chapter five

Chapter five

Mikaela:

My eyes wavered open, the brightness of my surroundings casting radiant light into my iris. I blinked rapidly, still trying to recognize the setting. The place looked unfamiliar but there I was, lying there, a little too comfortable than I should be.

I tried raising my hands but they felt heavy. Too heavy.

In dread, a ball of saliva traveled down my dry throat.

“Are you okay?” I heard a soothing masculine voice bounce against the walls of the room.

My neck slowly tilted to the left, my eyes squeezing shut from the discomfort I felt.  

I assessed the silhouette of the man approaching me from the other end of the room. He raised a brow even though it was evident that he was trying to hide something on his face. Something similar to longing, pain or worse.

Thin strands of his ruffled black hair fell slightly over his forehead, looming over his deep emerald green eyes that radiated subtly as if they were assuring me that this man was loyal and trustworthy.

The corner of his thin lips shifted a little as he looked me in the eye. His hands remained in his pockets all this while. 

He stood tall at about 6’3 feet, his legs finely elongated.

He flashed me a smile, an empty one. Then, his lips parted as soon as he got closer, “Are you okay?” He repeated.

I scanned the surroundings, noticing the machines connected to me. I need not anyone to tell me before I realize that I have been hospitalized.

I managed to ball my fist in frustration, my breath as delicate as a forced whisper.

I felt the man’s warm palm on my jaw as he gently moved my face to look at his.

“Please, Mikaela. Please say something. Speak.” Not only his tongue pleaded, his eyes did as well.

Mikaela? That wasn’t my name. My name is… 

I shut my eyes, shaking my head vigorously to recall but I could not. I knew I remembered what my name is but my brain refused to process it into the right words. It felt as though it was right in front of me but there’s an obstacle hindering me from sighting it.

“Who are you?” My voice came out soft, gentle, barely above a whisper, and I couldn’t help but doubt if he even heard me.

“It’s me. Ethan. Do you not remember me?” He lowered to tuck his body in the small space at the edge of the bed.

“What?” I whispered, the muscles on my forehead contracting in confusion.He remained silent, his eyes plastered on mine.

“What are you talking about? I don’t know you.”

He let out a sigh, shaking his head in defeat as he grabbed my hands, squeezing them gently.

“The doctors were right. It seems you’ve lost your memory. I’ve been checking on you for over two months now and the doctors said your brain was beginning to respond again and the chances of regaining consciousness today is high. That is why I’m here.”

“I lost… my memory? I know you are saying this to make me acknowledge you”. I parted my lips to blurt out more words, but before I could, I felt a tingle in my throat that threw me into a hard repeated cough.

The walls of my throat felt like they were ripping apart as I coughed, my heart hammering against my ribcage. My hands flew to my chest despite the fact that I’m barely able to lift them.

Ethan sprang up immediately, moving towards a small chair that held a bottle of water. Quickly, he grabbed the bottle and approached me with it, twisting off the cap.

I took a sip from the water as he patted my back until I was calm.

“Is that enough?” He demanded.

I nodded. He placed the bottle down by the foot of the bed before returning to his previous position, holding my hands in his.

“Listen, Mikaela. I would never lie to you. I’m your husband.”

I scoffed, throwing my face away before looking back at him. “You expect me to believe that from a stranger?”

“How old are you?”

I let out a sigh. “I’m…”

My head went completely blank and I had zero idea about my own age.

“Exactly. See? You know nothing but basic things like how to speak, how to hold a toothbrush and more.”

“For how long?” I whispered, defeated.

“You’ve been out for over three months now. You were in a coma.”

My eyes widened.

“Yes!” He declared.

“What really happened?” 

His eyes darted away for a few seconds before shifting back. Then, his shoulder lowered as he heaved a sigh, running his hands through his hair.

“We went on a date at a restaurant, but unfortunately, you slumped while using the bathroom.”

My eyes widened again but then I remembered he could be lying to me. Slowly, I slipped my hands away from his, shaking my head.

“What? You don’t believe me?” He uttered, his eyes gleaming in honesty but my guts insisted on not trusting him, at least not yet.

He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a phone. His fingers glided on the screen for a few seconds, then he turned it to me.

On the screen displayed a photo of him in a black suit with a woman beside him. She had straight black hair that was a stark contrast to her white skin. Her full lips spread apart revealing her white teeth. The corners of her eyes were wrinkled as she grinned, joy reflecting in her beautiful brown eyes.

I could tell why she looked thrilled since she was dressed in a white lace dress that accentuated her slender figure, grasping the delicate curves of her slim waist. In her left hand was a red flower bouquet.

“That’s you!” Ethan declared.

My brows furrowed. He quickly navigated to his camera and put the phone before my face to show me it was really me. And indeed, that beautiful woman was me.

“Do you believe me now?” He asked.

I let out a sigh, nodding. He flashed me a faint smile, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

“You’re my wife and I would never lie to you. In fact, you are carrying our child.”

I looked down at my stomach. 

“Yes.” He confirmed, squeezing my hands, even tighter.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this. Even after such solid evidence he had shown me, a part of me was scared of this STRANGER in front of me grinning from ear to ear.

I looked away, stealing glances at him.

“I love you.” He whispered, as if that was supposed to make me feel better.

Suddenly, a raw voice boomed as the door slammed open.

“Take your hands off my woman!”

THOSE WORDS.