Page 148 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“How so?” Affonso asked.

“Was there something that happened two years ago toCalisto that would make his brain want to essentially … erase the event?” thedoctor asked, posing the question quietly. “This event would have needed to beextremely traumatic for him in an emotional way. Something that might havechanged his very person—who he believed he was, even. It might have affectedhis entire outlook, his ideals might have taken a different direction, orsomething of that nature. It would have literally been life-altering.”

Affonso cleared his throat. “There were a couple ofthings.”

“Like what?”

“His mother dying, for one. He was very close to her.”

“According to him, his mother is alive,” the doctorsaid.

Affonso swore under his breath. “And I’ll be left toexplain to him that she’s dead.”

“It would be best if it was someone he cares for, yes.”

“He … said he cared for me,” Affonso said slowly, noteven posing it as a question.

“He’s been asking for you since he woke up,” thedoctor replied.

Jesus.

That was not the Calisto that Emma knew. He would notask for Affonso. His love for the man had been tainted when he found out thetruth about his mother and Affonso’s past.

“Huh,” Affonso murmured.

“You seem surprised.”

“It’s been a rough couple of years, that’s all.”

“Ah,” the doctor hummed. “I see. Anyway, no this isn’tthat uncommon. His brain has done what it’s supposed to do, and essentiallyprotected itself from something that hurt it greatly.”

“And his memories, the lost years, what of them?”Affonso asked.

“It could filter back to him over time.”

“How long might that take?”

“Some people take days to regain things, others weeks,more months, and some take years,” the doctor explained calmly. “It’s hard tosay. Certain things might trigger his memories, and give him flashbacks thatcould fill in some blanks. The swelling on his brain has gone down in the lasttwo days, and that in itself should have brought maybe a few things back. Itusually does, for the majority of amnesia patients.”

“But not him,” Affonso said.

“Not him.”

Emma couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

She refused to.

Her stomach rolled, and her heart splintered as theemotions overwhelmed her. If Calisto had lost two years of his life, hewouldn’t even know her.

He wouldn’t remember what happened to his mom.

He wouldn’t know the things Affonso had done.

And her … he wouldn’t remember their stolen moments,his sweet words and the things he had done for her when her life had beenfalling apart. He wouldn’t even be able to recall the fact that they had beensleeping together for months.

How could she explain to a man who didn’t know herthat she was pregnant with his child, and married to a man he was now back toadoring like a king?

Oh, God.