The Way You Make Me Feel Read Online Free PDF Page B

stage with her favorite guitar. She sang and people crowded around her as she sat on a high stool. Her heart swelled with joy and she looked at the three people with sparkling eyes.
    â€œWhat is it, honey?” Jessi asked. “You’re smiling so.”
    â€œI’m seeing myself sing. Imagining the people.”
    â€œOr remembering them,” Jessi prompted. “At some point you will regain your memory. Come on back to the kitchen. They always want you to come and talk with them.”
    The several people in the kitchen crowded around her. When Damien told them what had happened they were shocked and sympathetic. An older man said, “Well, if anybody can help you get that memory back, it’s us. The way we love you, you’ll remember everything.”
    A fine young man with long black dreadlocks and black eyes came to her and hugged her. “Hey, Mama, you’re looking good!”
    Stevie thanked him and flirted a bit. “You’re not looking so bad yourself.”
    Jessi cut in smoothly, telling him what had happened. His mouth fell open as he expelled a harsh breath. “Well, you know anything I can do to help. You act like you remember me.”
    Stevie shook her head. “Sorry.”
    He grinned. “Well, you will. I’ll see to that.” And he repeated, “Anything I can do. Anything at all…” He hugged her again.
    Back outside, Damien, Stevie and Nick sat down at a table. Jessi excused herself and came back in a few minutes with her wallet. “Pictures should help,” she told Stevie. First she took out photos of two children, a gangling brown teenage boy and an adorable two-year-old girl with blond ringlets.
    â€œRip and Mia,” Jessi said and waited for recognition.
    Stevie began to shake her head, fighting to remember. The kids were so precious. She wanted so badly to remember.
    â€œThey’re like your own kids,” Nick said. “The three of you have a real love affair going on.”
    â€œThis is really going to hit them hard,” Jessi said slowly. “D’you think it would help for me to bring them to you tonight? You’ll be home?”
    â€œShe’s staying with me,” Damien told them, “until she can pull herself together.”
    â€œI like the idea of that,” Nick said, “but of course you’re a busy man, Damien, and if you run out of time, we’ll be glad to take over Stevie’s care.”
    Stevie held her breath. She didn’t want to leave Damien.
    â€œI’m taking all the time in the world,” Damien said. “I’ve got nothing hanging in the fire and even if I did, Stevie’s been one of the best for me. She helped me a lot when Honi and I broke up, even when her own heart was breaking with her divorce.”
    Stevie looked at him sharply. He hadn’t said anything to her about that. Evidently they had a friendship history.
    Jessi slipped the photos from their slot and gave them to Stevie. “Keep them. I’ve got plenty of others. This will remind you. We’ll explain to Rip, of course, but he’ll be crushed that you don’t remember him and his sister. You know how self-centered a teenager is.”
    Piped music played then and the tune was infectious. Stevie found herself moving her shoulders to a tune she did and did not remember.
    â€œIt’s one of yours,” Jessi told her.
    Putting the photos into her purse, Stevie leaned back. She felt comfortable here, as if it were a second home.
    Jessi opened her wallet again and extracted another photo. “And, oh, this is Bretta. I’ll bet you remember Bretta.”
    Stevie stared for a long time at the photo and Damien waited with sharply indrawn breath for her to show the edge of hysteria again, but she didn’t. Instead she sat still and suddenly dazed. She seemed numb, Damien thought. The color photo was of a beautiful tan woman with long, curly brown hair. She looked