Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 83

Theo POV

I returned to work, having had a week of taking care of our sleeping beauty, as I like to call her now, and it was strange at first; the accident that Bethany was in, and the k********g was never mentioned in the news, only the arresting of big names, and some names we had never heard of, that were kingpins overseas. They were nobodies to most of us here and soon the media died down. A few asked where Bethany was as they had not seen her lately, and those who had worked in the labs with her were not needed in there and worked on the main floor. Robson said she was in her lab and to leave her be, and that was the end of that. I never once corrected any speculation. I was happy they did not know the truth.

Dad reduced Bethany's medication and was now allowing her to wake up slowly. The time of truth was nearing. Did she have brain damage? Not remembering me? It was my biggest fear; it was not uncommon when having had such lousy head trauma to lose a big part that caused pain, and years could disappear from your memory; sometimes, it is temporary, and other times, it could take years or some trigger to bring it all back. She may go back to thinking she was still married to Bret and that would break my heart. It was Sunday. Bob made some pies, which were better than Bethany's, but they smelt good and brought in some beers. Robson joined Dad, Bob, and me to watch the game. The television was on loud, and we had dressed up in our favorite team's shirts. We even put one on Bethany. She was breathing on her own now, and we were all waiting for her to wake up. I had a bet with the men. I bet she would wake up on the first score, Dad said closer to the end, and Bob said on the introduction music when the ice hockey starts, Robson did not bet; he said it was too hard to choose with so many options. The first game on the television was not ice hockey. It was some soccer game; as I am not a soccer fan, I did not pay much attention to it, mainly watching Bethany to see if she responded to anything. That game. Then, Bob brought out the pies and placed them on the table; the smell filled the air, and as we started to eat them, the introduction to the ice hockey game started, and we watched the team run out onto the field. 'Hey, where is my pie?' Music to my ears had my eyes watering as I turned to look at Bethany, who was staring at the screen with her hand out, waiting for a pie. Unsure how to react to that comment, I did as she asked, grabbed a pie, and placed it in her right hand. Her left arm was still in plaster, it would be another two weeks before it would come off. The others watched Bethany as she put the pie in her mouth and took a bite before stopping and looking around her.

She frowned at where she was, and I quickly took the pie from her hand before she dropped it.

'Where am I?' she asked, looking around the room and at each of us individually. Still, we said nothing, waiting for some kind of sign of how she was. Dad got up and grabbed the bed adjuster and raised it further so she was fully sitting up. Then, the other team was announced as they skated onto the ice. She turned back to the screen and scrunched her nose.

'How did they get into the semi-final?' A collective sigh was heard as she spoke encouraging words. Her voice was husky from being dry and unused, but it still sounded so musical to my ears.

'They got into the final last week. You slept for three weeks, I recorded what you missed. Bob said, avoiding the first question.

'Three weeks, how? I am lucky to get five or six hours. How did I manage to sleep so long?' She stared at me, and I held my breath. Would she know who I am to her or even what my name is?

'Dad, Robson?' She looked over to my father and frowned for a moment as if she was struggling to grasp something. The television roared and cheered, and she looked over to the screen and gave out a little cheer, her voice not ready to scream like she would have done in the past; I got up, grabbed a glass of water, and handed it over to her. She took it off of me and gave me a shy smile, and my heart broke. That smile did not say she recognized me; I had to hide the hurt I was feeling and hope she would eventually know who I was.

'Robson?'

'Yes, Sweetheart! He was staring at her, waiting for more questions. He was sure it would come.

'This is the lab? Why am I here?' She needed clarification.

'You were in a car accident, and by bringing you here, we could give you the best treatment! 'But that Lab? Why not the main floor?'

'Thought when you woke, you would know where you spent most of your time, plus could you see us setting up the television on sports, with those heart patients, they would die a coronary when a team scored. We all chuckled at that, but she gave us a pass at the moment. 'Dad, there is more to this; talk to me.

'You dropped me off at a place we had never been before after the Sunday sports day at Hank's place.

'Hank. She looked at the screen as if it would give her answers. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but none of us went near her yet; we let her process everything in her own time. It was weird; the whole room was waiting, which was odd. We had talked about this and agreed not to rush in and hug her, to wait for her to give a sign she wanted a hug. She was never a huggy person, and that was Wendy and Cynthia's fault and partly Bret too.

Another cheer came over the speakers as another goal was made, but it was not the team we were barracking for. To my surprise, Bethany booed the screen!

'Hey, that was a foul. Send him to the sin bin. She called out to the screen, and after a couple of slow-motion replays, the goal was disallowed, the defender was sent to the sin bin, and a penalty was given, Bethany's eyes lit up as the man did as she ordered the screen to do.

'Dad, Hank's wife is Kitty?' Bethany suddenly said.

'Yes, that is right.

'Her birthday party the same day as the grand final?' She was slowly having some memories at least. I waited for her to mention me.

'Yes.' Bob came over to her and offered her another pie. The one I had given her earlier was back on the plate with one bite out of it.

'We won.' She took the pie and sniffed it.

'You baked these.' She accused her Dad but with a smile.

'Yes and Yes. Bob said, and gave Bethany her first hug.

'I drove you home in your car.' So far, so good.

'Yes, you did, but it was not to my apartment.

'I don't remember dropping you off or what happened afterward. Could you fill me in?'

'Are you sure you want that? You are a doctor; you know it is better for you to remember on your own!

'Is that why you are all staring at me and not hugging me? I am in the hospital. Do I not get a hug?'

That was all that was needed for Dad to get up and hug her.

'Hank.' Bethany said as he pulled away, and he nodded.

'I have been your doctor since the accident. She nodded, and Robson hugged her. Bob had already given her one, so I went over, put my arms around her, and gave her a gentle squeeze and a kiss on her cheek. I wanted to do more, but Dad said to wait and let her remember, and it was one of the hardest things to do.

I pulled back, looked at her, and waited. She looked into my eyes and searched my face, but I could not see any recognition in them. I sat on the chair next to her, kept hold of her hand, and turned back to look at Dad, urging him with my eyes to tell me what to do

next. I had no clue.