Penny Dropped
At first, everything seemed fine. She felt sure he loved her. He was so kind and sweet, so patient with her during her recovery. But why couldn’t she remember him?
Why weren't there any photos of them together around their house? She ignored all the warning signs until it was too late. Until her heart pounded as she stared at the terrifying truth within her hands.
Impending Doom
One moment was all it took to change Laura Baker’s life forever. It happened one fateful Sunday afternoon as she helped her friend set up a venue for an event outside.
It was stormy. The stressed team of coordinators raced to secure a tent over the beautifully decorated tables and chairs. Laura watched as three women struggled to erect the tent's big center pole. She should have reminded them to secure the safety latches to the ground, but she was preoccupied.
The Accident
She was thinking about the fight she had with her husband last night. She was still in shock and still angry. She never felt so betrayed in her life. How could she forgive him?
But before she could linger further, the sudden sound of gasps and screams snapped her out of her reverie. The last thing she remembers is hearing and feeling a loud thump.
Wide Eyes
She woke up in the hospital room. He was on the chair next to her, holding her hand. Panicked, she drew her hand away and pushed herself up onto the edge of the bed. “You’re awake”, he said.
He smiled warmly at her. “Who are you?”, she asked, terrified. “I’m Ben, Ben your husband”, he joked. Laura’s eyes widened. Then his eyes did the same. “Wait”, he said, “You really don’t remember me?”.
Strangers
All Laura wanted to do was call her parents and go home. What she didn’t remember was that her parents moved to Germany a long time ago. Her home was with her husband now.
Laura woke up thinking she was 17 years old. The last 10 years of her life simply vanished. She had no idea who this man was. She was weary of him, and for good reason.
The Beginning
They sat and talked for a while. He talked about their wedding day and when they met. He seemed to know a lot about her. In fact, he knew more about her than she did.
Once the doctor told them that she could go home tomorrow, he left to get the house ready for her. It was the perfect opportunity to prepare for the nightmare that was to unfold.
No Photos
Once Laura entered their modest house in a nice neighborhood. She tried to connect the pieces. The interior definitely seemed like something she’d choose but she didn’t remember buying or choosing any of it.
As she walked around, she noticed something strange. There were only a couple of photos of her around the house. There were no photos of her husband or couple photos. Something was wrong.
Slowly But Surely
As days passed, she tried harder to remember her past and her husband. But every morning she’d wake up screaming, petrified, or confused. He’d explain to her over and over again that he was her husband.
He was sweet, patient, and kind. She could feel that he really loved her. Slowly, she began to trust him. If only she knew who he really was.
A Step Too Far
They began to go on dates. They’d laugh and talk for hours. He proposed to her again, she said yes again. She finally felt like her world was making sense again. But the feeling was short-lived.
It was after he told her that she was a photographer that things really began to fall apart. If she’s a photographer, how were there no photos of him around the house? It became hard to ignore the little voice in Laura’s head that told her he was lying, that he wasn’t her husband.
Shocking Discovery
Perhaps doubts were always in her mind about him but now, she couldn’t ignore them anymore. She couldn’t blame her memory loss. She was staring at the evidence she held in her hand.
It was a wedding photo she found hidden away in a drawer in the house. A photo of her and another man. Her heart was pounding, palms sweating. Who had she just agreed to marry and why did he know so much about her?
A Misunderstanding
She ran to the bathroom and locked herself in. She needed time to think. She knew she wasn’t in danger. She felt like she knew him but then she realized it’s hard to know a liar.
She ran through different scenarios in her head. How would she deal with this? Should she call 911? Maybe it was all a crazy misunderstanding. Either way, she had to confront him.
The Truth Comes Out
That night, she confronted him. He said it started as a joke but then he got carried away. He fell in love with her and didn’t know how to tell her the truth, but that he was planning to. Then he told her everything.
He told her why her husband wasn’t here now, and why he was. As well as how he knew so much about her and them.
Full Disclosure
His real name was Brian. He was one of her husbands, Ben Baker’s, best friends. Turns out, he always liked Laura and knew her before Ben did. She was the one that got away.
He told her Ben sent him to take care of her since she told him she never wanted to see him again when she called things off. “He said you were angry, really angry this time. He thought it was over”. He continued.
Reunion
“You said things were over before the accident happened”. Then he took her hand and told her that he never meant to lie for this long. He was just scared he’d lose her. She told Brian to give her his phone, then she called her real husband and asked to meet him.
Two hours later, the real Ben Baker walked through the door.
Let Bygones Be Bygones
“Are you my husband?”, Laura asked. The man’s eyes welled up as he confirmed that he was. Laura listened as he explained what had happened and how they left things.
Laura then explained what had happened in the months past. They chatted for hours before Ben kicked his friend out of the house. Now, years later, they’ve rekindled their marriage and are happier than ever!