ENLIGHTENED

Chapter 23

Chapter 23: No.

I look at the watch and as soon as it hits 20h00, the Wests walk out because visiting time has ended.

I cover my face further with the scarf and big glasses.

Big glasses at night, crazy right but then again, I don't want them to see me because they could move him from our hospital.

They all get inside their family car and they drive away, I wait 15 minutes in case they come back because they missed something.

I take off my disguise and I strut into the hospital, everyone knowing exactly who I am.

"Good evening madam, we have his room ready for your presence." A nurse says and I nod, walking in the direction of his room.

I open the door and I walk in, finding my love sleeping peacefully like he has been doing for the past one month. He hasn't woken up and it scares me.

I want to see the mischief twinkle within his eyes.

I lay beside him in the large king bed. I kiss his cheek, running my fingers gently through his smooth hair that the nurses washed recently.

"Baby, I am so sorry about everything. Your father was right, us being together is dangerous. Look at you, laying unconscious because you got shot when at dinner at my place. I didn't know we had potential of being attacked. If I knew, I swear I would have done something to postpone the dinner. I know I say this every time I come but I feel so guilty about your condition." I say, laying my head on the right side of his chest.

"I just don't want to lose you, you're the only man I have ever loved. Ever." I say, running my nails teasingly along his jaw line with a light stubble growing on it.

He flinched away and I laugh.

Until it dawns on me, he flinched!

I get off the bed and slam the panic button.

Doctors rush in and I point at him.

They watch him like a hawk until he moves his head and they scrabble like ants, going to get whatever before rushing in again.

"Where am I?" he whispers, his voice coarse because he hasn't spoke for weeks.

"Notify his family." one of the doctors tells a nurse and she nods.

They help him sit before serving him water which he drinks like a thirsty man, well, he is.

"What's your full name?" the doctor asks him and I frown at her, not understanding why she's asking him.

Before he can answer, his family barges in. Well, that was quicker than quick.

They ignore my presence, focusing on Austin.

"Austin Nathaniel West." he says in a duh voice.

"Good. Do you know who these people are?" she asks.

"That beautiful queen over there is my mother and the handsome man beside him, her king and my father. Then there's my cute sister Serenity." he says, smiling lovingly at his family.

I step forward and he looks at me in...wonder?

"And this lady here?" she asks and he looks at me, analyzing me.

"You tell me." he says and I gasp.

The Light bulb I never wanted to turn on brightening my thoughts.

"You don't know me?" I ask, my trembling hand on my chest.

"It doesn't take a genius to know that." he says, rolling his eyes at me.

"No Austin, don't do this please. Stop playing games with me, now isn't the time baby." I say and he glares at me. Me?

"Listen, maybe we had a one night stand or something but I would appreciate it if you leave. I don't date babe so if you got attached, well, you did that to yourself." He says, pointing at the door.

"Austin, I'm your girlfriend. Your family here knows me because you introduced me to them. I even have a million pictures of us together on dates and vacation." I say and he frowns at me.

Then he starts laughing hysterically.

"Me? A girlfriend? Are you that much of a gold digger that you even got pictures photoshopped to fool me. Fine, let me ask my family if they know you. Father, do you know her?" he asks, wiping some tears from the laughing.

"No son, probably a gold digger searching for money by all means." Mr West said and I gasp, looking at him in shock.

He just lied to his son about knowing me.

"Doctor, what's going on?" I ask, my voice unstable. I can't believe what is happening at the moment.

"He has amnesia. He basically suppressed his memory to erase being shot, especially at the home of his love." she says, looking at me with sympathy.

"Wait! I got shot at this whores home? This bitch wanted me dead? And she dares to come here after shooting me? Get the fuck out. Be glad that I don't know your name and that I survived or I swear, I'd send you to jail." he says, shocking me to the point of having me speechless. Am I hallucinating?

"How long will his recovery take?" I ask and he glares at me with even more hatred but I know that that isn't my Austin.

"Could be days, weeks, months, years, never.." she says and I nod, taking one last look at the love of my life who has forgotten me and absolutely loathes me.

I walk out, my head lowered because I feel like I just lost everything.

I can't even attempt to remind him of our love because he believes that I'm a desperate gold digger he had a one night stand with.

I get inside my blacker than night car before driving home to the new and renovated mansion with more security build into the house.

Bullet proof windows, thick walls of concrete created so that even if a bomb is thrown inside, it won't impact the house that much compared to when it is thrown into a normal house.

I park my car and walk into the house before dropping to the floor and bawling my eyes out.

"What is wrong baby?" my mother asks, seating beside me on the floor, cradling me inside her arms.

"He woke up with amnesia mama. He does not remember me in any way. He thinks I'm a whore he hit and ran. A whore who wants money from his family. And to make matters worse, his family denied knowing me." I say and she gently rocks us in a soothing rhythm.

"He hates me with passion and doesn't ever want to see me, ever." I say and the tears increase in flow.

"Mother, I just lost the love of my life." I say and she runs her fingers through my ginger hair, massaging my scalp in the process.