Promises Forgotten
Chapter 23

“Avez-vous besoin d’autre chose, monsieur?” [Do you need anything else, sir?]

I looked up from my paper at the waiter and smiled. “Un café et deux sucres, s’il vous plaît.” [A coffee and two sugars, please.]

He bowed and scurried off. I set my paper down and looked out into the street. It was busy, as most Saturday mornings were. There were plenty of tourists, but also the usual Saturday residents were enjoying the sunny day. Smiling, I thanked the waiter when he brought me my coffee. Pouring the sugar in my coffee, I looked out over the street again.

The small flat I rented was only a couple blocks from this spot and this place was my go-to early in the morning. I had gotten up late today since, for once, I had a clear schedule. Four weeks I had been in France. I was overseeing the construction of one of our international branches which was nearly finished. The completion gave me mixed feelings. Part of me missed home and the other part didn’t want to go back. France was a distraction and a welcoming one at that.

I think Stacy and Jason were ready to murder me if I didn’t come back. Adrian and Nicole had come and visited me twice while I was here. Nicole’s family was actually from France and so I was able to meet them for the first time. They were lovely, down to earth people. I could see why Adrian loved them and hid them away. Our parents would rip them to shreds. He was appalled at the small flat I had rented, but I loved it. Anything else seemed too large, too empty.

My phone started to buzz and I lifted it to my ear. “Bonjour, c’est Zachary qui parle.” [Hello, this is Zachary speaking.]

“You twit, you know I don’t speak French.”

I chuckled. “Mais beau, c’est le langage de l’amour.” [But beautiful, it’s the language of love.]

“Zachary Anderson, I swear to all that is holy on this earth, you speak another lick of French to me and I hang up this phone.”

“Yes, ma’am. How can I help you, doc?”

Dr. Lemur huffed on the other end. “I’m assuming you’re in France now? I know Jason said you were going to be out of the country for a couple of weeks but it’s been more than a couple.”

“A lot happened in a span of a few days. I needed to clear my head.”

“If you’re planning on clearing your head for longer than a month, you’ll come back with cobwebs in the corners.”

Smiling, I took a sip of my coffee. “You know, I missed you. Even in France there is no one as sharp-tongued as you.”

This time she laughed on the other end. “I called you for a reason, but you pissed me off. Listen, I don’t know if you are still interested, but a colleague, Dr. Walters, is in the UK. He is currently the best and has had the most results from his hypnotherapy sessions. If you want, I can get you an appointment and before you head home, you can jump over the river to see him.”

I went quiet, looking out over the streets. Was it something I still wanted? Ever since being in France, not a single memory had come up. I could easily say no. Move on with my life. I already planned on going back and breaking off the engagement to Jennifer. We didn’t need her company and I wasn’t about to sacrifice any more of my happiness for someone like her. It would be easy to just move on and forget what had happened.

“Zachary?”

“Where is he in the UK?”

“Oxford, actually. He has a small office there. Would you like me to step up an appointment?”

I sighed. “Yeah. The construction for the office should finish sometime next week. I was planning on flying back then. If he could have a slot for me that week or the week after, that would be great.”

Dr. Lemur chuckled. “Alright. I’ll send him a message and then I’ll have him work directly with you on the details.”

“Thanks, doc, I appreciate it.”

“No problem. Don’t f*****g get lost in France. People are shit over there. They don’t even make good pastries.”

She didn’t even wait and just hung up the phone. I chuckled to myself and took another sip of my coffee. There would always be a chance the therapy wouldn’t work. That was the risk you took, but it seemed cowardly to have a chance to regain my memories and not go for it. Honestly, I felt like I owed it to Evelyn to try. Maybe it was too late. Maybe I would regret getting them back, but if anything, I didn’t want her going through her pain alone. It was easy for me to run to France and forget it all. She couldn’t, though. Smiling, I called the waiter over for the check and stood up.

Dialing a familiar number, I waited multiple rings.

“You know, it’s really rude of you to call after the radio silence I got from you.” Stacy’s annoyed tone came across clear.

“Sorry. You know me. I drop my head into work and I don’t come up unless I’m forced to.”

She snorted. “So, who forced you out of your hole?”

“Dr. Lemur, actually.”

“What did she want?”

The waiter came up and bowed. “Monsieur, votre monnaie.” [Sir, your change.]

I nodded to him and took the change. “Merci. Bonne journée.” [Thank you. Have a good day.]

“Bonne journée également.” [Have a good day, as well.]

Walking out of the cafe, I returned my attention to the phone. “She has a colleague she wants me to meet with.”

“You know I really love it when you speak French. There is just something about it.”

“Pouvez-vous vous concentrer, Stacy? J’ai besoin de toi à Oxford dans une semaine.” [Can you concentrate, Stacy? I need you in Oxford in a week.]

She over-exaggeratedly sighed. “What was that?”

“I said I need you in Oxford in a week.”

I heard her cough on the other end and I laughed. “Oxford? What the hell is in Oxford?”

“I just said. Dr. Lemur’s colleague”

“And why are we going to Dr. Lemur’s pen pal?”

I smiled and looked both ways before I crossed the road quickly, heading back to my flat. “Because he is one of the leading doctors in hypnotherapy and she say he might be able to help me recover some of my memories.”

There was silence on the other line for about a block. “Stace?”

“You sure you want to do that?”

I chuckled. “No, absolutely not.”

Stacy took a deep breath on the line. “Well, then, let’s f*****g do it. Tell me when and where and I’ll show up. You want me to bring Jason or Adrian?”

“No. Don’t…tell them, please. Just tell them you’re coming for work related stuff as my partner in crime. The both of them will judge me and try to talk me out of it. Plus, they are nowhere near the shoulder I’m going to need if this f*****g works.”

“Got that right. Okay. Send me the details. I’ll be there.”

Smiling, I opened up the door to my flat and closed the door behind me. “Thanks. Seriously. I appreciate it.”

“What are friends for? Or rather, partners in crime. We are starting a heist!”

“Oh?”

She started to laugh. “We are stealing back your memories!”

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “Later, Stace.”

“Later.”

–

I decided to give Stacy the private jet for her flight over from New York. I took a First Class seat from France to Oxford. I rented out the biggest suite at one of the five-star hotels. The place was huge, and I felt the emptiness from it. With two separate rooms, I figured Stacy would be alright taking the other room. I got here three days earlier than Stacy. Dr. Walters wanted to have an assessment appointment before we ‘jumped in,’ as he said.

Looking at my watch, I walked across the street with my umbrella in hand. It had been raining non-stop and didn’t look like it was letting up anytime soon. His office looked like a regular office from the outside, but it was a lot more homely on the inside.

“I’m here to see Dr. Walters. I have an appointment at 2:15.” I smiled at the receptionist, who faltered a little bit before she stuttered and confirmed my name.

“Please sit, Mr. Anderson, and he will call you back when he is ready.”

I nodded to her and took a seat. Sitting back, I pulled out my phone and fished though my emails. I got multiple texts and I looked at Adrian blowing up my phone.

A: When are you coming home?

I’m losing my mind. I want to just kick father out.

He refuses to leave the office.

He has been talking to the board members individually for the past two days.

You gotta come back.

If I have to eat lunch with mother one more day, I am going to paint your penthouse pink.

I chuckled quietly.

Z: Chill. I will be back next week, or the week after at the latest. Stacy is coming for a few days and then I will be back.

A: How f*****g dare you! Who else is supposed to spy on Dad?

Z: A, I said chill. I know what my father is talking about. Don’t worry about it. Even if the board members agree, they will be hard pressed to get it to pass. I have an ace up my sleeve considering his pet project I already turned down.

A: Fine. Don’t tell me shit. I hate you. Don’t come home.

Z: Okay.

A: Wait.

No.

Zach, don’t stay away.

Come home.

Please.

“Mr. Anderson, Dr. Walters will see you now.”

I nodded to the receptionist and got up. Putting my phone on silent, I ignored Adrian and headed into one of the office’s three rooms. The room is facing the street with incredible floor to ceiling windows. I was drawn to the view. The older gentleman sitting in a office chair cleared his throat.

“I apologize. I was taken by the view for a moment.” I leaned over and shook the man’s hand.

“It’s quite alright. I also enjoy looking out and getting lost in the bustle. It’s a one way. So, we can see out, but no one can see in. It makes the room feel bigger than it is. Helps if someone feels claustrophobic at any time.”

I nodded, gazing back to the windows.

“Dr. Lemur has spoken with me extensively about you. Honestly, if she didn’t continue to remind me how much of an a*s you are, I would think you were her son.”

Laughing, I nodded and sat down on the couch opposite him. “I’ve requested her to adopt me multiple times but she refused. For the same reason.”

“You have an interesting case, Mr. Anderson. I will say. Your subconscious knows everything you went through for those six months, but it refuses to give up an iota of information.”

I laced my fingers together. “I did get snippets of memories. One that was large enough to land me in the hospital. And even a few small moments came back.”

“Anything lately?”

“No, sir. I also haven’t been in any familiar places, though. I removed a lot of stresses in my life for a month or so, as well.”

He nodded and opened up a file that looked nowhere near as large as Dr. Lemur’s. “Stress can sometimes weaken our state of mind enough to allow things to slip through. From what I’ve seen, CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, marriage, then the scandal that followed. Stress seems to be a constant in your life.”

“Everyone has some level of stress, sure. Levels that we get used to in our own lives. There were extra factors adding to my stress during that time.”

Dr. Walter nodded again and looked from the file back up to me. “You sure you want these memories back? From the tidbit that did come back, I wonder if it’s the right thing to do. It could also trigger another episode.”

I smiled and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my legs. “Truthfully, no. I don’t know if I want them back. I owe it to someone to try. Two people, actually. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t. If it does, I know it might bring me a lot of pain, but I don’t think I could regret it if I don’t try.”

Dr. Walter nodded. “Well then, we will start the actual assessment and see if we can’t fit you in while you are here.”

I agreed with him. “Thank you, doctor.”