We both didn’t want our trip to end, but we needed to get back to New York and settle into our new place before my white coat ceremony and the first day of school for both of us.
Cruz had been accepted to the Creative Writing master’s program at NYU. He thought he would want to pursue Art History, but his passion for writing music had inspired an interest he’d never known was there. NYU had approached him about teaching a songwriting course to beginning writers, and he’d agreed to do a trial class this semester which they worked around his course schedule. That was my boyfriend—so much passion lived beneath that broody, tough exterior. And I loved everything about him.
He’d read me Wuthering Heights while we traveled through Europe, reading a little bit to me each night before we went to bed, and now we were going to make our way through all the classics. His smooth voice lulled me to sleep each night, and now I couldn’t imagine drifting off any other way. Life had taken on a simplicity that we’d each craved, and even though we were both pursuing a challenging road in our education, our lives were less complicated now. Cruz’s father’s death was still in the news, but New York offered us more privacy, and people left us alone for the most part.
It was a big day, and I Ubered over to campus, as Cruz was at the airport picking up Dad, Sara, Sam, and Ari who’d all flown in for my white coat ceremony. I made my way to the table to check-in. We were led to our seats and I introduced myself to the students sitting beside me.
“Hey, I’m Jade.”
“Hi, I’m Eva. Nice to meet you. Can you even believe this day is finally here?” she said. Eva was tall with shoulder-length blond hair and a warm smile.
“I know, right? It’s hard to believe it’s all happening.”
“I’m Sean. Nice to meet you guys. Where are you from?” he asked us.
“I’m from North Carolina,” Eva said.
“Chicago,” I said. “How about you?”
“I’m actually from here. Grew up in Brooklyn.”
“That’s nice, you’ll be close to home.” I smiled before waving at a kid who just dropped down next to Sean.
Everyone was friendly and excited to be here. These were the people I’d be spending the next four years with. I leaned back in my seat and thought about the last few years. It had all led me here. The white coat ceremony was the start of a new journey. One I’d dreamt about for as long as I could remember.
Dean Devore spoke. Her words were powerful as she reminded us that we were not just students, but physicians in training. She told us that these next few years would be challenging but we would be surrounded by professors, mentors, and peers who would support us through the process. I glanced over my shoulder at my own little support group who’d always been there to cheer me on. My gaze locked with Cruz’s honey browns, and I relaxed.
I was on my way to becoming a doctor. And I was living in New York City with the boy that I loved more than anything. Life was good. Really good. Things had fallen into place. All the highs and lows, the heartache, the disappointment—it was all worth it. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
I was going to make a difference in this world, in whatever way I could. I couldn’t ask for more than that. And I was ready for all of it.
After the ceremony, Dad insisted on taking everyone to lunch to celebrate.
“Proud of you, kiddo,” he said, and I was overcome with emotion. I don’t know why. It wasn’t like this man hadn’t encouraged me and believed in me every step of the way. He’d told me hundreds of times how proud he was of me. But something about the way that he looked at me made my heart squeeze. Making my father proud was one of my greatest accomplishments.
“Thanks, Dad. Couldn’t have done it without you. You know that, right?”
“We can agree to disagree on that one.” He winked. “I wish Mom was here to see this moment. She’d be so damn proud.”
I reached for his hand on the table, placing mine on top of his. “She is here. Has been the whole way.”
His eyes were glassy. “I think you’re right, Jady bug. And she’s damn proud.”
“Of both of us,” I said.
He nodded. “Alright. Enough of the mushy stuff. This is supposed to be a celebration.”
I chuckled and turned back to face the table. Cruz and Sam were laughing about something ridiculous, Ari and Sara were comparing pictures from the white coat ceremony, and my father was beaming down at me. It was a memory I’d carry with me forever.
I dropped down on the white slip-covered couch in our new apartment.
“Tell me why we picked a white sofa again?” Cruz said, setting a few boxes of Chinese food on the coffee table and joining me on the couch.
“Because it’s a slipcover and we can throw it in the wash.”
“We can’t wash a black slipcover?” he asked with a smirk.
I laughed. “You can’t bleach a black slipcover. And who wants a black couch?”
“Cool people.”
“You love this couch,” I said, rolling my eyes and trying to hide my smile.
“I love you. Don’t really give a fuck about the couch.”
I glanced around the room, still pinching myself that we were finally here. “I can’t believe this is our place.”
Cruz and I found a great two-bedroom in the west village. It was much swankier than what I ever imagined living in, but I’d talked Cruz down from getting a penthouse apartment, so we’d met in the middle. We’d purchased a couch, a coffee table, and a bed. The rest we would get over time. We weren’t in a hurry. There was no expiration or timeline anymore. No miles between us or trips to plan. This was our new life, and we were together.
Cruz wore black joggers, a vintage rock tee, and military boots. His hair was disheveled and sexy, and he had fully embraced this new life in New York. This city fit him so well. He loved that we walked everywhere to eat and shop, and that we could take public transportation, and of course there were endless museums to visit here. He liked that people weren’t following him with cameras, and no one was getting in his business.
“You happy?” he asked.
“Very. How about you? You sure you’re ready to give up the rock star life, Professor?”
He laughed and held out a piece of sweet and sour chicken on his chopsticks and I opened my mouth, allowing him to pop it in. “It’s been a long time coming. I’m ready. For all of it.”
“Yeah? Imagine how all the freshman girls are going to swoon over Cruz Winslow teaching their songwriting course.” The class had already had to be broken into two separate blocks as it had filled up within the first ninety seconds of being open for registration.