“He isn’t in your life, baby,” he answered me without looking away from Elliot. “He’s a piece of shit and I won’t let him break your heart again.”
Again?
Anderson invaded Elliot’s space and shoved him backwards. He was tall, but Elliot had four or five inches on him and was so much broader than him. They looked close in age but Elliot just seemed bigger in every way compared to Anderson.
“No!” I shouted, panicked. “No! Please, Elliot. I don’t know this man!”
Anderson spun to face me; his face was void of colour. He looked like he was physically hurt by my words, and a sense of remorse washed over me. I didn’t know this man, and I didn’t understand any of what was being discussed, but he was defending me against Elliot. He believed Elliot was a threat of some kind to me and he clearly didn’t want me to get hurt, and because of that I felt somewhat of a connection to him.
“Noah,” said Anderson.
“I’m sorry,” I said to him hurriedly. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, I truly don’t. I just don’t know you – you’ll have to . . . you’ll have to give me some time because this is all too much and I can’t think.”
My head ached so badly I placed both hands on my temples and whimpered. My entire skull throbbed to the point where I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears. The pain was so intense I felt as if I couldn’t breathe around it.
“Mr Riley, I think it’s best if you leave,” Doctor Abara said to Anderson. “This is entirely overwhelming for your wife – you must understand.”
I couldn’t concentrate on what the doctor was saying, I was busy breathing in and out to help the pain in my head. I was so glad the doctor had told him to leave because I didn’t think I could do it; he looked so upset and hurt that I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t want to cause any more pain.
“Should I leave too, Mrs Ainsley?”
My heart just about stopped. I forced my eyes open and focused on Elliot as the room began to sway. I noticed bodies behind him, a nurse and two men in uniform. Security would be my guess.
“Elliot,” I rasped. “Please don’t leave me.”
I was sure I wanted Anderson to leave just so I could have a moment to try to sort out what was happening in my head, but I needed Elliot to stay. Even though he looked very different from how I remembered, he was familiar to me and I needed that at the moment. I needed something, someone, that I knew. I needed my rock.
Elliot closed his eyes as he clenched his hands into fists. To Anderson he said, “She wants me to stay, so I’m stayin’.”
“She’s my wife,” Anderson replied. “She’ll remember why I’m her husband and not you soon enough!”
I watched the interaction between them and I felt the loathing they had for one another. It wasn’t simply dislike; it was raw hate, and it was clearly felt by both of them with a passion.
“Until then, I’m stayin’ right here.” Elliot slowly turned his head and glared at Anderson. “You’re upsettin’ her by being here, so leave. Now.”
Anderson turned to me one final time, looking like he had a million things to say, before he left the room with the two security guards following behind. I watched him go, and part of me felt horrible and cruel. I had no memory of this man, but he knew me as his wife. I had no idea what was going through his head and I selfishly didn’t want to know, because I was having a hard enough time trying to figure out how I felt – let alone how everyone else was feeling.
“Elliot,” I said. “None of this feels real to me. I can’t be married to that man. I don’t even know him.”
Everyone stood back while nurses entered the room and cleaned up the mess I made from vomiting. I apologised over and over, but they assured me it wasn’t a big deal. Elliot took the empty seat to my right when everything was cleaned away, his eyes on the hand I had grabbed without thinking. With his free hand he was rubbing his fingertips over my knuckles, an action he did whenever he felt anxious. It made my heart clench.