Chapter Two

JUDITH LARSSON

I woke up with a blank head --- with no single memory of myself nor where I was coming from.

All I noticed were a series of wires connected to my body and a faint smell of some clinical fluids, but the room wasn't looking like a hospital ward..

“An home treatment" I found myself muttering for no reason as I kept trying to remember at least a thing about myself, but nothing changed.

Wait..

I didn't even know my name!..

“What the --” 

I was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door and I totally went speechless when a tall man walked in with another lady who obviously was a doctor judging from the stethoscope around her neck.

“You're awake!" The man exclaimed, walking over to me with so much excitement obvious in his expression.

I gave him a ‘Do I even know you?’ expression with my brows scrunched up.

Nothing about him was familiar, not even his face and at a point I feared that I'd been kidnapped from somewhere or maybe... sold?..

I shook away the thoughts..

It didn't seem like that.

“I told you she was going to be conscious soon” the doctor grinned, while the man lowered his butt to my bed. I shifted a bit, still not understanding a thing..

“I'm so happy to see you awake. I was scared of losing you" he recounted.

 I blinked..

“What's going on? Where's this place?"I asked, portraying my confusion with my words and expressions.

“Your home.." the man replied, smiling again.

 At that point, the doctor walked closer to disconnect the wires connected to my body.. She excused herself afterwards with some words I didn't even pay attention to. Well except the part where she said she didn't have to give me a particular injection anymore since I was now awake.

“Home?.." I finally gave the man a response, just after the doctor fully left. 

“Come on Louisa, we're married” he said, pointing to the ring on his finger.

Louisa?... Why wasn't it ringing a bell?..

And, married?!

“Infact, we were expecting a child when you had a home accident that made you slip into a five-week coma," he added.

I gasped..

“I'd been unconscious for five weeks!?"

He nodded, confirming the words that made everything still seem more unreal and strange.

 “I can't --”

“You can't remember anything because you developed amnesia" he interrupted again, shocking me the second time.

“What? Amnesia?..” my eyes literally widened

It made sense at this very point. No wonder why everything felt so unfamiliar..

I gulped hard, breathing raggedly and feeling quite bad..

I mean, it was a terrible thing and it was even surprising that I still knew the meaning of words..

“I.... I.. I mean, so, I'm currently pregnant?" I stuttered, gathering more of the pieces together.

He nodded.

“With my child" he smiled 

”And is it still safe? Even after being unconscious for that long?” I inquired to satisfy the level of curiosity I had in that aspect.

“My private doctor has been coming everyday to make sure you both are fine, so it's growing well" he responded while I diverted my gaze to my stomach, realising i really did have a baby bump.

“Don't worry baby, I'm here for you okay?.." he added, raising his hand to mine and rubbing it fondly. 

I felt like taking my hand away but damn.. he just told me he was married to me and doing that would just be so wrong..

I sighed, reverting my attention back to him..

“You know, I ---”

“Stop being inquisitive sweetheart, you'll know more later. Trying to know more could cause you a headache" he cut me short for the umpteenth time today. That was probably one of his nasty habits and I wasn't sure I liked it.

I nodded, giving my lower lip a gentle bite.

“Would you tell me your name then?" I spoke up again, seizing the moment to take a proper look at the one I called a husband

Well, I guess I had a good taste in looks because he was cute enough to be proud of. However something just didn't feel right and that feeling was so strong in my heart. Unfortunately, I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

“Keith Donalds and you're Louisa Donalds" he replied and immediately, his phone rang, stopping me from saying anything at that point.

I watched him get up with the ringing device, excusing himself without speaking.. or maybe he did but I didn't hear that..

I just felt so detached with the intention to try remembering anything about the past through those names and with the look of things, he was really my husband..

Or who would leave his pregnant wife to someone else?..

For the first time since I woke up, I noticed the tight wrapping of bandage around my head and I slowly raised my hand to it, wondering how heavy I had fallen to have attracted such complications.

“Forever of course" I suddenly heard Keith say from outside the walls of the room. Apparently, he was receiving the call somewhere near or maybe the walls do echo words...

“Come on man, Mike dumped her and dad saved her. Infact, i now find dad's work as a butler despite being rich, productive and fruitful. It brought me what I'd been longing for with my flaws. Guy, a nuclear family is set!" I heard him say again..

However, my ears were only doing the listening work , my brain was too busy with my other thoughts, to process the meaning of the words to my understanding and somehow, I felt like eavesdropping was wrong..

“Well, only sights of familiar things can cause the recovery and that's quite impossible, we are no longer in California remember? They can never cross paths.." I heard him speak again..

And after a while, he stopped talking. I guess that was the point where the call ended.

  I couldn't remember most of the words he uttered, but the last one which still rang in my head ---- ‘I'll tell her when she gets used to everything’..

He came in not so long after with a plate of some items covered with another white dish and with his usual, unnecessary smile, he spoke..

“I know you'll be so famished, so i brought you fruits, but first, you need to go clean your mouth in the bathroom" he said, dropping the tray on the bed..

“Okay, thank you..” I replied, getting up from the bed with his help.

I guess I really did have to start adapting to the new life and chapter...

I laughed when he carried me in a bridal style to the bathroom since I was feeling so weak and getting in, he gently placed me on the water closet.

“Let me help you with this..” he muttered, grabbing a new toothbrush and rinsing it thoroughly before reaching for the toothpaste.

All the while, his back remained turned me while I scanned the sparkling white room with my gaze..

And suddenly, my eyes noticed something on an iron stand..

It wasn't just something but the carton of a device.

I raised my brow curiously and reached for it, reading the inscriptions on it within seconds and staring at the pictures..

“Vacuum Erection device?..” I muttered aloud and that instantly made him turn.

“Hey!” He grabbed it from me before I could realise and I gave him a questioning look..

“What's that?..” I questioned using my words too.

He was speechless and restless.

“Nevermind, I'll tell you later” he replied, forcing the toothbrush into my hand.

 I still wasn't satisfied with the distress in his eyes, he was definitely hiding something and that was so obvious.

“Tell me what's ---” 

The remaining words got stuck in my throat when he walked out of the bathroom without a goodbye.

“Seriously?..”

I blinked, trying to understand things myself and with some of the words I read on the carton.

“He uses that for erection?..”

My eyes widened a second later upon realising something..

“Wait, he can't do so on his own? And I'm pregnant for him?”