Loving The Devil - Chapter 39

It’s been five months, five grueling, terrible months since Chloe fell into a coma. Brian waited by her bedside every day, waiting for her to wake up. He was waiting for her to show any sign of hope. Ryan has stepped in and offered to take care of Chloe while Brian was at work. Brian accepted under the condition that he was to call every hour with an update. Sam took over the cafe, waiting for a glimpse of hope that Chloe would pull through. Sally was arrested. While sitting in jail, she killed herself. Knowing that she killed Chloe’s baby, somehow gave her the satisfaction to end her life. Chloe laid unconscious in the hospital room, while Brian sat next to her talking to her and holding her hand. “Chloe, please angel, wake up. Please just give some sign that you are still with us.” Once again, he held her hand as always and kissed the back. This has become the new routine; the difference this time was Chloe. Chloe roused, moving her hand from his. This sudden movement startled Brian. At first, he thought he was seeing things, and there was no way she could actually be awake. He sat for a second, wondering if it was real. Once Chloe ġrȯȧnėd and tried to open her eyes, he dashed out of the room, yelling for a doctor. He called both Ryan and Sam to come immediately, telling them there has been a change to her condition. “Ms. Wilson? Can you hear me? I’m Dr. Nazareth, do you know where you are?” Chloe looked around and saw she was in the hospital. “Hospital.” She replied hoarsely. “I’m in the hospital, right?” Chloe looked around the room. “But why am I here? Did something happen?” Brian looked concerned and worried. “Do you not remember?” Brian spoke. “No doctor, I don’t remember how I got here.” “Doctor? Do you know who I am?” “Um… are you not another doctor?” Brian grabbed the doctor by his arm, dragging him out of the room. “Doctor, What’s going on? Why is this happening?” “It seems she has amnesia. We’ll have to run some tests. Prepare yourself for the worst. She could regain her memory, best case. Worst case, it may never return.” Sam and Ryan showed up as they were talking in the hallway. “Brian, she’s awake? Can I go see her?” “Before you go, Sam, prepare yourself. She seems to have forgotten some things and people.” “Oh my, ok I’ll take it slow.” Once Sam entered the room, Chloe grew happy to see her. “Sam! Thank God you’re here. I was beginning to think that no one cared. How long have I been here, and who are they?” Chloe pointed to Ryan and Brian, who exchanged looks of worry. “Chloe? What’s the last thing you remember?” Chloe thought for a while. “Ah. Our July event at the cafe.” “Chloe dear that was about seven months ago.” “Seven? What happened, and why are they here? Do I know them?” “Chloe sweetie…” “Hey I’m Ryan, Sam’s boyfriend and this is my friend Brian. We have known you for over a year now.” “Really? Do you mind? I would like to speak with Sam alone.” “Sure thing. We will go get some coffee.” Ryan pushed a zombie-like Brian out of the room. Brian was still in shock that Chloe, his love, didn’t remember him. “Ryan, what am I going to do? She doesn’t remember me or what we had together. She doesn’t even remember she was pregnant. How am I supposed to tell her about the baby? Do I even tell her?” Brian was losing hope by the second. His aura was dark and full of despair. His eyes were heavy with sadness and loneliness. He felt his world shatter. Brian thought he could handle things when she woke up that at least she was alive. But once reality sat in and he realized she didn’t know him, that pain was indescribable. “Hey, look, man, I know it seems bad right now. Maybe she will remember you. Have hope. She is alive and awake. We will take it slow. Ok. One day at a time.”

Chloe sat, waiting for Sam to explain what happened. “So… What exactly happened?” “Chloe, um… Sally kidnaped you. Do you remember?” Chloe shook her head no. “She did what? Why?” “Um… There is more. You were pregnant, and…” “I’m pregnant?! Who is the father? I have a boyfriend? I’m not a vɨrġɨn?” ” Slow down, yes, you were pregnant. The father is a great man. Yes, he was also your boyfriend. That man is Brian. The guy who just left. You have been dating for a while now. Almost a year. Sally kidnapped you because she blames you for her losing her baby and Phillip dying. By the way, Sally is dead; she took her own life. I know this is a lot to process, but I felt you needed to know.” Chloe sat in shock by the news. How did she forget everything? She looked at Sam, confused about whether or not to believe her. It felt surreal. “There is no way any of that is true. Is it April fools? I’m being pranked, right? I would remember having a boyfriend let alone getting pregnant, and Phillip dying and Sally getting pregnant. Not to mention her death. Very funny Sam, you can tell everyone I fell for it. bring everyone out.” Chloe stared at Sam for the longest time, waiting on some kind of confirmation that it was all a joke. But, all she could see was the pain and sorrow in her eyes. When she saw how serious Sam was, she then realized it was the truth. She sat with her hands on her head. It was all too much to believe and too much to take in. She didn’t know what to do. The doctor walked back in, “Miss Wilson, we are going to run a few tests to make sure you are ok.” “Okay? Okay? I can tell you, doctor; I am not okay. If what Sam says is true, then I will never be ok.” Brian and Ryan walked back into the room, catching the end of the conversation. “What do you mean you’re not okay? Where does it hurt? what can I do for you?” Brian went into overprotective boyfriend mode. When Chloe looked at him confused, wondering why he was acting that way. He realized the horrible dream was real. He became quiet and excused himself from the room. Ryan looked at Sally. As if she could read his mind, she nodded. “Go, I’ll take care of Chloe.” “What is wrong with that guy? Why did he act like that?” “Have you forgotten Chloe. In that guy’s mind, you are together. In your mind, he is a stranger. You see the problem.” “Yeah, but that’s not my problem. I didn’t ask for this.” “Neither did he!” Chloe sighed, realizing that sooner or later, she will need to speak with him. “Can you guys ask him to come back. I would like to clear this awkward air.” Sally perked up. “I’ll go get him.” She ran after Brian. She found him in the waiting room. “Good I found you. Chloe wants to speak with you. ” “I’m not going.” “What? why? She asked me to get you; she wants to talk with you.” “Why should I go? So she can stare at me like a stranger? So my heart can break every time I look into her eyes? She may have Chloe’s looks and her voice. But those eyes are not Chloe’s. Her eyes were full of life and brought light into my world. These eyes are dark, and life has left them. It’s like she died and it’s all my fault.” “Brian Lee Hughes! How dare you? You sit there complaining and acting as though your girl has died. She is in the other room. You need to go talk to her. Sit with her and explain the most you can. Maybe something will come back.” Ryan stood over Brian, yelling at him. “Dude, Calm down we’re in a hospital.” “And What are they going to do? Throw the owner out?” “I own this, not you. Fine, I’ll go see her. If for nothing else but to say goodbye.”

A light knock could be heard in the silence. “Come in, please.” As Brian walked into Chloe’s room, Chloe observed the pain in his eyes and the sadness in his posture. “I’m glad you came. I feel like I owe it to you to listen and try to remember. It’s true. I can’t remember you, but for some reason, I feel sad that your sad, and that makes me feel guilty. I don’t know you, yet at the same time, I don’t want to hurt you either.” Brian sat and listened to her. Tears were reaching the edge of his eyes. His voice cracked when he spoke. “I am Brian Hughes. We have been dating for almost a year. We…we…” Brian stopped and broke down crying. Chloe jumped up out of bed and ran to him, hugging him. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt a need to comfort him. When she opened her mouth to speak, a rush of familiar words flooded. “It’s okay, whatever the problem we will fight it together, I want to protect you as you have protected me, I want to be your queen to this ruthless empire of a world.” Once she said these words, Brian grabbed her and kissed her. With this kiss, her memories flooded back, causing her balance to waver. “You remember?” “I didn’t until you kissed me. It was like a key to the lock of my memories.” “But what you said? How did you know?” “I didn’t, I felt the need to comfort you, and when I spoke, it was like deja vu. But Brian, I remember you.” She pushed him away and stood on her own, walking back to her bed. “I remember everything.” “That’s amazing.” “No. Brian, we need to talk”