Karen gave Hendrick a puzzled look and Hendrick laughed at her. "Don't tell me you don't know what that means... You do know what being engaged means right?"
The puzzled look still didn't leave Karen's face and Hendrick pressed further. "Okay, what about marriage? Do you know what that is? You know, like a man and a woman becoming husband and wife." He asked her, hoping that her mental health wasn't complicated to the point where she forgets absolutely everything.
Karen nodded. "Yes I know." She said and paused, then she placed her hand on her forehead. "But I don't know how I know that."
Hendrick noticed she was struggling and he brought her into his embrace. "Shh, don't work yourself up. The good thing is that you know. How you got to know isn't important for now." He told her while patting her head.
"The doctor said you are not allowed to rack your brain, it could cause your condition to get worse. For me, it's better for you to remain this way forever than for you to try regaining your memories and end up getting worse. I don't know what I would do if I lost my best friend totally."
Karen felt so good in his embrace. It gave her a sense of protection and love. She could hear his rhythmic heartbeat and the thickness of his voice sounded so hypnotic. They were both doing things to her body which she could not explain, or even give a name to.
Karen didn't know when she had wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on tight to him like she never wanted to let go.
"Let's go back inside, it's starting to get sunny out here." Said Hendrick, but Karen wasn't letting go of him. "Uhm, Karen, I don't think either of us can walk in this position." He jokingly said, but Karen still didn't budge.
"Karen." He bent his head so that he could see her face and he saw that her eyes were closed. "Don't tell me... Are you sleeping?" He asked her but didn't get an answer.
"I guess it's a yes." He took slow steps with her still in his embrace and carefully sat down with her on the bench which was in the garden. He looked at Karen and heaved a sigh before also closing his eyes.
....
In a room, not well decorated, neither was it dull, a guy was sleeping shirtless on a medium-sized bed. He seemed very peaceful as if sleeping was a means of escape from the problem's of life, but sadly for him, that peace was brutally snatched from him.
"Wake up, Stanley!" A middle aged woman yelled at him while hitting him with a pillow.
Stanley woke up and rubbed his eyes. "What is it this time, Mum?"
"Oh don't you Mum me. I didn't give birth to a lazy sleepyhead. The son I gave birthed was the one who went out yesterday and took charge like a man I taught him to be."
"I don't feel like it today... Maybe tomorrow." Stanley said and closed his eyes to sleep some more.
"Sure. Keep on postponing and that bastard son of your father would be one step ahead of you. He already left the house and I'm sure you know where he intends to go." She growled.
Stan's eyes shot open when his mom talked about Hendrick and he frowned hard. He pushed the duvet off from his body and got up from bed in an abrupt manner. He quickly wore a black shirt, took his phones and headed for the door.
"Where are you going." His mother asked.
"I'm going out there to be the son you taught me to be." He replied without looking at her.
"You haven't even had your bath yet." She said as a matter of fact.
"There's no time for that. You know your son is handsome, right? Even if I don't take a bath for a week or more I'll still look good." He said and left his room.
When he got to the living room, he saw Ian and Kevin chatting and laughing. Immediately they saw him, they stood erect and stopped the chit chat, especially when they saw that he wasn't in his best mood.
"Good morning boss." They both greeted.
"We are leaving, I wish to see Karen again." He said in an intentionally loud voice.
"Okay boss." Kevin said and they all went out of the house.
They went to the garage and got into one of the cars. Ian was the one driving and he drove the car out of the house.
After they had gone far away from the house, Stan suddenly said "Turn the car around."
"What?" Kevin asked in a puzzled tone, but didn't get an answer from Stan.
Ian matched on the brakes and parked at the side of the road. "So are we heading back home?" Ian asked this time around.
"No... To Anderson hotel." Stan replied and both Ian and Kevin gave each other a look.
"Sorry for asking boss, but why the sudden change of plans?" Kevin asked, hoping that Stan would be kind enough to answer.
"How else was I supposed to make my Mom believe that I went to see Karen?" He asked them theoretically, and their mouths formed an 'o' in realization of what Stan had done.
Saying no more, Ian turned the car around and went down the road leading to Anderson hotel.
….
Jane went to the garden to get something and was met with an eye-catching sight. "Ugh! I feel like I'm gonna throw up." Jane said while holding her stomach.
It turned out that Hendrick wasn't asleep as his eyes went open immediately he heard Jane's voice. "Hey little sis or should I say little bro?" He joked.
Jane rolled her eyes. "Not funny." She said and wanted to turn around to leave.
"Karen needs you at this point... She needs her sister. I do hope you would be able to put aside those fourteen long years of childishness and see this as a chance to build your relationship with your sister."
"Says the guy who has the best relationship with his brother." She was being sarcastic and she laughed at it.
Hendrick smiled at the point she had made and said "Speaking of Stan, he was here yesterday. According to Karen, they had sneaked out and went to a park."
Jane's eyes went wide. "What?! I mean how's that even possible?"
"I think I should be the one asking you that. You are the one who lives here. So please I beg of you, keep an eye out for him and warn the others. You know too well what he and his mother are aiming for and we don't know to what extent they are willing to go." After saying his mind, he focused his attention back on Karen who was still sleeping peacefully.
He slowly peeled her hands from his waist and carried her princess-style. He then looked at Jane who was still processing what she had just heard and he smiled. "I knew you would give a thought to what I said. You love your sister, that's not a crime so don't be ashamed of it." He winked at her and went back into the house with Karen.
….
They arrived at hotel and Ian parked the car in the hotel's parking space.
Stan got off from the car and hastily went into the building, making his men curious as to what he was planning to do. He got to the reception and without looking at the attendant, he said "The usual."
The lady looked at him and smiled. "Good morning, Mr Rodriguez, here's the key." She gave him the key to his usual room.
He collected the key and went to the elevator without waiting for the others, but they ran and quickly joined him in the elevator. Their boss was really complicated that they didn't understand him sometimes.
The elevator stopped at the last floor. Stan unlocked a room and got in, followed by his men.
"I've a feeling that whatever you are about to do would be so exciting, considering the way you hurried up here." Ian said as he was busting with excitement.
"Me? I'm just gonna give my life some peace that it needs, so you two can get out now." He said to them and reached into his pant's pocket then threw a bundle of notes at them. "Enjoy yourselves, I'll call you when I need you."
Ian and Kevin just looked at each other, obviously dumbfounded by his actions, because if they understood what he meant by give his life some peace that it needs, it meant it he came all the way here just to sleep. Really?
But who where they to question him, so they just picked up the currency notes and left the suite.
When they left him, he immediately started unbuttoning his shirt and when it was giving him a hard time, he impatiently ripped the shirt off his body. He climbed on the bed hurriedly, covered himself with the duvet and hugged one of the pillows against his bare chest. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Now that's the stuff."
A/N: Is Karen falling in love even with her memories being lost