Calista

Chapter 28

"W-What the hell are you talking about?"

"You wanted me dead, didn't you?" her voice cracked with emotion. She looked up at the white ceiling, forcing herself not to cry. She felt Adam's hand cover hers and she flinched.

"C-Calista, I never wanted you dead. How could I? You're my wife. I love you."

She made a scoffing sound. "That's why you're with Yvonne Barrette?"

"Yvonne isn't my girlfriend. She's a friend. After you went missing my parents got into a car accident. I couldn't afford the medical bills. Yvonne helped me get a job at Dover Industries and she helped me get a loan to pay their bills. You know my parents don't have health insurance."

"Do you expect me to believe that?" Her words were low, raw.

"Yes, because it's the truth. I know Yvonne likes me but she also knows that I'm still in love with my wife. I'm still in love with you, Calista." He squeezed her shoulders. "How could this happen? You don't even look like yourself."

She wanted to believe him. She desperately wanted to believe him.

"If I really wanted you dead, would I have saved you today?" he asked. "When I followed you, I never expected something like that. I was lucky to be there."

"How did you know?"

"How did I know that you were my wife?" Adam asked. When she nodded he continued, "At first it was your eyes. They're the perfect shade of blue. Then it was small things that you said. They were things my wife...that's you by the way...had said before. Then there was that kiss. A man knows how his wife kisses. Finally, you remembered getting sexy CPR from me before."

Calista hunched her shoulders, placing her hands over her face.

"Face it, Calista. The gig is up." Adam had both of his hands around her cheeks. He leaned forward and kissed her lips. "This is so weird. You look so different. Calista, why did you let them change your face?"

She leaned out of his embrace. "I wasn't able to speak for myself when they were doing the reconstructive surgery. Then I had to keep it a secret."

"Why?"

"You swear you didn't want to kill me?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'd never hurt you."

"Then you have to promise to keep letting me live as Calista Dover."

His eyes widened. "No way! You're my wife. You need to come home with me. Do you really believe that I tried to hurt you? That this is all my fault?"

She didn't want to believe it. Despite everything, Calista wanted to return to her life before St. Anthony's.

"Calista?"

"I don't know. I want to believe you...but if you really want me safe, you'll let me stay as Calista Dover."

"I can't--"

"At least for a little while longer."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not safe as Calista Hargrove."

Adam's face paled. "What do you mean you're not safe? You really don't think that I--"

"I don't know what to think. All I know is that night...whoever took me. It wasn't random. He wanted to kill me."

"You can't possibly know that."

"Adam, he said my name," Calista confessed. "I remembered it today. He said my name. So if it wasn't you that wanted me dead...someone else did. I need to stay as Calista Dover. Whoever tried killing me, will probably try again. As a Dover, I'm protected. Once I figure out what'shappened, I can return to my old life."

Moments of silence wafted between them.

"So, what are you going to do? Rat on me?" Calista asked.

Adam sighed. "F-fine. As long as you promise that you're not doing this to get away from me."

"I just want to stay safe."

"And there's another condition," Adam said, his eyes were beginning to water. He rubbed them with the back of his hand. "You have to do something for me."

"What?"

He leaned over until his face was almost touching hers. "Kiss me."

Meanwhile, Detective Bree Wade was reading the DNA reports on Calista Dover, her mouth open in shock.

"Catching flies?" Mark Jessup, her partner joked, pointing to her mouth.

Bree's mouth snapped shut and she cleared her throat. "You requested that Calista Dover's DNA be cross-referenced with everyone's on file?"

Mark snorted. "I did. I told you I was going to find out all of her secrets. She's adopted. Who knows? Maybe her real parents are criminals and it runs in the family."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Are those the results?" Mark asked, pointing to the file Bree held in her hand.

"Uh...no. I better get going."

"Bree--"

She tried running past him but he jumped in front of her and pulled the file from her hands. "What are you hiding, partner?"

"Stop it, Mark. Trust me, you don't want to see it."

"Please, there's nothing that can shock me. Did it find a relative?"

He opened the file and his eyes widened.

"Our DNA is also on the database," Bree reminded him.

He opened his mouth but words refused to escape. He looked at the name of the person Calista Dover was related to and cursed. Written in small black letters was his name.

Mark Jessup.