The Story of Alynna

"Mandy!" Josh shouted. Mandy's car sped away. He watched as the tail lights of the car moved farther away and then totally disappeared as it made a turn.

"Dammit!" Josh said in frustration. He slapped the side of his thighs so hard it stung but he didn't mind it. He walked back to the house, leaving the creaking gate open. He passed Alynna and Stella who were both standing in the walk way of the front lawn.

"Josh, what's going on? Did something happen at work?" Asked Alynna as he passed them.

She carried Stella in her arms.

"Nothing happened," he answered. He didn't look at Alynna as he did but Alynna could feel the tension earlier between Josh and Mandy.

"Then what was that all about?" Alynna asked again as she followed Josh back to the house.

Josh combed his fingers through his hair. He was obviously trying hard not to explode in front of Alynna, and especially in front of Stella.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" Josh shouted. He was surprised at himself. He is usually self-controlled, especially when Stella is around.

"Stella, honey, could you go up to your room, please?" Alynna told Stella who quietly obliged.

Alynna watched her daughter go up the stairs. As soon as she was sure Stella had reached the top of the stairs, she began to talk to Josh again.

"I'm gonna ask you again… Did something happen at work today? Because you've been quiet ever since you came home."

"Alynna, I don't want to talk about this right now. Can you please just leave me alone?" Josh said through clenched teeth.

"I cannot leave you alone looking like that. You are obviously upset about something. I wish you'd tell me why. And tell me why you're calling Amanda, Mandy."

"Look, I don't want to tell you anything! Now leave me alone before I say something to you that I will regret later!" Josh turned his back to Alynna as he spoke. He wanted to think but Alynna kept bugging him with her questions.

Alynna looked at Josh, surprised by his outbursts. She debated in her mind if she would pursue asking him or would just leave him alone. She chose the former.

"Just tell me, please. Let me help you." Alynna begged.

"Help me? Help me? This is all your fault!" Josh snapped.

Alynna was stunned. "My fault? How did this become my fault?"

"Never mind. Just leave me alone."

"No, tell me what this is all about!" Alynna insisted. There is no way she's letting Josh off the hook. "If this is all my fault, I think I have the right to know!"

Josh ran his fingers through his hair again. He then covered his face with his hands as if hiding his anger and frustration from Alynna.

Alynna was watching him. His face was red now. This is the first time she had ever seen him so angry. She wanted to understand why he was so angry at Amanda - or Mandy, or maybe at her. She wanted to know why Mandy came to their house. And then she came to a realization. Like everything suddenly made sense.

She mustered all courage to ask Josh a question that is building up in her mind. But is she ready for the answer? She felt blood drain from her face. Her legs felt weak and wobbly. They couldn't support her weight. She felt the room spin. The last thing she saw was the floor. And then she passed out.

. . .

Alynna woke up to the sound of beeping. She tried to sit up but she felt nauseous so she lay down again. She could hear people talking but it was inaudible. She looked around the room and realized she was in a hospital. She looked at her hand and saw a pulse monitor hooked to her index finger. And on her other hand, an IV was inserted. She looked around, looking for someone to ask how she got there but found no one. She tried to sit up again, this time slowly so that she doesn't get dizzy.

The door to the room was ajar. Alynna could see some people passing by. She could make out two people talking behind the frosted glass part of the door. She was about to call a nurse when the door swung open. Josh came inside with a doctor and Stella by his hand.

"Mommy!" Stella shouted excitedly. "You scared me, Mommy!" Stella climbed up the hospital bed and hugged Alynna.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to." Alynna hugged Stella tight.

"What happened? Why am I here?" Alynna asked Josh.

"You passed out," answered Josh.

"We will be running tests to make sure everything's alright. With your history, it is best to be on the safe side," said the doctor to Alynna.

"Can't I just go home now and come back again tomorrow for the tests? I want to sleep with my daughter tonight."

The doctor looked at Josh, and then back to Alynna.

"I'm gonna have to stick with my advice. It's best you spend the night here where we can watch you."

"It's okay, Doctor. She'll be staying," Josh answered for Alynna. Alynna didn't protest this time.

"All right then," said the doctor. "I'll give you a couple of minutes to say goodnight to each other, and then it's lights out for you, Alynna." The doctor nodded at Josh and went out without waiting for an answer.

"Do you remember what happened before you passed out?"

Alynna thought for a while before she shook her head "no".

Josh nodded slightly.

"Don't think about it anymore, then. Just rest for tonight. Stella and I will be back tomorrow morning to see you."

Alynna nodded.

"Goodnight, Mommy! Sleep tight. I hope you can go home tomorrow," Stella said as she gave her mother a tight embrace.

"I hope so, too, sweetie," said Alynna. She kissed Stella on the forehead before letting her go.

Josh carried Stella from the bed. "Good night, Alynna."

"Good night, Josh."

Alynna watched Josh and Stella go out the room. As soon as the door closed, she felt lonely and afraid.

The nurse came in a couple of minutes after Josh and Alynna left. She checked her IV fluid and her vitals.

"I'll turn off the lights in here so you can rest, okay?" The nurse said. She turned off the lights without waiting for Alynna's reply. Alynna wanted to protest, to ask the nurse to keep the lights on while she slept but the nurse had already gone out of the room as soon as she flipped the lights out, leaving the only light on the top of the bed's headboard on.

Alone, Alynna could see the lights from the street cars moving, reflecting on the bare hospital room wall. She has spent many nights in the hospital since the accident that changed her life.

She had gone out for dinner with Lee, then. And what started as a friendly dinner for her ended up in a violent accident. They found her unconscious. They said she was rushed to the hospital because she was badly injured from the accident. They thought she would never survive, or the very least, she would be paralyzed.

When she miraculously woke up days after the accident, the first person she saw was Josh, who was sleeping beside her bed. Her parents had gone home to rest and Josh volunteered to look after her while they were away. Her only sister who was pregnant then, lived far in another city and was only able to visit her every once in a while.

That was when Josh and her grew closer. Josh felt that somehow he was responsible for what happened to her. He tried to talk to Lee after the accident but Lee didn't to have anything to do with them anymore. Alynna's parents wanted to sue Lee for what happened to their daughter but Alynna told them to let it go, that nobody expected that accident to happen. Besides that, she didn't think going to court will be beneficial since she can't remember anything that happened before and during the accident. The doctors said the accident might have caused some trauma on her brain that triggered the selective amnesia. But they said the amnesia is temporary and she would have all her memories back in due time.

Alynna was discharged from the hospital after more than a month of staying there. Her parents and Josh were with her as she recovered physically, going to therapy among others.

One day, her pregnant sister came to visit her. Alynna was so surprised to see her. She had thought she wouldn't be able to visit her with her due date for giving birth coming. Her sister said her boyfriend had left her for another woman but she didn't want to tell Alynna given her situation. Alynna understood. They spent all day together and that was about the happiest time she ever had after the accident.

That night, as her sister drove their parents home, they met a car accident. Her sister's car was hit by a drunk teenager who was racing with his friend in the highway. Her parents died on the spot. Alynna's sister made it to the hospital but her pregnancy made it difficult for her to survive. The doctors were able to save the baby girl but not her sister. That week, Alynna buried all her family in a public cemetery while carrying her sister's baby in her arms.

Alynna didn't think she could make it but Josh helped her through. Josh asked his parents if he could move in with Alynna, not to live together as husband and wife, but to help her raise the baby she has named Stella (the same name as her sister). And since Alynna couldn't work, Josh is the one supporting both her and the baby.

Josh's parents were skeptical at first but Josh explained that he needed to do this because he felt responsible why Alynna couldn't work anymore. And that helping her financially is the very least he could do. Josh's parents eventually agreed. Though still doubtful, they were proud of Josh for being so selfless.

So Josh told Alynna his plans of moving in. She didn't accept it at first but Josh convinced her. And when she agreed, he didn't waste anytime and moved in soon afterwards. Stella was a little over a month old when he moved in.

A nurse came in Alynna's room as she started to doze off. She was startled.

"I'm so sorry, dear. I need to give this to you," the nurse said, her voice kind and apologetic.

"It's okay," was all Alynna could answer.

The nurse injected something through her IV. She then gave her a smile and patted her hand so light Alynna wasn't sure if she touched her hand or not.

As soon as the nurse closed her door, she fell asleep.