Episode 4. No! Not My Wife

 I kept repeating in a state of shock. 'She must be all right. She must be all right. For a moment, it was as if I was watching a movie about someone else's life. Forcing myself to breathe so I could answer the police questions. Then, finally, I said in the middle of answering them.

"Oh no! God says it’s not so! Is she dead!?" 

'She's not dead, but…."

"But what?"

"She's unconscious right now, and her head was badly injured. But the doctors said there was some swelling, but they won't know how badly her brain was injured until she wakes up."

"I got to go to her." 

"Yes, but we must ask some questions and explain a few things to you."

"What do you need to know and explain to me? I just want to see my wife." 

"Yes, we know. Were you and your wife separated?" 

"Why?" 

"When we found the car, we saw that she had luggage in her car." 

"Well, a couple of days ago, we disagreed, as most married couples do, and she was going to stay at a friend's house for a few nights."

"Well, we don't think she ever reached her friend's house. Did her friend call you?"

"No, I'll call Olivia now. {Hi Olivia, did Zari come to your house?"} 

"{Hi Devon, no, she called me back and told me her mother called and asked her to come to the house. So she went to stay with her mom. Why? Is everything alright? I haven't heard from her, but I assumed she was okay."} 

"{Well, she was in some kind of accident. I don't know much, but I'll call you when I get more information."}

{"Okay, I'll be waiting. But, Lord, please let her be alright. Bye, Devon.'}

"So no, she went to her mother's home instead, but her mother stays hours from here. I'll call my mother-in-law after you tell me what happened."

"This is what we know thus far. She was in an accident, and a gentleman found her, not in her car but on the street."

"Wait, this isn't making any sense."

"Hear us out. A man found a lady sitting at the edge of a field that had been overgrown by weeds and plants. He walked toward her but didn't see her moving, which scared him. So, he walked faster to get to her. When he realized she was unconscious, he gently shook her, asking. "Ms., are you okay?" 

He said the woman jumped out of her sleep and pushed herself more into the high grass with a scream, thinking he would hurt her. Instead, he backed away, putting his hand up, saying. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The older gentleman noticed she didn't have shoes on, her feet looked dirty, and he could see blood on her forehead. 

"You look like you been injured. I better get you some help. What is your name?" 

The young lady rubbed her forehead briefly as if trying to recall her name.

"Hey, you need medical care. You might have a concussion." 

The man called the cops, and we brought her to the hospital. Does your wife fit this description?"

"Yes, you said she was in a head-on collision."

"There are a few scenarios that might have happened. Either she was carjacked, wrestled with the driver, or picked up someone she thought she knew and then wrestled over the wheel, which caused the car to run into a tree. We don't know what else has happened to your wife. We need your permission to do a rape kit on her?" 

"Rape! Do you think she might have been raped too? My Zari?" I said as a lump developed in my throat, causing my voice to crack.

"Sir, calm down. We don't know, but we like to do the test out of precaution and to rule it out if need be?' 

"Let's wait until my wife wakes up, and she can tell you what happened to her."

"We don't know how long that'll be, and time is essential in these situations."

"I said, wait! Zari is a strong woman. She'll wake up soon, you'll see. I need to get dressed, so I can be by her side when she awakens."

~~~~~

{Visiting the Hospital}

"Mr. Hightower, is she your wife? "Devon stumbled back at that moment, staring and in shock! He broke out in tears. It was Zari, but she looked so different! Her hair was short and curly; she had what looked like several piercings on her ears and her nose. With a black spike collar around her neck and dark, almost gothic makeup.”

“What happened to my wife in just two days?”

 He mumbled in tears, almost inaudible. Devon walks up slowly to the window, looking at her in the hospital bed. The only thing recognizable about her was her beautiful complexion and lips. His wife's face was bruised and swollen and looked so different.

"Yes, it's my wife. What happened to her long, beautiful hair?" He looked at the nurse. 

She replied. "I think it's a wig, or it’s been cut, Sir."

"We need to talk to you before you see her."

"Why? Where has she been? Where was she found? Who was she with? Is everything okay?"

"Well, come into my office, and I'll explain."

Devon followed the doctor from the window, but he looked back at Zari. He couldn't believe it was her even though he was seeing her with his own two eyes. It had been two days since they had been apart, and now it felt like forever since she left him alone at the house.

"Have a seat, Sir." The doctor says. Devon takes a seat with tears in his eyes.

"I should call the rest of her family."

"Not yet. It would be too much confusion. So, tell me first, and I'll call her family later."

The doctor's reluctance worried him, despite his relief at seeing Zari lying in bed.

"We know you have many questions. But let me explain, and this may answer most of your questions."

The police got a call and found your wife yesterday evening on the side of the road. She pushes them away when they try to take her in, screaming, thinking they will hurt her. Instead, they explained they were the police and wanted to help her by asking her several questions.

"Miss, are you okay?"

"I am okay. I'm just tired."

"We noticed the accident back about a mile or two away. Was someone else with you in the car, ma’am?"

"Yes, is he dead?"

"He's not dead, but are you sure someone else was in the car with you?  Did you know him?"

"Yes, I'm not sure, but I think he’s my husband." 

"You think he's your husband? What's your name?"

When your wife didn't know her name, the police explained that the man who had abducted your wife must have tried to take her to another location, and she took the wheel from him, and that's how the car ran into a tree. She must have become conscious and exited the vehicle and ran away. But so did the man. We haven’t been able to find him. But we took your wife here for an examination to ensure she was alright. Apart from a few bruises on her body and cuts on her feet, she physically appears to be okay. But mentally, she doesn't remember anything, not even her name.

"Who is the man that took my wife?"

"The cops are investigating that right now and will let you know more once they find him."

How long do you think she has been this way with no memory? Was it from the accident?"

"We don't know, sometimes when people go through traumatic experiences, they lose their memory temporarily or get confused."

"How long will she be this way?" Devon asked, concerned and worried out of his mind. But most angry, he wondered who would do something like this to his wife.