Page 198 of True Blue

Then I watched Teddy’s eyes grow wider as he listened to Petra, Lupita, Zuri, and Genevieve all tell him not to break my heart again, that second chances are rare, and that he better treat me the way I deserved. They also informed him they would be coming out to make sure of it.

Teddy, with slight fear in his tone, sincerely promised he would. When I asked Teddy if he was alright, he smiled and said he was glad that I had met them and deserved their protection.

It’s nice for them to still have my back, even though we’re scattered across the world.

Phoebe had already called and told me that she and her wife would be using our house for their next vacation, and since we had so many empty bedrooms, we were excited.

And Stephanie and Danielle had already agreed to completely cut off the rest of the family. They had no idea of the shitstorm that was upon us.

No contact is a blessing and a curse.

A blessing not to have to deal with Dawn and her machinations.

But a curse, because then she can take you by surprise.

I had no warning about this.

Back in February, I was called into my boss’s office shortly after my shift began where HR and the board were on a conference call. As soon as HR said Eleanor Ambrose, I just knew what was happening.

From there, I was questioned for three straight hours about Ellie, going over every single minute detail about my relationship with her. They asked me questions from every angle, trying to trap me, but my story never changed.

I had to reiterate over and over that I was a resident doctor assigned to Eleanor Ambrose by chance; I did not seek her out.

I met her grandson when she had already been my patient for a month. We did not start dating until she left the cancer center and was officially no longer my patient. I did not manipulate, coerce, or demand the inheritance she left me.

I did not date my boyfriend with the intention of getting money from his sick grandmother.

God, just the thought of it makes me sick.

Teddy and I landed in Chicago last night after a tense flight. Teddy’s been so wonderful, taking care of everything from booking our flights, our hotel in the city, as far away from his family home as we could get, even packing our things. He would hold up my professional attire to me, the slacks and blouses I used for interviews, putting together my outfits while I sat uselessly on the bed in a daze.

And all morning, I was a quiet, shaking mess as Teddy tried to get some food in me, able to coax me into eating some fresh fruit from the hotel breakfast and then got us a rideshare to Hyde Cancer Center.

The place I became Dr. Miller.

But honestly, more importantly, where I met Ellie and Teddy. The place where we laughed together with Ellie while she cheated at cards, waving her magic for both of us to meet. Where Ellie was declared cancer-free, and I was cleared to date Teddy. Where we fell in love. Where I daydreamed about our future—the future we’re living now.

Teddy isn’t able to come inside with me, not for this process. I was going to be questioned alone. I was going to have to sit in front of a bunch of older doctors who were once somebody in their heyday and listen to them question my integrity.

Not totally alone, though.

Phoebe found me a lawyer, one of her old college friends, who has experience representing doctors in malpractice cases. As our rideshare pulls up to the front of the hospital, she’s already waiting for us.

Lorraine Washington is a short woman with warm brown skin and dark hair in microbraids, pulled halfway back. Her dark eyes are sharp and assessing as she scans my appearance from head to toe after Teddy and I climb out of the car. She texted me this morning, telling me not to wear makeup, to pull my hair back into a ponytail, and to wear something blue.

So, I pulled on my cream-colored blouse and my lucky navy-blue slacks, which she nods in approval at.

“Good,” she says. “You look the picture of wide-eyed blonde innocence. Today should be simple. They’re going to question you. They are going to be invasive. The men might even be gross. You need to keep your voice flat and answer every question honestly. They don’t have shit, but if the press caught that they were going soft on a doctor accused of elder abuse, it would look bad on the bottom line. Understand?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Alright,” she turns to Teddy, “This is as far as you go, kid.”

My hand tightens around Teddy’s, and he looks as reluctant as I am to let go, but he cradles my face in his hands, pressing his forehead to mine. For a moment, I just feel him. Breathe in the scent of him. My hands wrap around his wrists, feeling his pulse beneath my fingertips, steady and strong.

“You’re going to be okay,” his voice is rough and it sounds more like he’s reassuring himself. I nod anyway, though, leaning forward to press my lips to his.

“I love you,” I whisper.