A Lost Memory by Steve Miller, Lizzy Stevens Page A

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                  Alley watched Doctor Monroe glanced up at her mother who gave a slight shake of her head.
    “Alley , these things take time. Don’t bother yourself with all of these details right now. You’ve been in a coma for a week. We don’t want to overload your brain with all these details. Your memory will come back in time, and if it doesn’t then we will cross that bridge when we get to it. For now I want you to take it easy. Get lots of rest and when you’re feeling better take a walk. It’s beautiful this time of the year and the fresh air will do you good.”
                  Alley was more confused than ever now.  She thought that seeing the doctor would help her figure out who she was and what was going on, but instead he was no help at all. What are they hiding? I’ve been in a coma for a week, but I’m not in a hospital?
    She watched as her mother walked the doctor to the door.
                  When the doctor walked out, Alley said, “Mom, help me remember.”
                  Her mother approached, a worried expression on her face. She fidgeted with a string on her shirt avoiding Alley’s eyes. “Alley, you heard the doctor. We can’t push you.”
                  “I know, Mom, but I want to know at least a few things about myself like what is my full name? For that matter, what is your name? Where do we live? What month is it? What year is it?”
                  “Alley, slow down, honey. You’re going so fast that I can’t keep up.” Her mom chuckled. “Okay, I’ll help you a little, but we can’t overdo it. Your name is Allison Marie Anderson. You prefer Alley. My name is Catherine Anderson.  Its springtime and the month of April.” Catherine reached out for her daughter’s hand. “The doctor’s right, it’s beautiful this time of the year. When you’re up to it we’ll get outside and maybe something will jog your memory. As for the year it’s 2012, and we live in a small town called Rock City. Now, I really think you should get some rest. We don’t want to push you too fast.”
                  “Okay. Thank you for filling in some of the blanks. My head is throbbing. I’m going to rest a little bit.”
                  Catherine leaned down and kissed her daughter’s forehead, pulled the blankets up to her chin and turned the lamp off beside the bed. She turned and blew Alley a kiss as she exited the room.
                  Alley quickly drifted off to sleep, but it wasn’t long before dream man re-appeared. Winter snow blanketed the ground.. She rode on the back of his sled going downhill after hill. She was laughing and had her arms wrapped around him. She was happy. At the bottom of the last hill he faced her, gently kissing her on the lips.  They rolled off the sled, the man grabbed the rope and they started back up the hill to go again. Dream man put his arm around Alley as she snuggled in closer to him. She could see the love in his eyes. Who was he? The dreams felt so real.
                  Alley come back to me. She heard him calling her. It wasn’t a dream. She could hear him plain as day, but it faded until she could hear it no more.
                  “Who are you?  How do you know me?” Alley called out in her sleep, but got no answer in return.
                  Alley’s eyes popped open to an empty room. Nobody was around and her dream man must be just that-- a dream. But why do I keep dreaming about the same man? Where have I seen him before? Maybe Mom knows.
     
                                                   * * *
     
                  The next morning Alley decided it was time to get out of bed and try to get her life back. She still had no memory of anything, but she intended to change that.
                  She followed the smell of bacon and