Love Without Eyes Chapter Twenty Seven

Lucia pulled over at Peace General Hospital and got out, grinning all over. She felt lighthearted. Soon, she was going to tell Ted everything and they would be happy together. And it certainly felt good to come back here…where it all started. The memories flashing in her mind nearly tears to her face. She was the one who held Ted’s hand when he came in…threatening to die. She remembered how scared how he was when his sight was failing; how he played the guitar for her and got her flowers.
“I think I’m in love with her, doc,” Ted told Dr. Grant.
“Monique, so soon? What about Lucia?”
“Lucia…isn’t coming back, doc. She’ll always have a place in my heart, no doubt but I have to move on. She’s like a sweet angel in my dreams but I can’t live in my dreams forever, I definitely have to wake up. And in my reality, it is Monique. It is just ironic that both ladies have the same surname. Isn’t that a bit weird?”
Dr. Grant shifted in his seat. “So…Monique hasn’t told you yet?”
“Told me what?”  

“Lucia!” Lucia turned to find her colleague Cindy. They hugged.
“It has been a while, dear. What are you also doing here? Did you two plan a reunion?” Cindy asked Lucia.
“What are you talking about?”

“Did I just hear someone call Lucia? Did she come back and you didn’t tell me, doctor?” Ted asked as he got up.
“No, she never came back. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ted walked out of the office and looked around.

“Your patient lover, Ted.”
“What do you mean? Is Ted here?”
“Yes, Lucia…he’s in Dr. Grant’s office.”
“Lucia?”
Lucia turned at the sound of her name and the sight of Ted made her want to faint but her legs refused to give her away. He walked towards them with slow steps. Lucia swallowed hard.
“It is so nice to have you two back,” Cindy said cheerfully. Ted stood right in front of a slightly trembling Lucia.
“Could you please give us a minute?” Ted asked firmly but politely, his eyes fixed on Lucia. “Sure. Don’t leave without saying goodbye to me, okay Lucia?” “Sure.”
She walked away.
“What are you doing here?” He asked coolly.
“I came to see Dr. Grant.”
“Why, are you ill?”
“Oh no, I just came over to say hi.”
“Why did she call you Lucia?” “Ted…I can explain.”
“Just tell me why she called you by that name.”
“Because that’s her name,” Dr. Grant replied. Ted turned to look at him.
“What about Monique, is that your undercover name?”
“No; it is my name too.” Ted glanced at the doctor for confirmation.
“That’s true. I remember her name in the files to be Lucia M. Baker.”
“And you knew that I never saw your face when I was here, right?” She nodded.
“So why didn’t you say anything when we first met outside?”
“Can we please take this conversation a place more private?” Dr. Grant suggested. “I’m listening.”
“The accident I got myself involved in caused me to lose my memories so I didn’t know you to be you when we first met.”
“Ted, please…” the doctor insisted. They all walked into his office.
Dr. Grant sat whiles Ted and Lucia stood.
“Sit down, please.”
“I’m good,” Ted replied, looking at Lucia.
“I regained them not so long ago.”
“Exactly when is ‘not so long ago’?”
“About three months, I think.” Ted looked at Dr. Grant.
“So when I brought her to meet you, you knew who she was?”
“I told him not to tell you anything,” Lucia answered in his defense.
“Why?”
“I wasn’t ready. I didn’t think it was a good idea. You were back together with Anita and you seemed happy. I didn’t want to ruin that.”
“Seemed happy? Hello lady, have you met me? You’ve been around us this whole time. For goodness’ sake, I even confided in you with the fact that I didn’t love Anita and that I only loved Lucia.”
“I know…and I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what exactly, Lucia? For watching me struggle to love someone even to the extent of allowing me to go the altar and get married? How heartless could you be?!” Ted exclaimed.
“It wasn’t my intention to hurt you. I didn’t know exactly what I hoped to achieve by bringing up the past when it was obvious that you had moved on.”
“That is no excuse. I fell in love with you twice…one without eyes and the other, still blinded with your second name and each time you refused me. Why?”
“It is not like that, Ted.”
“Did you have anything to do with our parents agreeing on the McLean project outcome?”
“No, I didn’t. It was a surprise to me as well.”
Ted paced around a few times with intermittent chuckles. “Wow…I kept praying that Lucia would come to me but she was near me all this while. No wonder I felt the way I did right from the minute we met. I can’t believe this.” He stopped and looked at her.
“You told your boyfriend to tell me to leave you alone, didn’t you?”
“What boyfriend?”
“When you disappeared after your accident, I went to meet your friend and I asked him to give you a message and he told me that you didn’t want anyone from your past to come bothering you…and that I should move on.” “Allen?”
“Yeah, that’s him,” Dr. Grant confirmed.
“Oh no. That can’t be.”
“Did you?”
“No, I don’t even remember my time with him in the past. Why would he say that?”  
“So that I wouldn’t come back looking for you.”
“I had no idea.”
“It still doesn’t clear you in any way, Lucia or Monique or whatever you want to call yourself.”
“I know…I didn’t want to disrupt your re-adjusted life. I was planning on doing that soon though.”
“Well sorry you didn’t get to do it your way. And I must say I’m disappointed in you, doctor. You knew how much I was suffering from this whole Lucia missing drama but you kept quiet and watched me. You two are heartless,” Ted said and turned to walk away.
“Ted please…”
“And I don’t want to see your double-self anywhere around me.” He walked out. Lucia turned a teary face towards Dr. Grant.
“It was bound to happen sooner or later.” Lucia sat.
“He’s going to hate me.”
“Yeah for a while but he’ll come around. He’s loved you this much for a while. It just can’t go away especially when the two women he was in love with turned out to be the same person.”
“I’m not so sure.”  

Lucia Baker and Monique Baker…the very same person. Why didn’t he think of that possibility? He recalled hearing someone call Lucia’s name after a meeting with McLean and he had mistaken her to be the secretary. It must have been Mr. Baker calling her daughter. And at the mall…it must have been her and Allen. That jerk… Why would she look on and even escort Anita to the altar to marry him? Doesn’t she love him like he does? He fell in love with her twice…with and without eyes. Tears filled Ted’s eyes.