The President's Wife

chapter three-full

Dylan didn't know what to do. He felt Lindsay was afraid of her husband. He felt her fear as soon as he walked into the room. Now she was shivering and holding herself. Mr. Colton approached her bed, lifted her chin a little bit and planted a kiss on her lips. Lindsay couldn't bring herself to look at him and here he was kissing her. "I'm sorry I don't remember you, you can't be my husband" she said averting her gaze as soon as he let her go. He chuckled slowly and said softly "Oh darling I know you don't it's ok I'll take care of you and you'll remember." Dylan saw fear cross her eyes and felt helpless. Just then Joshua turned to him and asked slightly menacingly "Who are you?" "I'm Dylan Hastings Sir pleasure to be at your service" he said standing up from his chair and holding out his hand. "You're the man that brought my wife here?" "Yes Sir". Dylan saw her squirm when the congressman referred to her as his "wife".

She just couldn't place it. She knew this man! Those piercing cold blue eyes, she felt she remembered him and she felt afraid of him. But why would I be afraid of my own husband? She thought. Her eyes flickered to Dylan and to the man standing beside him, who claimed to be her husband, they were talking about her. Dylan was filling him in on everything. So he didn't come here all week! Suddenly he looked at her as if he was sensing her thoughts and said, "Darling I'm sorry I didn't come here all week, I've been busy with meetings with the election coming up in a few weeks." Joshua looked remorseful but as he looked at her with concern and guilt she felt cold. She felt an unpleasant feeling wash over her every time he would say something or look at her. The charming doctor returned again. "Hello Sir, I'm Dr. Riley Woodward I was assigned to your wife", the doctor said smiling sweetly at Joshua and extending his hand for a hand shake. Joshua shook his hand but found the doctor very strange. The doctor informed Joshua fully of Lindsay's condition and didn't spare any details of the coma she's been in for a week. "So, when can I take my wife home?" he suddenly asked. "I…I…I would like to spend some time at my parents' house" Lindsay stuttered not looking in his direction. "But darling Ally is waiting for you, the whole staff at the mansion is waiting for you!" Joshua exclaimed excitedly and came to sit by her side. Dylan thought it was the right time to go just then, "Well I gotta go ma'am, I know you'll be fine with your husband here. He'll take care of you". "Wait Dylan, I need to speak to you in private before you go", she said rapidly before he could turn around and leave. "Ok I'll wait outside, ma'am".

"What the hell do you need to talk to that man for?" Joshua asked frustrated. "I want to thank him for everything", even though he won't admit it she knew he was there with her the whole week when her husband wasn't. "Fine you talk to him and then we'll finish this because I'm telling you darling you can't disappoint Ally, you need to come home with me." He stood up from the chair abruptly and turned to leave the room when she asked, "Who's Ally?" "Our child", he said turning to look at her and she felt that cold shiver run down her spine again.

It was like she was suffocating again and her lungs couldn't catch up with her heart. The moment he said "our child" her heart began beating wildly inside of her as if it would explode inside her ribcage. I have a daughter! I have a daughter!!  She couldn't bear that she didn't remember her child. She felt herself being heavy and unable to catch her breath and suddenly everything went black.

Dr. Riley was standing in the corner of the hospital room and he just sensed something would go wrong. As soon as the senator spoke his wife turned pale and started hyperventilating. She passed out after a few seconds. The doctor rushed to her side and immediately pulled the oxygen mask back on her face. Joshua Colton froze on the spot, overwhelmed by what was happening. Her breathing was not normal and her pulse weak. The nurse came back to help the doctor stabilize her. Just as the nurse was called to her room, Dylan saw her dash out from her office and asked what was wrong. "Mr. Hastings you should wait outside, it seems the patient needs stabilizing". With that she dashed inside Lindsay's room, chased Joshua out of there and closed the door shut. The two stood outside her hospital room worried over her, both for completely different reasons.

Lindsay woke up slowly to her surroundings, this time all the memories came crushing at her skull. "Our child", she recalled him saying. She suddenly recalled another time. Something faint came into her mind.

"Our child", she said to him and held the baby to him so he can get a glimpse on their beautiful baby girl. He looked at the baby and scrunched his nose in disgust. She looked hurt. "What's wrong? Isn't she beautiful to you?" "Yes she is, I'm just tired I had a long day".

Same way the flash came, the same it disappeared. Lindsay felt her temples hurt and she tried to remember harder. She saw his face now. Those cold blue eyes and that stone expression that she saw earlier when she met him. He really was her husband and they have a daughter together. Her thoughts were stopped just as Dylan walked into her room and took the chair beside her bed. "Ma'am…I mean Lindsay…" he said smiling sheepishly. "Are you okay?" "Yes I'm fine now, thank you" she smiled. "So you said you wanted to talk to me about something?" he inquired. She cleared her parched throat and he instantly handed her a glass of water that was on the counter beside her bed. "I find it very weird that I was found near your property Dylan. I need your help" she said hoarsely her throat still dry. "I don't know how a simple man like me can offer you help" he said. "I know you can help find who did this to me and for what reason. I assure you will be largely compensated" she said quickly. He looked sort of offended by what she said. "Look ma'am I don't need your money, I'm fine just as I am and if you need my help, well I'll help free of charge" he said looking at her intensely. "A few years back I had a fiancée and she was taken away from me, she was killed" he paused breathing a sigh of relief. "So I know what it feels like to be robbed of your life, because you see she was my life just as the memories you can't bring back to your head are your life". "I'm sorry Dylan I didn't know that" she whispered sadly, her heart breaking for him. "I want to know who did this to me and why" she said to him. He looked at her now, really looked at her and something tugged at his heart. Her dark hazel eyes were just like his Claire's she had the same fiery glint in them. Oh how it ached to look at her and remember his Claire! He would find that damn person who killed her and make him or her pay whoever it may be. "I'll help you", he stated staring at her intensely. It looked like he was struggling with something, he looked hurt. "I'll help you and you can help me too, I heard you were a very accomplished journalist back before you married the senator."  "Help you?" she asked confused. "Yeah Lindsay help me find who killed Claire, I heard you have many connections…" he said slowly as if it hurt him to speak.

"I'll try my best Dylan I promise" she smiled and took his hand in hers. She hoped she would find her answers and Dylan would find his. She felt courage building up inside her and as she squeezed his hand comfortingly she gazed at him and felt like this man held a few keys to her past and present.

Two days later

"Ally!! Oh Ally sweetie what happened?" "I fell Momma and it hurts!" she wailed while clutching her arm and tears streamed down her cute face. "Show me where it hurts, let me see". Picking her up, I sped through the rooms until I got to her room and sat her gently on the bed. I dashed through the corridor to the kitchen and found the cupboard. Taking a balm and some ice from the fridge I ran back to her room. Panic surged through me as I saw another bruise on her leg and it was bigger and bleeding. "Oh honey! Momma will make it go away" I cried. She cried silently as I tended to her wounds and my heart squeezed with pain.

She woke up startled and jerked up. Sweat creased her forehead and tears were streaming down her face. She looked around and realized she was in her room and relaxed. The realization dawned on her, I remember my sweet little Ally!