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THE LOFT
Of all the days for morning sickness to kick in, Gabi thought as she attempted to throw up as quietly as possible. Antonio was still sleeping, but with her loud yacking she didn’t think it would be long before she woke him. Feeling green and slightly dizzy, she made her way from the bathroom back to the bed. Sliding back under the covers, she nestled against the pillow and prayed for the rolling in her stomach to cease. "Are you okay, Gabi?" Antonio’s sleepy morning voice soothed her as he rolled onto his back and turned his head to her. Busted. "Yeah, I…I must just have a bug or something." Gabi rolled onto her back and they faced each other. "Did you sleep well last night?" "I slept very well," Antonio said feeling somewhat shy waking up with his wife for the first time. "I had a strange dream." "I know…don’t you remember waking up and telling me about it?" Gabi asked with a worried look. "I remember talking to you, but I wasn’t sure if that was still part of the dream," he smiled. "I wish I knew what it meant." Antonio’s arm rested above the covers and Gabi placed her hand over his bicep. "You will, Antonio." He had a very peculiar feeling lying in bed with Gabi, her soft hand stroking his arm, their faces only inches apart. His mind raced to the kiss they shared the night before. Gabi broke his train of thought. "We should get that bandage changed." She hopped out of bed, forgetting the episode she had just had, and headed to the bathroom for supplies. Overcome once again, she frantically clutched the doorframe as the room began to go black. Antonio flew from the bed and caught her just before she hit the floor. "Gabi!" He swept her up into his capable arms and returned her to the bed. As he set her down, her ears began to ring loudly as the blackness faded and objects in the room took back their shapes. "I don’t think you’re okay." He lovingly placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "You don’t feel like you have a temperature." "No," she whispered softly. "It’s all in my stomach." Gabi placed her hand over her belly. "I’ll be fine. Really." Antonio eyed her doubtfully and insisted she remain in bed until he had a chance to get her some toast and coffee. He turned to the kitchen and purposefully began his mission. Stopping just in front of the cabinets, he wasn’t sure where to find the necessary items. "The one to your left," Gabi called out as Antonio reached for the cabinet in front of him. "Thank you," he replied with a smile. Antonio made a pot of coffee for them and fixed Gabi some toast to help settle her stomach. They drank their coffee sitting on the bed and Gabi heartily consumed the toast. As she and Antonio went about an average morning for any married couple, Gabi enjoyed the fantasy of her "life" with Antonio. She would get very used to waking with him each morning, having coffee together, never taking for granted the little things. A small smile crossed her lips in anticipation of when they would truly be husband and wife – forever. "Okay, here’s the number to the station." Gabi touched the pad of paper lying near the phone. "Call me if you need anything." Antonio nodded. "It shouldn’t be a very long day…I have a lot of catching up to do, but I’ll try not to stay too late." "It’s okay, Gabi," Antonio smiled. "I’m just going to take it easy and, I don’t know, maybe I’ll take a walk." Gabi gave him a nervous look. "I promise not to get lost," he held up two fingers in a scout’s oath. Gabi smiled and grabbed her purse. Antonio walked her to the door and she turned around. "Okay," she sighed. "I guess I’ll see you later then." She started to leave when Antonio grabbed her gently by the arm. Turning her around, he pulled her into his arms and brushed his lips across hers with a feather-light touch that made her weak in the knees. Gabi closed her eyes and melted into his embrace, her heart beat jumping wildly. Antonio forced himself to pull away from her and was pleased to find her eyes half closed and her lips still parted in passion. "I’ll see you later," he whispered as he moved himself back a step. "Hmm," she murmured as she realized that he had stepped away from her. "Oh, uh, yeah. I’ll see you later." Gabi turned and tripped over her own feet as she nervously headed for the stairs. Antonio chuckled at the effect he had on her as he went back inside and closed the door. He had his first day alone in his home and he intended to use the time to his advantage. THE STATION Gabi sat daydreaming at her desk. Antonio’s kiss had sent her into a tailspin from which she still hadn’t fully recovered. Even though he was the one who didn’t remember her, it was almost as if they were both touching and kissing each other for the first time. Soft butterflies flitted in her stomach as she could still feel his warm, inviting lips brushing against hers. "Gabi?" Ricardo waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello?" Gabi’s head snapped up to find Ricardo standing in front of her desk. "Ricardo, hi." She stood up quickly straightening her dress and tucking her hair nervously behind her ear. "I was just…uh," "Daydreaming?" Ricardo laughed. "So, how’s Antonio doing?" "Better," Gabi smiled happily. "He seems in much less pain than before and he said he might even go for a walk today. Oh! He had a dream last night. He was telling me that he was somewhere dark, not alone, and that he was afraid but then something happened." Ricardo eyed her in confusion. "I think he was remembering when we were trapp…" Her voice trailed off as she realized she was recounting it to Ricardo. Ricardo dropped his eyes. "In the cave-in." Gabi raised her hand and began twisting her necklace like she did anytime she was uncomfortable. "You’re probably right, Gab. And if he was, that’s a good sign." "I’m sorry, Ricardo," she began apologetically. "I didn’t mean to…" "It’s okay, really." He managed a smile. "Listen, I think we should talk later. How about lunch – say 1:00?" "Yes, that would be a good idea." Ricardo smiled as he turned to walk away. Gabi watched him leave and sat back down in her chair. Determined to get some work done, she willed herself not to think about Antonio. THE LOFT Antonio pulled down the photo albums from the shelf and began turning the pages. Baby pictures, little league, birthday parties. He opened the next album. Family picnics, Ricardo’s graduation, Maria’s graduation, Antonio’s graduation. Searching the last album, he came across Ricardo’s graduation from police school, photos from a party that was thrown for Carmen and pictures from Maria’s wedding dated almost five years ago. Nothing beyond that time. Antonio found it strange that he saw no pictures more recent than those…surely they had some somewhere. Feeling like a burglar, he began rummaging through drawer after drawer hoping to find some picture, piece of paper, anything that would trigger a memory. The loft was strangely vacant of the typical legal and financial document one would keep. It occurred to him that it was also greatly lacking in framed photos. Searching the walls and furniture, Antonio found only one photo of his mother, brother, sister and him taken the day Maria had been married. It was almost as if nothing had taken place in his life in the last five years. But why? Wasn’t that information critical to him remembering who he is? With frustration once again taking over, he decided fresh air and a walk on the beach might invigorate him enough to continue searching. Maybe he would run into someone who knew him. GRENADINE’S "Thank you for taking me to lunch, Ricardo," Gabi smiled over the table. "It’s been a long time since we ate together." "Gabi," Ricardo said in a very business-like tone. "The reason I wanted to have lunch is that we need to figure out what happens…with us." Gabi set down her fork and dabbed her lips with her napkin. "Okay," she said quietly, determined to allow him to direct the conversation. "This is very hard for me," he relented, completely out of character. "I’ve been thinking a lot about it." Gabi sat silently searching his eyes. "I know that you and Antonio will want to be married in the church, right?" Gabi was stunned. "Oh, well, I guess so, yes." "I know it will be important to Antonio to be able to be married in the eyes of the church." Ricardo fiddled with the stem of his glass. "So I think that you and I should get an annulment rather than a…a divorce." His eyes rose to meet her gaze. "If we get an annulment, the church won’t recognize that you were married before and then you can be married by a priest." Gabi swallowed and looked into her lap. "Ricardo, I…I don’t know what to say." "Just say that you promise to always make Antonio happy." She raised her eyes and smiled shyly. "He’s my little brother, Gabi and I want him…and you…to always be happy." Gabi reached her hand across the table and Ricardo placed his hand into her palm. "Thank you, Ricardo," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "Antonio is very lucky to have a brother like you." "Yes, Gabi," Ricardo said quietly, his eyes boring into hers. "He is very lucky." Gabi blushed and Ricardo squeezed her hand gently. "I’ll take care of all the paperwork, if that’s all right." "Of course," she answered wiping her tears with her finger. "That would be fine." "Good," he replied. "So, how is that baby anyway?" Ricardo had to admit that he was excited that he would be an uncle again soon. He still loved Gabi and her happiness was really all that mattered to him. He knew this baby was very important to her. "Well," she began proudly. "Actually, I got sick for the first time this morning." "And, that’s…a good thing?" Ricardo feigned misunderstanding and Gabi laughed. "Yes," she smiled as she placed her hand over her stomach. "That’s a very good thing." THE BEACH Antonio wandered along the beach, his eyes absorbing every person, every building trying desperately to remember. The salty breeze made his skin tingle and his cuts almost sting in pain. Turning from the water, he started up towards the houses that lined the beach. Big, beautiful houses, elegantly furnished and very expensive. How lucky those people must be to live right on the beach able to walk out their doors and into the warm water of the ocean. They must have good jobs, he thought. Job…the word echoed in his head. Gabi hadn’t told him of his job. He wondered if anyone at his work was taking care of his duties while he was recuperating. Whatever he did, he was certain that he was conscientious and responsible and he wouldn’t want his work to suffer in his absence. He made a mental note to ask Gabi about it as soon as she got home. Antonio had exerted himself for the first time since his accident and he felt his body beginning to complain. He headed up the beach slowly toward the street that took him back to the loft. "Father Antonio," the voice called out from behind him. He heard the woman shouting, but she was obviously trying to get the attention of a priest nearby…a priest with the same name as his. "Father Antonio!" the woman called more urgently as she reached out for his arm. Antonio spun around as the woman tried to catch her breath. "I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong person." He tried to be polite to the stranger who thought she knew him. "It’s Mrs. Smith, Father." Antonio stared at her in confusion. "From St. Joseph’s." "I’m sorry," he repeated. "As I said, I think you have the wrong person." Mrs. Smith surveyed the cuts on his face and the white bandage covering an obvious wound on his head. "Oh," she said quietly. "I…I’m sorry, too. I thought you were someone else." Her eyes searched his and Antonio could see by her expression that she wasn’t telling him the truth. "Excuse me." Stepping backward, she eyed him one last time at him and was on her way. Antonio stood motionless wondering how she could have possibly confused him with someone else, a priest, who happened to have the same name he did. Could that really be just a coincidence?
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