A/N: Thanks to all of you who enjoy my stories. I really appreciate the feedback.
Jennifer's heart skipped a beat and she looked up at the doctor. He tried to reassure her with his expression as he began to question Jonathan.
"Mr. Hart, do you know who you are?" He asked
"I…I don't know anything." He said softly
Dr. Schmidt looked at Jennifer whose eyes were filled with worry and fear, "Mrs. Hart, this could just be temporary. We don't need to panic just yet. Maybe if you talk to him it might help him remember. I'll go and check on getting him down for a scan first thing in the morning."
The doctor left and Jennifer began talking to Jonathan, "Darling…Jonathan, you were in a very serious car accident. You have a broken leg and a punctured lung."
"Well, that would explain why I feel like I've been hit by a truck." He replied pausing to look at her for a moment, "My name is Jonathan?"
She nodded soberly, "Yes, Jonathan Hart."
He looked at her and Max blankly
She took his hand again, "I'm your wife, Jennifer." She said still trying to take all of it in, "And this is Max, our houseman and dear friend."
Jonathan was trying to form the words to respond when the doctor came in followed by a nurse, "Mr. Hart, we'll be taking you down for a scan at seven thirty tomorrow morning so no food or drink except water."
"How long will it take, Doctor?" Jennifer asked
"Not long, Mrs. Hart. You can come back in the morning and wait here." He said
"I can't go home. I need to be here." She insisted, "I won't be able to sleep anyway."
"Mrs. H." Max interjected, "It won't do any good for you to stay here."
"If I keep talking to him maybe he'll remember." She replied
"Mrs. Hart, he needs his rest and so do you." Dr. Schmidt said, "So why don't you both go home and get a good night's sleep, or at least try to."
She nodded in reluctant agreement then moved back beside Jonathan's bed, "I have to go, Darling. I promise I'll be back in the morning." She kissed him on the cheek, "Good night." She pulled away slowly looking in his eyes for a hint of recognition
"Good night…uh…"He struggled to remember her name
"Jennifer." She reminded him
"Good night, Mr. H." Max said
Jonathan just nodded and Jennifer and Max left the room with the doctor.
/
The next morning Jennifer and Max arrived in time to see Jonathan for just a moment before they took him down. Not much had changed since the night before and he still didn't remember anything. Jennifer paced nervously waiting for them to bring him back.
"Mrs. H. you know that doesn't help." He reminded her, trying to be strong for her, her father was in Cairo working with the antiquity service and she hadn't even told him, so Max was trying to fill the void
She looked at her watch, "Why haven't they come back yet?"
"It's only been a half an hour. I'm sure it won't be much longer."
About fifteen minutes later they wheeled Jonathan and his bed back into the room. She watched them helping to get him settled and he looked so frail and helpless, so unlike the strong, confident man she loved.
"Mrs. Hart."
She turned around to find Dr. Schmidt in the doorway, "Well, Doctor?"
"Dr. Rawlings, the radiologist is looking it over now. It shouldn't be much longer." He assured her
"What is the worst case scenario?"
"Mrs. Hart, most likely your husband will regain his memory in time…but you must prepare yourself for the possibility he will never really be quite the same."
She exhaled sharply and nodded then returned to Jonathan's side and the doctor went back to his office waiting for the radiologist's report, "How are you feeling?"
"My leg really hurts and I just ache all over." He said
"We'll get you some more pain medicine, Mr. Hart." One of the nurses said
"Can I get you anything, Mr. H?" Max asked but Jonathan didn't answer, "Mr. H?"
"Jonathan, Max asked you if you needed anything." Jennifer told him
"Oh, sorry, Max." He replied, "No, I'm okay but thanks."
Jennifer sat with him for about another forty five minute when Dr. Schmidt returned having met with the radiologist.
"Mrs. Hart." He said, "Let's talk out here."
"Alright." She said, "Darling, I'll be right back."
Jennifer stepped out into the hall and could tell immediately from the doctor's demeanor that all was not well.
"What did the radiologist say, Doctor?" She asked
"Mrs. Hart, the good news is that your husband has no permanent damage that would impair his ability to function as he always has once his leg heals and he gets stronger."
"What's the bad news?"
The doctor sighed heavily, "The part of the brain that is damaged is the part that stores information. It's like a computer disk has been erased. He most likely will remember how to drive, dress himself, and function in that matter but at this moment, his life, his experiences have been erased."
"Is this permanent?" She managed to ask
"There is no way to say how long it might last." He explained, "Some of it might be helped as the swelling subsides but there still might be memory loss even then."
"I see." She replied fighting back tears
"I wish I could give you something more concrete and frankly, better news but there really isn't an answer. It will be a day by day situation."
"When can he come home?" She asked, "Maybe that would help, seeing familiar surroundings?"
"It might." He said, "He should probably stay here a couple of more days, at least until the swelling goes down and we see that lung is still staying inflated."
"Thank you, Doctor." She said and returned to the room
Jonathan had fallen asleep and she stood by the door and watched him as tears filled her eyes. Max noticed her and got up and went to her.
"What did the doctor say, Mrs. H?" He asked in a whisper
Without taking her eyes off Jonathan she inhaled sharply, "He may never get his memory back, Max."
/
Three days later Jennifer and Max went to the hospital to take Jonathan home. He would have to come back once his leg healed to get the cast off and have other radiology tests done but there wasn't much else they could do for now.
"Are you ready, Darling?" She asked as she entered the room
"I think I've got everything." He said sitting on the edge of the bed, "I guess we just have to wait for the doctor."
"Good." She said noticing he did seem stronger, "Freeway will be excited to see you."
"Yeah, he can't wait because you always sneak and feed him table scraps." Max informed him
"Oh yeah, the dog." He said
There was a knock on the door and Dr. Schmidt came in, "So, how are you feeling, Mr. Hart?"
"Aside from not knowing anything, I'm just fine." He quipped
"Well, we'll need to see you in about a week to x-ray your lungs, unless you have any problems breathing then call us." He instructed, "I'll give your wife the medicines and other instructions. Please follow them exactly."
"Yes Sir." Jonathan said and gave a mock salute
"I'll bring the car around." Max said
They drove home in relative silence, Jonathan staring out the window trying and failing to recall anything. Pulling up to the house Jennifer prayed he might start to recall something but as they got out of the car the empty expression on his face told her that prayer wasn't answered. They entered the house and Freeway greeted them immediately.
"Hi…" Jonathan said, struggling again with his name, as Freeway barked happily
"Freeway." Jennifer reminded him again
Jonathan bent down and petted him, "Hi Freeway."
"Darling, let's go into the living room and get you off that leg." She said and helped him as he hobbled on his crutches into the living room and into one of the chairs by the bar
"Can I get you anything, Mr. H?" Max asked, "O J or something?"
"No, I'm alright, Max."
"Okay, I'll get lunch started, Mrs. H." He said and exited
Jonathan looked around the living room curiously, "This place is huge." He remarked
"It's a beautiful home." Jennifer replied, "We bought it shortly after we married."
"How long have we been married?" He asked
"Five years." She said walking over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room, "Here is our wedding album. Would you like to look at it?"
"Yeah, maybe it will help." He said taking it from her
"Well, if you're alright I'll go see if Max needs any help." She said not wanting to hover or make him uncomfortable, he needed to find his way without any pressure
"Okay." He said beginning to look at the album
She walked toward the kitchen and turned back, her heart breaking. For the first time in years she felt alone. She and Jonathan had always been like one, soul mates, but now she had no idea how to talk to this man she loved so much it hurt. The road ahead would probably be long and mostly uphill and she prayed for the strength to handle it. I love you more than life itself, my darling, please come back to me.