The Curiosities Concerning Fate

∷ Chapter 35 ∷

SEBASTIAN PACED IRRITABLY in the hallway outside Adine's hospital room, crossing and uncrossing his arms, uncertain if he should see her. His emotions, which he once assumed were nonexistent, were all over the place. He wasn't confident if he could keep himself composed in front of her, especially when she couldn't even remember who he was.

He was still contemplating his thoughts when the door was thrown open, Adine standing within the doorway as she stared at him with a small pout on her lips. He cleared his throat before gulping, gripping the side of his pants in embarrassment. He was aware that his face was likely beet red at being caught by the very person he was debating on seeing.

To shift the attention away from him, he quickly said, "What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting."

Adine walked back to her bed and settled onto it, waiting for him to take his position on the chair placed by her bedside before speaking.

"I could hear you shuffling back and forth outside. I was wondering who it was."

Adine's expression remained largely unchanged, though her tone indicated the amusement of the matter, which only served to deepen the horrified look on Sebastian's face at being found out so easily.

He sighed. It would seem that embarrassing himself was becoming something of a norm to him as of late.

"Is everything okay? How are you feeling?" he asked when he deemed it was about time they moved away from the topic at hand and onto more serious matters.

Her expression fell at the question and she started fiddling with her thumbs.

"Is something troubling you?" he asked.

At long last, she finally said, "I'm not sure how to go about saying this . . ."

"That's fine. We've always been honest with each other. You don't have to hold back. Tell me exactly what's on your mind."

"We have?" she asked, eyes widening with a spark he'd never seen before.

"Of course," he lied.

He figured it was inevitable if he wanted to know what she was thinking. It was the only way. He couldn't afford for her to start putting her guard up now, of all times. Besides, he was certain he'd have the opportunity to tell her the truth sometime in the future, just not now.

"That's a relief," she smiled.

She was sitting cross-legged on the bed now, turning to face him as she bunched the blanket around her to get into a comfortable position.

"I wanted to ask about us," she said, a light blush coating her cheeks at the bold way she was speaking. "I seem to remember everything except the more recent events. But I especially don't remember a thing about the two of us. I'm assuming we've just gotten married?"

She paused before hurriedly adding, "That is to say, we are married?"

Sebastian knew she would have questions for him; he expected it, even. A small part of him dreaded the notion but another seemed largely thrilled at the prospect. Adine's memory loss provided the perfect opportunity to fabricate a lie regarding their blissful married life, or rather, a lack thereof.

He wanted very much to get to know her better but he knew if she was told of the ploy surrounding their marriage, she would never trust him, let alone open up to him. He was certain their relationship had gotten somewhat better before the incident at Queen Island and he could only curse his luck for having it all fall back to square one again. He didn't want to think it, considering the bitter circumstances, but perhaps her amnesia was fate's way of giving him a second chance to make things work.