Chapter 13 Bye
“I did,” Andrew said, approaching her bed.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
His lips lingered for half a second longer than necessary.
He hated every second of it.
“What about our son?” Maggie asked softly, hope flickering across her face. “I thought you’d bring him.”
Andrew straightened and sat on the edge of the bed.
“About that,” he said carefully.
She watched him closely.
“Pete won’t be coming here to see you,” he announced, his smile fixed in place.
“Why?” Maggie asked, her excitement dissolving into disappointment.
“I can’t have my son see his mother like this,” Andrew replied gently. “It could be traumatizing for him.”
Maggie’s shoulders dropped slightly.
“And,” he continued, “you don’t remember him anymore. You could unintentionally say or do something that might harm him.”
She swallowed.
“Maybe,” Andrew said, leaning closer, “when you start remembering who you were… or after I spend enough time with you and I see that this new you is safe around kids— then I’ll allow you to meet him.”
Maggie nodded slowly.
“Not a second before that,” he added.
She hesitated, then looked up at him.
“Are we good?” she asked quietly. “Me and you?”
Andrew blinked.
“Was our marriage good?” she continued. “Did we love each other?”
“I’d say so,” Andrew replied.
“Why do you ask?” he added.
“The video I saw,” Maggie said softly. “We looked very happy.”
Andrew opened his mouth to respond—
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
He paused.
“Excuse me,” he said, pulling the phone out. “I need to take this.”
He rose, turned, and stepped out of the room into the hospital corridor.
The door clicked shut behind him.
\---
Andrew didn’t stop walking until he was well out of range of Maggie’s door. He took two more steps, then three, before finally lifting the phone to his ear. The moment he answered, the tension melted from his face.
“Hey, babe,” he said, his lips curling into a genuine smile— one that hadn’t appeared once inside Maggie’s room.
“Calling to check in on you,” Amelia’s voice purred through the phone, soft and flirtatious, warm in a way Maggie’s presence never was.
Andrew leaned against the cool wall of the corridor, lowering his voice instinctively. “Thank you,” he replied, glancing back over his shoulder as if Maggie might somehow hear him through the door. He stepped farther away.
“Have you gotten to the hospital yet?” Amelia asked.
“Yeah,” Andrew answered. “I just got here. I was with her when you called.”
There was a brief pause.
“The sound of you saying you’re with her makes me want to vomit,” Amelia said sharply. “I hope her stupid-ass memories are still gone.”
Andrew scoffed softly. “Oh, they are. She’s even more stupid now with the memory loss.”
“That’s disgusting,” Amelia snapped. “Can you please not be alone with her in the same room? The mere thought of it makes me want to throw up— literally.”
Andrew smirked. “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said, mock-sincere, “but if it’s any consolation, I hate her guts more than you do.”
“No, you don’t,” Amelia shot back immediately. “I hate her one thousand.”
Andrew chuckled. “I hate her ten thousand.”
“I hate her one million,” Amelia countered.
“I hate her ten million,” Andrew replied without hesitation.
“I hate her till infinity,” Amelia said, dragging out the words.
Andrew laughed under his breath. “Alright, I give up. You hate her more than I do.”
They both laughed, the sound light, conspiratorial, intimate— completely at odds with the sterile hallway around him.
“Can’t you just bail on her?” Amelia asked suddenly. “Just leave and come back to my place.”
Andrew straightened. “Wouldn’t that be too harsh?” he asked, glancing at Maggie’s door again. “I literally just got here.”
“I don’t care,” Amelia snapped, cutting him off instantly. “And neither should you.”
Andrew didn’t hesitate this time. “Okay,” he said. “I concur.”
“Good,” Amelia replied, satisfied. Then her tone sharpened. “Did she ask about Pete?”
“Yes,” Andrew answered.
“And?” Amelia pressed.
“And I made it clear to her sorry ass that she wouldn’t be seeing him again for a very long time,” Andrew said flatly. “That’s if she ever sees him again.”
Amelia burst into laughter. “That’s very good,” she said. “That’s exactly what I like to hear. That’s why I love you, baby.”
“I love you too,” Andrew replied smoothly.
“And how did that announcement make her feel?” Amelia asked.
“She accepted it,” Andrew said. “I made it look like she had no say in the matter.”
“Very good of you,” Amelia praised. “So… are you coming home now?”
“Yes, right now baby,” Andrew said, pushing off the wall and turning back toward Maggie’s room. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“What will you tell her?” Amelia asked.
“I’ll tell her I have something urgent to attend to,” Andrew replied.
“Good,” Amelia said approvingly. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Bye, baby,” she added.
“Bye,” Andrew said, ending the call.