Forget It

She was in a tunnel. Walls pulsating with music, light and pain. Lolly opened her eyes, trying to escape, but immediately wanted to shut them. Her vision was filled with sparkling pink latex stretched across the gyrating hips of a man that appeared to be giving her a lap dance.

“Who are you?” she shouted.

“Relax,” the man cooed. “Enjoy your last night of freedom!”

He swung his muscular thigh over her head and stuck a landing position that had his ass inches from her face. He began to twerk. Latex bobbed closer and closer until…she was falling.

The audience screamed. Lolly fell on the floor, her legs up, and a rhinestone covered wedge flew off her foot and into...

The stripper screamed, grabbing his groin and rolling on the floor. This is like a straight-to-DVD comedy, Lolly thought.

A girl, wearing the same rhinestone wedges Lolly noted, appeared by her side.

“Oh my god, are you okay?”

“I don’t know! Where am I?” Though the answer was obvious. What she really wanted to ask was Who am I?

“Um, at your bachelorette party. Did you hit your head or something?”

Lolly began gasping for air. She looked up into this girl’s eyes, this stranger, and felt the sting of tears.

“Okay, it’s going to be okay.” The girl assured her as she helped her to stand and guided her off stage. Outside the night air was heavy, but Lolly gulped it in anyway.

The girl opened the door of a blue sedan, and Lolly was half way inside before she thought to ask, “Where are you taking me?”

“I think we should go to the hospital.”

Lolly considered for a moment. “Me too.”

For the second time that night, a man was in Lolly’s face. This time with a flashlight shining in her eyes.

“Has this happened before?” He asked the other girl, who Lolly had learned on the drive over was named Jessica.

“I mean, she’s been having headaches. But we thought it was from the stress of the wedding.”

“Well, congratulations,” he exclaimed to Lolly.

“Thanks?”

The doctor sighed, “Well Miss Daniel, you seem to be in perfect health. Your tests came back with no issue. I think this is a case of Transient Global Amnesia.”

“You think? Doc, I can’t remember anything. I can’t remember whoever I am supposed to be marrying. I can’t even remember this girl.”

“Hey!” Jessica protested.

“Sorry, it’s true!”

“Look, you need rest. And a follow up Monday at the latest.”

“She’s going to be on her honeymoon!”

Lolly’s stomach turned. Honeymoon?

“When she returns then. Her memories will probably start resurfacing before then anyway.”

“Probably? Doc, did you steal that white coat and decide to have some fun tonight?”

“Funny,” he pursed his lips and made a note on her chart. Probably that she was a sarcastic bitch. That chart knew more about her than she did.

Lolly walked in a daze toward the exit. Sliding glass doors hummed as they admitted the patients. First a mother and son with a broken arm. A pregnant woman waddling like a duck in her yellow nightgown, her husband hovering over her as if she might break. A tall lanky blonde man sprinted through the doors next. He had an odd expression on his face. His left eyebrow was arched, as if he’d just said something ironic, but Lolly realized it was frozen there. Bam! He slammed into her, wrapped his arms around her, lifted and squeezed.

“Hello?” she wheezed.

“Baby, I was so worried.”

Lolly scowled at Jessica over his shoulder.

“Sorry, I called him when you were in the bathroom. She’s going to be okay Wulfrick.”

Wulfrick!? Lolly mouthed. Jessica shrugged.

“Thanks Jessica. I really appreciate you taking care of my baby-boo. I’ll take it from here.”

“Take it from here?”

“Of course sweetums, you’re coming home with me. I’ll help you remember.” He meant to be suggestive, but Lolly couldn’t stop looking at the eyebrow.

“Good i-” Jessica started, but Lolly hurried to interrupt her.

“No!” she cleared her throat, and did her best to look at this Wolfman with something other than a grimace. “No, I should go home and rest.”

“Are you sure, pookie?” He cocked his head, and the sight almost made Lolly choke.

“Which one is me?” Lolly gazed out at the apartment building. Jessica pointed at a door on the second floor.

“You sure you want to be alone?”

“No, but I’d rather be alone than be alone with Wolfgang Eyebrow.”

“Fair. You know I’d stay, but Blake texted me!” She smiled expectantly, and quickly deflated. “Oh yeah, you wouldn’t remember. Hard to believe anyone could forget that ass”

Lolly felt like a bad friend. “Hey, be it beyond me to stand between you and a nice ass!”

“Yeh?” Jessica said hopefully.

“Yeh. Maybe being home with my things will help me remember.”

“Well, most of it is in boxes now.”

“Boxes?”

“Yeah. You’ll be moving in with your husband.”

“Oh right, my husband. Jessica?”

“Yeah?”

“You know me. Better than most. Tell me the truth. Am I in love with Wulfrick?”

She’d expected Jesica to laugh. But the only sound was the low hum of the motor. Lolly turned from the window to her friend. Jessica’s face was drawn in a frown, something she’d begun to realize was a rarity for her friend.

“You were head over heels in college. There was some weirdness after you met his parents. But then he went on that fly fishing trip. Who would have thought it could be hazardous? And you know that med student convinced him he could handle the stitches. By the time they made it back to civilization the brow had begun to set. Two years later your engaged and the med student dropped out of school.” She cocked her own brow in emphasis.

“The truth is Lolly, I’m not sure if you love him. Or if you pity him. But, silver lining?”

“Yes, please.”

“It isn’t too late to set up a go-fund-me for corrective surgery.”

“Thanks.”

“And, there’s always the dresses to consider.”

“Dresses?”

“Oh yeah. Back when you met his parents, that’s when you learned that Wulfrick is the heir to none other than the Discount Dress Den’s of the greater Houston area!”

“No.”

“Yes. And his mother provided all the dresses for the wedding.”

“How bad is it?”

“Let’s just say these dresses were already discounted in the eighties. But don’t worry, you may not recall but you love Madonna, and who doesn’t love a themed wedding?”

Lolly shook her head, chuckling, “I’m glad we’re friends.”

“Me too.”

“Have fun with Blake’s ass,” Lolly called as she closed the car door.

Jessica rolled down the window and yelled, “I plan to!”

The apartment was filled with boxes. Lolly bent and retrieved the mail on her door mat. There she was, envelope after envelope, Lolly Daniel 725 Oak Lawn #52 Houston, Texas.

She flipped past bills, a voter registration card, and paused when she came to a letter. A genuine letter from Lace Gibson, 62 Maple Hollow Road Guilford, CT 06437. The cursive twisted and curled across the paper. Lolly opened it, urious to see what she’d learn about herself.

Dear Lolly,

God I miss you. How has it been two years? How did we let that happen? I blame you. Guatemala? Could you have gotten further away from me? I know you love Jesus, but He lives in Connecticut too, you know.

Lolly didn’t think she was a religious person. She must repent. A lot.

I like the letter writing thing though. You were never going to escape me, even if you did move somewhere with no internet or phone lines. Now it’s a tradition.

I’m still not sure if my parents really wanted to visit exotic Houston or if they were just tired of my missing you. Either way, I’m coming! Yeehaw!

Be prepared. Frank and Franco are to join us. Apparently the Everetts can’t escape couples with similar names. They are married now. Got hitched in Vegas. Can you imagine falling in love with someone who can’t even speak your language? When grinder and google translate combine, you get…a modern day gay romance! I imagine them spending their evenings, side by side, the da-ding of their duolingo lessons propelling them toward a future that includes conversations.

Speaking of, how’s your love life chica?

Lolly sighed, thinking of Wulrick.

Mine’s dismal. Maybe I should date women. What do you think? And Chace. You know Chace. Forever the bachelor.

My flight lands late Friday, but I will be there as soon as I can. Dinner is at six though, and you know how my mom is. Do NOT be late!

Lolly felt better. It seemed she had decent people in her life. She walked to her kitchen closet and pulled a shoebox from the top shelf. Inside were more letters and cards. This must be where she stored them. She hadn’t even thought about it, just remembered.

Lolly pulled a Christmas card out. A family sat on a couch in front of a Christmas tree. They wore stockings on their heads like hats. Lolly turned the card upside down so that she could read the names embroidered on the ruching. Seeing her, she liked Lace even more. A confident all American girl whose eyes were crossed and had a tongue protruding from perfect pink lips. A woman named Bobby, the presumed mother of the family, sat in the middle of the couch like a queen. Her smile was huge and sparkling. Bobby’s arm was wrapped around a slight man named Robert. His lips were pursed, his head cocked, and his eyes looked up at his wife adoringly.

If Wulrick looked at her that way, even with the eyebrow, it wouldn’t be all bad.

Two men, one with dark hair and a mustache, and one with a red shag, sat on the floor. Their

limbs were entwined, and the dark haired man was offering his cheek to the other for a kiss.

“Frank and Franco,” Lolly chuckled.

Bobby and Robert. Chace and Lace. Frank and Franco. Belonging to any other family, the names would have annoyed Lolly. But who was she to judge, with a name like hers. Plus, the Everetts had a comedy about them that made the naming convention endearing.

Then there was Chace. Lolly admitted that she liked Lace’s features on the broad shouldered muscular body. She liked them a lot.

Lolly looked from the card in her hand to her refridgerator. It was covered in pictures and momentos, yet to be packed. Prime and center was a save the date.

Join us in Celebrating

Lolly Daniel

& Wulfrick VanAldenburg

Saturday, April 24th 4:00 PM

Lolly groaned, and just in case she was religious, sent up a quick prayer that she was keeping her maiden name.

She glanced down at the family in her hands. At least she had tomorrow with the Everetts.

Dingdong. Lolly shifted from foot to foot. In the crook of her arm was a 1.5 liter bottle of merlot. It felt like she had brought a boos baby to the party.

The door opened, and Bobby’s dazzling smile greeted her.

“Hey Bobby!” Lolly tried to sound familiar. A look of confusion clouded Bobby’s face. “I know Lace isn’t getting in until later, but she warned me not to be late.”

“Ah,” Bobby nodded her head, not totally sold, but stepped aside. “Come on in.”

Lolly removed her coat, passing the wine baby from arm to arm, and realized Bobby had been holding out her hand to take it the entire time.

“Thanks! There was a sale.”

“Apparently.”

In the dining room Robert, Frank and Franco were seated at the table. All of them staring at Lolly.

“Surprise!” She laughed. “I’m guessing Lace didn’t tell you all I was coming.”

“No, she didn’t” chimed Robert, looking questioningly at his wife.

Frank motioned to the vacant chair across from him, “Have a seat, doll.”

Franco drawled, “Hola, señora…?”

Lolly realized they may not have met. “Hola, me…llamo Lolly.”

“Oh, mucho gusto, señorita Lolly. ¿Habla español?”

“That means, very good Miss Lolly. Do you speak English?” Frank explained, obviously proud of his duolingo prowess.

“Aaah,” the table responded, looks of confusion passing among them. Maybe she was closer to Lace than the rest of the family.

“Solo un poco.” Something told Lolly that her knowledge of Spanish was barely high school level.

“Bueno, es un placer conocerla.”

“That means, Very good, it is nice to meet you.” Franco kissed Frank on the cheek.

“Um…Estoy… excitada de conocerlo.”

Franco laughed.

“I don’t understand?” Frank was frustrated that he didn’t get the joke.

“Oh, this means, she is excited to meet me but more like, she thinks me very…um…atractivo?”

“Atractive!” Frank exclaimed.

“Sí, mi amor, muy atractivo.” Franco leaned in to kiss his husband.

“Get a room!” Bobby shouted, but also leaned into her husband and pecked him on the cheek.

“¡Estoy…embarazada!” Lolly laughed at her mistake.

Frank and Franco looked at one another and then exclaimed “¡Felicidades!”

“Congratulations?” Lolly asked.

“Embarazada means you are going to have baby, seniorita!”

Now that the entire table was in on the joke, they laughed together.

And then the door to what must have been the kitchen opened. Chace walked in with a platter of hor d'oeuvres. The table ooh’d and aah’d, but Lolly couldn’t stop staring at Chace and he was staring at her. Was it always this way between them? Lolly did not think she was a ‘love at first sight’ kind of girl.

“Oh, Lolly,” Bobby said. “Your glass is still empty dear, what can I get you? I’d pour you a glass of the wine you brought, but it is going to take a while to chill that tank.”

“I’ll help myself,” she grabbed her wine glass and stood, glad to leave the room.

In the kitchen she filled her wine glass to the brim, and sighed against the counter. The wine trickled down her throat. She thought of Chace’s eyes on her, and a flush trickled down her body.

The door opened. And the flush began to boil. Chace walked across the room. She couldn’t move

“So,” he said, leaning on the counter next to her.

“So,” she echoed.

“What are we going to do about this?”

Lolly swallowed and licked a drop of wine from her lower lip. She thought she heard Chace groan. “This?”

But before he could answer, the back door banged open. And in walked Lace.

“Sis!” Chace exclaimed, pulling her into him. “You’re early!”

“I got an early flight! I couldn’t wai–” She looked at Lolly, here eyebrows furrowing.

“Who is this?” she asked.

“Your friend?” Chace offered.

Lolly’s eyes widened in concern.

“I have no idea who that is.”

Lolly tried not to cry. This had been the first place, the first people that felt right since she’d closed and opened her eyes on that stage the night before.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Lace reached out, grasping Lolly’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Chace grasped the other.

Lolly looked from the girl who she’d been sure was her close friend, to the man she’d instantly fallen for less than ten minutes ago. And, she told them everything.

By the time she’d finished, the family had joined them in the kitchen.

“My god baby, what you’ve been through!” Bobby hugged her. “I know I should have told you that I didn’t know you but you have such a great set of teeth!”

“She’s a dentist,” Robert explained.

“I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have come here and, well, crashed the party if I had known that I didn’t know you.”

“I can’t believe there’s another Lolly Daniel in the world,” Lace interjected.

“And they both live in Houston.” Robert added.

“That’s the last time we use google to track down an address!” Bobby laughed.

“Tuvo que ser el destino,” Franco said with a flourish of his hand.

“That means, it must have been destiny!” Frank explained.

“We know!” they all laughed, patting Frank on the back.

The room grew quiet, and one by one the Everetts looked at Lolly.

Finally, Chace asked, “What are you going to do?”

She swallowed. It was a loaded question.

“I don’t know.”

That morning of the wedding, Wulfrick called Lolly. He was excited, and she hated to admit it, sweet. She could see why she’d hesitated to break it off, despite the eyebrow.

And the dresses. She itched at her neckline.

The organ begin to play, her resolve waned.

“Jessica?”

“Yes?” Her friend popped into view behind her, wearing a skin-tight fuschia bodycon dress.

“Am I doing the right thing?”

“I don’t know.”

Lolly closed her eyes. Maybe she’d forget again.

“But,” Lolly opened her eyes. “What I do know is that in the last couple of days you have asked questions I wished you would have asked for years. I know we don’t believe in destiny but maybe, just maybe, you lost your memory…this is going to sound cheesy…so you could remember who you are.”

“That is cheesy,” Lolly smiled. “When did you get so wise?” Jessica hugged her. Or, she at least hugged the fabric between them.

“I’m…going…to go?”

“I’ve got this handled,” Jessica assured. But you’re never getting out of here unnoticed in that dress.”

Lolly sped down the highway in the white convertible. Material Girl blasted from radio, and the fuschia gown with heels to match felt on point.

She wasn’t sure where she was going, but Lolly saw the exit sign for Chace Parkway, she remembered something from the night before.

Chace had taken her phone and saved his number there.

“Just in case you remember me later,” he’d said.

And so, she dialed the number. Far be it from her to defy destiny.