Indelible Love - Emily's Story Read Online Free

Jennifer, who was also waiting
for her date to return. I found out she was an orthopedic nurse and
two years older than Max. With such an uncomfortable situation, she
was a good sport talking with me. I was happy to see Max dating a
sweet girl. She seemed good for him.
    Jake walked toward me, and I had this
nervous feeling I was going to be alone…again.
    “Hi. Done with your call?”
    “Yeah…” The way he said this made me
feel even more uneasy.
    “Oh, that doesn’t sound good,” I
whined.
    “Well, I’ve got some good news and
some bad news. Which do you want first?”
    “The bad.” Of course, I was always the
pessimist.
    “I have to go back to the hospital,”
he said quickly.
    “No!” I protested. “Not again. I
thought you had the whole night off! Jake, we hardly ever get to
see each other. I think I’ve seen you once a week in the last
couple of months.” My protest was a bit unfair, but I really didn’t
want to be alone tonight, of all nights.
    “I know and I’m sorry. I thought we’d
be together tonight but my patient came back with complications and
I need to go back into surgery now.”
    What could I say? A possible dying
patient sat on the operating table waiting for his doctor, while I
fretted over my insecurities of sitting alone at a dinner table
with Max and Jennifer. Pathetic. But…how was I going to get through
the rest of the evening without him?
    I unhappily shrugged my shoulders and
let him go. “Save another life tonight, Dr. Reid. I want to stop
you but I can’t…I won’t.”
    He apologized again with both arms
tightly wrapped around my body. “BUT…the good news! Chief gave me
the whole weekend off, so I’m taking you on a surprise trip. We’re
going somewhere far where no one can call me back to the hospital.
Can you be ready by 7:00am? I’ll pick you up at your
house.”
    “OK.” Still sounding glum, I couldn’t
disguise my disappointment with Jake leaving me stranded at dinner
again. “Where are we going?” As much as I tried to like surprises,
they made me nervous. I didn’t like uncertainty. “How shall I
dress? Is it going to be very cold?”
    “It’s always cold up there,” Jake
slipped.
    “Up there?” I asked curiously.
Obviously we were going up north but were we driving…? Flying?
Suspense grew.
    “When will we be back? I assume we
will be back tomorrow night?” I asked with more
enthusiasm.
    “Do we have options? Can we stay the
weekend? Would that be OK?” He sounded hopeful.
    I thought about what Jake had asked,
all too aware everybody at the table was listening and waiting for
my answer. They all knew what my answer would’ve been if Max had
asked me this same question back in college. They were curious to
know if I’d changed in the almost two-year absence.
    It was a simple answer, but I couldn’t
immediately speak. A part of me wanted to spend the night with
Jake. I felt safe with him. A part of me also wanted to hurt Max
and say yes just to spite him. I knew it would be unfair to both
men if I gave into my ugly side. Max watched me carefully. Eagerly,
both men awaited my answer.
    “Um, no. I don’t think it’s wise for
us to spend the night,” I said, relieved to speak my mind.
Accepting my answer with a more than gentle kiss, he relented to
the pager that beeped endlessly.
    “OK, OK, I’m coming, people,” he
answered back at his pager. “Bye,” he murmured, stealing one more
kiss. “I’ll miss you.” Before he left, he turned to Peter and asked
if he would not mind giving me a ride home.
    “Please take care of her for me,” he
added. “And please,” he whispered to me, “don’t fall back into your
ex’s arms after I leave.” We both laughed.
    “Sure will,” Peter obliged.
    As soon as Jake left, Peter turned to
me. “Jake seems like a good guy. I’m relieved to know you’re dating
someone who loves you.”
    It never occurred to me Jake might
feel that strongly about me. I knew I couldn’t say I loved him