Archive of Our Own ^beta

She shouldn’t be here, for so many reasons.  Past and present.  Her own actions.  Her husband’s actions.  Secrets.  How was one small town so full of so many secrets?

As nursing facilities went, it was one of the nicer ones.  She knew that.  Too well, almost.  The receptionist gave a pleasant smile, though there was concern behind her eyes, upon seeing her. “Sheriff Valenti, is everything alright?”

“Just here to see a friend.”  She assured her, signing her name into the book on the desk.  Trying not to think about how, just a few years ago, she’d been signing into the same facility almost daily.  She was strangely grateful that her trip was taking her to a different wing, even though - deep down - she knew the real problem was that she was taking the trip at all.

The room was filled with things brought there to give it a home quality.  The blanket on the bed, the pictures on the nightstand, the crystals on the windowsill.  It was all unintentional, she knew, but the choices took her back to a different time.  To a small studio apartment that the young woman who had decorated the room wouldn’t even remember.

Mimi turned from the window, her eyes hazy.  “Michelle?”

“Mimi.”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Where’s your husband?”

The words were two-fold painful.  She’d heard, of course, about the memory loss.  This was her first time really seeing it.  She wondered what year Mimi thought it was.  “He’s on patrol.”

“Of course, he is.”  Mimi’s tone was doubtful.

Had she known about Helena?  If so, why hadn’t she told her?  But she supposed that was an unfair question to ask.  “How are you?  How’s Maria?”

“Growing up so fast.  How’s Kyle?”  

“He’s doing well. More like his father every day.”

“That a good thing?”

“...Mimi-”

“That wasn’t fair. I’m sorry.”  The other woman moved away from the window to sit in one of the chairs, watching her.

It was probably more fair than she knew.  She moved forward to sit across from her, leaving just the small table between them.  “I miss you.”

Mimi took a moment to answer.  “We ended up where we were meant to be”

“So you've said before.”

There was another pause, and then she was reaching out a hand that she took without hesitation. “Do you remember the last night?”

“I remember we met at nine.”

“That’s because you were late.”

“It was a beautiful night.”

“It rained.”

She laughed at the quips, gazing at her gently.  “You were beautiful.”

“Gold looked good on you.”  Mimi told her.

“I was dressed in blue.”

“I was dressed in gold.”

“...yes, you were.”  She squeezed her hand.

Mimi glanced down at them, flipping over her palm and tracing the lines.  Her amused smile faded, and when she looked up her eyes were clearer, but had a shine of unspent tears.  “Oh, Michelle.”

“Will Kyle be alright?”  She asked her.

Mimi closed her eyes, took a breath, and glanced down at her palm again.  “He’ll make it through.”

She nodded.  “That’s all I need to know.”

Mimi closed both hands over her one, holding on tightly.  “I remember it, you know.  Every moment.”

She wouldn’t for long, but she didn’t have the heart to tell her that.  “Me too.”