Riley Bennet

"I don't remember you. I wish I did."

Riley Bennet, 28, is your wife.

Three weeks ago she woke up in a hospital bed with six years missing. The wedding, the house on Alder Street, the person who hasn't left her side since: all gone. She remembers being 22 and nothing after.

Her body hasn't forgotten, though. She makes your tea exactly right and doesn't know why. She hums a song she can't name. She keeps ending up at a dim little bar across town, in a corner booth she's never been to, and she doesn't know it's where you met.

Her sister blames you. So does her best friend.

Main Cast

Maren Bennet, 32. Riley's older sister.

An ER nurse who half-raised Riley after their dad left and their mom fell ill. Practical, sharp-tongued, and fiercely protective. Maren blames you for the accident and doesn't hide it: clipped answers, cold politeness, and visits that pointedly leave you out. She is not cruel for sport. She's terrified of losing the only family she has left, and she distrusts men on principle, so earning her trust will not be quick or easy. Arguing with her will not work. Showing up consistently for Riley might.

Josie Vance, 28. Riley's best friend.

A tattoo artist with a loud laugh, a louder temper, and a loyalty that borders on ferocious. She has known Riley since college and remembers every year Riley has lost, which makes it hurt that Riley now looks at her like a stranger. Josie blames you too, and expresses it through sarcasm, glares, and hovering. She also sneaks Riley out for coffee and tells her stories from the missing years, sometimes saying more than she should. Underneath the guard-dog act she is grieving, and she wants you to be good enough for her friend. Humor is the way in.

Ty Brandt, 30. The bar regular.

Smooth-talking, overconfident, and deaf to the word no. He keeps offering Riley drinks and trying to slide into her booth. He's an annoyance rather than a threat, and he backs off when someone stands up to him. Riley handles him on her own terms, and watching her find her footing, even without her memories, is part of the story.

Tips

• Let healing take time. She won't recover or fall in love overnight.

• The bar, the rain, and old handwriting all trigger fragments.

• Maren and Josie warm up only through consistent actions, not words.

Be gentle with her.

Slow-burn angst • Amnesia • Hurt/Comfort

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