The Memory

She still couldn't shake the previous night's dream. It had been three years since the incident and she was the only one who knew the events that conspired that hot April night. The dream brought back memories of that night in the old slave quarters, about a quarter of a mile from the place she called home. The memories were too vivid and they had been flooding her mind all day. There was no way she was ever going to move on until she learned the truth.

In a small town, the less people take notice of someone, the better. At least that is what she believed before she met him. He was the one that would ultimately lead her to go against every moral fiber of her being.

He was just about the most beautiful creature she ever laid her vibrant green eyes on. When he smiled at her, she noticed a devilish twinkle in his eyes. That should have been enough to keep her from wanting to get any closer to him, but the devil has a way of reeling in the naïve. When he spoke, his words were enchanting. She hung on each and every word and allowed herself to be taken in by the promises and whispers of this man she barely even knew.

Her Christian upbringing of her young sixteen years made her hesitate briefly, but his trance like tone drew her in deeper. Before she had a chance to let reality surface again, he had stripped her of all her clothing and he showed her ecstasy in a level she never even dreamed existed. The passion and chemistry between their two bodies was enough to set an entire village on fire. Before the sun could wake her with its golden rays, he had already disappeared, but not without leaving a seed firmly planted within her.

As weeks passed after this one time encounter, she eventually could no longer hide the truth from herself. The memory of that night was growing within her, and in a small town, unmarried women just don't have memories without a husband. She didn't want to be the one they were whispering about.

No one thought anything of her wearing looser fit clothing. After all, no one had ever taken the time to get to know the woman behind the vibrant green eyes. She was just a plain Jane. A nobody. He had seen past the outside and she had let him briefly unmask the woman within. Once. It had been a mistake that would cost her dearly.

A little more than six and a half months after the lustful night, a pain unlike anything she had ever experienced, pierced across her stomach and through her back. It was way too early for this to be happening. In a panic, she headed to the only safe place she could think of. There was an old slave quarters about a quarter of a mile behind her house and no one had been there in years. She took off hoping to get there in time.

Shortly after she arrived, so did the memory, tiny and barely able to make a cry louder than a whimper. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the tiny creature. The poor little thing couldn't have much of a chance; she might have weighed four pounds at the most.

After cleaning herself up as best she could, she wrapped the innocent little bundle in the over shirt she had been wearing and drove it to town. She put it in a box and secretly dropped off the memory at the local hospital. She put the box near where a nurse was taking a dinner break and hid until she knew her memory had been found.

She left. Constant thoughts of what may have happened to the memory had haunted her through the years. Not one time had she ever dreamed as clearly as she did last night. She had seen her, three now, and the most amazing vibrant green eyes. They were her eyes. His smile. She was adorable. In the dream, she had reached her little hands out as if she wanted her to scoop her up into her arms.

What had she done? Was it possible the frail little memory had survived?

Older now, and more aware of the actions she had taken than day, she broke down in tears. She couldn't bear this regret any longer. It was time to come forward and take responsibility for the memories, the past, and the future. She would find out if her memory had survived. She wouldn't let the dream trouble her anymore. She was ready to face her reality now, no matter what the future would hold.