The Wife He Couldn't Forget

Even as he chewed the thoughts over and over in his mind, he couldn’t believe that could be true. Or was it simply that he didn’t want to believe? Without his memory, without her, what did he have left?

“Argh!” he exclaimed and tossed the envelope onto the hall table in disgust. “It’s in there somewhere—I know it is,” he raged.

He went through to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of cold water and downed it quickly. His hand shook as he put the glass back down on the counter and grimaced against the all-too-familiar shooting pain in his temple that was the precursor to another headache. He reached for the painkillers Olivia kept on the counter for convenience’s sake and quickly threw a couple of them down with another drink of water, then went and lay down on one of the large couches in the sitting room. He’d learned the hard way that the only thing that would rid him of the headache was painkillers and sleep. With any luck, when he awoke, Olivia would be back home with some answers for him about the envelope that had arrived.

Eight

Olivia came in through the back door and was surprised to find the house silent. Had Xander gone out for a walk by himself? Fear clutched at her throat. They’d discussed this and agreed that he wouldn’t go out on his own just yet. Even his physical therapist had agreed it probably wasn’t a great idea until he was a bit stronger, at least not without a stick and Xander had flat-out refused to use one of those.

“Livvy? I’m in the sitting room,” he called out. Olivia felt her entire body sag in relief.

“Coming,” she answered, putting down the few extra grocery items she’d bought to cook a special dinner with before going to find him.

He was reclining on the largest of the couches in the sitting room, late-afternoon sunlight spilling over him and, no doubt, responsible for the flush on his cheeks. Even so, she automatically put a hand to his forehead to check for fever. Xander’s hand closed around hers.

“Still expecting the worst, Livvy? I’m just a little warm from the sun. That’s all.” He sat up and tugged her into his lap. Catching her chin between his fingers, he turned her face for a kiss. “Now, that’s the proper way to say hello to your husband,” he chided gently.

Her lips pulled into a smile and she kissed him again. “If you say so, husband. So, have you been behaving while I’ve been gone? No wild parties? No undesirable behavior?”

“All of the above,” he answered with a cheeky grin. “I wish.”

His expression changed under her watchful gaze. “What is it? Did something happen? Did you hurt yourself?”

He rolled his eyes at her. “No, I did not. But there was a delivery for you. An envelope from some law firm in town.”

Olivia stiffened and got up from his lap, her movements jerky and tight. “An envelope?”

She turned away from him and closed her eyes. Hoping against hope that the thing hadn’t triggered any memories for him.

“I left it on the hall table.” He rubbed at his eyes. “Man, I feel so groggy after these naps. They’re going to have to stop.”

“Did you have a headache?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you know the naps are the only thing to really get rid of them. Maybe it’s the painkillers that leave you feeling dopey. We can talk to the doctor about it if you like, maybe ask about lowering the dosage?”

“Good idea.”

He got up from the couch and walked through to the kitchen. She heard him pour water into a glass. While he was there, she quickly went into the hall and retrieved the envelope.

“I’m just going upstairs to have a quick shower and get changed,” she called out. “I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”

Without waiting for a response she flew up the stairs and into the bedroom. She grabbed some jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt and carried them and the envelope into the bathroom, where she closed and locked the door. She turned on the shower, then sat down on the closed toilet seat and tugged open the envelope, allowing the contents to slide into her lap. Her heart hammered an erratic beat as a quick scan of the letter from her lawyer confirmed that the two-year separation that was required under New Zealand law before a couple’s marriage could be dissolved had passed. Also enclosed was a joint application for a dissolution order for her signature. It had already been signed in advance by Xander.

Olivia looked at the date he’d signed the paper. It was the same date he’d crashed his car. That meant the document had been lying around somewhere, waiting to be actioned. A shiver ran down her spine. What would have happened if it had been sent to her more promptly? If she’d received it before Xander had woken from his coma and asked for her? She’d probably have signed it and returned it to her lawyer and it would have been duly processed through the court.