A Wrong Divorce

Liliana The smell of antiseptic and medical supplies infiltrated my nostrils as we waited outside the emergency room. The guards quietly talked around us while Elijah's mother, Vittoria sobbed against her younger son, Mattias. Every single thing I saw and felt got tangled up in a mess. All I could make out for sure was Mattias's hand squeezing mine to comfort me. "Elijah's going to be fine, Lily.." I nodded while staring ahead of me at the closed door of the ER behind which my husband was being treated. After what felt like forever, a man in a white coat pulled open the door and headed to us. Mattias's long leg covered the distance much faster than my own. "How's he?" Mattias choked out. "Mr. Maranzano suffered significant trauma to his head. We managed to get the swelling under control, but we won't know if there will be any lasting damage until he regains consciousness. He might end up perfectly well or wake up with serious long-term effects." Mattias opened his mouth but I beat him at it, "When can we expect him to wake up?" "It's hard to say until he's out of recovery, Mrs. Maranzano.." After everyone left the hospital, Mattias was standing beside the window talking to someone on the phone. We'd been there for a day now. Elijah was out of surgery hours ago but he was still in the recovery room. "They finished processing Elijah's car.." Mattias's tone was clipped as he walked towards me and took the chair next to mine. I knew he was trying hard to hide his anger from me, "The car was totaled, but there is some evidence that the scratches and the dents on the side and rear may have happened before the crash.." I stared at him. The preliminary report suggested that Elijah had lost control of his car which was very unlikely but I hadn't expected this. My heart skipped several beats. "It means somebody tried to kill him?" "Yes.." "Who?" "We will find it out, Lily. Stop worrying.." He patted my hand but it did nothing to calm me down. *** I slowly approached the hospital bed where my husband lay with numerous wires hooked up to his body and connected to a machine on his right. Most of his head was tightly wrapped in bandages, they must have shaved his head. I pressed a hand to suppress the sob that threatened to escape. I don't know why that detail hit me so hard. I loved his long hair which he usually put in a man bun. Reaching for his hand and entwining our fingers, I dropped my forehead on the mattress as the tears started rolling down my cheeks. Minutes passed, maybe even hours but I remained there weeping silently that I almost missed the small twitch of fingers in my own. My head snapped up and I found two dark eyes watching me. "Elijah.." I cried out and then leaned over him to place a soft kiss on his forehead. "You woke up.." He didn't say anything, just kept looking at me blankly. But when he finally spoke, the ground beneath me felt ripped off. "Who are you?" Elijah asked, looking irritated with my presence. I stared at Elijah at an utter loss for words. Did the accident mess up his memory? "I-I'm Lily.." I swallowed, "..your wife.." He blinked at me, then slanted away to look out of the window before his gaze found mine again. "Wife?" He spat and quickly withdrew his hand from under my hold as if it burnt his skin to be touched by me. "Y-Yes.." I nod. "We are married.." "That's impossible.." His voice raised a scale higher and before I could even react to his outburst a knife was pressed against my throat. "Tell me who the fuck you are or I will fucking kill you right here.." My vision was clouded with horror. This man in front of me wasn't the Elijah who loved me. He had completely lost his mind because my Elijah would never, NEVER threaten me with a knife pointed at me. "Elijah. Please." I held his wrist tightly, desperately trying to keep the knife away from my carotid. More than my safety, I was worried about the little life inside me. I couldn't let harm come its way. Elijah's grandfather and the former Capo, Kent Maranzano entered the VIP ward just then. "What is going on here?" "Grandfather.." Elijah's hold on the knife loosened and I used the chance to create a safe distance between us. That's when realization filled in me. He recognized Kent. Was it just me then? How is it possible? "Who is she?" He pointed at me but his eyes held Kent's gaze. Kent seemed puzzled by Elijah's question but he recovered from it quickly unlike me. "She's your wife, Elijah. Don't you remember her?" "No.." He breathed, his voice was almost inaudible. "Elijah.." Kent sighed and touched his shoulder, "You should rest. We can discuss everything else later.." "I want this woman out of here.." He barked. Kent stopped in his tracks and beckoned at me to leave Elijah alone. Tears prickled the back of my eyes as I followed him out of the room. I kept turning back at Elijah to see even the slightest recognition in his eyes for me but nothing. His eyes which were usually brimming with love for me seemed like two bottomless pit of blackholes.