were you being one on purpose?" I teased. Her flustered face only proved she realised giving herself away a little too late.