Love Drunk: Chapter Seventeen

The time had finally come, Dex had woken up after over two long days of a bedside vigil by the ever devoted Lainie! This should have been a happy occasion, but it was far from joyous when Dexter didn't remember who she was! Will he get his memory back? Or is Lainie forever doomed to be a stranger in his life?

Lainie stood on the spot, numb! How could he not remember her? "It's Lainie!" She mumbled, as Dexter's face grew even more confused, "Freckles?" Still no change. Lainie felt like there were lead boots weighing her down.

"I'm sorry! Things have been kinda foggy. I'm sure it'll come to me sooner or later!" He gave her one of his gorgeous smiles that would usually reassure her, but this time it just made her feel sick. He didn't remember her! 

"Sweetie, this is Lainie! You must remember Lainie!" His mother could see how devastated she was that Dex didn't recognise her. "What DO you remember honey?"

"Well..." Dex began, "I remember you mum, Ash and Drew. We live together in the building with the old bistro that's been lying empty for like...years!" He didn't remember the diner??? "We're in a band, Deadly Nightshade, Jeremy just like...walked out for no reason! So I guess since Rosalie isn't here she really dumped me huh?" He shook his head in disgust, "I can hardly blame her! So...Lainie? How do we know each other?" Lainie tried to fight back the tears and the sorrow that burned her entire body.

"You are a very dear friend to me. A very dear, special friend!" She replied shakily.

"I'm sorry!" He touched her hand, "I'm sorry I don't remember. I wish I could, you seem nice!"

"Guys give him some time and space eh?" Ash spoke up.

"I'm kinda tired!" Dex announced and yawned, "Which is weird..." He added, "...cuz I just slept for like...days!" He let out a small chuckle.

"Two days!" Lainie piped up, "49 hours and 42 minutes to be exact!" Dexter looked at her with surprise.

"Wow, we must really be good friends! I'm sure with a little sleep it'll come back to me!"

As they all left Dex to rest, Ash gave her a big brotherly hug. "He'll remember you hun, I'm sure of that!"

"Oh yes, he will in time!" Avril echoed her son's belief.

"Thank you Ashton, Mrs Maloney." she smiled and left them to it.

When she got outside and away from everyone, she broke down in tears, crying her little heart out, trying to get rid of this unbelievable sadness that had consumed her entire being. If Dex didn't know who she was? 

Then what was the point of anything???

When Drew arrived back with Ash leaving Avril with Dex at the hospital, he decided to pay Charlotte a visit and bring her up to speed. But when she let him in, she seemed...distant! As he told her about Dexter's memory loss, all she could do was look down at the ground and say "Poor Lainie!"

"Char?" Drew's voice was shaky as he tried to hold her hand and she pulled away.

"Go and have a shower Andrew. I have to go to the sanctuary, I'm running late!" She snapped.

"Do I smell?" Drew forced a laugh but there was nothing funny about this whatsoever!

"I'll...let you go then. See you later?"

"Perhaps, I may be tired. My mother is quite hard to deal with at times!" 

Drew sat down on his couch and felt sick, Charlotte was being so cold! Why? What had he done wrong? Trying to put it down to the weather, or the fact that she was going to see her mother, he shrugged it off with difficulty and tried to focus on Ash and Dex...but it was going to be a huge effort!

Dexter was up and about and driving the nurses crazy, he was feeling stupid in the hospital gown as they tried to go about their duties. Avril insisted on being by his side though in case anything happened. The doctor had warned them that with a head injury there was a higher risk of seizures. But Dex took it all in his stride.

Ash came back as soon as he had showered and changed with some things for Dexter too, pyjamas and his iPod. As Dex sat back down he thought about the girl who had been to visit. If he was completely honest, she did seem familiar. His brother started babbling on about the new name and the things that Dex couldn't remember, but all he wanted to talk about...was the girl!

"So that's when we changed...to Sweet Cacophony! She's such a little angel!" Ash gushed.

"Who?" Dex frowned in confusion.

"Lainie? Are you even listening?" Ash huffed and shook his head.

"Sorry." Dex replied sheepishly.

As they sat in silence, Dex surreptitiously brought up Lainie again, "So..." He began, "What's the deal with this Leanne chick?" Ash breathed heavily and growled at his brother,

"LAINIE!!!" He said, a little too loudly.

"Yeah, Lainie!" Dex smirked, trying to act cool.

"Define deal!" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"You know, what's OUR deal?" He could feel his cheeks burning as he asked.

Ash leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment, "Well..." The look of concentration on his face was priceless, "...how do I put this? Ummm...you're in love with her!" He nodded and smiled, proud of himself for actually saying it as Dex felt his breath stick in his throat and he coughed for air.

"I'm..." He stammered and looked his brother straight in the eyes.

"Yeah, you're totally in love with her! But she doesn't know that!"

"Why?" Dex stared in disbelief, why would she not know? Surely he would tell her?

"Because Dexter you're an a$$!" Ash declared.

"Does she..." Dex began as Ash finished his sentence in a manner of speaking,

"Ohhhh yeah!!!"

"Then why..."

"Because SHE is an a$$ too!" Ash chuckled to himself.

Dexter curled his fists into a tight ball and scowled, "I wish I could REMEMBER!!!" He muttered through gritted teeth! Ash grinned from ear to ear and replied proudly,

"You will! You're so in love with her that you'll soon remember what made you fall in love with her in the first place...and then you'll be miserable again!"

"Why will I be miserable?" Dexter blinked,

"Because...you don't know how to tell her and it kills you inside every time!" Dexter was still confused, surely all he had to do was say I love you! Ash looked down at the ground with a blank stare...

"Oh yeah, and there's this little matter of her boyfriend that you kinda need to know about!"

Roxy was feeling lonely since Lainie had disappeared to be with Dex. Against her better judgement she was finding herself becoming attracted to Kevin again! All because Alex brought him over a couple of times while he was looking for Lainie. Today they were meeting in the diner to "talk" again! Something they had been doing since they rekindled their romance! Roxy knew that her best friend would not approve, but then again Alex wasn't exactly boyfriend of the year either! Kev arrived, through the back like Roxy told him as the diner was still closed. 

Her heart skipped a beat, to even have someone like Kev Larson look at her with lustful eyes was something!
"Baby I cannot get over how fine you look!"

"Did you lock the door behind you?"
"Do I look stupid?" Kev smirked.
"We've got half an hour!"
"Right then, ladies or gents this time?"
"Don't be crude Kevin!"

"Look at you being all proper! Come 'ere!" Kev pulled her in for a kiss...

...then led her to the toilets where they usually conducted their business!

Feeling hurt and a little annoyed over Charlotte's cold attitude, Drew was determined to get to the bottom of it! He was in far too deep to let go now! He'd never loved someone the way he loved his Char, no cold shoulder was going to get in his way! He knew she was home as he'd heard her walk by his flat muttering to her cats, who always stood on the landing to greet her! He didn't even knock on her door, he just barged in with confidence and purpose as she gasped at his cheek...

"Andrew! There is such a thing as knocking!"
"Charlotte!" Drew snapped and she gasped once more, he always called her Char! Why was he being so forward and aggressive???

"Andrew?"
"What have I done to make you be so cruel? I deserve an explanation!" Charlotte let her shoulders sag with relief, she thought he was here to break up with her after her nasty episode earlier!

"I..." she began, but Drew wasn't finished.
"What did I do to deserve that? My best friend is in hospital, I nearly lost him, and now you're being...weird! Well weirder than usual!" he continued...

"And another thing, I tell you I love you like months ago and I have yet to hear you say it! I mean do you even feel it??? Am I just a bit of fun to you? One kiss and 'I'm very fond of you Andrew!' and I'm supposed to what? Be grateful???"
"Andrew..." but he still wasn't finished!

"I've gotta tell you Charlotte, I've never been in a relationship before! I've never slept with a woman before! I'm laying my whole life on the line here! I'm telling you things that I haven't told a single, solitary soul...not even Dex or Ash!!!"
"Andrew..." he STILL wasn't finished!

"Charlotte I want to be with you! I love you! This is a big deal for me! I'm a patient man but this is just too much! I can't handle being given the brush off for no goddamn reason, I won't take it I..."
"ANDREW JOSEPH MITCHELL!!!" Charlotte screamed at the top of her voice as he became deathly silent.

"What?" he squeaked in surprise.
"I am sorry for my behaviour. When you stayed here on my couch I admit that my feelings for you were getting stronger! I was liking you more and more and it...it frightens me!"

"Don't you think I'm frightened too?" he gave her a pleading stare.

"Yes Andrew, I know that now! But when I told you a while ago that there were things you needed to know...well...I was married a long time ago and he used me very badly for my father's money! He humiliated me and left me broken beyond repair...or so I thought!"

"Until you declared that you liked me and you wanted to spend time with me! I felt human again, I felt wanted, loved, cherished! But I got scared! And I am truly ashamed of my behaviour!" she looked down at the ground as Drew came closer and took her hands in his.

"Oh Char! I love you! I will NEVER EVER hurt you like that! I'll protect you forever!" 

He gave her a shy kiss...

...and she pulled him in for a longer, more passionate one! They knew where they stood with each other and it was going to be okay!

"You've...never slept with a woman before?" Charlotte gasped, finally his speech was sinking in as Drew blushed, and Charlotte giggled. "Andrew? I do love you! Of course I do! But just in case you didn't know...I thought I would tell you!"

"Thank you Char!" Drew grinned happily and pulled her in for another kiss.

Lainie arrived home to a more caring and comforting Alex. "How is he?" he asked, sounding more concerned than the last time.
"He..." Lainie choked back a sob but the tears came anyway.
"Lainie?"

"He can't remember me Alex!" she cried as Alex pulled her close.

"Shh, shh now baby! It's okay! It's gonna be okay!" 

Alex tried to soothe her as he rubbed her back looking like the supportive boyfriend, but deep down he was glad that Dex didn't remember her...

...and a wicked smile appeared on his face!

Oh he's a bad 'un! Lol! What will happen next? Dex gets out of the hospital next chapter, will anything about the diner or the flats jog his memory??? :/