Annie was released from hospital on the morning of the next day.
As the nurse pushed her on a wheelchair down the corridor, Annie thought. All night, she had been going through her memories to recall as much as she could about her past when she realized that she really needed to think to remember something. Information that she wanted was not at the tip of her finger - she had to go look for it.
It was as if the filing system for her memories was all messed up. Could it be that her memory was thrown all over the place by her accident?
The nurse wheeled her out of the building to a red sedan parked just outside the entrance. A lady waiting there opened the back door for her. She had a round face and her blond hair was tied into a ponytail. She wore a pair of stylishly slim glasses. As the lady helped her into the car, Annie looked up at the distantly familiar face. "Thank you, Mother."
"You're welcome," Mother smiled gently before thanking the nurse. She then entered the driver's seat and started the engine.
"Mother?" Annie asked as the car moved, "Have I always call you 'Mother'?"
Mother shrugged. "Call me whatever you like, honey," she replied evasively.
Annie knew at once she had another exam answer 'mostly correct'.
Outside the window, Annie could see that the city sidewalks were crowded with people. Was it not school time now? Oh yes, the people on streets were grown-ups going about their daily business. Office people, shop customers, delivery people, a few tourists, the occasional police, maintenance crew, a lunatic waving an assault rifle... Wait, what!?
She immediately looked back but could not find that lunatic. Maybe it was her imagination.
"Annie," Mother started, "sorry that I've been so busy lately that I've been neglectful of you."
"It's okay, Mother," Annie told her.
"Why don't we spend some time together today?" Mother suggested, "We've got time before we have to pick up Carrie."
"Okay, Mother. What shall we do?"
"Oh, we'll think of something."
Annie noted her mother's office dress. "Mother, do you have work today?"
"I had to go to the plant earlier to settle an emergency." She glanced at her daughter with a smile. "Don't worry, I switched shifts with a colleague so we have the day to ourselves."
During the lull in their conversation, Annie decided on another test: what did her house look like? It was a large white brick house... two stories high, red tiled roof. Garage for four cars... wait, four cars!? No, her family had three cars. Father, Mother and Big Sis each had one. Second Sis had a bicycle in there.
The letter box was grayish blue. The driveway was cement. The lawn was green - what lawn was not green anyway? Unless it snowed... had it snowed regularly? Annie could not remember.
They were already in the suburban area. Compared to the city earlier, the neighborhood was quiet. The children were in school, the adults were at work (except for Mother) and the elderly were resting indoors. It was a cold winter day with a clear sunny sky.
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