Calista

Chapter 30

"I told you already, Yvonne. I can't...I don't see you that way. No, I don't want to talk about it. I'll figure out the medical bills on my own. Listen, I'm a little busy. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Yvonne was still insisting they continue their conversation when Adam disconnected the call, tucking the phone in his suit's pocket.

"Mr. Hargrove, you're here early," a nurse said, smiling at him. She pointed to the hospital room. "Your mother's already inside."

"No change?"

Her smile faltered at having to give him the same answer she always did, "No, sir. No changes today."

"Thanks, Rory. You're the best nurse here." Adam winked.

She giggled and pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh...or the other nurses will get jealous."

She continued past him and Adam sighed before pushing the door open to the room his parents were in.

Adam hated hospitals. He always had. Over the past few months, he had been forced to accustom himself to seeing life machines and the smell of green tea hand sanitizer.

"Adam, you're here," his mother said softly. It was an obvious thing so Adam wasn't sure why she said it. He placed a hand on his mother's cheek as he kissed her forehead. "I have good news." He turned to his father in the bed next to her.

"Good news?" His mother turned to him as Adam sat down and stretched his legs out, stifling a yawn.

"I found your daughter-in-law."

His mother quickly inhaled a breath of disbelief. "You found Calista?"

Adam closed his eyes and nodded. He still couldn't believe it himself. Sure, after meeting Calista Dover he had doubts. Those doubts were about his sanity. It wasn't until he kissed her that he knew for sure she was his wife.

"Where is she? Is she okay?"

He listened intently to the steady rhythm of the heart monitor. How much could he tell his mother? Probably not much.

"Don't worry. She's fine."

"Where has she been all this time? And did you tell her about your father?" his mother asked. "What did she say when you told her about your father? Doesn't she care that he's in a coma? It's partly her fault."

"It's not her fault." Adam sighed. It was a conversation they'd had before. "He had a heart attack while driving after hearing she was missing. That doesn't mean it's her fault."

"It does to me," his mother muttered. "So what did she say when you told her?"

"I didn't tell her about dad. I couldn't."

"Why couldn't you? And you didn't tell me where she's been all this time. Did she have a good reason why she left? I can't believe that girl would leave you so what's going on? Where is she?"

Adam rubbed his temples. "She forgot."

"She forgot?" The corner of his mother's mouth curled up in confusion.

"She had amnesia. She forgot me, you, and dad. She forgot everything," Adam answered. "She forgot everything."

His mother's eyes widened. "That really happens? People really get amnesia? I just thought that happened in soap operas. So she remembers everything now?"

A sad smile spread across his face as he thought of Calista's earlier words. Someone was trying to kill her. She didn't know who but she did know that she wanted to continue parading around as a woman that wasn't his wife.