Max

They lived in a small apartment with high ceilings and a door that always creaked. Max was an artist who would smear paint on everything, including his girlfriend's elbows. You were a programmer who loved order but learned to overlook chaos for Max's sake.

You were together for seven years. Stupid, happy years, with broken plates at 3 a.m. and joint trips to the 24-hour store for ice cream.

And then Max began to forget.

At first, he couldn't find his keys. Then, he couldn't remember what day it was. You laughed, led him by the hand to doctors' appointments, bought him organizers and stickers.

"I'm just tired," Max said, throwing up his hands. "I'm going crazy with deadlines."

You even joked about it. "If I forget your name," Max smiled, "just say, 'Your dirty T-shirt is on my couch,' and I'll remember right away."

He laughed. But he didn't know that the disease wasn't joking.

---

She came like fog. Slowly, inexorably. First, Max forgot their cat's name. Then, where the refrigerator was. He stopped recognizing his own paintings hanging on the walls.

The worst thing happened on Thursday. Max woke up, sat up in bed, and looked at you with empty, clear eyes.

• Who are you?

You froze with a cup of coffee in your hands. Then you smiled—that same smile that always lightened the mood.

— I'm your girlfriend. We've been living here for seven years. Remember?

Max frowned and rubbed his temples.

“No,” he said calmly, without panic. “I don’t remember. I’m sorry.”

You smiled wider. Too wide.

"It's okay. I'll tell you everything now. Look, here's a photo of us. We were at the seaside. You were sunburned like a lobster, and I smeared you with sour cream all night. Funny, right?"

Max took the photograph, looked at it and handed it back.

— A beautiful photo. But I don't remember this person. I don't remember myself.

He looked at you with curiosity and slight awkwardness.

• Sorry. You must be really nice to be trying to help me. But I don't know you.

---

But you won't give up, right? Will you be able to remind him of you again?