True love never dies 24/
General information and disclaimer: Here
Summary: The story is about Camilla/Sofie. She has an opportunity to visit London after several years. She is there on an assignment and also to meet some new friends. However, destiny wants something more when she meets an old friend that causes her to have to confront the memory loss resulting from a surgery done a few years back. Not possessing any memory of the old friend or what sort of relationship they might have had, she only knows that she has seen him lately in films.
Previous Chapter; Intro-1, Chapter 2-3, Chapter 4-5, Chapter 6-7, Chapter 8-9, Chapter 10-11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23,
*Chapter 24*
Orlando’s pov
I heard the door open, looked up and felt every move I made was agony, even with the pain medication, so I tried to keep still. Seeing my friends and the unknown lady cheered me up. As they stood looking at us, their faces showed both relief and curiosity.
There was a moment of awkward silence before any of us dared to speak. When the woman asked how Sophie was doing, she did so in a whisper. Like me, she probably wanted to make sure we didn’t wake her, so we continued talking in low voices as to not disturb her rest.
“She’s okay. The doctor said it was a migraine, which they treated her for, and that they were sure that I had managed to save her from any major damage. They want to keep her in overnight for safety though.” I said, leaving out the fact that they would be undertaking tests in the morning.
“How about you?” Dominic asked.
“I didn’t think for a minute that saving her might put me in danger. The doctor said my guardian angel must have been watching over me. The x-ray didn’t show any damage, so my back should be fine, apart from a lot bruising and stiffness for a while.”
“The nurse told us that. Maybe I should rephrase the question,” Dominic said. “How did you come to know her? Is what Berlinda told us true, that you are an old boyfriend to Sofie?”
I watched Sophie sleeping for a moment. It looked like I wasn’t the only one she had confided in. Turning back to Dominic, I replied. “Yes, we used to be together. We first met back in ‘94 when she was over here on a visit. We fell in love, and we were together for a few years. Sadly we lost contact with each other just before I broke my back. I knew that I really loved her, and I’ve been looking for her ever since. I’d almost lost hope of ever seeing her again. I was so surprised and overjoyed when I bumped into her in Soho yesterday.”
More to himself than to me. Dominic asked. “She denied knowing you when I asked... Why?”
“Sofie told me she was confused and didn’t really have any memory of the time when we spoke earlier. I think she didn’t want to say yes or no,” Berlinda said, bring all eyes onto her. “What I know about her is that she finds it very hard to speak about things, especially if it has anything to do with the time she lost her memory. She said she hadn’t any personal memories about Orlando. She did admit that she knew him… you… well from your films.” She turned direct to me before continuing. “Orlando, what was it you said to her on the dance floor?”
“You mean before she threw her arms around me?” his reply sounded like both a question and a statement.
She nodded.
“I whispered a strophe from ‘Much ado about nothing’. Sophie loves Shakespeare, and we often read the play together. I’m sure it must have been the final proof to her that I was telling the true about us knowing each other, or more likely the first time she realised that she actually remembered our time together,” I smiled, “A true memory.”
“If you loved her that much, and have been searching for her, why have you never talked about her?” asked Dominic.
“You know a lot happened back in ‘98. In the beginning it was too hard since I missed her so much after loosing her. The pain was as great as the wound to my back had given me. I felt that speaking about her would open up the wound in my heart, and to prevent that wound from bleeding too much, I avoided talking about her. Although I think I might have slipped once in a while, but I would have called her by her old name, Camilla.”
“So this is the lass that you always talked about every time you get drunk?” Billy said and he continued, “That’s why I recognized the tattoo.”
“Billy, do you mean you’ve seen her photo?” I could tell Dominic wasn’t too happy about being left out.
“Yes. Orlando has a thumbed one in his wallet. Isn’t that right?” Billy turned to me.
I felt a blush creep up on me. “That’s right. Hopefully I can change that to a new one… soon.”
For some time the only sound in the room was that of our breathing, the silence only broken by the sound of someone walking along the corridor outside our room. I could lie there watching Sophie’s chest rise and fall with her breathing, taking in her features for a lifetime. I enjoyed watching her more and more with every second that passed. I began to realise that all my sleeping feelings for her were beginning to awaken.
“How did you lose her? It certainly looks like there are feeling between you.” Dominic asked, breaking the silence.
“It’s a long story. You know that she’s not English. It’s very hard sustaining a relationship with someone living in another country. We gave it a good try, and the first few years went really well, but things easily work their way in between you, especially if you are young, and believe you have all the time in the world in front of you. I was caught up in my studies, partying with friends, and before I realised what was happening, it becoming weeks in between calling or writing to her. I first realised I had lost touch with her when I broke my back. When I was fit enough, I began searching for her. I wanted her back, and was determined to find her. I was beside myself with worry when I couldn’t find her, and she was never far from my thoughts.”
“So, you mean that even when we were in New Zeeland you were still trying to find her?” Dominic persisted.
“Yes I did, even though it wasn’t easy. If I hadn’t kept trying I think I would have felt guilty.”
Next Dominic asked to see the photo, and when I didn’t want to move because of the pain, he took my wallet to get to the photos inside. Watching him go through them, back and forth until he decided he had stopped on the right one, made me smile. I hadn’t said anything about how different she now look.
Dominic held up a photo, asking, “Is this it?” After I confirmed that he was right, they all hung over it comparing it to Sophie. I could see what was going through their heads. Was the beautiful girl asleep in the hospital bed really that shorthaired, heavy girl in the picture?
“It is her. You’re a lucky guy.” Dominic finally stated. It sounded like he accepted he had lost something.
I asked him why he tried to hit me in the club. He and Billy then filled me in on what had taken place the previous evening. If I had stayed, this might not have happened. Dominic said he really thought he had a chance with Sophie, so seeing us together made him see red.
I was about to ask him what he was going to do now that he knew our history, but a movement from Sophie got my attention.
Chapter 25