The Bear With No Name Read Online Free

might be an answer lurking in the shadows, like his mouth was ready to form a particular shape, but it remained maddeningly elusive.
    He had to admit, “I still don’t know.”
    “How about the year?”
    “Two thousand...” he paused to consider.
    “You’re in the right millennium!” Lauren said brightly, but he interrupted her before she could complete the answer.
    “Wait, I want to try to get this.” He imagined each of the numbers in turn, starting with 2001. Some of them felt more familiar than others, but each aroused some sort of emotion or reaction until he got to 2016. That one was a blank.
    “I’m going to guess 2015?” he said.
    “Yes! So did you remember, or did you figure it out somehow?”
    He explained his method, and it was Lauren who saw the potential in it.
    “So I could guess names, or professions, or home towns, and you could tell if they mean anything to you, even if you can’t remember the details.”
    “I guess so. But what if a name sounds really familiar to me because it’s the name of my worst enemy?”
    “Then we’ll just appreciate the irony once you get your memories back. But I really need something to call you. Do you want to nap some more or do you want to play the name game right now?”
    He stretched in bed and tilted and turned his head, testing things out.
    “I’m feeling a lot better, actually. Let’s do this now.”
    He moved up to sit against the headboard and patted the bed beside him. Lauren climbed over to join him. He was under the covers and she was on top of them, but it still felt warm and intimate to be together with her like this. The candlelight put a gorgeous glow on all her features. He’d known from the first moment that she was beautiful, but until now he’d been too stunned and distracted to really focus on all the little details that made her special.
    Her skin was tanned and rosy from working out in the sun, and she had a tiny sprinkle of freckles over her nose and cheeks. Her lips were full and generous, and so was her figure. Her dark brown curls were sun-lightened to russet at the ends, and they seemed to have an energy all their own, defying gravity and framing her face with a mass of tiny ringlets.
    Lauren looked up, and when their eyes met he felt again that overwhelming sense of connection. And once again, she was the first to look away. Did she not feel the same flare? Or did she feel it, but it was unwelcome?
    So he cleared his throat and settled his shoulders. Back to the mystery of his identity.
    “Well,” Lauren started out, “you look like you’re around thirty years old, so I’m going to try to visualize all the guys who were seniors when I was a freshman back in high school and throw out some popular names at you. How about Michael, Josh, or Ryan?”
    “No, no and no.”
    “You didn’t even think about it the way you did with the years. You’re sure?”
    “I’m not sure of anything, but I’m going with my gut. No.”
    “Daniel, Brandon, or Nicholas?”
    “Hmm … nope.”
    “Matthew? Jason? Balthazar?”
    The man laughed and Lauren leaned in, looking keen. “Okay, so what was funny?”
    “That name – Balthazar. It just doesn’t seem right. I don’t believe there were multiple Balthazars at your school.”
    “You’re right, more’s the pity; the world needs more Balthazars. But how did you know that wasn’t right? What exactly did you remember?”
    “I really have no idea. I’m not a neurologist.”
    “ Or are you? ” Lauren said, and they both cracked up laughing.
    It just felt so right, being here with her, huddled together and laughing in their tiny, charmed circle of candlelight. What did it matter what his name was, or where he came from? What could possibly be waiting for him back there that could be any better than this? But if she wanted him to have a name, that was okay by him.
    “Try some more,” he told her.
    “Justin? Anthony? David?”
    And suddenly he was struck with a memory. No details,