Was It Worth It?

Larry Newman sat at his desk in his home office around seven in the evening when his phone rang. He looked at the clock then picked up the phone. "Hello?" He answered.

"May I speak with Lawrence Newman?"

"This is him."

"Hello. My name is Dr. Kevin Rogers at County Hospital. A woman came into the ER this evening and the only thing she had with her was your business card. I was wondering if you could come down here and attempt to identify her."

"I give out my business cards to a lot of people. Most of them I don't even know their name."

"I know it might be a long shot, but if you could try, I would appreciate it," Kevin said. “She had no other identification on her and the police said that her fingerprints aren't in the system."

"All right. I will be there in about thirty minutes."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Larry said then hung up. He exited the computer program he had been working on and got up. He turned and put on his shoes then walked out.

Kevin walked off the elevator and walked to the front waiting area. The nurse at the desk pointed to Larry. Kevin walked over to him. "Lawrence Newman?" He asked.

Larry stood up. "Yes, please, call me Larry."

Kevin extended his hand. "Dr. Kevin Rogers." Larry shook his hand. "Thank you for coming down."

"You're welcome," Larry said. He started to follow Kevin. "How bad is this woman?"

"She's in a medical induced coma. She had internal injuries that we repaired and a severe concussion." He said as they stopped at the elevator. I appreciate your time."

"It's not a problem," Larry said. They got on the elevator. Kevin pushed the button to the third floor. Larry watched the numbers. The doors opened and they got off the elevator. They walked down the hall to a room.

Kevin grabbed the chart and walked into the room. A police officer was sitting in the corner. "Officer Bearman, have you heard anything about her?"

"No not yet."

"This is Larry Newman," Kevin said. “Do you recognize her, Mr. Newman?"

Larry moved around to the side of the bed. "Her name is Rebecca. I don't know her last name."

"How do you know her?" Officer Bearman asked.

"I met her this morning at the City Diner. She was looking in her bag for her wallet but she couldn't find it. I paid for her breakfast and gave her my card. I didn't think I would see her again."

"Her fingerprints aren't in the database."

"I was just being a nice person. She seemed frightened every time the bell on the door rang."

"Maybe she was running from someone."

"Maybe, we didn't talk much. When I noticed she couldn't pay, I took her bill and paid it. I gave her my card and introduced myself. She thanked me and hurried out the door. She practically ran down the street."

"She was found in a dumpster about four blocks from there. She was dumped inside after someone did a number on her."

"I wish I would have followed her."

"Don't blame yourself Mr. Newman," Officer Bearman said. "She was probably scared and didn't trust anyone."

"Is she going to be all right?"

"Her vitals are strong and stable," Kevin said. "She should make a good recovery."

"Dr. Rogers, give me a call when she wakes up."

"I will, Officer Bearman." Kevin said then shook his hand. Officer Bearman left the room.

"Does the press know?"

"All they know is that a body was found. It was assumed that she was a prostitute."

"She really didn't dress like one. I don't think she was one."

"I don't think so either. I appreciate you coming to give us the information."

"You're welcome. Would it be possible for me to visit and to know about her condition?"

"I can't see why not. At least until we find next of kin." Kevin said.

"Thank you."

"I will let you visit if you wish. I have other patients to check on."

"Thank you," Larry said. He shook his hand. Kevin walked out the door. Larry pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. He watched her and grasped her hand.

Larry walked into Rebecca's room the following afternoon. He looked at her monitors then sat down next to the bed. "Hi, Rebecca. It's Larry again. It looks like you are doing good. There's no news that I could find out. I read an article about people in your condition that they can hear or sense people. Just in case you don't remember, my name is Larry Newman. We met at the diner. I paid for your breakfast. I wish we could have talked more so maybe you wouldn't be in this situation." Larry took her hand in his. "I know it is hard to trust somebody that you just met," Larry said. "I brought a book. It's one that a friend recommended. I thought I would read it to you."

The door opened and Kevin walked in. "Mr. Newman, I didn't expect to see you here."

"You said I could visit."

"It's fine. I just didn't think you would, that's all," Kevin said. “I thought you were just being polite."

"I understand. How is she doing today?"

"Her vitals are good. Her brain is swollen, but we didn't detect any clots."

"That's good."

"Yes, it is. We will run the scan tomorrow to compare them."

"All right," Larry said. "Is there any word from the police?"

"I haven't heard anything." Kevin said as he noted her vitals. He checked her incision. "I really think she will regain consciousness in the next day or two after we reduce her sedatives," Kevin said. "Do you still feel like you should have done something?"

"There wasn't anything for me to do. I helped her as much as I could at that time. If she felt alone and scared then, I hope with me being here, she can sense that she isn't alone."

"I'm sure she does," Kevin said. "If you need anything just ask."

"Thanks," Larry said. Kevin left the room. Larry opened the book and started reading.

Larry came back and read the book for the next couple of nights. One afternoon while he was in a meeting in a conference room, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the display. He put it back in his pocket and listened to what was being said in the meeting. His phone vibrated again. He pulled it out and looked at it again.

"Lawrence, is everything all right?" An older man asked.

"I apologize. I should take this."

"Why don't we take a break?"

"Thank you." Larry said then hurried out of the room. He dialed back the number.

"Hello, Mr. Newman?"

"Yes."

"It's Dr. Rogers. Rebecca came out of her coma."

"That's great news."

"Yes, but she has amnesia. She has no knowledge of what happened to her."

"Is it temporary?"

"I believe so."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Maybe if she saw you since she met you, it might trigger something."

"I'm in the middle of something, but I will be there when I get done."

"That's fine. I just wanted to let you know."

"I appreciate it, Dr. Rogers."

"No problem. Bye."

Larry hung up. He smiled and walked back into the conference room. "I apologize, Dad. It was about a friend in the hospital."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope they get well soon."

"Thanks."

Larry walked into Rebecca's room later that afternoon with a vase of flowers. Kevin was checking her vitals. Larry put them on the side table.

"You're the guy from the restaurant," Rebecca said.

"Yes, my name is Larry Newman."

"Do you remember anything else?"

"No. I just remember seeing him at a restaurant."

"It's a start," Kevin said. “I will let you visit. Mr. Newman, would you have me paged before you leave?"

"Of course, Dr. Rogers," Larry said. Kevin walked out.

"Do you know who I am? I don't know myself."

"The only thing I know is that you told me that your name was Rebecca," Larry said. "Dr. Rogers called me when they found my business card on you."

"Why did I have it?"

"I paid for your breakfast. I gave it to you."

"That must be why I remember you in a restaurant."

"Don't worry. Your memory will come back."

"Did you visit me when I was in the coma?"

"Yes. I read you a book."

"Why? I mean, why did you visit me if you don't know me?"

"For some reason, that I can't explain, I felt the need," Larry said. "Even at the restaurant, I felt the need to help you."

"Did I look like I needed help?"

"You were looking through your bag for your wallet. You kept looking towards the door."

"What else can you tell me?"

"Nothing much. I took your bill and paid for it. I handed you my card. You thanked me, told me your first name and left. Later that night, Dr. Rogers called me."

"The police said I was beaten up and thrown in a dumpster."

"That's what I heard."

"Why can't I remember?" Rebecca asked then started to cry.

Larry went closer to the bed and touched her arm. "It will be all right. It just may take some time."

"How do you know?"

"I don't but you have to believe." He reached next to the bed and got a tissue. He handed it to her. "You're still alive. That is what matters."

Rebecca wiped her eyes. "What if I remember everything and I don't like it?"

"Then we can figure it out then."

"You will help me?"

"I will do anything I can do," Larry said.

"Thank you," Rebecca said. "So, tell me about yourself."

"Well, I am thirty-two years old. I've never been married."

"What do you do for fun?"

"I have been known to hike, play sports, mostly enjoy the outdoors, but not for quite a while. I been busy with work.

"What kind of work do you do?"

"I buy and sell properties. Mostly large land deals or companies or purchase them for my own company. We are working on a deal right now."

"Am I keeping you from work?"

"No. I needed a break. It's almost over with and maybe I will take some time off."

"How long have you been working on it?"

"I've been working on it for over a year."

"That's a long time."

"Yes," Larry said. "There have been many problems but I have ironed most of them out."

"That's good. I don't know what I do for a living. Or if I am married or anything. It's all so confusing."

"I can understand how that might be confusing."

"I think I need to rest. I am tired."

"All right. You get some sleep and I will come back tomorrow."

"You will?"

"Yes. I will be here," Larry said. He pulled her hand up and kissed the back of her hand. He smiled then walked out the room.

Larry waited for Kevin in the waiting area. Kevin walked over and sat down in the chair next to him. "Mr. Newman, I just wanted to let you know that since Rebecca woke up, there's no reason to keep her here. Her incision is healing and her brain swelling is gone. So, medically speaking, I am going to have to release her."

"When? Where is she going to go since she doesn't even know who she is?"

"I can hold off for another day. There is half-way houses and women shelters she can go to. I just wanted to let you know."

"I appreciate it. I have hired a private investigator, but so far he hasn't come up with anything."

"I will do what I can for her medically to try to get her to remember, but usually that takes time."

"Thank you, Dr. Rogers."

"Have a good evening Mr. Newman." Kevin said as he stood up.

"You too," Larry said. Kevin walked off. Larry sat there for a few minutes then got up and left.

Larry walked down to Rebecca's room the next afternoon. Rebecca was sitting on her bed watching television. She looked over at him and smiled. Larry walked over to the bed. "How are you doing today?"

"I feel fine. I still don't remember much," she said. "I took a walk up and down the hall."

"Well, that's good."

"I guess. Dr. Rogers told me I am being discharged tomorrow. He's getting me a list of shelters to go to."

"No. You are coming home with me." Larry said then turned and looked out the window. He took a deep breath then turned and looked at her. "I didn't mean it to sound like that. You are welcome to stay at my place. I have extra bedrooms and it's quiet."

"You have been so nice to me, but I can't do that. A shelter will be fine."

"Shelters are filled with drug addicts and criminals. You wouldn't be safe there. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't at least offer. You can make that choice."

"I will think about it."

"Thank you," Larry said. "My place is quiet and nobody will bother you so you can recuperate fully. There's no strings attached. You won't have to repay me in any way."

"I said I would think about it."

"All right." Larry said then sat down on the chair next to the bed. "So, have you remembered anything?"

"I get brief pictures in my mind. I get feelings, but nothing clear."

"What kind of pictures?"

"I was looking out across grass with walls around it," Rebecca said. "I don't know what or where it was."

"Maybe it's where you lived."

"I had a feeling I didn't belong there. I do know I am not a mother, though. I asked the doctor to check."

"That's good. I guess."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Don't worry. It will come back to you."

"Maybe."

Larry reached over and took her hand. "It will, Rebecca. I promise. You need to stay positive. It won't happen overnight. Everything takes time."

"I feel like I don't know myself. Which I don't, but I don't have memories of anything. No childhood, no family, no nothing."

"Sometimes I wish I couldn't remember some things from my past."

"Like what?"

"Well, like my mother passing away for one. I was ten years old."

"I'm sorry."

"It was hard for me, but I came back and I'm doing good now."

"That's good."

"Just like you will come back from this."

"All right. I get it," Rebecca said. "I looked at that book. It was like I read it before."

"That's the book I read to you while you were in the coma."

"It's a relatively good book."

"It was all right."

"Where did you get it from?"

"I got it from a friend as a gift. She thought I might like it."

"Oh." Rebecca pulled her hand away. "Does she mind you being here?"

"Do you think we're seeing each other."

"You said she was a friend. I figured she was your girlfriend."

"No, we are just friends. I am not in any kind of relationship with anyone," Larry said. "My last relationship lasted a month. I was accused of being married to my work."

"So, did that change any?"

"I still work a lot, but I do a lot from home. I go into the office only for an hour or two a day. Unless I have meetings that I have to go to."

"Well, that's good. And maybe you will take some time off."

"Maybe," Larry said. His phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. "I have to get this." He said then answered it. He spoke a little then hung up. "I have to go. There is a problem I need to take care of."

"All right."

"If it's not too late, I will come back but if I don't, I will be here in the morning to take you where you want to go."

"All right," Rebecca said. "I'd appreciate that."

"Get some rest and stop trying so hard to remember something." He said as he touched her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow." Larry walked to the door. He looked back at her then opened the door and walked out.