I watched her walk out. She moved with more confidence. I found myself falling more in love with her every day and I hoped she was given the future she deserved. I wanted the best for her, even if she chose to be with another man.
She returned ten minutes later, wearing one of the many bikinis she owned. I was always amazed by her beauty. I took her hand and led her to the pool. We spent the next hour swimming and splashing one another. It felt good to have my old Bree back.
We got to the hospital twenty minutes early. I wanted to give us plenty of time in case she had a panic attack. I wanted her to have the luxury of taking her time without worrying about being late for the appointment.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, as we rode up in the elevator.
“Just don’t let go of me,” she whispered.
I held her hand. “I’ve got you.”
Thankfully, Ellis was running ahead of schedule. “Hi guys,” she greeted us enthusiastically.
“Hi,” Bree said.
I guided her to a seat. It was a little strange to be sitting with Ellis after the last conversation, especially with Bree sitting right there.
“How are you feeling?” Ellis asked.
“Good,” Bree answered. “Much better.”
“You look good,” Ellis commented.
I was more of an observer, as Ellis and Bree talked a little about nothing in particular. I knew it was Ellis putting Bree at ease.
“Can I do it?” Bree asked.
Ellis looked at me and smiled. “I think you’re ready. I’ll have the nurse take you down for a quick physical and then we will schedule the appointment.”
“That’s great. The sooner the better!”
Ellis left the room and returned a minute later with a female nurse who led Bree out of the room. I got up to leave when Ellis stopped me. “Can I have a minute?” she asked.
I hesitated. “Sure.”
“I wanted to apologize for that very awkward conversation,” she said with a smile. “I don’t usually flirt with clients or clients’ boyfriends.”
“It’s me who should apologize. I should have been clearer in the beginning.”
She laughed. “After spending the last thirty minutes with the two of you, I can see how much you care about her. She’s a lucky woman.”
“I appreciate that. I know it isn’t professional, but I can’t help what I feel for her.”
“Sometimes it just happens, at least for the lucky ones. You are one of the lucky ones. It’s clear she is absolutely in love with you as well. I take it you are responsible for changing her mind about getting the surgery?”
I slowly shook my head. “It wasn’t me. This is all her. I said my piece and we stopped talking about it. This had to be something she decided. Bree is a stubborn woman and she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do. It needed to be her choice with no pressure from me, her dad or anyone else. She needed to decide if she wanted to accept her situation and move forward or to give it one last try.”
“I can see that, and it will be good for her. I just hope she’s ready for the recovery. It might be difficult. The patients I have worked with in the past really hated the waiting. It isn’t instant and that can be frustrating. She has to take it slow and be prepared for a gradual recovery. I believe that was the worst part for those in the study.”
“I’ll be with her,” I said, sounding very possessive. “I will make sure she gets through the recovery. I’ll keep her spirits up as best I can.”
“Good. She’s lucky to have you. I am happy for you. And her. You guys make an excellent couple.”
I laughed. “We’ll see about that. It’s all kind of new.”
“Thank you again for doing this.”
“It’s my pleasure. This is going to be important for everyone. There are a lot of people that will benefit from this surgery. Once her surgery is recorded as a success, it will be the start of something new. She is going to be the positive light that others need to see. Medical journals are going to want to interview her. She is going to be one of the first in the United States to get this.”