Chapter 2

The next couple of weeks were tough for both Anna and her brothers. On one hand, despite the painkillers she was taking, her injuries caused more pain than she could take. On the other hand, the nightmares kept chasing her every night. Sam and Adam took turns taking care of her, night and day. The night was the worst part, they would wake up to her screaming more than twice a night. Although the hospital provided consulting, it was of no use. Anna would see the accident again and again each time she closed her eyes, but by the time she woke up, everything would be erased from her memories. She was oblivious to her brothers, but Anna still felt guilty for them, Feeling their sadness and witnessing how hard they were trying for her sake, put her under more pressure, and made any progress in her condition even more difficult.

After almost three weeks in the hospital, the doctor let Anna go home, hoping she'd find more comfort in being home. After settling down, Adam showed Anna around the house, and they sat on the balcony for a bit of fresh air, Finally the time and the courage came to ask the questions she was too afraid to ask, and they were too afraid to answer. Anna was sitting on a couch next to Adam, and Sam facing her on an armed chair, She was the first to speak, though she tried to be composed, her voice wasn't when she asked - big brother, can you please tell me what happened the day of the accident? Adam took a deep breath, pulled her closer to him, and kissed her forehead. He was short of words. After it turned out that the amnesia was the result of a trauma, that Anna was trying to avoid the horrible fact she went through, The doctor was clear about how much she would be told, in order not to trigger the wrong things and make her status even worse. But even the few things he is allowed to say are as terrible as the details he'll drop. Adam was pulled out of his thoughts by Sam's voice, calling him "Adam... Anna is waiting. " He looked at her eager but scared eyes, gave her a faint smile, and replied, " Sorry baby girl" Anna nodded her head silently, a lump already building up in her throat, Adam continued "Mom was a reporter, that day she was taking you shopping after her work was done.... but for some reason, she was driving so fast, and that led to the accident.... her side, the driver side, took a hard hit that caused mom..." Adam couldn't finish, and Anna's suspicions were confirmed. All the passing time they kept telling her, each time she asked about her parents, that their mother was hurt in the same accident, but as time passed, she couldn't stop her thoughts from considering death. Simply only death would stop a mother from being by her kid's side in such a hard time. " She didn't make it, princess," Sam finished, wiping her tears, Anna looked him in the eyes and said, " Since we've got different fathers, where is my father Sam? It's been almost a month, but he is nowhere to be seen!!" Sam and Adam looked at each other. How would you tell a broken, hurt, little girl that her father didn't want her? He blamed her for the accident that took everything from her and wished her death. Adam cleared his voice and said, patting her head. "I've already told you that mom and your dad have been divorced since you were nine, still, Anna dear, your father loved mom more than anything or anyone else. Because of that, he is having the hardest time of his life trying to handle her death... he paused, looking at Anna's facials. She was focused, " Let's give him more time to accept his loss. Besides, Sam and I are here with you, isn't that enough?" Adam tried to add some fun, but Anna dropped herself in his arms and sobbed. She sobbed the terror and the disability, she's been feeling since she woke up in the hospital. Adam let her cry, pathing her back gently, till he felt her heavier and knew she had fallen asleep.

Within 3 months, Anna started to remember different details, such as her times with Sam and Adam, some things about school, about people she knew, her playing basketball, never anything about the accident though. The nightmares were less frequent. The only difficulty she dealt with was her stepfather. He didn't miss any chance to show his dislike for her and for the idea of having her under his ceiling. Anna could never forget when he and Adam fought because of her. That day, Thomas went out of his way to bother her by asking her to carry heavy boxes to the attic, Anna fell and twisted her wrist. Sam took care of her hand. She was in her room when she heard the loud voices, she came out to check it, and heard Tomas saying - it's been 8 months, you are ignoring your work, that you've just started, you're barely spending time with your 4 years old boy, Sam is supposed to be preparing to his graduation, but you simply put your lives on hold for her, she has a dad, she is his responsibility, not yours not mine if he doesn't want her, how are you expecting me to?" Thomas's words were harsh. Adam, who was already enraged by the hurt his sister got, was even more out of control - how could you do that to her? She is a kid!! What is it that you're hoping for? Ha! Adam was running around in circles like a captured lion - if you left mom alone ... Adam, Sam called trying to stop him, - stay out of it Sam, Adam yelled back, -do what you always do, and stay quiet. Sam backed off, Adam faced his dad and went on saying -You used us to force mom to divorce, you couldn't let her live a happy life with someone else, you blackmailed her and ruined a whole family, cause of your selfishness... because of you, that girl upstairs had a broken family, because of you mom ended up here working hard to take care of her kids by her own, if it wasn't for you mom could've been back home with her husband and kids instead of being buried... You can't blame Anna or anyone else. Cause it's rather your fault, you're the most to blame. Tomas was speechless. His son's words were like knives cutting into his heart. He fell on the sofa in weakness, Sam ran to him. Adam ignored him and went upstairs to Anna. He packed her things and went downstairs, holding her hand in his - Anna and I will be staying in my apartment from now on, I am taking Michael back from his grandmother tomorrow, In case you want to see any of us you know where to find us.

Though Anna felt more at ease with Adam and loved his kid, she felt guilty for separating him from his dad and brother. He already had lost his mom, and now... Anna agreed with Sam to make things better, and they did fix things up between Adam and Tomas. However, Adam insisted that he and Anna would stay at his apartment, and so they did.