Quirk of Fate

Chapter Thirty-One

Rielle was walking through the hall inside the living room, and Hwan Chul was standing before her as if he had seen a ghost! Rielle was puzzled at how Hwan stared at her -- with wide eyes and a wide-open mouth, and was speechless.

Hyun-Ki left Nancy's house bothered. After learning about the meaningful relationship between his brother, Hwan Chul, and Gabrielle, Hyun-Ki was restless and very worried. He had no idea how to face this or what he should do, but in the meantime, he decided to keep silent until he could figure out what action he would take.

It was late evening when he remembered to make a call to Rielle.

"Hello, my Sweetheart, how's your day today? Is everything fine with you?"Hyun-Ki anxiously asked.

"Hmph. I texted you many times, but you're not replying to any of them. I wonder what you've been doing that it's only this time you remember to call me up." Mari remarked a little sullenly.

"I had some guests at home, not in my condo, but our house, and this is the only time I got freed from them. I'm sorry, Rielle. Are you mad?" saying a small white lie won't hurt, he thought.

"Not so, just bothered. Anyway, I'm relieved that you're all right. Well, I have to go to bed now, and tomorrow and the coming days ahead will keep us busy, don't you think so, Sir?" she said in a cheerful, playful tone.

"Assure me first that you're not mad or sulky, then I'll let you sleep." Hyun-Ki chuckled.

"Hmm, you still have the mood to chuckle, huh? You owe me one tomorrow, Mr. Han."

While in bed, Hyun-Ki can't get off his mind about Rielle's missing memory of Hwan Chul. How will he approach this issue without the two of them in a rift about Rielle? He loves her and can't just give her away, be it his brother!

Monday morning came, and Hwan Chul was knocking on his door.

"Hey bro, aren't you coming today? It's already eight in the morning!" Hyun-Ki almost lost his balance as he stood up from his bed.

"Oh no, Rielle could have been waiting! I fell into a deep slumber! I'm coming out, Chul! I'll have a word to you; wait!"

"I - - lost time. Will you tell Junie to fetch Rielle now and come back for me, please?" Hyun-ki stuttered as he faced Hwan. "Sure, no problem," Hwan assured him.

On to Rielle's house went Junie to fetch her. "Good morning, Miss Rielle; Sir Hyun-Ki advised me to fetch you now and come back for him," Junie said.

"Hmmm, he called up late last night, then woke up late today, huh?" Rielle was talking loud to herself. Junie just nodded and smiled.

At the Hans mansion, Rielle alighted from the car with Junie assisting her, and when she was walking through the hall getting inside the living room, Hwan Chul was standing before her as if he had seen a ghost! Rielle was puzzled at how Hwan stared at her -- with wide eyes and a wide-open mouth, and was speechless.

"Are you all right, Sir Hwan Chul?" asked Rielle, puzzled and uneasy.

"Ma – Ma- Mari, what are you doing here? Why - why are you addressing me as Sir Hwan Chul?" Hwan turned pale and was stupefied; he started stammering. Hyun-Ki was fast descending the stairs when he saw Rielle at a standstill and Hwan Chul pale as a white sheet; if you are looking at the carousel, both are going around in your sight, mystified, fazed, and bewildered.

Hyun-Ki suddenly came to Rielle's side and wrapped his arm around Rielle's waist, pretending to be ignorant of the situation but feeling worried and fearful about their unexpected encounter.

"What's the meaning of this, Chul?" asked Hyun-Ki, flinched him away from Rielle.

"This is Mari, Hyeong! She was the one I am talking about, my girlfriend whom I lost from that car accident, Hyun!" Mari was flabbergasted and upset.

"What--- what is he talking about, Hyun? I don't understand the meaning of what he is telling me!" bothered and continued to speak, "Why is he saying that I was her girlfriend when I do not even know him." turning at Hyun-Ki, pale and baffled. Hyun-ki hugged Rielle protectively and, facing Hwan, spoke:

"You should not be dragging her into your loss, Hwan." Hyun went to Hwan and grabbed his shirt, giving him a warning.

"No, no, no, Hyun, look here, brother, I should have known better. I can never forget her face because she was imprinted here in my memory! She is Mari!" pointing at Rielle.

Rielle was frightened, confused, and disturbed by what Hwan Chul was forcing them to understand. It was like she was in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to cling to and run. She felt alone and as if surrounded by faceless people, and because of her situation, she felt confused, stressed, and nauseous and eventually fainted and collapsed.

Hyun-Ki and Hwan Chul quickly ran to her, and Hyun-Ki took her into his arms, trying to wake her up to consciousness. Frightened of what could be the consequence of her sudden unconsciousness, Hyun-Ki carried her to the car calling for Junie. They rushed her to the nearest hospital, Hwan Chul, with Mang Ben, his driver, followed suit. It was exciting to note that the hospital they came upon unexpectedly was the same hospital Mari and Hwan Chul were brought in during that fatal car accident three years ago.

Junie opened the car door and then ran to the Emergency Room, asking for assistance. The nurse aide came and carried her on the hospital stretcher running urgently to the ER. One of the nurses asked for some details on Rielle, then Hyun-Ki told the Nurse her details.

"Her name is Gabrielle Mari Calma." The Nurse looked into their system to see if she had a medical record and found her name and medical history.

"Sir, she had her medical record with us, and she was confined here three years ago, and her doctor then was Dr. Benedict Chua. She was comatose for nearly six months and stayed in confinement for almost four months, then had sessions for psychological and physical therapies, which lasted almost four months." The Nurse narrated.

"This doctor, Dr. Benedict Chua, was he still in this hospital? Can he be requested to see her today? I also need to know about the accident." asked Hyun-Ki inquisitively.

"Of course, Sir. He is the hospital's consultant in the Neurology Department, and I am paging him now." Continued the Nurse, and a little later, a doctor in his fifties came to the Nurse Station asking for the details and medical records of the patient, Gabrielle. The Nurse introduced him to Hyun-Ki as Gabrielle's guardian.

"Yes, I am Dr. Benedict Chua, and I remember her. Gabrielle was under my treatment for almost a year and after how many years now (looking further on the medical history), let me see, she is here again?" then hurried to see his patient, Hyun-Ki and Hwan Chul, following him.

"Hmm, she looked pale and still unconscious? What happened to her, may I ask?" Dr. Chua asked with curiosity.

"She fainted, doctor, and, I guess because my brother, Hwan Chul here, and I were arguing in her presence----" the doctor interrupted, "that she had a nervous breakdown."

"Had she gained back her memory already? Ah, Mr. Han Hyun-Ki? Are you, her husband?" inquired the doctor.

"Gabrielle is my fiancée, doc. And I do not understand what you mean, gained her memory back?" Hyun-Ki and Hwan Chul stared at each other, looking worried.

The doctor suggested confining Gabrielle for further observation and directed his nurses to give her the necessary procedures. Then the doctor asked both to his office to answer their questions.

Dr. Chua explained Gabrielle's case. "I remember Gabrielle's plight that night. She was brought in with a male patient in a near-death state. If help didn't come in fast for the ambulance to respond, they might be dead on arrival, based on the head trauma both got. Both had broken bones, bathed in blood, but good enough their skull was not damaged, and their head trauma was caused by getting hit as the car turned like a spinning top, as described by the witnesses. I remember her male friend, but cannot remember his name, was a Korean national –" Hwan Chul interrupted, "I am Hwan Chul, sir, the Korean boyfriend brought in with her from the fatal car accident." Dr. Chua was surprised to know him.

"And it was good you have also recovered! I remember your mother requested your immediate transfer from this hospital to Korea. Despite going against our protocol, she insisted because she didn't want her son to die in this country. Hwan Chul's mother and Gabrielle's mom were arguing about the accident; Gabrielle's mom was frantic with worry, blaming the son for the accident, which was why Hwan Chul was out of this hospital. Gabrielle recovered from her unconscious state after six months and stayed for another four months for her therapy. Gabrielle was powerful, a fighter; that's how I describe her because her treatment lasted only four months. Although sad to say, she could not remember that accident. During her psychological therapy sessions with me, Gabrielle precisely could not say something about why she was comatose. All Gabriel could tell was that she learned from her mom of her accident but never got further into that issue since, as per the mother's suggestion, there was no need to elaborate since she could not remember. Mrs. Calma doesn't want her daughter to go through another pain." Hwan Chul asked with curiosity and inquiringness; "she could not remember everything about her. Is that what you mean, Dr. Chua?"

"Gabrielle maintained her memory about herself, her family, etcetera, but not that fatal accident she got involved. It was peculiar, but it happens to some patients with head trauma injuries. Some memories were never retrieved, lost forever; some may regain it perhaps from getting into the same happening or witnessing a scene similar to what the patient had experienced. Based on what you have said about Rielle, three years now? And still no memory of that fatal accident? That you are a stranger to her? That can happen."

"What happens now, doctor? Honestly, in your opinion, could there still be a chance that Rielle can find me in her memory?" Hwan Chul is insistent on a positive result.

Doctor Chua clarified to both Hwan Chul and Hyun-Ki to make them understand in layman's terms.

"Maybe, there was this tragic moment experienced by Rielle that triggered her consciousness which caused her brain to block that part until it got lost deep in her consciousness. Let us compare a heart to a house. Let me put it this way. When a person was living with depression and sadness, she didn't want to get out of her room anymore, and there she would spend her time moping, crying, and nursing her broken heart until she decided to shut herself from the world. She will permanently close her doors and windows so no one can ever enter her world, and she prefers to die alone. That is the same with the heart and the brain. Once the owner of that heart decides to shut her windows, the veins of her heart will flow fast to the brain commanding it to bury down deep into her memory and block it forever, not to awake again. And that happens to Rielle. She cannot recall her past about that accident and everything about her love; that is, you, Hwan Chul, am I right?" the doctor looked at Hwan Chul, trying to go deeper into his thoughts and feelings.

Hwan Chul was numbed and feeling useless for Mari. How can he take her back if she cannot even remember him, their beautiful love affair, their plan to get married if until this time she cannot find him in her memory?