Precaution

Maria opened the door and went inside. She threw away her purse and slumped on the sofa. It was a tiring day at the Cafe.

Next, she would prepare dinner; dinner for one!

She didn't want to cook for her "big headed" brother who thinks he is so good.

Thinking about it made her want to explode. But even more unbearable was the pain she felt in her heart.

They had had a fight.

She hasn't said a single word to him for two days now, and he too played along.

Two days ago, she had woken up feeling really energetic. It seemed like some fragments of her memories were colliding; producing illusory images that seemed so real.

She could remember a car, a red car. There was a boy in the front seat smiling at her broadly...

She could also see people whose faces were shrouded in fog. It didn't make sense to her and she couldn't piece the images together.

The only thing she clearly understood was a voice. It said, "Damon! Come along with us..."

When she told her brother about these things, he seemed passive and didn't show any expression on his face. He seemed annoyed that she remembered something.

She was angry at his indifferent attitude; he could have shown concern at least right?

After resting a while, she made dinner for herself. After eating, she coiled up on the sofa to watch TV.

She grew bored of the TV programs and decided to play some games on her phone.

After playing for a while, she was bored with games as well.

She missed him. As much as she hated him right now, she also wished to make up with him.

He has been the only person she knew and could depend on; becoming enemies with a common territory was so frustrating.

After thinking for a while, Maria decided not to take the initiative to make up; after all he was the one at fault.

I must maintain my girl dignity!

....

9 p.m.

There was a knock on the door.

Maria ignored it and increased the volume of the TV.

The knocking became more prominent and persistent that she couldn't focus anymore. She went over and opened the door with her face down. She didn't want to see his "ugly" face.

Frederick glanced at her for a while before entering the house without a word.

He went to his room and shut the door.

Fine, I won't apologize either!

Maria sat down and resumed her boring routine till it was 10 p.m.

....

Frederick paced back and forth in his room with a worried expression.

He wanted to talk to her but at the same time, he felt apprehensive; and guilty.

When she told him that she could remember some things, he wanted to smile, hug her, cheer for her and make her feel happy, but he couldn't. At that time all he felt was fear, guilt and worry.

A part of him wanted her to remember; to remember what happened back then but a huge part of him wanted her to remain in oblivion about those dark moments.

He didn't want her to die slowly again after knowing what happened; he had already lost her once.

Those memories were too painful for her to bear; just a slight knowledge of it would break her fragile heart to million bits.

"What should I do?" Frederick muttered to himself as he paced the floor a bit more.

After a brief thought, a bulb lighted in his head,

"The only thing I can do."

He went over to the kitchen hurriedly and took a glass from the cabinet.

He poured in some juice, his sister's favourite, into the glass:

The make-up gift!

After filling the glass, he took out a small bottle from his pocket and sprinkled some of the contents into the juice and mixed them together.

"I'm sorry that I have to do this." He looked at the glass of juice and clenched his fist tightly till his knuckles turned white.

"I'll forever love you!" He muttered softly, "even without your memories."

He quickly reined in his emotions and brought the glass of juice to Maria who had fallen asleep on the sofa by now.

He rapped her on the shoulder to wake her up. She took a bit of time to become fully awake.

She stared up at him with her big watery eyes that seemed to want to beg for something.

"I'm sorry for not treating you better..."

Maria didn't wait for him to finish as she grabbed him into a hug,

"I'm sorry too, I just felt really hurt that my own brother would treat me like that!" She let her tears flow freely.

"It's alright. Here, drink this." He offered her the juice.

She took the glass and downed the contents.

"Tastes better." Her voice sounded distant.

After a while of talking, her head began to droop. She became sleepy. Fred made her lean on his body. Tears started to flow down his cheeks.

He had to do this. He had to.

She remembered the one name that was an abomination and a pain to him and her;

She remembered Damon!

He had to take this precaution; it was for her own safety....