AFTER THE MARRIAGE

13- She's awake

"Hi, Mom," Grey greeted his mother's tomb casually while he is standing and staring in front of it. He then smiled at it, envisaging his mother. "Sorry, and I did not tell you I got married. It was a sudden marriage. Don't worry, I got married to a girl I always told you about. He's not a stranger to me anymore so, instead of picking up a random woman, I chose her. Well, Dad, forced me to marry someone and all I could think of is her so, I—uh...kind of forced her to marry me. Sorry, Mom, and it's been a while since the last time I visited here. Actually, I have a problem," he told, and he sat on the ground as he continued his story. "To be honest, I am here now because Katlyn lost her memories and...I know who did it...I am actually on my way to confront the person who did it to my wife but I—I don't know if I should really go or not. B-Because it's kinda...you know...I—uh—it's actually in my favor what happened to her happens. I know...that...it's not right. But, Mom, you see...she wanted to divorce me, and I—um...I don't like it," he added, and bite his lower lips because he was exposing himself to his Mom which was kind of embarrassing for his part as a man. "You see, Mom, she...she's——I need her. Not because of Dad's demand or what, but because I need her beside me to make me realize who I really am. You know, ever since you left I never feel comfortable again but, whenever she's around, I felt like I am whole again. It's an unexplainable feeling, to be honest. I know that it's gonna be unfair for her but, it's gonna benefit me. Don't worry, Mom, I will take care of her and once she gains her memories again, I will let her know everything. I will...tell her what really happened and who I am. For now, I—I'm gonna hide it from her and make all the moments count."

After talking to his Mom, he nodded his head as he promised his mother, and he went back to his car and drove away.

On the other hand, Hailey is jumping and dancing along to the loud music in the air inside their office since she throws a sudden party. But then, her father came, Mr. Green, and he approached her. The music then stopped which made Katlyn wonder.

"Tell me, what's this party about?" Mr. Green asked curiously.

"Come on, Dad, don't be a killjoy. I'm celebrating, you know!" she answered, and she started jumping again.

"And this celebration is for what?" he queried again.

"Because Grey's wife is dead! Come on, turn on the music!!!" she shouted merrily.

He closed and open his eyes again because of confusion. "What?!"

She stopped jumping, and face him seriously. "Dad, I said Grey's wife is dead. I killed her," she confessed without any remorse shown on her face.

"What?! Do you know that Grey will hunt you down?" he madly yelled because he knows Grey will take revenge.

"Go ahead. I know sooner or later he will be here, and now that his wife is dead, I'm gonna ask him to marry me. Isn't that a good idea, Dad?" she spoke with a flirt tone just imagining her and Grey getting married.

"You're getting crazy. You are not thinking!" he nervously said, and pulled his daughter's arm to stop her from celebrating.

"Ouch," she pouted.

"Grey will kill you, do you know that, huh?! He will kill you because of what you did! Aren't you afraid of your life, huh?!" he shrieked to talk some sense to his daughter.

"Come on, Dad—" she smiled, not minding her Dad's reminder for her when she stopped talking because he pulled her arm again forcefully.

"Listen, you need to stay out of this City for the time being. Go somewhere else, but here. For Christ's sake, Hailey, you have to listen to me or he will kill you and as your father, I don't want that to happen so, to prevent that to happen you need to leave this City. Go far away. Just stay away from Grey for a while, okay? Because for sure, he's on his way looking for you. You don't know, Grey, but, I do. He almost killed me when you sent him a threatening message on their wedding day! I mean, how stupid can you be, huh?! Grey is not someone you can play with. He's dangerous. He doesn't like playing games. Now, stop fantasizing about him and find someone better than him! Got me?" he yelled more to give his daughter a lecture.

"Fine! Whatever," she replied, and pulled herself away from her father as she finally comes to her senses.

———

For weeks, Grey takes care of his wife while she is still unconscious. He gives her a sponge bath to keep her skin clean, and he also plays guitar whenever he feels bored to keep her company.

Then, one day, while he was asleep, her little finger on his right hand twitched and her fingers started to move too which woke him up all of a sudden because her hand is in front of his face. He was surprised to see movements on her so, he stood and see if she would open her eyes to greet her.

Katlyn, however, slowly opens her eyes and the face of Grey is the first thing she saw that wonders her. Her eyebrows then collided because of confusion. "W-Who are you? Where am I? W-Where's Mom and Dad?" she questioned, and a panic began to build in her.

"No, no, don't panic. I am Grey, your husband, and you are here in the hospital right now because you got into an accident. A car accident. You want to see your Mom and Dad? Okay, I will call them. Hold on," he responded quickly, and dialed her parent's number to calm her down.

Katlyn stop talking for a moment and just looked around to familiarize herself when she heard him.

"Yes, yes, she's awake now. Come here now immediately, and she wants to see you both," he spoke in the other line, and turned it off after.

"Where are they?" she asked, and looked at him.

"They are coming over here now, okay? So there's nothing to panic about."

Thereafter, her parents came and also, Dr. Faray who checked up on her.

"Okay," Dr. Faray said out loud, and he faced Grey.

"How is she, Doctor?" Grey asked worriedly.

"She's great. Her vital signs seem normal but still, you need to stay here for a week to monitor her. And if she shows some good response then that's the time you can go home," Dr. Faray mentioned, and he smiled for his patient finally come to life.

"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Faray," Grey replied, and he smiled too at him because he finally heard that they can go home after a couple of weeks staying in the hospital.

"You're welcome. I've gotta go now. Call me when you need me, okay? Bye, everyone," Dr. Faray answered, and waved his hand to everyone in the room as he bid goodbye.

"Mom, Dad, I want to go home," Katlyn said, and she pulled both of their hands to convince them who are on her right side.

But in response, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson just looked at Grey because they don't know how to tell her their situation.

"I—um...the doctor said we need to stay here for one more week to see your progress and after that, we can go home," Grey stated on her left side just like Dr. Faray told him.

Katlyn sharply looks at Grey because she doesn't recognize or know him, which is why it's hard for her to believe him.

"And, honey, you are not coming with us going home. You're coming with your husband," Mr. Carlson mentioned, and smiled at his daughter.

"What? No. I don't even know him," she exclaimed, and looked at him from head to toe, judging him already as a bad person.

"But, honey—" Mrs. Carlson contradicted when Grey suddenly speak, and stops her.

"Your parents are busy, Wifey. And one more thing, you cannot leave me," Grey straightforwardly said, and stared into her eyes for a few minutes to send her signals.

"But I don't know you. I don't remember marrying you," she fought back, still glaring at him.

"Then, I will make you remember me. It's okay if you don't remember me now. The important thing now is that...you're alive. I am happy and you did not leave me," he sincerely, and emotionally answered.

Mrs. Carlson smiled while staring at the two as she saw something between them and so, she rubbed her daughter's shoulder gently to get her attention again. "My daughter, Katlyn, I know you want to come with us but, I am afraid to say...you will stay with your husband. You need to go with him. Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He's a good man. You won't marry him if he weren't," she convinced her daughter with a sweet smile from the bottom of her heart.

And from that, Katlyn became quiet and agreed with her mother to give her husband a chance to prove himself, again.

———

One week had passed, and Grey got a discharge form from Dr. Faray so because of that, they immediately prepared their things to go out. He, then, carried Katlyn out of the bed going to the wheelchair since she is not allowed to get tired or stressed for the time being while her memories are not yet coming back. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson bid goodbye to their daughter and Grey since they are married, and they don't want to go opposite of him.

And in just a few minutes, they safely arrived home and while walking inside, Katlyn got amused seeing the big penthouse he owned. He even took her to their room which he decorated with some colors since they will be sleeping in one bed unlike before that it's purely color grey and dull, and he did it just to make her comfortable and safe.

"So, here's our room. Do you...like it?" he asked after showing her the room where they will sleep together.

But Katlyn did not answer right away and just looked around to observe the design he did to it. "Is this where we will sleep together?" she asked innocently.

"Yes. I...um—I kinda changed the decoration based on your liking since you like the color purple. Don't you like it?" he answered with a nervous seen on his face because he doesn't know if she likes it or not.

"So, you know that my favorite color is purple. Did I tell you that?" she asked, and turned her head at him since he was at her back.

"Yes. Yes, you did while we were dating before," he quickly replied, and he grinned at her in order not to show that he was lying.

Because the truth is, he asked her parents about it, and also all the things she dislikes and likes so, he knows a little bit about her.

"I see," she mentioned, and she twisted her neck to the original position.

"Do you want to eat? I ordered ham and cheese pizza for you," he announced at her back.

And that's the time her tummy growls in hunger.

"I—I guess so," she shyly replied, and she smiled awkwardly because of the sound her tummy made.

Thereafter, they are facing each other while eating pizza at the dining table.

"So, we're married," she suddenly spoke while eating and staring at him.

"Yeah," he briefly answered, and stopped eating to look at her.

"When?" she curiously asked.

"Last month. May 25, in the church, at 1 pm," he replied quickly so, she won't speculate a thing.

To be continued...