The woman who'd brought the baby looked anxiously at Tara. "Are you saying this isn't your baby? Because if it's not, I'd like to know -"

"He's mine," Tara said with certainty, silently acknowledging the fact that she'd misplaced a good chunk of her memory. Maybe she didn't consciously remember this baby, but her instincts told her he belonged with her.

The woman looked relieved. "I'll take him back whenever you're ready. I'm a volunteer here at the hospital, and I've been caring for him while you're -" Abruptly she looked over at Kevin. "Kevin, what are you doing here? You found the creep who hurt this lovely young woman, I hope."

"This isn't just any lovely young woman," Kevin said, his voice curiously thick. "This is Tara."

The woman's faded blue eyes bulged in surprise. "Your Tara?"

Kevin nodded.

Suddenly the woman was all smiles as she looked at Tara anew. "Oh my gosh, Tara! I'd hug you to pieces, but I don't want to hurt you, what with your injuries and all. I'm Kevin's Aunt Debra. It is just such a pleasure to finally, finally meet you."

"Likewise," Tara said uncertainly. So this was the woman who'd raised Kevin. "Could…could someone please tell me what day it is?"

"Why, Tuesday," Debra replied.

"No, I mean, the date."

"April first," Kevin said.

"And the year?"

Debra and the nurse both jerked in surprise at the question, but Kevin didn't. "It's 2002," he said, confirming her suspicions. She had lost an entire year of her life. And what a year it must have been, she thought, looking down at the baby.

"I'll just go find your doctor," the nurse said as she briskly left the room.

Aunt Debra gently smoothed Tara's hair. "Whatever's wrong, I'm sure living in Hardyville will set you straight. You probably just need to rest. "