“Uhmm... Well I—”
“Oh! I forgot. You’re dating that little brunette girl, right? How old is she? She looks like she’s still in high school.”
Brad felt his face getting hot. “She’s twenty-four years old, Kara.”
“I’m just teasing you,” she chuckled. “I’m thirty-two—practically an old hag. So I’m jealous of those cute-young-things.”
He laughed at her self-deprecating humor. She was anything but an old hag, and she knew it. At five foot eleven, she was only an inch shorter than him, sporting long thick blond hair and the face of a model. He gave her the expected response. “I don’t think you look anything like a hag, Kara. And since I’m thirty, I don’t think you’re that old either.”
“Ah, but I’m older than you. So if you ever break it off with that cute-young-thing and want to date an older woman, let me know.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, maintaining his fake smile with great difficulty.
*****
Kara saw the flowers walking in the hospital door and the shapely legs beneath them. The bouquet covered the face, but she knew the girl carrying it must be small. She walked toward the flowers.
“What a beautiful bouquet. Can I help you?”
“Uhmm... Yes... I’m looking for Dr. Gates. Do you know where I can find him?”
When she peered around the flowers, Kara recognized the girl Brad was dating. She noted with considerable irritation she felt like Conan the Barbarian with this petite girl around. “He’s in with an accident patient right now. But I can give him the flowers for you.”
The girl shifted her feet as her eyes darted around the room. She rose onto her tiptoes as if she could see over Kara’s shoulder. “Oh... Well maybe I could wait for a while before I have to leave for school.”
“What grade are you in,” Kara asked, unable to resist a little dig.
A cherry red blush bloomed on her cheeks. “I’m a teacher—I teach first grade.”
“That’s nice,” Kara replied, looking down her nose. “But I really don’t think Dr. Gates will be free anytime soon. He could be in there for a couple of hours.”
“Oh, I... I really wanted to see him. I wanted to give him these in person.”
“Why are you giving him flowers? Isn’t it usually the other way around? I didn’t know Brad liked flowers.”
“He doesn’t... I mean... Would you mind giving them to him and this card, too? It’s really important. Maybe I should wait for a while in case he comes out.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he gets them. And what’s your name?”
“I’m Grace. And what’s your name?”
“I’m... I’m Leanne,” said Kara. Why did she give her middle name? And why was she lying to Brad’s girlfriend about his whereabouts? She knew the answer—because this little pipsqueak of a first grade teacher didn’t deserve Dr. Brad Gates. She wasn’t smart enough. She wasn’t sophisticated enough. She wasn’t even big enough. And if Kara had her way, Brad would soon see she was the only woman who would ever be able to satisfy him in every way. She’d even gotten tickets to a baseball game in spite of the fact she hated sports. That only proved she was willing to sacrifice to make him happy.
“Okay. Thanks, Leanne. Don’t forget to give him the card, too. It won’t make any sense without the card.” Tears glimmered in her eyes as she handed over the vase and the envelope. She glanced toward the inner-sanctum doors one last time before she relinquished her grasp on the objects.
“I won’t forget. Have a good day.”
After assuring herself Grace had departed, Kara quickly opened the card. She almost cried out with glee when she read the note. They had obviously had a fight and broken up. This was the best opportunity she could ever have.
Dear Brad,
The white chrysanthemums stand for truth—I’m sorry I lied to you. The daffodils express respect—I respect you. I should have respected you before. I should never have judged you to be like all the other guys I knew. The purple hyacinths mean I’m sorry and I’m asking for forgiveness. I know I don’t deserve it, but I am asking for another chance. If you think there is even the smallest chance you could forgive me and we could try again, I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of your trust. I’m really confused, and I’m just asking for an opportunity to talk to you.
Yours and yours alone,
Grace
“Nice flowers, Kara,” said Brad as he emerged from the double doors. “Who are they from?”