When she awoke, her eyes settled immediately on the phone. Picking it up, she turned it over and over in her hands, weighing the pros and cons of calling. She grabbed the list of phone numbers she�d made earlier and tried to decide who to call. Joey was the obvious choice, but Morgan wasn�t sure if she was ready for that yet. She felt she was left with Justin and Lance, who were the only other people she had really talked with. Finally, she made up her mind, picked up the phone, and dialed.
�Hello?� a male voice answered.
�Justin?�
�Yeah. Who�s this?�
�Um, are the other guys around, or are you alone?�
Justin sounded confused. �They are, but I could speak to you privately, if you�ll tell me who you are.�
�It�s Morgan,� she whispered.
�Okay.� he answered slowly. Morgan knew he was shocked. �All right, I�m on the other side of the studio. They can�t hear me. What�s up?�
�Well, I found something and I kind of needed to talk to someone about it.�
�Why me?� he asked. �Why not Joey?�
�Joey�s too close to the situation. And in your letter you said if I needed to talk I could come to you.� she explained.
�Okay.� Justin answered. �I understand that. What was it that you needed to talk about?�
Morgan took a deep breath. �How much time do you have?�
Justin�s voice was filled with concern. �As long as you need, Morgan.�
�What all did Joey tell you about me?�
�He told us about how close you two were when you were little. He said you basically lived with him and his family until you had to leave. He called you his best friend.� he replied softly.
�All right. So how upset was he when I called him a stranger?�
Morgan heard Justin draw in a deep breath. �He was pretty hurt.� he admitted. �Why did you say that to him when you knew it would hurt him? I have to say, Morgan, we were all pretty mad for a while. I guess we just don�t understand why you would deliberately hurt Joey like that.�
�I didn�t mean to hurt him, Justin,� she whispered, trying not to cry. �I... I don�t know how to explain it, but I really didn�t remember him.�
�You don�t remember someone who you were best friends with for at least six years?� Justin asked incredulously. �No offense Morgan, but that�s a little hard to believe.�
Morgan�s tears spilled over. �I know, Justin, but it�s the truth. I... I can�t give you any details, but I don�t remember anything that happened in my life before I was fourteen.�
�Which includes Joey.� he finished softly, understanding beginning to dawn on him.
�Yeah.� she sniffled.
�I�m sorry, Morgan.�
�What for?�
�For whatever it is that made you lose your memory.� Justin answered. �It obviously hurt you very much, and I wish you hadn�t had to deal with that.�
�Thanks, Justin.�
�So, is that what you wanted to talk to me about?�
�Yeah, kinda. I found a note from Joey telling me to look in a box in his closet. When I did, I found old pictures of Joey and I growing up, as well as a video of us goofing off. I guess... I guess I just wanted to talk to someone about it. See if maybe you had any ideas on what I should do.�
�Well, you can talk to me as long as you need to, but I don�t know how much advice I can give you. I don�t know exactly what�s going on here. Maybe if you tell me more about what happened...�
�Justin, I...� Morgan began, unsure of what to say.
�Just a sec, Morgan.� Justin said, then turned his attention to the guys in the room. �I can�t right now, JC. You guys go on without me. No, you don�t... Just have Joey test it for me.�
�Justin, do you need to go? We can finish this later.�
�No, you need to talk, and I promised you that I�d be here for you.� he told her. �I know that JC... Because a friend of mine is having a problem, and she needs me right now.�
Morgan didn�t want Justin to get in trouble because of her. �Justin, just call me when you can tomorrow, okay? We can talk then.�
�I... Are you positive?� Justin asked hesitantly.
�Yes, I�m sure. Call me tomorrow.�
His concern returned again. �Are you sure you�re going to be all right, Morgan? This is just a sound check. Joey or one of the other guys can do it for me.�
�No.� she assured him. �I�ll be fine. Have a good sound check and a great concert.�
�All right. Talk to you tomorrow.� Justin hung up, then stared at the phone for a second, wondering if Morgan really was going to be all right.
Throughout the sound check, Justin saw the looks his friends were giving him. He knew he was off, but the only thing on his mind was Morgan and her well-being. Immediately after the sound check was finished, he headed for his cell phone, ignoring the looks he was getting. Glancing behind him to make sure he was far enough away from the guys that they couldn�t overhear him, he called the Fatone house.
�Fatone residence.� Phyllis�s cheerful voice answered.
�Phyllis, it�s Justin.� he answered softly. �I need to talk to you.�
�Justin? Sweetie, is everything all right? Why are you whispering?� she asked, concerned.
�Everything�s okay. I just don�t want the guys to know I�m calling.� he explained quietly.
�Okay.� she answered. �What is it you need to talk to me about?�
"It�s about Morgan.� he began. �I was wondering how she�s been doing since we left.�
Phyllis thought for a moment, trying to decide how much she should tell Justin about Morgan�s depression. �Well, she�s been quiet. She spends most of her time alone in her room. Why?�
Justin sighed. �She called me a little while ago, before our sound check. She sounded kind of depressed, and said she just needed to talk. Our talk got cut short, though, because of the sound check. I guess I�m just worried about her.�
�What did she tell you?�
�Um, she said that she honestly didn�t remember Joey.� he answered. �Something about when she was fourteen and losing her memory. I didn�t really understand, and she wouldn�t tell me anything else.�
Phyllis gave him a typical mother-style response. �How do you feel about that, Justin?�
�It sucks!� Justin yelled, then tried to control his voice when he noticed his group-mates looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. �I�m sorry, I�m just really frustrated. I want to help her, but she won�t let me.�
�I understand, Justin.� Phyllis said, trying to soothe him. �But you have to understand that it will take a while. Morgan has never had many friends, and she hasn�t had any at all since she was thirteen. This is all new for her.�
�No friends?� he echoed. �None at all?�
�Unfortunately, no.� she said. �But, she�s making progress.�
�How do you know?�
�She�s reaching out to you, Justin.� she explained. �She called you, remember? That�s a start. She�s learning to open up and not to keep everything inside. That is very encouraging to me.�
�So you�re saying... What exactly are you saying, Phyllis?�
�I�m saying that you just need to keep doing what you�re doing. Keep being there for her when she needs someone, and she�ll tell you everything eventually.� she replied.
Justin sighed loudly. �Okay, Phyllis. I guess there�s not much else I can do right now, is there?�
�Nope, sweetie. I�m sorry, I know it�s frustrating, believe me. It�s so hard to see a little girl I practically raised leave here an outgoing, happy-go-lucky girl and return completely withdrawn and frightened of everything.� Phyllis answered sadly. �It took her weeks to even accept a hug from me. I found out fairly quickly that she�d had some...trouble, I guess you could say, and that she didn�t remember us or her childhood. Those first few weeks were terrible.�
�Man, Phyllis, I didn�t know.� Justin exhaled slowly. �That must have been awful. Does Joey know about any of this?�
�No.� she answered. �Morgan wouldn�t let me tell him. She says he�ll just feel sorry for her, and she doesn�t want that.�
�Man...� Justin was once again interrupted as work called. �Listen, Phyllis, I have to go right now. Can I call you back tomorrow and talk more? I have to call Morgan anyway.�
�Sure, sweetie.� Phyllis replied. �Take care, and don�t worry about Morgan.�