Underestimated (Underestimated, #1)

Each morning, I'd wake up hoping it would be the day everything would come flooding back. It was frightening and frustrating because each day was as strange as the one before. No matter how hard I tried, I had absolutely no idea who Drew was or how much we meant to one another. He seemed to care about me a lot more than I cared about him. He was always there.

I did start seeing less of him because he said that he had to work. I didn’t care if he went to work. I didn’t want him there. He still came every night, but sometimes it was a few days because he had to go out of town. He could have stayed out of town.

I spent three weeks in the rehabilitation center learning to walk and regaining my strength. Had I known that the doctor was going to release me to that man I would have contrived injured longer.

“Where are my parents?” I had asked when the doctor talked to me about going home.

“Honey, both your parents are gone,” Drew explained.

“Gone where?” I wanted to know. I knew that I was only twenty six. My Nevada driver’s license said so.

Why didn’t I have parents?”

“Your dad passed away a few years back, and you never really knew your mom. She left when you were just a little girl?” Drew explained. He sounded sincere. I guess I didn’t have a reason not to believe him.

“What about brothers or sisters? Don’t I have any family?”

“Not really, Morgan. You and I were getting ready to start our own family, remember?”

No. you fucking idiot, I don’t remember.

Another familiar face picked us up from the hospital. I was wheeled out, and Drew helped me into the back seat. I was doing much better and could walk on my own, but moving into the car hurt.

Drew sat right beside me in the backseat. I wished that he would move over, and every time he tried to take my hand, I pulled it away. It just didn’t feel right to me.

I know that my eyes had to be wide open when we pulled into the long drive with a security gate. I read the sign above the gate.

‘Callaway Estates.’

Wow, was this where I lived? None of it looked familiar. The house was a mansion. I mean big enough to get lost in. This didn’t seem right either. I didn’t think that I had really lived there at all.

“What the fuck is he doing here, Derik?” Drew asked the driver, and then looked to me like he was afraid of scaring me or something.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure he has a right to be here whenever he wants,” the driver stated, and I wondered what that meant. Who were they talking about?

I saw the frail older man in his wheelchair waiting. Was he waiting for me? I didn’t know him either.

There were three nurses with him. Was he sick?

Drew helped me out of the car, and the older gentleman pushed the joystick on his chair and came to me.

“How are you, Morgan?” he asked with a warm smile, reaching for my hand.

“I wish I remembered,” I smiled down at him. My hand in his didn’t feel like it did when Drew held it. This man felt genuine.

“We’ll help you with that. I’ve hired the two best nurses in the state of Nevada. They will make sure you get better,” he assured me.

“I’m very sorry. I know that I am supposed to know who you are, but I honestly don’t,” I explained.

“That’s not important right now. My name is Randal. Let’s get you better before we worry about that, uh?”

I smiled with a nod. He turned his chair and pretty much demanded Drew’s attention.

“I’ve got Terri and Melissa set up in the north wing. They will see to Morgan’s needs. I want her taken care of, and that’s an order. Do you understand?” he asked Drew.

“Yes sir. I will be sure of it,” Drew said, bowing down to the man. I wondered who he was and why Drew was so intimidated by him.

Randal Callaway didn’t come into the house with us and left with the third nurse.

I stood immobile once we were inside. Drew dismissed the two women and turned to me.

“Do you remember this place, Morgan?” he asked, staring very intently at me, probably trying to read my face and figure out whether or not I did.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. I didn’t remember. I didn’t remember at all, and nothing about the magnificent home did anything to jog my memory.

“That’s okay. It’ll come,” he smiled, and I heard the Derik guy snort.

“I kind of wanted to talk to you about something,” I said to Drew.

He dismissed Derik, and held my elbow while we walked into the living area.

“I’ll be right back,” he said.

He did come right back and sat beside me on the sofa.

“What is it, Morgan?” He asked, turning his legs toward mine. I moved. I didn’t want his legs touching mine.

“I know that we are married, and all, but I really think I need to sleep alone for a while. This is all like very new to me, and I am having a hard time figuring out where I fit in.”

Drew smiled as a lady brought in two cups of hot tea. I didn’t recognize her either.

“It’s okay, Morgan. I have already moved your things to a nice suite upstairs. I thought you might feel that way.”

I smiled. “Thank you, but is there a bathroom up there. I realized as soon as I had asked that it was a stupid question. Of course, there were bathrooms up there. The house was amazing.”

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