“Oh my God! You’re Brody! Sis, when you told me you were dating a doctor you forgot to mention he was such a hunk! No wonder you never want to come home. I wouldn’t either if my boyfriend looked like this.”
“I’m afraid…” that’s all I manage, because I have no idea what the woman is talking about. She looks completely serious. Maybe she’s supposed to be on medication? Or perhaps she has escaped from the psychiatric ward and that’s why Nurse Riley looks so panicked. “… I don’t understand,” I finally add, looking to Nurse Riley for help.
When I see her, her head is down and when she looks back up, she looks more than just sick. She’s also wringing her hands together. Something is going on here and I’m a little slow because I’m not quite realizing what it is.
“Sis,” she begins. “I’m afraid… I mean well I… Dr. Miner is…”
“Your boyfriend! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me what a stone cold fox he is! I’m Hilary, Tabby’s younger sister,” the other woman says wrapping her arm in mine as if we are long lost friends.
She rattles on and I don’t reply. I couldn’t for the life of me. My brain is still hung up on the fact that she obviously thinks I’m Nurse Riley’s boyfriend… and that from the look on Nurse Riley’s face… she has reason to be convinced it’s true.
Chapter Four
Tabitha
Every nightmare I’ve ever had is happening right before my eyes. The only thing that could possibly make this worse is if I was naked in front of all my co-workers. Hilary isn’t even bothering to be quiet either—not that she usually is. That means, everyone in our vicinity hears what we’re talking about. If I wasn’t about to be physically sick right now, I could almost laugh. I never lie. It takes too much to remember what someone said. The one time I lie it’s going to bite me in the ass.
“Hil, stop it. Dr. Miner is—”
“Not used to anyone approaching us at work,” he interrupts.
My mouth falls open and I’m not sure what I just heard. I probably had an aneurysm brought on by severe embarrassment and panic. When Brody puts his arm around me and pulls me into his body, I’m more convinced. I’m obviously hallucinating. I was probably in a horrible car crash on the way to work this morning and I’m in a coma. Nothing is real.
That’s the only explanation.
I fall stiffly into Brody’s arms. If I’m going to dream about him on my death bed, I might as well drop formality. He gives me a squeeze and I might need to rethink the whole coma idea because it’s almost painful. I look up at him and his dark eyes are intense and they’re looking at me and I feel completely flushed. I’m pretty sure he’s mad, but that’s not what I see on his face.
“Are we sweetheart?” he asks me and at this point if I’m awake I’m self-diagnosing a brain tumor.
“Sweetheart?” I squeak.
“Oh! Is it against the hospital policy for you two to date?” Hilary asks and I jerk my face back to her.
“We’re not—”
“We’re just not ready for the whole world to know. We want to keep our relationship private,” Brody responds, interrupting me and leaving me scrambling to understand.
“I…” I start, but I really don’t know what to say at this point.
“Oh. I understand. Tabby has always been deeply private. She rarely gives anyone the time of day. All that’s ever on her mind is her job. That’s why I was so surprised you were her plus one.”
“Her plus one?” Brody asks and I’m still standing here like an idiot with my mouth open not knowing what I’m supposed to say. It should be said, that by this point I’m literally praying that I am unconscious, dreaming or dying. I’ll never live this down and there’s too many listening around us to ever hope that it would remain between Brody and myself.
“For my wedding of course! Didn’t she tell you? Oh my God, Tabby! Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Yeah, Tabby, why didn’t you tell me?” Brody asks, and he’s smiling, but again there’s something else in his eyes and I’m afraid to find out what.
“I… I haven’t had time. Actually, Brody was just about to go back to work, but I’m off the rest of the day. How about we go to lunch and discuss what you want me to do, Hil?” I ask, desperate to get away.
“Oh poo! I was hoping to talk with Brody. Will you be around tonight? I’m just dying to hear all the details about you and Tabby!”
“You can’t hear them from your sister?” Brody asks. I’m not looking at him this time. I’m busy staring at the ground hoping it will swallow me up.