The man continued to gently stroke Agathaâs right temple, his touch so tender as if he could see the injury there.
Agatha didnât want to ignore the language the man was speaking to her anymore. She grabbed his wrist and lowered it, then looked up at him, her long, thick eyelashes lifting to meet his gaze. His green eyes were filled with only one thing â him.
The man didnât take his eyes off hers. He seemed to be enjoying the moment, staring into her eyes as if he wanted to stay like this forever.
âWere we lovers?â Agatha asked, her voice clear and soft, without hesitation.
Ashley blinked slowly, taking a short breath to understand her question. His throat tightened with tension, and his heart raced. The silence stretched, and Agatha cleared her throat, feeling a little uneasy.
Time passed, but Ashley didnât say anything. Was he unsure of what to say? Maybe she was wrong in assuming something she didnât know.
Agatha blushed again, embarrassed by her misunderstanding. How did she end up with almost no memories?
She sighed deeply, but then Ashleyâs soft voice broke the silence.
âTry to remember.â
âRemember?â Agatha asked, confused.
âYou need to remember, Agatha.â
Ashley patted her head gently, as if encouraging a child. His warm touch and the way he looked at her made it clear what he was trying to say: lover, or someone close. But Agatha couldnât accept that. It couldnât be true.
âI asked because I donât remember anything,â Agatha explained. âI canât help but feel lost with how youâre acting… like a child, I canât help but take things as they are.â
She lowered her eyes, trying not to let her emotions show.
âStill, you need to figure it out on your own. Relying on others like this is not good,â he said, his tone soft but firm, like he was talking to a child again.
Agatha didnât voice the thought that crossed her mind: didnât this sound like something a lover would say?
âWhat happens if I donât remember?â Agatha asked, her curiosity rising.
âWell, I donât know,â Ashley replied calmly, his voice neutral. His answer wasnât careless, but thoughtful, as though heâd rather not dwell on the worst-case scenario.
By 9 PM, it was time for the patients at the field hospital to sleep.
âItâs time for bed,â Ashley said as he stood up to turn off the gas lamp on the wall. But before he did, he glanced back at Agatha.
The lamp wasnât what bothered him. It was Agatha he was concerned about. Just moments ago, he had spread a blanket on the sofa, seemingly to sleep there.
âWhat did you do when I was unconscious? Did you leave the lamp on all night?â Agatha asked, curious.
âThe lamp hasnât been turned off for the past ten days,â Ashley replied. âWe had to keep it on, not knowing when youâd wake up.â
âOh, I see,â Agatha muttered. It made sense that the lamp had to stay on, so she wouldnât wake up to complete darkness.
âMust have been uncomfortable for you. I could have been in a regular bed,â Agatha said.
âThis is a bed for soldiers only. I couldnât let you lie down in a place with soldiers,â Ashley said, as if it was obvious.
âBut, Captain, youâre a patient too. It doesnât seem right for me to take your bed,â Agatha argued.
âItâs fine. You didnât inconvenience me, so donât apologize,â Ashley said firmly, not wanting to discuss the bed situation anymore. He walked over to Agatha and stood beside her.
âDonât sit up, lie down,â he suggested.
âYes, Iâll do that,â Agatha said. She lay her head down on the pillow, and Ashley gently pulled the blanket up to her chest. His tender touch made her face turn red.
Ashley, noticing her reaction or not, whispered softly, âIâll turn off the lamp now. If you feel uncomfortable during the night, wake me up, alright?â
That meant if she was thirsty or needed to use the bathroom, she could call him. Agatha had eaten dinner earlier and was already feeling sleepy, so she didnât think sheâd wake up during the night. Still, she answered politely.
âOkay.â
âSleep well,â Ashley said quietly, looking down at her.
Agathaâs heart raced. She had just been closing her eyes, but now she felt wide awake again.
She tried to calm her emotions, wishing her face wouldnât betray her feelings, and shut her eyes. She felt Ashley standing over her, not moving away.
She clenched her hands under the blanket, trying to keep her eyes shut.
When he finally moved, Agatha heard his footsteps as he walked across the room. He turned off the gas lamp with a soft click.
The room went dark.
Agatha peeked through her eyelids, watching him walk toward the sofa. He didnât bump into anything, even though it was pitch black.
She heard the soft sound of him settling down on the sofa.
Her heart raced even more. This was the first time she had shared a room with him, and even though they had been together for ten days, her memory felt like it had been wiped clean.
She hadnât slept yet. She wondered if she would be able to fall asleep tonight.
Time passed, but Agatha couldnât sleep. She turned to face the window, then back again, unable to stop thinking.
She heard his breathing, deep and calm. Had Ashley fallen asleep already?
How could he sleep so easily when she was right next to him?
Agatha sighed quietly. She was the only one feeling nervous, while Ashley was calm and sound asleep. Her thoughts kept racing, and she couldnât stop herself from feeling a little embarrassed for imagining they could be more than just patient and nurse.
His breathing filled the room, and somehow, it made Agatha feel even more anxious. She tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept coming back.
Suddenly, the sound of breathing near her ear made her realize that Ashley had been watching her sleep. The moonlight shining through the curtains lit up the room, revealing his figure as he sat up to watch her.
She had been tossing and turning, restless in her sleep. She could tell he had been pretending to sleep, just waiting for her eyes to meet his.
He had been so patient, watching over her, even though she wasnât fully recovered. She had barely been able to keep food down, let alone regain her strength.
Ashley looked at her with quiet concern, as though he were watching over a fragile thing. She was a patient, and he was just being kind to her, nothing more.
As he stared at her, Ashley thought about their relationship. The word âloversâ kept running through his mind, but he couldnât believe it. He wasnât pretending, and he wasnât lying. Everything he had done for her had been out of care, not deception.
âRemember,â he had said, and in that moment, it felt like he was admitting they could be more than strangers. But he didnât push her to remember.
Agatha woke up after a week had passed. Ashley had been consistently kind and caring, but Agatha began to feel that what she had hoped for wasnât really happening.
She had thought they might be more than just patient and nurse, but now she realized there was no love between them.
Ashley was kind, but there was no passion. Lovers should feel that fire, that intense longing. They should share more than just kindness.
She was certain that if they were really lovers, there would be more. They hadnât even held hands, let alone shared a kiss. All Ashley said was, âGoodnight,â and he turned off the lamp.
She hadnât gotten a proper answer to what she had been wondering. Maybe she had been imagining things.
Her heart sank as she finally realized that she had been dreaming.
