Page 90 of Harrison's Wedding

I consider what he’s saying. He’s worried that Heather will hurt herself if she’s left alone. My chest aches, and I long to be with her. There’s nobody that she would want there with her, not even me. I know that she won’t want her pain and sorrow displayed for any friend or family member right now. I need to get home and see her.

“I’ll be on the first flight back to Chicago that I can get on,” I tell Callum. “You can stay with her, but she’ll definitely need space right now.”

“Understood, sir. I’ll see you when you get here.”

“Thanks, Callum.” My voice cracks a little on his name, and I cough then say, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I’ll see you when I get to Chicago.”

We hang up the call, and I drop my phone on the bed. Heather’s not safe right now, and it’s my fault. I have ruined everything.

14

Contra Consilium Medicinae

“Mr. Fletcher, my name is Cliff Webb, I’m the head of the hospital, and I’ve been told that you want to go home.”

I asked a nurse first. She got a doctor, who got another doctor, and I seemed to be going up the chain. I guess I’ve finally reached the head of the hospital.

“Yes, I need to be discharged immediately.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t discharge you,” Cliff says.

“I reallyneedto go home right away,” I insist.

Callum’s words telling me he was concerned about Heather hurting herself are ringing in my ears. I’ve never needed anything as much as I need to see her now.

“We need to keep you here for observation, for twenty-four hours, at least. We don’t know how much of the drug you were given, and you drank alcohol.”

“I can drink some fucking water. I need to go home at once. Not tomorrow, not in a few hours,now.” I glare at him.

People take party drugs all the time and don’t get held hostage in a hospital while their fiancée sits in torment a four-hour flight away from them.

Cliff looks agitated and doesn’t seem to know what to say. I can feel my frustration mounting because I need to get home to Heather.

“Sir, you’ll have to sign some paperwork if you want to leave. You’ll be doing it against medical advice.” He’s frowning at me as he tells me this.

“Great. Bring me the papers, and I’ll sign them.”

He heaves a sigh and says, “I’ll get the paperwork.”

When Cliff leaves the room, I’m left alone. I hate it. I can still hear how heartbroken Heather was, and I hate myself for what I did. Unbidden, memories from last night come to my mind, and I shut them down. It’s disgusting. I’m disgusting. I cheated on Heather.

That thought brings a round of tears I can’t control as my heart constricts painfully in my chest. Beautiful Heather. My angel. The woman I want to marry because she brightens every day for me. She’s sitting alone in Chicago and hurting because I fucked up. I need to get to her.

I wipe my tears away and unlock my phone so I can look at flights back to Chicago. There are a few available, and I buy a ticket on a flight that leaves in an hour. It’s in economy, but I don’t give a shit. Whatever gets me home.

Twenty minutes go by, and Cliff hasn’t come back. I press the bell for the nurse. I’ll never make that flight now. I buy another ticket for a flight thirty minutes later than the first one. The charge goes through as the nurse enters the room.

“How can I help you, Mr. Smith?” she asks me.

“I need to leave. I have a plane to catch. How long will Cliff be with the paperwork?”

She looks uncomfortable and says, “I’m not sure. I’ll go find out.”

I frown as she scurries out of the room. I only wait fifteen minutes, this time, before I press the button. I don’t bother booking another plane ticket. The first flight takes off in twenty-five minutes, and if Cliff doesn’t arrive with this paperwork in the next few minutes, I won’t even make the second flight. The same nurse arrives in my room, again, and looks nervous.

“Where is Cliff?” I demand before she can even ask what I want.

“He’s on his way.”

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