Under the glow of fluorescent lights, Luke meets with Dr. Newsome to talk about Sal’s condition.
“How is she?” Luke asks, whisking sweaty palms together. “How’s Sal?”
Dr. Newsome bobs her head. “I’ll be blunt with you, Mr. Kincaid. How your wife has been surviving all these months is miraculous.”
Pride swells in Luke’s chest at the doctor’s words. That’s Sal. The fiercest and most determined woman he knows.
Dr. Newsome pauses, seeing Luke’s eyes land on Sal’s door.
Seth’s gone in ahead of Luke to prep Sal for his visit. Luke would be lying if he said he wasn’t shaking in his boots. He can’t stand the waiting. He’s itching to go in there, to see her with his own two eyes. A small part of him can’t help but dwell on what-ifs? What if it’s not her? What if Seth’s wrong?
It’d be the hardest hit Luke’s ever taken. He wouldn’t get back up.
“I’m know you’re anxious to see her, but let’s talk Sal’s health.” Newsome scans her chart. “Physically, your wife is undernourished and dehydrated. There are also the migraines, which are related to the head trauma.
“However, with time, all those are treatable. Also ...” Newsome hesitates. “There is evidence of physical abuse, though she’s been quiet on the subject.”
The blood in his veins boils. Turning away from the doctor, Luke has to take a quick walk around the waiting room to cool down.
He’ll kill the man who raised a hand to his wife. He’s already as good as dead.
After a careful glance at Luke, like she doesn’t know whether he’ll combust right then and there, Newsome says gently, “Let’s move on to Sal’s mental state. My chief concern is the memory loss.”
“Is it permanent?” Luke asks. He’s been brought up to speed by Seth and Jace about everything that’s gone on since they found Sal in the diner. How she remembered nothing and no one, not even her name.
“It’s hard to say,” Newsome says. “We won’t know for sure until we run some tests. And even then I can’t tell for certain what she’s lost from the brain injury and what her mind has blocked out due to trauma.” Newsome purses her lips. “It’s unfortunate. She’s spent nearly a year being kept somewhere, with no memories of her past and no medical treatment. That worries me. It was not beneficial to her well-being at all. I’m not saying her memory won’t return, but the wait wasn’t good for her.”
“How do we help her remember?” Luke asks, choking down the knot in his throat.
“Here’s the thing. You don’t.” At Luke’s raised eyebrow, Newsome continues. “At least, not a full-on barrage of information. That’s not what she needs right now.”
“Okay.” Luke exhales, gripping the back of his neck. “So what do you recommend?”
“Kid gloves and a whole lotta love.” Dr. Newsome pauses as she listens to an announcement over the loudspeaker. “Your focus should be on making sure Sal can live her life. Show her where she works, introduce her to family and friends, answer her questions, stuff like that. Stuff she needs to know, day to day. You ease her in, slowly.
“However, I know that might not be so doable seeing that you’re in the public eye.” Newsome gives him a pointed look. “Are there things from the past she needs to know?”
Luke swallows, feeling the hot sting of tears in the back of his eyes. “We lost a baby. Almost a year ago.” He gives a shake of his head. “It wasn’t in the paper. Only family knew.”
“I see.” Newsome gives him a smile of sympathy. “Honestly, in this case, my advice wouldn’t be ‘just tell her’—it would be a whole plan of how to tell her and when and what to avoid.”
“What else can I do?” Luke asks, a sense of determination filling him. “Anything. Anything she needs, I’ll give it.”
“Feed her. Make her smile. Be gentle and patient. Finding her someone to talk to could do wonders.” Dr. Newsome holds up a finger. “And no stress. It’s a bitch on recovery.”
Despite everything, Luke chuckles, liking the doctor’s humor. Liking how her outrage matches his. Liking how she has Sal’s best interests at heart.
“I mean it,” Newsome continues, the smile falling away. “Stress will make the migraines worse, and her dizzy spells will continue.”
“I can do that.” He reaches out to shake Dr. Newsome’s hand. “Thank you, ma’am.”
As she turns to walk away, Newsome says, “I have all the confidence in the world she will get through this. The brain is a resilient creature. So is your wife. There’s no telling what will happen when you get her home and surround her with people who love her.”
Luke’s eyes move as Sal’s door cracks open.
“She’ll see you,” Seth says in a low voice.
Luke’s heart jumps in his chest.