“You’ve seen him?”
“I have, and we’re going to take good care of him. Before we leave in the helicopter, however, there are things I need to tell you. I spoke briefly with Doctor Miakar and we looked at your husband’s record of confinement. I’ll know a lot more when I get him scanned, but one thing is clear. He’s suffering from amnesia.”
“Amnesia...” She stared at him in alarm, unable to comprehend it. That was the reason he didn’t understand anything?
“I need information. What languages does he speak, Principessa?”
She brushed the moisture off her cheeks. “Please call me Luna.”
“If you wish.”
“I do. My husband speaks Italian, German, Slovene, English and Romansh.”
“Romansh?”
“Yes. It’s my native language and Rini learned it living at his second cousin’s home in Switzerland. When I first saw him a little while ago, I told him I loved him in Romansh. He opened his eyes, shocked that I spoke a language he could understand.”
“Wonderful. You’re going to be the great key to helping him.”
“But shouldn’t he have recovered his memory since the quake? Surely, it ought to be returning by now.”
“Not necessarily.”
Paralyzing pain swept through her. Now that he’d explained everything, Luna was starting to understand why Rini had fired all those questions at her. It was incomprehensible to her. All of it.
“Doctor Romano, you don’t mean he might never regain it—” she half groaned the words “—that he’ll never recognize me or his world?”
“We don’t know. I’ve read of a case history of a man living in Canada who had a blow to the head and forgot who he was. It’s called a fugue state, and very rare. Years later he suddenly remembered who he was, but he’d been missing for years.”
Years...
“Perhaps when your husband is transferred to familiar surroundings, he’ll remember everything. But if he doesn’t, then you need to be aware of his condition and prepare yourself that recognition might not happen right away. For now, we’ll take it a step at a time.”
Another moan escaped her lips. Rini might never recognize her? How could that be? She shuddered.
“As soon as we arrive at the hospital, he’ll be taken to the suite reserved for the King where everything will be done for him. The history on him says he’s manageable if you give him time to think about it.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He’s lost his memory and doesn’t know what’s happened to him. It has made him paranoid because he hasn’t been able to communicate with anyone until now. Doctor Miakar described that condition exactly. Your husband is a tall, strong man, so it’s doubly important we try to keep him as calm as possible until we’ve worked with him. It’s no wonder he’s skittish.”
Rini skittish? That didn’t sound like the husband she knew. Out of all the things that could have happened to him, having amnesia would never have been a possibility in her mind. She turned to the doctor. “He must be terrified not to remember anything! I can’t imagine it.”
He eyed her with compassion. “Exactly.”
Her body trembled. “I’m frightened, Doctor Romano.”
“Of course you are, but I’m here to help you as well as your husband. With the aid of Doctor Tullia, an outstanding neuropsychologist I’ve asked to be on this case, you’ll be able to deal with a situation new to all of you. If you’re ready, we’ll go out to the helicopter.”
The medevac helicopter team helped the three of them climb in and strapped them in along the side. Her heart pounded hard as Rini was brought out to the helicopter and lifted to the airbed.
“Luna!” he cried when he saw her. “I thought you’d gone.”
Oh, Rini, Rini. “I promised I wouldn’t leave you,” she said in Romansh.
“Where have you been?” His eyes probed hers.
“Talking to the doctors. But you’re going home now. Try to relax. It’s only a half-hour flight.”