Chapter 17: The Memory I Was Never Supposed to Recover
I didn’t sleep.
I couldn’t.
Natalie’s words kept replaying.
*Before Maya was born, you already changed her future.*
It made no sense.
I had never met Claire before Maya’s birth.
I had no connection to Daniel’s family.
No connection to Natalie.
At least, that was what I believed.
The next morning, Daniel came over with old records.
“I found something.””
I looked at him.
“I’m starting to hate those words.””
He almost smiled.
“I know.””
He placed a folder down.
“These are from the accident.””
I opened it.
Hospital reports.
Police records.
Then one page stopped me.
A witness statement.
A name.
Mine.
I frowned.
“What is this?””
Daniel looked at me.
“You were conscious after the crash.””
I stared.
“I don’t remember.””
“I know.””
I read the report.
It said I had been found near the hospital where Maya was receiving treatment.
I felt confused.
“That’s impossible.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
He pointed.
“You were there.””
I looked at the date.
The same night Maya was born.
My heart started racing.
“No.””
Claire walked into the room.
She saw the papers.
And froze.
“You found it.””
I looked at her.
“You knew.””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
My voice lowered.
“Tell me.””
Claire sat down.
“The night Maya was born, you were there.””
I stared at her.
“But we didn’t know each other.””
“You don’t remember.””
“Remember what?””
She looked at the floor.
“You came to the hospital after the accident.””
My mind felt like it was breaking.
“I was injured.””
“Yes.””
“And?””
Claire’s eyes filled.
“You saw Maya.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“You did.””
“No.””
Claire whispered:
“You held her.””
The room went silent.
I felt dizzy.
Images flashed.
A hospital hallway.
A baby crying.
A woman crying.
My hands holding something tiny.
Then darkness.
I grabbed the chair.
“I would remember.””
Claire cried.
“I know.””
“Then why don’t I?””
Daniel answered.
“Natalie.””
I looked at him.
“She erased parts of your medical records.””
I stared.
“She couldn’t erase my memories.””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“Not directly.””
My blood went cold.
“What does that mean?””
“She gave you medication after the accident.””
The room went silent.
I felt anger rising.
“She drugged me?””
Claire whispered:
“She said it was necessary.””
I looked at her.
“And you believed her.””
The guilt on her face was enough.
I left the room.
I needed air.
I needed distance.
I needed five minutes where nobody was telling me my life was something else.
Outside, I found Maya sitting on the porch.
She looked at me.
“You remembered something.””
I sat beside her.
“Maybe.””
She looked down.
“About me?””
I nodded.
“I think I met you before I knew you.””
She smiled sadly.
“That sounds like something from a movie.””
“Yeah.””
“But it’s our life.””
I looked at her.
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
“For not finding out sooner.””
She shook her head.
“You found me.””
The simplicity of it broke me.
I hugged her.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Natalie.
A video.
I opened it.
The screen showed the hospital from years ago.
Me.
Holding newborn Maya.
But I wasn’t alone.
A younger Claire stood beside me.
And then Natalie entered the room.
She looked at the camera.
And said:
“This is the moment everything changed.””
The video continued.
Natalie turned to me.
Even though I was unconscious in the video, she spoke as if I could hear her.
“Mark, if this works, you will become the child’s primary protector.””
Claire looked nervous.
“What if he never loves her?””
Natalie smiled.
“He already does.””
I stopped breathing.
The video ended.
Then a final message appeared.
*“Now you understand why Maya was always yours.””*
I stared at the screen.
Because for the first time, I wondered if Natalie had been right about one thing.
May you like
Maybe my bond with Maya wasn’t created by the experiment.
Maybe the experiment was created because of the bond.
