Page 52 of Love You Madly

Me:

Thanks, that means a lot.

Callie:

I should probably get to bed. It’s been a long day. Sweet dreams, Owen.

Me:

You too, Callie.

I stare at her last message, feeling a mix of warmth and sadness. The distance and our complicated lives make it hard to see a clear path forward. Before I head to bed, I realize it’s been a bit since I’ve seen the girl who used to visit me much more frequently in my dreams.

As I drift off to sleep, I realize… I am starting to miss my Dream Girl. Maybe I will see her tonight…This is so not healthy.

The next morning, I wake up from a dreamless sleep feeling a bit empty. I get ready for work and get Barrett his breakfast. When I glance at the clock, I realize Mom should be here anyminute. She’s a godsend watching Barrett while I go to work. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Barrett goes to daycare at the hospital, which is convenient but still tugs at my heartstrings every time I drop him off. I want to be there for him as much as possible, but the reality of being a single parent with a demanding job makes it challenging. Thankfully, the more that I take Barrett to the daycare, the more comfortable he becomes in that environment and I know him being around kids his age is important for his development.

Callie crosses my mind more often than I’d like to admit. Our relationship has been intense, almost consuming, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’m losing myself in it. I care about her deeply already, but something in me knows I need to pull back a bit. It’s not just for my sake, but for hers too. It wouldn’t be fair to pursue a relationship with her being so far away considering I already work so much and spend so much time on the road headed in the opposite direction when I get Barrett in Cedar Bluff.

The decision to take a step back from Callie isn’t easy. I keep replaying our last conversation in my head. There’s no doubt she feels the intensity too, but it’s that same intensity that makes me wary. I’ve been down this road before, and I can’t afford to make the same mistakes.

I head to work with a sense of determination. The day is filled with the usual hustle and bustle of maintaining the hospital’s steam systems. Will and I are working on a tricky valve replacement in one of the older wings. It’s hot, grimy work, but we’ve always made a good team.

As we wrestle with a particularly stubborn valve, I wipe my forehead and grin at Will. “You know, we should have our own TV show. ‘Hospital Maintenance Heroes.’ Fixing pipes and saving the day.”

Will laughs, shaking his head. “More like laying pipe andsaving the day. ‘Tune in next week to see if Owen and Will can conquer the boiler room crisis.’”

“Or, ‘Will they survive the great cafeteria flood of 2013?’” I add, smirking.

He chuckles. “I’d watch that. Especially the episode where you get stuck in an air duct.”

“Hey, that only happened once,” I protest, laughing.

We both crack up, the laughter echoing through the empty hallway. It’s moments like these that make the job more bearable, even enjoyable. Will has a way of lightening the mood, no matter how tough the day is.

During lunch, Will runs out to grab fast food while I head toward the cafeteria, still laughing about the air duct comment when I almost bump into someone rounding the corner.

"Whoa!" a female voice exclaims as I step back to avoid colliding.

"Sorry about that," I say, offering an apologetic smile.

She laughs, brushing it off easily. "No harm done."

I recognize her immediately—a new OB nurse. She’s in her light pink scrubs, her warm hazel eyes matching the easy smile on her face. There’s no denying she’s pretty.Not Callie-level pretty though.I try to shake the thought and stay in the moment.

“I’m Owen,” I offer, extending a hand.

“Karissa,” she replies, shaking my hand. “You’re in maintenance, right?”

“Sort of, I’m a steamfitter. My buddy Will and I work with the hospital’s maintenance team, though,” I explain.

She chuckles. “Well, thanks for keeping this place running. We’d be lost without you guys.”

We fall into step together, heading toward the cafeteria.

"So, how are you liking it here so far?" I ask, glancing overat her.

“It’s been great,” she replies. “Everyone’s been really welcoming, and OB is fast-paced, which I love. But it’s a whirlwind for sure.”

---