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She didn’t understand; she was just happy I was leaving.
“You know, I suppose this could’ve all been avoided if John had told me more about his parents and their controlling ways and how not just anyone gets to date their son. I had no idea. For whatever it’s worth, I love him. And if he ever asked me to be his wife, I may not have played that role as perfectly as you have for his father, but I would’ve loved and supported him in everything he did.” She stood unflinchingly as I went on. “My parents have been in a loving marriage for fifty years because they treat each other with mutual respect and love. After listening to the way your family believes marriage should be, I think John would eventually be miserable with someone like me, not serving him or reverencing him the way you want. Not only would he be miserable, but I would be, too. I couldn’t even imagine bringing children into that equation.”
“I’m glad you see it that way, then we are finished,” she interrupted. “Good night.”
She wasn’t listening to a word I said. She was just waiting for a moment to tell me to fuck off, and so that was the end of that.
I had to get the hell out of here. I really did. I needed to see John, but sending him a text was probably the better option because, after what I’d just been through with his mother, I couldn’t imagine the shit he was taking from his dad.
God, I needed a fucking drink.
Mickie: Hey, I just had an interesting conversation with your mom. I think it’s best if I take an early flight home. I don’t want to cause any more stress to your family, and that’s all I’m doing here. You looked handsome tonight, and I hope we can have some laughs about all of this when you get back home. Sorry to bail, but I think it’s for the best.
I thought for a while after I sent the text, not wanting to leave things on a sour note.
I should probably tell him I’m not mad at him, and that’s why I’m not staying. Shit. Can I call him? He probably won’t pick up anyway. No. Maybe I’ll?—
Ping! My text alerted me in the middle of my anxious thoughts.
John: Okay. Thanks
I stared at John’s simple two-word response and exhaled.
Great. That’s it? I’m flying all the way back to the States—like leaving right now—and that’s all he has to say after tonight? Did he even read my text?
There was no way I wouldn’t overthink this situation, so I needed to get out of here. I’d be better off sitting at the airport and waiting for my flight than wondering if he would come to my room gallantly and try to stop me from leaving.
From his last text, I was pretty sure that wouldn’t happen, and I didn’t want to sit around wondering why not.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Mickie
I’d like to say that after I got home to the States and returned to work, everything went back to normal. However, that was the furthest thing from the truth. After numerous calls to John had been sent straight to voicemail and texts had gone unread, I realized his number had been changed, and I began to wonder if his family was holding him hostage somewhere.
It had been over a week, and John still hadn’t returned to work. Today was the first day of February, and though I wasn’t counting down the days to Valentine’s Day or anything (I’d never been a fan of the so-called holiday), it was increasingly apparent I’d be spending it alone. As quickly as our relationship had started, it had ended. And even though I left, at the time, I didn’t think things were over. There was so much to discuss, but it was clear that I was the only one who felt that way.
So, while it was evident that John and I were no longer an item, at this point, it seemed we weren’t even coworkers anymore. I was filling in for him with his patients, using his desk to keep our side of this clinic rolling as tightly as it did while he was part of it, and I tried to stay as busy as I could to forget about how angry and hurt that I was about everything.
“Hey, kid,” I heard a familiar voice from the office doorway.
I’d stayed well past closing time, trying to sign off on charts and handle everything before doing it all over again in the morning.
“Dr. Mitchell,” I smiled to greet the blue-eyed Chief of Cardiology.
“Meh,” he shrugged. “After all our adventures in Aspen, you should know me well enough by now to understand that when I’m off the clock, I’d rather be called Jake,” he smirked and then sat in the chair across from where I sat at the desk.
“Give me a sec. I’m just signing off on this last patient’s bed rest, and then I’m all yours,” I said, clicking a few more boxes, typing some instructions on the chart, and then emailing it to the admin department at the hospital.
“Forgive me, but I thought you were all John’s?” he questioned, prompting me to pull off my reading glasses and smile at his cocky grin. “I mean,” he held his hands up, “I know I’m irresistible and gorgeous, but my wife likes you a lot, and I don’t want to cause any problems there.”
I rolled my eyes and relaxed into John’s oversized office chair. “What’s going on?” I asked.
“I was hoping you could tell me?”
“About what?”
“Well, Dr. Aster is usually helping with the load you’re carrying these days, and I noticed he’d been gone. Then, Ash was referred to another oncologist to continue her treatment, and Jim told me that John had resigned all his positions at the hospital. I couldn’t believe any of it, so I had to come and see for myself.”
