She let her gaze fall to her lap as she sighed. “When will we know?”
“That’s hard to say, too. Your memories could come back in the next few hours, days, weeks, or months. Or not at all.”
Grant’s stomach clenched at the words. Would they be starting from scratch with their relationship?
The doctor continued, “They may come back all at once, they may come back in bits and pieces. Amnesia is a difficult thing, and it’s really individual.”
She sighed at the news.
“For now, I just want you to take it easy. Don’t try to force anything. If your vitals continue to look good, I’d like to get you home. You may have an easier time remembering there where you’re more comfortable.”
“Will that help? We’ll take her home now,” Sierra said. “We’ll hire nurses round the clock. We can take Kyle. He’s a doctor.”
Dr. Gray held up a hand. “Now is a little premature. I’d like to monitor her for another twenty-four hours, then we’ll talk. No matter what happens, I want you to take it easy, okay? Not too much excitement.”
“What, that’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?” Sierra asked as the doctor strode from the room.
“Sierra,” Grant said as he followed her out.
Dr. Gray spun to face them. “That’s all I can say. I’m sorry. The hope is that she will recover her memory, but that could take time. Until then, try to be patient. Trying to force her memory may do more harm than good.”
Sierra’s shoulders slumped as the doctor spun on a heel and walked away. She glanced up at Grant, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. “Daddy! Do something!”
Grant rubbed her arm. “We’re going to. We’re going to be as supportive and patient as we can, okay? She’ll remember.” He added under his breath, “She has to.”
He hesitated a moment before he squeezed Sierra’s shoulders again. “Come on, let’s go in and sit with her. She probably feels really lost right now.”
“Whoa, I don’t think so,” Kyle said as he blocked them from the door.
Anger flared in Grant, and he clenched his jaw. “What?”
“Not until we’ve discussed a few things.”
“Such as?” Grant growled.
“Such as what you plan to tell her.”
“I don’t think you have anything to say about what I tell my wife. And you can’t stop me from seeing her.”
Kyle scoffed at the statement. “She’s your wife in name only. I hope you’re planning on telling her that.”
Grant’s jaw tightened at the words. “Do you really think that’s a wise idea? She’s just woken up from a coma. The last thing we need to do is try to explain our complex situation. Just let us support her.”
Kyle offered him an icy glare. “I don’t think so. I’m not going to let you walk in there and lie to her about what’s going on between you. You’ve done enough damage to her already. No, either you tell her about what a sham this marriage is, or I will.”
Grant’s fingers curled into fists at the threat. He had no desire to explain their complicated relationship to his memoryless wife. He’d planned on allowing her memory to return naturally. If it didn’t…well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it. But this ultimatum…it could change everything. It could cost him Julia.
CHAPTER 16
JULIA
Julia tapped a nervous rhythm on the thin sheet covering the mattress. The gaps in her memory panicked her. She tried to go over everything in her mind. What did she remember? What had she forgotten?
She couldn’t even make a catalog of what was missing. That scared her more than anything.
If she would have walked past Grant on the street, she wouldn’t have known him. She didn’t recognize her own husband. What else didn’t she know?
Tears threatened as the reality of her situation settled on her shoulders. She’d forgotten her life. Or most of it. Part of it. She didn’t even know. She couldn’t even fully assess her loss. She could walk past someone and never even know she didn’t recognize them.