Forget-Me-Not: Chapter Two
Dr. Nobles pulled Mina aside to talk to her quietly about her husband’s condition a few minutes later.
“What’s wrong with him? Tell me everything!” She demanded, panicking out of her mind. Normally she would never be so rude.
“Alright, yes, just do one favor for me and take a deep breath, alright, Mrs. Blacksteele?”
Once Mina had obediently taken a breath, he continued. “Your husband’s condition is stable. He was in a car crash and has suffered severe damage to his medial temporal lobe. Now what that means is that he has your standard case of retrograde amnesia.”
“What?! What does that mean exactly? You’re telling me my husband can’t remember anything?!”
“Now, ma’am, we don’t know exactly what your husband will or won’t remember until he’s awake and able to talk to us-”
“Well, aren’t there tests you can run?! I mean, is this permanent; is that what you’re telling me; that my own husband can’t and won’t remember me?!”
“We have done every test there is to do, ma’am, I assure you. We have run extensive blood work, performed an MRI and a CT scan, all before you arrived. And when he’s conscious we can have him take an EEG test to see where his cognitive abilities are at.
“All I can say at this time is that in most cases like his, memory loss can extend back several years, even decades, but childhood memory stays mostly intact. In some cases, it’s only a temporary memory loss and the majority of adult memories return on their own after a while, with enough reintroduction into familiar territory.
“The good news is that since it doesn’t appear to be a case of anterograde amnesia, your husband will still be able to form new memories.”
Mina was reeling. It felt like her whole world was falling apart around her and all she could do was watch.
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Mina sat anxiously at her husband’s hospital bedside all night; holding his uninjured hand.
She was still firmly in a state of shock, she didn’t need a doctor to tell her that.
Time passed unnaturally slow, it felt like.
She prayed fervently for Colter to make a full recovery, like she hadn’t prayed in years. She also prayed for the family of their driver who had tragically lost his life in the car accident. Those poor people. They were going to be devastated by the loss of Leonard, they all were. He was a good man - had been - a good man.
What had happened? Leonard had been a sober man and a dependable driver.
The doctor that had called Mina that morning had told her that the car had been found in a ditch just outside of Denver, Colorado, and she had flown in as quickly as possible from their home in the Hamptons. Mina couldn’t recall any other details of what they had told her.
She had simply lapsed into shock.
Maybe Leonard had just fallen asleep at the wheel. He had been well past retirement, poor chap, but he had wanted to stay on to help his grandchildren through college.
Mina was just trying not to cry. She knew she had to hold it together for when Colter’s mother showed up. The rest of his family was sure to follow.
Colter groaned just then and she sniffed back her self-pity and leaned towards him.
“Hey, Cole? Colter, baby, can you hear me? Sweetie?” Mina closed her eyes as a few tears slipped helplessly down her cheeks. “Please wake up. Please just say something.”
She jumped and opened her eyes in surprise when she felt fingertips brush across her cheek.
She found herself staring down into Colter’s striking blue eyes. Well, currently they were bloodshot and one was puffy and blackened, but they were still his eyes and they pierced deep into her soul just as they always had.
“Don’t cry.” He said softly. His voice was hoarse, but it was still a massive relief to hear it. “You’re too pretty to cry.”
Mina smiled through her tears. “Hey, tiger. How you feeling?” She asked in a soft, sweet little voice that soothed his sore nerves.
He groaned and it seemed like a struggle for him just to keep his eyes open.
Mina supposed that might be the effect of all the painkillers they had him on.
“Like death warmed over.” He admitted with another groan.
“I should get the doctor. I’ll be right back, sweetheart.”
She stroked the back of his hand as she stood up, then leaned over his fingers to gently kiss the back of them. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She told him in a whisper. “I love you so much.”
She set his hand back down on top of the white coverlet and turned to go.
“Hey, wait.” He called after her hoarsely and she immediately turned back to face him.
“What’s your-I don’t even know your name.”
This wrenched her tender heart in two and she could only stare at him for a moment as she battled back the pain.
“Mina.” She said quietly, after a minute had passed and she had collected herself. “My name is Mrs. Mina Blacksteele. I’m your wife.”