Nolan soon passed out. The more Vanya stared at him, the more she felt she'd seen him somewhere and then it clicked...oh my..
Vanya's eyes widened in shock as she continued staring at Nolan. She recognized him, but it couldn't be. It was impossible.
He was the stranger, the man who had tried to save her and her daughter in her previous life. She remembered his face, his eyes, his smile. He had died with them that night, in the fire that had consumed their home.
But now, here he was, lying beside her in bed. Vanya's mind was reeling with questions. How was this possible? Was it fate? Destiny?
And then there was the fact that Nolan's legs were working. In her memories, he had been injured, unable to walk. But now, he was lying in bed, his legs seemingly fine.
Vanya's eyes scanned Nolan's face, searching for any sign of recognition. But there was nothing. No spark of memory, no glimmer of understanding.
Of course, he doesn't remember me, Vanya thought, her heart aching with sadness. I'm reborn now, and he has no idea who I am.
As she looked at Nolan, Vanya felt a mix of emotions. There was sadness, because he didn't remember her. But there was also hope, because maybe, just maybe, they could start anew.
Vanya's eyes locked onto Nolan's, searching for any sign of connection. And as she looked into his grey eyes, she saw something there that gave her pause.
It was a spark of kindness, a glimmer of warmth. And Vanya knew, in that moment, that she wanted to get to know this man, to see if there was anything left of the stranger who had saved her all those years ago.
...
As Vanya lay in bed, she felt Nolan's body huddle close to hers in his sleep. She didn't pull away, instead, she let his warmth envelop her. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she fell asleep without having her nightmares of her previous life.
When she woke up, she saw Nolan still sleeping beside her. She carefully got out of bed, trying not to disturb him. She went to the bathroom to take a shower, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of sleep.
As she came out of the bathroom, wrapped in two towels, one for her body and one for her face, she glanced over at Nolan. He was still sleeping, his chest rising and falling with a slow, steady rhythm.
Vanya was sure that he was too drunk to remember her face, so she continued with her morning routine. She dried herself off and began to get dressed, her movements quiet and deliberate.
As she dressed, Vanya couldn't help but steal glances at Nolan. He was still sleeping, his face relaxed and peaceful. She felt a pang of curiosity, wondering what he would be like when he was sober.
Would he still be cold and distant, or would he be warm and kind? Vanya didn't know, but she was determined to find out.
As she finished getting dressed, Vanya walked over to the bed and looked down at Nolan. He was still sleeping, his chest rising and falling with a slow, steady rhythm.
Vanya felt a pang of tenderness, wondering what the day would bring. Would they be able to navigate their new relationship, or would they continue to clash?
Only time would tell, Vanya thought, as she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Nolan to sleep.
...
Nolan slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He was in a bed, but it wasn't his own. However, he knew exactly whose room he was in. It was Vanya's, his wife's.
As he lay in bed, Nolan tried to piece together the events of the previous night. He remembered being at the bar, drinking with his friends. And then... And then there was Vanya. He remembered being shocked by her face, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember anything about her face.
"Damn it," Nolan muttered to himself, his expression frustrated. "What happened last night?"
He threw off the covers and helped himself into his wheelchair, his movements slow and deliberate.
As he rolled out of the room, Nolan caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His hair was messy, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like hell.
"Great," Nolan said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Just what I needed. A hangover to start my new life with Vanya."
He made his way to his own room, his head still throbbing. He needed a shower, and some pain relief. And maybe, just maybe, he could piece together what had happened the night before.
As he showered and dressed, Nolan couldn't shake the feeling that something important had happened. He just wished he could remember what it was.
After dressing, Nolan made his way to his medicine cabinet, searching for some pain relief. He found a bottle of pills and swallowed two, hoping they would kick in soon.
As he waited for the pills to take effect, Nolan sat down in his wheelchair, his eyes scanning the room. He was still trying to piece together the events of the previous night, but his memories were hazy and unclear.
"I need to talk to Vanya," Nolan said to himself, his expression determined. "Maybe she can fill in the gaps."
But as he thought about Vanya, Nolan's expression faltered. He didn't know what to make of her, or their marriage. And he wasn't sure if he was ready to face her.