"Where is Thomas?"
Everyone in the room, apart from the doctor, knew something was wrong when Reyona asked that question.
"Rey, why are you asking about..."
Toria caught the gesture Maxwell made to her and stopped what she was asking.
"What?" Reyona asked when Toria paused.
"Nothing. I…I mean, are you fine now? You gave us all a scare. You…"
Reyona winced a bit as she said, "It is coming back now."
"What is coming back?" Toria asked eagerly as she clasped her hands around Reyona's.
"The headache. It stopped for a second but..."
"I will give you something for it," Andrea said as she came closer. "I am sorry everyone but she still needs to rest."
"Oh, of course," Toria said as she quickly stood up from the bed.
"She is beautiful. Is she your baby?" Reyona said as she looked at the baby in Celia's arms.
Celia's eyes filled as she said, "Yes, erm. She is my daughter. I chose the liberty to name you her godmother during your.... absence. I hope you don't mind."
"Mind? Of course not. It is my fortune to be a godmother to such an angel. I will love to carry her once I can feel my hands." Reyona said with a smile and winced again. "Thomas and I are also thinking of starting a family too." Her smile trailed off as she looked back at Celia and said, "Are we close? Why can't I remember that?" The last statement was said more to herself, as if she were trying to remember.
Her hand flew to her head as the headache struck again.
Andrea signalled to the nurse, standing close to the door with a box.
As the latter came closer, Andrea turned to the others and said, "President Rohan."
Maxwell, who has had his gaze on Reyoa since, looked at Andrea and said, "Of course."
Then he gestured to the others and they all turned to leave the room.
"Toria"
Her sister swung back so fast that she could have spun off if she were a dice. "Yes?"
"Is Thomas okay? Was he also affected by..." Reyona gestured to the splints on her legs as she completed. "... this?"
"I wish," Toria muttered under her breath. Then, to Reyona, she said, "No, he is fine."
"Then why is he not here?" Reyona asked, even as Andrea handed her some medication.
"He…" Toria swallowed hard before she finished. "... stepped out. Just concentrate on getting better first, Rey."
"Okay, tell him to come see me once he is back, though. I need to be sure that he is fine," Reyon said before she accepted the glass of water from the nurse and took the medication.
When it seemed like Toria's feet were rooted to a spot, Maxwell inclined his head at her and she finally moved.
As they were stepping out of the room, they heard Reyona ask the doctor. "Toria looked upset so I didn't want to ask her. What happened to me, doctor? Why am I here?"
***************
Maxwell saw that Toria was close to bursting, so he took her as far away from the house as possible.
They went to the outdoor poolside.
When they got there, she sat on the chaise lounge.
She was silent for a while as she stared at the shimmering pool water.
Celia went to sit on another chaise and Maxwell stood still as he stared into the distance.
Toria stood up suddenly and started pacing as she blurted out.
"Please tell me it is not what I am thinking."
If what you are thinking is that she woke up with partial amnesia and can't remember that her ex-husband is an asshole, then yes, you are right."
"Language, Maxie," Celia said as she covered her daughter's ears. Her scolding tone was less effective because she also had a worried look on her face.
"Do you think she might never remember?" Celia asked no one in particular.
"Is that possible?" Toria asked, looking at Maxwell.
"I am sure Andrea will tell us more about it soon," Maxwell said.
As they all got into their sombre thoughts, he thought of what he had not said.
He knew of someone who had amnesia and never recovered from it until his death.
The thought of that happening to Reyona was not even something he could bear to think about.
If she still remembered Thomas as her husband, that means...
"We have a problem," Celia said suddenly.
"What problem?" Toria asked before Maxwell.
"She wants to see him," Celia answered.
"That would not happen," Maxwell said emphatically.
Celia and Toria turned to look at him just as they heard the clipped footsteps of Andrea approaching.
"One of the staff told me you are here, sir," she said, stepping aside with Maxwell.
By the time Maxwell finished speaking with Andrea, his initial resolve was not so strong.
Though more tests would be carried out, Andrea was sixty percent certain that Reyona had retrograde amnesia.
"I think it would be better if I come back tomorrow for the test. She seemed stressed as it was. The caregiver and a nurse would stay to keep an eye on her, as you demanded, sir. Apart from her memory loss, I think the storm is over now."
"Apart from? That is not disastrous enough."
"I meant she would stay with us now. I know it has not been easy for you in the past week, sir. She must mean a lot to you."
Maxwell didn't respond to that. Most times, he had thought of the fact that Andrea should have pursued a career in politics instead of medicine.
He was sure she was aware of the media buzz during the week since someone posted the clip of Maxwell declaring Reyona as his woman while looking frantic at the scene of the fire, but of course, she stood there all serious-looking as she asked him what she must have guessed already.
Maxwell ignored her insinuation instead and asked, "If it is what you think it is, how long before she recovers from it?"
"I will need to do more tes..."
"I didn't ask you to bullshit me, Andrea. I am asking for what you think!" Maxwell said sternly.
"Maybe a matter of hours. Maybe a week, maybe a month. It could also be a year or..."
"Never," Maxwell answered.
"Yes, sir," Andrea said with a nod.
Maxwell tucked his hand into his pockets as he looked in the direction of the room where Reyona was. "I will see you here bright and early tomorrow, Andrea."
"Yes, sir," Andrea said as she turned to leave. Then she turned back to him and said, "She wants to see him."
When Andrea merely said him, instead of mentioning Thomas's name, it confirmed Maxwell's thought that she did know more about Reyona's situation than she was letting on.
"What did you tell her about why she was here?"
"That she was in her accident. I will leave it to you to tell her the kind and where it happened, sir. I told her you were a friend who offered to help. She asked if Thomas agreed to your offer of help and I am sorry, sir. I had to tell her yes. She is my patient and what she needs most now is what will keep her comfortable."
Maxwell nodded. "I understand. Was that all?"
"She said she was glad that she did not wake up in the hospital. She hated hospitals."
"She said it," Maxwell said simply.
"Oh, you knew before?" Andrea asked curiously.
Maxwell shook his head. "No, she said it. In the hospital. Remember when I thought she was awake?"
Andrea nodded "Yes, you arranged for her transfer after that. What is it because...? But she was still unconscious then." Andrea said in confusion.
Maxwell shook his head. "For a moment, she wasn't. Her eyes opened for a few seconds and she muttered it. She hates hospitals."
Andrea looked at Maxwell and answered her own insinuated question. "She is important to you."
Maxwell looked back at her with a scowl and asked, "So you think seeing him will be good for her recovery?"
"It will be good for her state of mind right now. Her comfort will be a big help in her recovery. I am sorry, sir," Andrea said before she left.
Toria met Maxwell halfway as she saw Andrea leaving. "What did she say?"
In a stoic tone, Maxwell said, "She needs to see him."
"Oh hell…" Toria clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle the word that had already escaped her.
She looked apologetically at Celia, who had her hands over her baby's ears and shook her head at Maxwell. "No, no, no, no. That bad person shouldn't come close to her."
"I am afraid it is not our choice," Maxwell said.