Page 7 of Parallel

“You’ll be just as fascinated next year.” During this, the first year of his residency, he’s all over the place—like the neurology rotation that led to our first meeting. Next year is when he’ll get to focus on cardiology, his chosenspecialty.

He takes a sip of his drink. “I hope so. I thought with my dad’s heart problem, it would feel more meaningful, but right now I’m notsure.”

“Are you worried it’ll bedepressing?”

“There are worse specialties. Like oncology. You know why they nail coffinsshut?”

I prepare myself. Doctor humor tends to be on the macabreside.

He grins. “To keep oncologists from trying to resuscitate thecorpse.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Just because there are worse specialties doesn’t mean it’s right for you. I want you to be riveted bysomething.”

His smile is soft. His hand, beneath the table, finds mine and swallows it. “I’m pretty riveted by this patient I met during my neurologyrotation.”

“Is that right?” I ask, biting down on my grin. His gaze flickers to the movement of my lips. “Maybe you should ask herout.”

“You think she’ll sayyes?”

I smile at him. “I can’t imagine there’s anyone who could say no toyou.”

There’s something guarded in his eyes…a secret he isn’t ready to share with me. “I really hope you’re right,” hereplies.

I learn that secret of his two nightslater.

It’s just after my evening class. I step outside the architecture building to find Nick sitting on a bench out front, jacket thrown over his scrubs, smiling as he waits. When he smiles at me, it’s like his whole heart is in his eyes. I sometimes wonder if it’s even possible for him to feel the way I do, this loopy, out-of-control adoration, but when I see him smiling at me like he is right now, it’s impossible to doubtit.

He rises as I walk down the stairs. “You move like a dancer,” he says. I skitter to a halt in front of him, going on my toes to press my mouth tohis.

“I assure you I’m not,” I reply. “Two leftfeet.”

He hesitates, then gives me a distracted smile. There’s something off tonight, but I can’t put my finger on it. “You could swing dance, though. Anyonecan.”

I grin up at him. “I thought I was supposed to be the wild, impetuous one, and you were supposed to be the driven resident who doesn’t know how to havefun.”

“Until you, I kind of was,” he sayssoftly.

I think of the serious guy I met at the hospital that first day and how much he’s changed since then. The fact that he is good for me is something I’ve known all along. But it’s only now I realize I’m good for himtoo.

He grabs one hand and places it on his shoulder, pulling me off the sidewalk and into the grass. If it weren’t late, I’d probably refuse, but the campus is mostly empty at this hour. “One, two. One, two,” he says, moving us in a slow circle. “You’re anatural.”

I laugh. “I seem to be a little better at things when I’m withyou.”

“That’s because we’re meant to be together,” he sayssoftly.

In our case, it’s not a cliché. Ever since we met, we’ve had a knowledge of the other that was almost intuitive, muscle memory. And I’ve been having these weird dreams about his childhood even though I wasn’t a part of it. Dreams in which I’m his best friend, the little girl next door he shares everything with. I would assume it was wishful thinking if it weren’t for the fact that I wake knowing things I shouldn’t. I referenced his twin, their treehouse, his parents’ place by the lake—all before he ever told me about them. I have no idea how Iknew.

My voice is hushed as I meet his eye. “I think…no matter what universe we land in, we land theretogether.”

He stops dancing. Before I can blink, before I can ask why, he’s lowering to one knee in front of me. There’s a small black velvet box in his hand. “I know it’s too soon,” he says. “I know this is insane. But I also know that you’re the person I was born for, and I don’t want to wait to start our livestogether.”

Inside me there’s this new thing, like the start of a sunrise. A dim warmth against the horizon, spreading, spreading until I’m flooded with light. It may be too soon, and everyone will say we’re insane, but he’s the person I’ve waited my entire life to find. To belong to. And now Iwill.

* * *

I wake earlyin the morning, feeling steeped in happiness, cocooned in it, until I open my eyes and see that it’s Jeff, not Nick, beside me. Nothing about Jeff has changed. He has the same sweet face he’s always had, mouth open, peaceful and deeply asleep. But there’s a part of me that doesn’t want him here. That misses Nick so much I could weep at the sight of my fiancé beside me. I inch away, struggling with my disappointment and horrified by it, all in the samebreath.

The tightness in my chest propels me from the bed and into the living room. How,how, could it have felt so real? How can I remember the feel of his palm on mine, the weight of the velvet box I took from his hand? And the shops outside Nick’s flat—I can name them. I can name the streets surrounding them—Marylebone, Harley Street—as if they are familiar when I’m not sure I’ve ever even heard of them before. How could I see London sovividlywhen it’s somewhere I’ve neverbeen?

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