They rushed inside.
Austin stood in the living room, pale and shaking.
“It’s happening again,” he whispered. “I feel it.”
Claraara’s heart dropped.
Austin clutched his head. “I’m slipping,” he said. “Please don’t let me disappear.”
Martins froze—because this time Austin was fully aware, and the memory loss was coming anyway.
Claraara stepped forward, tears streaming.
And in that moment, she realized something terrifying.
Love had entered her life.
And now she might have to watch it suffer.
Austin’s hands trembled as he pressed them against his head.
“I can feel it,” he whispered again, his voice thin with fear. “It’s like sand slipping through my fingers. I don’t want to forget you. Not again.”
Claraara rushed to him and held his hands firmly, as if strength could travel through touch.
“You won’t disappear,” she said, even though her chest hurt with doubt. “You’re here. We are here.”
Martins stood frozen for a second, then quickly pulled himself together.
“Doctor!” he called out loudly. “Call the doctor now.”
Within minutes, the mansion felt different.
Calm vanished. Nurses hurried in. Phones rang. Footsteps echoed on marble floors.
Austin was guided gently to his room.
As he lay on the bed, his eyes stayed locked on Claraara.
“Stay,” he pleaded softly.
Claraara nodded without hesitation. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The doctor arrived quickly.
After examining Austin, he sighed.
“It’s the same pattern,” the doctor said quietly to Martins. “The episode is stronger this time. He may lose his memory faster, but he could also recover faster.”
Martins clenched his fists. “Is there anything else we can do?”
The doctor shook his head. “Just keep familiar faces around him. Familiar voices. Familiar emotions.”
Claraara stayed by Austin’s side all night.
She talked. She talked about the road where they met, the unfinished building, the taste of jollof rice and chicken. She talked about the way he always smiled after eating, even when his clothes were torn.
Austin listened.
Sometimes his eyes were clear. Sometimes they were empty.
At one point, he looked at her and asked gently, “Who are you?”
Claraara’s heart cracked.
“I’m Claraara,” she said softly. “Your daughter. In your heart.”
Austin frowned, confused.
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