Janice is still here. Hovering and grinning like an idiot. “Janice, this is Sam.”
“Oh, we met at the front door.” Her eyes wander around his body and face. I can’t blame her. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Samuel Christianson. He has an effect on women. Adding the scrubs is too much. “I’ll leave you to it, Doctor.” Her eyes dance with delight.
I groan as she closes the door. “What have you done?”
“I casually managed to mention I was your boyfriend and that I happen to work at the IWK as a doctor and that I can bench press—”
“What is wrong with you?” I ask with a laugh.
“What? Did I misread her? Is she not the office gossip?” He grabs the door handle. “I can go find a better person to ensure Rod knows I’m here and that you’re basically living with a doctor.” He grins. “A handsome doctor.”
“Boyfriend and living together? You really sold all that, did you?” I stand, fighting a dizzy spell by placing a hand on my desk.
“Oh, I sold it.” He walks to me and puts my lunch on my desk and kisses me.
I melt into him, partly because I can’t stand on my own right now and partly because I needed this. Human contact. Care. Kindness. I didn’t realize it until he did it.
“You okay?” He pulls back, looking into my eyes.
“Yeah, I’ve just had a headache all—” I contemplate how long it’s been. “Month? Friggin’ Rod.” I laugh nervously realizing how long it’s been. “And now James is coming to list the house. Rod wants it sold. Likely to pay for his wedding.” I bury my face in his chest. “Why does this year have to keep kicking me in the face?”
“Wait, are you serious? You’ve really had a headache for a month?” He straightens and starts examining me. “Light sensitivity?”
“I’m fine, I swear. It’s the stress.” I don’t answer the light sensitivity question. I don’t want him to worry.
If anyone walked past the office, they would see his back and me in his arms. But he’s blocking out the fact he’s tilting my face and forcing me to look to the right and left. “Hmm.” He arches an eyebrow. “I don’t like headaches that last a month. Not after your injuries.”
“What? Why?”
“That nasty concussion you had,” he says as if this is super obvious. “A month of headaches is a bad sign, Lil. Even in stressed-out people living with a bad case of the 2020s. Is this why you’ve been so against going out and doing anything all summer?”
“No, I genuinely just wanted to see Lillian.” I don’t tell him that taking our relationship out of our apartments makes it real, and I am scared of real. And of him breaking my poor battered heart.
“I wish you’d said something.” He scowls. “I thought you simply had the Covid blues and stress from the shitty year.”
“I do. It’s nothing. I swear. I’ll see my doctor if it makes you feel better.” I stand on my tiptoes uneasily and give him a kiss. “But I will bet it’s Rod and the house and the divorce and his engagement. It’s been a pretty crappy experience.”
“I know.” He holds me tighter to him but his kiss is firm and cold. “But you need to take this seriously. It could a be a variety of things after damage like you had. A secondary cyst. Post-traumatic vertigo. You need a CT or MRI.” He cups my face and smiles. “Why don’t I arrange it so we see the tech later today? After work.” He kisses me once more. “Or we could go now.”
“Oh my God, stop. It’s fine. I have way too much work to do right now. I’ll see my doctor. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Fine, but until you do, I don’t want you driving.”
“Okay,” I say. “Fine. I don’t need to drive anyway.”
“I’m taking your car home.” He reaches for my keys on my desk.
“Good, take it. I need the walk,” I challenge him. “I have to get to work though. Seriously.”
“Fine. I’ll see you for dinner? Prepare for a thorough physical.” He winks and walks out while I shamelessly stare at his ass the way Janice did.
It takes everything in me to work and not “Google doctor” what the hell post-traumatic vertigo is.
Chapter 35
August 31
Leaving work after our first day back at the office, I feel like I’m escaping prison. I sneak out a side door and hurry away from the building before I have to hear about Rod’s engagement once more.
That son of a bitch.
Our marriage is barely cold in its grave.
My feet hit the sidewalk at a pace I won’t be able to keep for long. I need to start working out. Taking my car home at lunch so I could get in a couple of walks today can’t count as actual exercise. I’m accustomed to walking around the city now. I need more.
Before I can consider that, my phone rings with a call from Liz.
“Hey,” I say, huffing into the phone.
“So James mentioned the house is listed.”
“Yeah, and Rod is engaged to Elaine. It’s been a real Monday,” I add and wait for her response.
She bursts out laughing and I join her though I don’t know why this is funny.
The two of us cackle like crazy witches.
“Oh God, that is good. Engaged already? As usual, Rod has the cart in front of the jackass.”
“You mean horse?”
“Nope. I can’t believe he didn’t try to be single for a minute. What an idiot. Jumps from one relationship to the next without so much as a pause. And to that bloodsucking she-devil? Match made in heaven if you ask me.” She continues snickering. “Did Rod tell you? Did he stride into the office and brag about this epic failure as if it’s an accomplishment?”
“No. Simone came into my office to tell me. At first I was stunned and then annoyed because he’s invited everyone, including Anthony. The poor guy popped into the office to tell me he had no intention of going. He didn’t even tell Shawnee he was invited. He was scared to.”
“That’s legit. There are few things she hates as much as she does Rod,” Liz says. “Where are you? You’re out of breath. Did you finally join a gym to get that divorcée revenge body?”
The question catches me off guard. “What? No! I was walking fast. What revenge body?” Is she calling me fat?
“You know how people always do that. Lose weight and get sexy and start posting all those ridiculous selfies so everyone can see how happy they are and how much better off they feel. But it’s just revenge on their ex,” she says as if this is a normal thing and I’m behind the times.
“No.” I start walking again. “Although now that you mention it, I do recall seeing those pictures on Simone’s Facebook page a couple of years ago. And she has lost weight and maintained it. Oh God, do you think everyone sees why Rod left me when they meet Elaine? She’s so small and skinny.” I stop again. “Do you think I should join a gym?”
“God no. You’re not fat by any stretch but getting healthy might make you feel better. And it’s really therapeutic to work out.” She is backpedaling now the way all naturally small and skinny people do. “But you don’t need a gym. Not with Covid. Use the home gym you made in your office. You could try the Peloton bikes. They offer classes with your own home equipment. You buy the bike and pay a monthly subscription. Go talk to Arthur at James’ gym.”