Page 147 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“Well,” Affonso said, waving a hand high, “… he’sawake now.”

Emma’s heart leaped high.

The relief was like a drug.

“Is he?” she asked calmly.

Somehow.

Affonso nodded. “But that is the least of my worries.Seems the accident and his head injury has done a number on my nephew. Youmight find he’s … not quite the same, Emma.”

She didn’t understand.

“I would still like to go,” she said. “Please.”

Affonso didn’t seem suspicious of her request.

Emma figured that was for the best. Her pregnancy wasjust one of the things she would have to keep quiet about until Calisto wasbetter and she could tell him. He needed to know first, and then maybe theycould figure something out.

“I don’t see why not,” Affonso said.

“Thank you.”

He pointed at her. “But not dressed like that.”

“About two and a half years?” Emma heard Affonso askjust around the corner.

“Seems that way,” the doctor answered.

She couldn’t fully comprehend their conversation. She hadonly heard bits and pieces of it as she paced back and forth outside ofCalisto’s private hospital room. After waking from his coma, and becomingstabilized, the doctors had approved him to move into his own room.

Emma still hadn’t seen him yet.

“What does he know?” Affonso asked.

“Mostly everything. His family, his name, age, theyear—barring the fact he’s missing two and a half years—he answered correctly,if it were that time and not today.”

Emma’s brow furrowed.

What did that mean?

She was pretty sure she knew, but it terrified her.

“You’ll have to go about explaining what’s happened inthe time he’s missing,” the doctor said, sympathy coloring up his tone.

“Is this common?” Affonso asked.

“For amnesia patients, yes.”

No.

Emma sucked in a hard breath, and willed away thetears.

No.

Calisto couldn’t have just … forgotten two and a halfyears.

That wasn’t possible!