From nothing to everything

rt

of chilled orange juice enjoying the sweet flavor and pulp, then checked that the toaster was ready. With

the first up in the morning,

wling bungalow-style home, and into his bedroom. Dad was sound asleep, uncovered from the wa

d.” With no response and a tickle of worry, she shoved his

ay! Time to get

a strange expression she’d never seen before. He s

“Stop kidding ar

fear wormed into her, her heart beating faste

ho are

en he didn’t respond, she asked,

n’t k

year i

n’t k

s your

ion. She didn’t like the confusion in his eyes or

ressed RIGHT NOW, Dad! We’re going to the h

chelle yelled, fear mak

tion room as a neurosurgeon flashed a penlight in

ho the Prime Minis

Dad answered.

were yo

’t rem

r intensified, her heart thumping, her hands damp.

,” the surgeon said. “There could be a blood

the surgeon could answer, Dad glanc

er eyes before tears could

d a seat in the waiting room. The doctor had told her it would

obviously injured, some in pain, family members distraught, one wife chastising her

aded to be replaced by fear. What had happened to his br

re. Sure, he was a pain and bugged her about her school grades. He worked far too hard and long, long hours. And she didn’t like the chores he made her do when she’d rather be out with her f

with her as she wanted. But he was

ted, sitting on the hard plas

Je

e was youngish, about Dad’s age - mid thirties - with sharp, int

up. “Is h

e turned slightly towards her. “The good news is your fath

t’s wrong

ion softened. “The brain is a mystery to us, even today. We know a little about it, but there are still mysteries we don’t understand

rstand,” Mich

cribe how to ride a bike - we call that semantic memory - but he can’t remem

n’t remember

keeper of his memories. All he’ll know

the news. “Will he ev

gh. He might wake up tomorrow with all his memories back

ushed the tears away. “He didn

y not to inundate him with information. He’s grappling to come to terms with his condition. Just b

ed, looking d

en injured?” th

f a ladder and was unconscious for a lon

as he uncon

n I came home from school.” Glancing at the docto

If it was a couple of years ago, it probably

Come. He’s waiting. Y

ell'

stranger looked back at me. The void in my mind terrified me; a hole th

just as lost. It was in his pale grey eye

hesitant

the girl who woke me up. The girl who said she was my daug

a cosmic joke on m

e softer and fi

irl, I asked, “Are yo

n her cheeks, and I felt worse for making her hurt desp

y of Asian descent; short, petite, delicate, and very slender. I strained to see any

oving, her eyes studying me. I s

you say yo

e,” she

’s my

ll Rob

Neither o

we should go ho

no

amiliar. The city, or town, was neat, clean, with retail strip malls giving way to residential neighborhoods, s

a huge plot backing onto a stand of trees. Ocher brick. Shingled roof. Wide double front doors. A detached two car garage to the side. Th

use, the taxi pulled away.

e a wife?

Mom died fiv

sense of loss. That terrified me even more.

y, I said

tefully decorated. There were halls to the left and right. Across from me, floor to ceiling windows looked out onto the well-maintained back garden, a shed at the back to the left,

ide tables with framed pictures on them. I hesitated. Michelle stood

as of me with a petite Asian woman at my side and a child of seven or eight - Michelle. The

n ache of loss. I wanted to remember

r name?” I a

iste

uch. “I’m sorry. I do

ment of silence, she asked, “Would

odd

, wearing unfamiliar pajamas that didn’t feel right, I stare

estions. How old was I? Had I been happy? What career did I have and was I even good at it? Simple things we

nd brush my teeth. But I didn’t know if I owned a car. I couldn’t remember actually driving one. I di

’t know what she expected of me. Was I a hugger? Had I been a good f

e house. In some ways, this was worse than losing Mom. At least with Mom, she was gone. Da

n her life. Before, he was always there, her

the same. Every familiar expression was no more. This dad was a stranger. And w

on, the rock tethering her to life, always dependable, alwa