The Choices We Make (Revenge)

Truth

IGM Hospital, Malé

When Emily awoke, she needed a moment to orientate herself. But she quickly remembered what had happened and realized that she was in the hospital.

So I didn't die as I feared, she thought. She remembered all that blood and the feeling of weakening from minute to minute. But she had survived... again. Even though she was not particularly religious, it seemed as if someone was watching over her and didn't want her to die. She lifted her hand and saw the tube that led up from the back of her hand to a drip bottle. This sight was familiar to her. It was like the first time she had been taken to the hospital. She reached to her stomach and felt a thick bandage.

"Oh, you're awake!"

Emily tilted her head aside, and saw a young nurse, holding a drip bottle in her hand.

"I'll tell Dr. Kulani that you're awake."

She ran out before Emily could reply. It was not long before the doctor appeared in the room.

"Miss Ross? How are you?" he inquired in a matter-of-fact tone.

Emily cleared her throat before she could answer. "Fine," she croaked. "I live."

Dr. Kulani smiled. "Then my medical team did a good job."

As automatically, her hand reached for the bandage that covered her wound.

"No worries!" he said gently, noticing the gesture. "The baby is doing well."

Emily paused in the middle of her movement. "Baby?" she asked in confusion, looking at the doctor with wide eyes. "What baby?"

Dr. Kulani frowned, then reached for her medical file and read the last entries. "You don't know that you're pregnant?" he asked, surprised.

Emily shook her head mechanically.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Well, the last ultrasound examination has revealed that you are 10 weeks pregnant. Your fiance haven't told you yet?"

Again, she shook her head mutely. She was lost for words. The shock was too great.

How could it be that I'm pregnant and had not even noticed? And why hadn't Aiden told me if he had known all along? she thought.

"As I see, you really didn't know about your condition." Dr. Kulani looked at her empathetically. "I told your fiance two weeks ago, after the first examination. But he asked me not to tell you because he was afraid you were too weak. He wanted to tell you later, personally. Obviously he didn't do it."

Emily laid her hands on her stomach hesitantly. She couldn't believe that something was growing inside her. When she looked up at the doctor, she had tears in her eyes.

"I'll call your fiance and inform him that you're awake," Dr. Kulani said, lightly petting her hand. "Rest now. If needed, call the nurse."

Emily nodded with her hands still placed on her stomach. "And the baby... is it really doing well?" she asked hesitantly. The thought of becoming a mother was so strange, it felt unreal.

"He or she is doing well," Dr. Kulani confirmed. "Your fiance told me you were about to return to the States. I would recommend that you look for a doctor over there who can treat you further."

"My memories...," Emily said softly. "Will I ever remember again?"

The doctor cleared his throat before giving her an answer. "Frankly, the longer the amnesia persists, the chances that you will get your memory back completely, are slim. However, it may be that you can remember particular things. Some patients regain their memory fully; others have to wait years or decades. For some, a particular event can trigger a memory. Other patients have only the presence and the future. You see, there's no general rule. I think you should focus on the future. After all, you have a good reason to live for it."