Page 17 of Zane

“He’s just fallen asleep,” the woman said.

“That’s fine,” Kelsey said as she approached the bed. “Probably for the better, since he doesn’t remember me.”

The woman reached out to lay a hand on her arm. “I’m sure that must be difficult for you, but don’t give up hope.”

“I love him too much to do that,” Kelsey said.

“That’s the spirit.”

“Is everything else okay?”

Keeping her voice low, the nurse took a couple of minutes to review everything, giving updates on how his other injuries were, as well as his head. “He’s definitely in a better position than he was when he was first brought in. His body is healing.”

“Will he be leaving the hospital soon?” And if he did, where would he go?

“Since he’s awake and stable, they’ll probably move him to a regular unit tomorrow or the day after,” the nurse said. “And then his doctor will determine when he’s ready to leave from there.”

Kelsey thanked her for the information, then stepped closer to Zane’s bed. She wanted to take his hand, and to bend and give him a kiss, but she restrained herself. Though she’d been eager for him to open his eyes, she didn’t want to wake him right then. Not when her emotions were still so raw.

She didn’t plan to stay long with him, so after the nurse left them alone, Kelsey bent close. “I love you, Zane. You might not remember me or the love we share, but I do. And it’s worth fighting for. I will stay by your side until you tell me to walk away.”

Though she didn’t want that to ever happen, she was no longer going to delude herself into thinking that things couldn’t get worse.

“Goodnight, my love.” She gently brushed her fingers across the back of his hand, but he didn’t stir.

Finally, Kelsey tore herself away from his bedside and left the room. She waved at the nurse who’d been in his room earlier, then went through the doors leading out of the ICU. The waiting room was empty of the Halversons, so she was able to head right out of the building.

The air was muggy as she left the hospital, so she cranked the air conditioner in her car before she left the parking lot and headed home.

When she finally pulled into her parking spot at the apartment, Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief. That relief didn’t last long, however. As she stepped into the apartment, she was reminded that along with her, Zane didn’t remember the apartment and the home they’d been building together.

He wouldn’t remember the time they’d spent searching for an apartment that would suit their needs. He wouldn’t remember the things they’d purchased together to make the apartment their home. He wouldn’t remember the moments they’d captured, then had printed out and hung on the wall, including a couple of pictures from their wedding day.

Kelsey wanted to just wallow in her hurt and fear, but there were some practical issues to consider. Something told her that if Zane’s memory didn’t come back soon, the Halversons would want him to return to Serenity to continue his recovery.

In losing four years’ worth of memories, he’d lost the experience that had helped him gain his position at the restaurant there in Tampa. Which would mean he’d lose his job, and there was no way that she could afford to keep this apartment on her salary alone.

When they’d gotten married, Zane had said he’d take on three-quarters of the expenses, leaving just one-quarter for her, since his salary as a chef was about three times what hers was as a hostess. That plan had been working for them until the accident.

Now she needed to figure out what she was going to do.

If the Halversons did take Zane back to Serenity, should she follow him?

She wanted to. She’d meant what she’d told him in his room before she left earlier. He needed to tell her to leave him alone,not his family. So she’d empty her savings account to follow him to Serenity if she had to.

As it was, she needed to make a decision about returning to her job there in Tampa. They needed an income, especially since there were going to be some medical bills coming in. Even with good health insurance—which they had—they were still going to owe something for his hospitalization.

Focusing on the practical, even though it wasn’t encouraging, was easier than dwelling on what had happened with Zane earlier.

After making herself something to eat, Kelsey took a shower, then pulled on a T-shirt of Zane’s. It reached her mid-thigh and past her elbows, making her feel like she was wrapped in his arms.

The night after the accident, she’d taken one of his clean T-shirts and spritzed it with his cologne, since it made her feel like he was with her in their bed.

Before she crawled into bed, Kelsey went to her side of the walk-in closet and dug through a box of stuff she hadn’t unpacked yet. It held an assortment of stationery products, including a journal she’d bought but never used. Taking it and a gel pen from the box, she went back to the bed.

After the events of the day, there was even more in her heart and mind that she had no one to talk to about. Rori had told Kelsey she could call her if she needed to talk, but it felt like her disconnect with the Halversons had only increased over the past few hours.

This has become the second worst day of my life. The first was the day of the accident when I wasn’t sure if you would live. Now, I’m not sure you will ever remember me. Or remember the love we shared.

---