Chapter 4 - His Past

“Wait, what are you doing?” she suddenly crossed her arm around herself when the man started to unbutton her hospital gown.

“I will change your clothes, so you can sleep comfortably”.

“I can do it”

“Okay,”

“You turn back”

“Okay” the man turn his back and let her change her clothes but reality is cruel, it was too difficult to change clothes on her own. She felt so weak. She has no choice but to let the man change her clothes. Anyway, they are husband and wife and had already a son, so definitely he already saw her body and maybe he was the one changing her clothes since she got into a coma.

“Ahem” she cough. “I can’t do it. You help me.” she said with a reddened face.

“Okay” he said and started to unbutton her clothes.

“Wait, let your son sleep first”

“Okay”. This man only knows to answer her with an okay.

When the bathroom door open, the little guy was already freshened up and wear his pajama.

“Mom, I will sleep first and you have to sleep early too.”

“Sure”. The little guy went to the next bed near her own bed and tag the quilt.

“Good night Mom”

“Good night”

“Good night Dad”

“Good night” the man said and he kissed the child’s forehead.

“Aunt Melba, you can go now. Mang Domeng is still in the parking. Just bring the food tomorrow for breakfast.”

“Yes, Sir. I’ll go ahead”

“Mmm”

When Aunt Melba left and her instant son was already sleeping, the man started to unbutton her dress, which she has to endure. She only said to herself that he is her husband and not just a stranger.

Why I didn’t ask Aunt Melba to help me change my clothes? Endure Arrianne, he is definitely different to other men who harass a woman. He is your husband, a legally married husband even if you don’t remember anything. She said to herself while closing her eyes and clenching the edge of the quilt.

“It’s done” she heard the man said.

“Thank you. No, can we talk?” she said and she suddenly feels that the man stiffened but with the same emotionless face.

Without her knowing, the man fears that she will start their conversation by requesting to for a divorce, annulment or anything as long as she can be freed to the marriage they have.

For the first time in his life, he despised the fact that he is a dual citizenship. If not, his wife can only asked for an annulment which very hard to approved in the Philippines because the court will only grant the petition with a satisfactory ground and only one out of a hundred cases will be granted. That is because the laws protect the family and the union of the marriage. The country did not acknowledge divorce, however, since he is a dual citizen and they married in America, which recognize divorce, they can apply for the divorce and if it is approved, it will then be accepted in the Philippine and honor the decision of the other country’s rulings.

Awhile ago, he learned from the doctor that his wife might be suffering from a temporary amnesia. He doesn’t want to admit but he felt happy when he heard it. He feels that if her wife does not remember the past, maybe there is still a chance that their marriage can be save and his dream to have a family life come true.

When she wakes up and does not have a violent reaction knowing that he is the husband and not his half brother - Renzo, he felt assured that she does not remember his half-brother. He also felt the stare of his wife which shows her admiration, which he likes the feeling. The feeling is new to him. While there are a lot of women who admires him but having the admiration of his wife is what he wanted. He felt that the accident might be the answer to his prayer.

Although, the truth is, he may not really love his wife but only his obsession to the girl in his past. It was twenty years ago when he first met her. He was so down and devastated when he learned that his most secured family collapsed in just one night. His mother found out that his father has a mistress. She tried to uncover it to have an additional evidence of her husband’s infidelity with the hope that his custody will be given to her but she died due to a car accident.

A week after her mother’s burial, his father went home with his mistress and a son. He run off the house and found himself in the cemetery – in his mother’s tomb. His mind was blank. He can’t think anything. He can’t cry. And he can’t even felt the pain. He just stared the tomb.

He was standing there, when he saw a girl went to another tomb alone. He was mesmerized to every action of that girl. He felt that the girl is glowing, like a sunshine in his dark world. He can’t take his eyes away with her.

Maybe, the girl felt that there was someone staring at her and she look around until her eyes falls on me. We basically stared to each other, when she suddenly questioned my identity.

“W-who are you? Are you a ghost? Don’t scare me because I’m already scared! If you are a hungry ghost, I have a lot of food. I can give you some for your peace. If you need prayer, I will pray for you. Just don’t scare me, okay!? I’m just here to visit my mother. I don’t have the intention to disturb you. I only have this day to visit her. Please, I want to stay with her more. C-can you leave? I will leave foods for you. I will include your name to my prayers.” she said and started to get some food from her bag.

“W-wait! Don’t come near me. I will leave the food here. No, no, please stay where you are. Okay, okay, I will leave now just don’t come near me, okay. You can get the food after I left, okay.” she nervously said and started to walk.

“How can you pray for me, if you don’t know my name?” I said.

“Oh, yeah, s-sorry, then what is your name?”

“I’m Harvey Collantes” he said.