CHAPTER 52: HE'S AWAKE

Rian's POV: "Rian."  I turned my head to the door when I heard my Mom's voice. I smiled at her when she seated beside me and hold both of my hands. We're now in a private room where Alex transmitted earlier from the ICU. It's been two days since he had undergone a surgical treatment for his fractured ribs on his left side. And he's now in a temporary coma because of the traumatic head injury he got from the accident. "How are you, Rian?" "I'm fine, Mom." I tried to smile but I know I failed. "What's the doctor said about his condition?" "They said based on his condition, it can last several days or weeks. But it depends on how his body reacts or progress with the medicines they were giving to him." "Okay. How about you and your baby?" "We're fine, Mom. Don't worry about us." "Sophia is coming today, I just don't know about your brother." "Thank you, Mom." One week has passed and Alex is still in an unconscious state, but every day his condition is getting better based on the results of his lab tests. His doctor already removed the respiratory ventilator that supports his breathing, because based on their latest observation.. he can now support his breathing on his own without the help of the machine. Francine and her child Dino, visited him thrice since he was transferred to a regular room. But I can't deny that every time I see her, I can still feel the pain inside my chest.. that she was the one who's been in my husband's arms those moments that it should've been me, and Dino is the big evidence of that. Well, I'm really trying to accept every single details of it, because I know I can never change what happened. Dino is Alex's child. I've read the results of their DNA test the first day he was admitted in the emergency room. Belle gave me a white envelope that found by his rescuers from the backseat of his car. It contains the results of their paternity test. It's not easy to accept the truth.. and it's not that I need to, but eventually I have to. Because no matter what I do.. even if this world turns upside down... nobody can change the truth that Alex is Dino's biological father. But honestly, I instantly feel at ease with the child. I find him cute and talkative. He has a matured way of thinking even at the age of four. I don't know maybe it's just my pregnancy hormones or because I always reminding myself... that he is nothing but an innocent child. Another three days has passed and Alex's condition is quickly getting better and as by his doctor's last update, he can be awake any time of this day. I am on my laptop and uploading my new book, with Belle beside me on her cellphone, when we both heard a soft and a low moan coming from the bed. We quickly stand and check, just to see Alex in his open eyes. I lunged at him immediately and hugged him on his neck. My tears are now flowing freely in my face, and God knows how much I've waited for this moment. To see him again looking back at me with his mesmerizing gray eyes. "Oh God, hubby! Thank you. Thank you... you're finally awake!" I said kissing his cheeks and give him a peck on his lips. But the reactions he gave me was something I wasn't expecting. "H-Hubby? He asked in a hoarse voice. "Rian, give him some water." Belle gave me a glass of water and I help him drink from it. "Why did you call me, hubby?" Belle and I shared a look with both widened eyes and open-mouthed. "Alex, she called you hubby because-----" "Who are you?" I gasped and looked back at him when he didn't recognized Belle. "Alex, she's Belle------" "Who's Belle?" He asked me with furrowed eyebrows. "And why did you call me hubby? Why am I in a hospital and what about our wedding?" "Oh, God!" I muttered as I covered my mouth. "Why? I already talked to your Dad about our wedding. I agreed to their conditions but I also have my own condition... To make our marriage legal and not based on their contract. And he agreed with it. I told him I'm going to marry you but not just in five years contract, I want it for a lifetime. I want to be your husband legally and forever, Rian."  He took both of my hands as I am still in my open mouth and just staring at him. I don't know if I'm going to feel happy knowing that he's the one personally requested to become our marriage legal.. or to feel sad and a bit disappointed because his memories were stacked from four years ago. "I - I'm just gonna call his doctor, Rian." Belle said and she exited the room, while I was left listening to some of his another confessions before our wedding. And then less than a minute, Belle came with Dani, Alex's doctor and one nurse behind her. "Finally! You're awake, dude!" Dani hugged him ina brotherly hug. "Good morning, Mr. Smith. I'm Steve Monroe, your attending physician. How do you feel right now?"  The doctor asked him while checking his head and the side of his stomach. The nurse is getting his vital signs. "What are you talking about? Why am I in a hospital?" I noticed how the doctor looked at him, but then he smiled and answer his question. "You're in the hospital Mr. Smith, because you met with an accident almost two weeks ago-----" "What? An Accident? I -I can't remember that accident." Alex said with shock and confusion written on his face. "Let me explain to you, Mr. Smith. You had an accident exactly ten days ago. It's a car accident, that's why you're here in the hospital. You got some fractures in your left leg, including one in your rib. You also got a head concussion that's why we need to put you in a temporary coma to stop your brain from swelling. But the only problem here, Mrs. Smith..." the doctor's turned to me but he was cut off again by Alex. "Mrs. Smith? Why did you call Rian, Mrs. Smith? We're not yet married!" The doctor sighed before he gestured to talk to me in private. And I followed him outside the room. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Smith but I think your husband is suffering from temporary memory loss." "What?" I blinked my eyes repeatedly. "Yes. It's due to the traumatic head impact he got from the car accident."  "How long will he suffer from memory loss?" "It depends on how he will cope up with his environment. If I may ask, how long have you been married, Mrs. Smith?" "Four years." "Hmm.. I think his memory were stacked from four years ago. But you can always remind him of happenings from where his memory stopped until this days that he's in unconscious state. But don't worry, we're still going to take some tests to confirm if my initial observation is correct." "Thank you, doctor." When we go back inside, he asked Alex some questions. If what are the things that he can remember.. his name, his age, parents' name and his job and he answered it quickly. But the only thing he can't remember was our wedding. His memory stacked from the day our family talked about our marriage, which should only be contractually for five years, but as he said.. we married not by that contract but with a real one. But the only problem now is that, how can we solve our current situation with Francine and Dino? How can I ask him his explanation, if he himself couldn't explain what happened to him?