“I’m sorry, Ms. Reid, but I’m about to go on vacation.”

“On the phone then?” I said. “I don’t know much about amnesia, but I’ve heard of the retrograde kind before. I believe it’s what Ash has, where he’s lost his past?” His silence reminded me he wouldn’t discuss his patients, so I tried again. “I don’t know much about it, but is it true it may only last awhile?”

“Each case is unique,” Dr. Adler said, “but as I mentioned, I can’t go into specifics.”

“Yes, yes, of course, but I’m wondering if my being here is a good idea.”

“You have to understand I’m a family physician, not a neuro-specialist. However, theoretically speaking, in the case of retrograde amnesia I’d advise the patient to be in familiar surroundings as much as possible, and to try and get back to their normal routine.”

“But in Ash’s case...?” I stopped. “I mean, what would the best scenario be for a person who’s been living elsewhere? Where would it make the most sense for them to try to get their memory back? The place they’ve been living for the past few years, or the town they grew up in?”

“Well, depending on the type of amnesia, often older memories are recovered first, so I suppose the argument could be made the person might benefit from being in their childhood surroundings.”

“Oh...”

“On the other hand, someone who spent a lot of time with the patient in recent years may well jolt the memories of their more recent past. Frankly, it’s difficult to say. Each brain is wired a little differently, and each case of amnesia is unique. There are no hard-and-fast rules.”

“Could my... I mean—” I blew out my cheeks “—I want to know if my being here might harm him or hamper his progress.”

Dr. Adler took a deep breath. “In this theoretical case I’d advise you to watch for the patient’s reactions. If he seems distressed or angry when he sees you, my advice would be to back off and try again later. Less might be more. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, thank you. Could Ash—”

“Ms. Reid, I can’t go into more detail. If you want to discuss this case specifically, please come back with Mr. Bennett. I’m afraid it’s the best I can do. Be patient with him,” he added softly. “And with yourself. I can only imagine how difficult it must be, but he’s lucky to have people who care so deeply for him. It’ll definitely help with his recovery. You can come see me again anytime after I get back, together, or for matters pertaining to your own health, of course, or should you need a referral to a specialist to help you deal with this situation.”