Page 40 of The Surgeon's Secret

20

LEXI

Lexi sat on the edge of her couch, mindlessly flipping through the pages of a medical journal. Her thoughts kept drifting away from the articles in front of her, drawn to the quiet hum of her apartment. It had been a few weeks since Catherine was discharged from the hospital, and though Catherine had healed physically, Lexi could feel the emotional distance still lingering between them. Catherine had needed space to adjust and rebuild her life after the accident. But Lexi had hoped—no,expected—that they’d find a way to move forward together.

The waiting had worn on Lexi. She’d been patient, supportive, and understanding, but the silence between them had grown unbearable. Every visit and every conversation felt like they were dancing around something they both wanted, but were afraid to claim. Lexi had no intention of pushing Catherine into something before she was ready, but she couldn’t help feeling like they were stuck in limbo. Catherine’s marriage was over, but Lexi wasn’t sure if she was ready to take the leap into something real, something that would bring their relationship out of the shadows.

Lexi sighed and stood up, stretching her arms over her head. The evening was quiet—too quiet. Her thoughts were chaotic, and she couldn’t shake the sense of restlessness gnawing at her. Just as she was about to grab her phone and send Catherine a text, there was a knock at the door.

Surprised, Lexi opened it without hesitation, and there stood Catherine. Her face was slightly flushed, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she was holding a small, weathered envelope in her hand. Her gaze met Lexi’s with an intensity that made Lexi’s heart flutter.

“Catherine?” Lexi said, surprised by the unexpected visit. “What’s…what’s going on?”

Catherine swallowed hard and looked down at the envelope in her hands. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, clearly gathering her thoughts. There was an energy about her that was different tonight—her usual guardedness seemed to have fallen away. Lexi stepped aside, silently inviting her in. Catherine entered slowly, her eyes scanning the apartment before she looked back at Lexi.

“I…” Catherine began, her voice tight, but she cut herself off. She held out the envelope. “I served the divorce papers. I’m sorry I have been distant. I just wanted to make a totally clean break so we can move on together. It is all over now. I told him about us.”

Lexi’s heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her chest. For a moment, she couldn’t process what Catherine had said. It took her a moment to fully absorb the gravity of those words. Catherine had left James really and properly. She’d actually done it.

“Wait,” Lexi said, her voice shaky as she took the envelope from Catherine’s hand. “You…you’re serious?”

Catherine nodded, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. “I’m done with him, Lexi. It’s over. It had been for so long. I just needed to take that final step.”

Lexi’s mind raced, her pulse quickening. Catherine was standing right in front of her, no longer bound to the life she’d lived with James. It was the moment she’d been waiting for, but it was also the moment she’d never believed would happen. She was relieved, but she couldn’t deny the surge of uncertainty that came with it.

“I…” Catherine’s voice trembled slightly, as though the weight of the moment had just fully hit her. “I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry for that. I was so confused, and I didn’t know what to do. But now…I know what I want. I wantyou, Lexi. No more lies. No more hiding. I want to be with you.”

Lexi’s heart swelled with emotion. For the first time, it felt like Catherine wasn’t just saying the words to fill the silence, but truly meaning them. Lexi stepped closer, feeling the air between them shift. “Are you sure?” she asked, her voice soft.

Catherine nodded, her gaze steady and sincere. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Tears welled in Lexi’s eyes as she reached out to take Catherine’s hand, her fingers trembling from the weight of everything they’d been through. “I’m so glad you’re finally free,” Lexi whispered, her voice breaking.

They stood there for a long moment, just holding hands and letting the reality of the situation sink in. There was no more waiting, no more wondering. It was just the two of them now, ready to begin again.

“So what now?” Catherine asked softly, her voice carrying a mix of wonder and uncertainty. Her eyes locked on Lexi’s, searching for reassurance but also craving something more.

Lexi stepped closer, her fingers brushing against Catherine’s in a slow, deliberate motion. “Now…we start over,” she said, the words feeling heavier than they should. They were starting anew—not just in their relationship, but in their lives. The weight of Catherine’s decision to leave James hadn’t settled in fully, butLexi could already see the difference in her. Catherine’s posture was different, more open. The mask she’d worn for so long was gone, and for the first time, Lexi saw her with nothing left to hide.

“I’m glad you came here tonight,” Lexi continued, her voice tender. “I’m glad you’re finally free.”

Catherine gave her a small, wry smile. “It wasn’t easy. I had to make a lot of hard decisions.” She shook her head slightly, her fingers curling around Lexi’s as if grounding herself in this moment. “But I’ve realized I spent too long living for other people. I’ve been hiding, not just from James, but from myself. I don’t want to do that anymore. I love you. I always have. Right from the start.”

Lexi’s heart swelled. Catherine had spent so many years in a marriage that clearly didn’t fulfill her, in a life dictated by someone else’s expectations. Lexi understood that feeling—of trying to fit into a mold and be something other people wanted, but never fully living in your truth. But now Catherine was here, standing in front of her, ready to embrace who she really was. Ready to embracethem.

“You don’t have to hide anymore,” Lexi said softly, the words coming from a place deep within her, filled with understanding. “Not from me. Not from anyone.”

Catherine’s eyes shone with something new, somethinghopeful. She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Lexi’s lips, a kiss that felt like a promise. No more secrecy. No more shame. No more lying to themselves or anyone else. Just honesty. Just them.

As they pulled apart, Catherine let out a shaky laugh, her eyes full of emotion. “I never thought I’d be here, Lexi. I spent so many years stuck in a marriage that was never right, and I just…I don’t know, I thought I was trapped. I thought that was all I deserved.”

Lexi shook her head and brushed a strand of hair out of Catherine’s face. “You deserve so much more than that. You deserve love. You deserve someone who sees you,reallysees you. Not as some trophy, not as someone to fill a role. You deserve the freedom to be yourself.”

Catherine closed her eyes, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “I didn’t know what that freedom felt like until I met you,” she whispered.

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with the weight of all the things they hadn’t said before. A tide of love and relief washed over Lexi. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d dreamed of for so long—Catherine, whole and unapologetic, choosing her, choosingthem.

“Then let’s make sure we don’t waste another second,” Lexi said, her voice low and full of intent. She cupped Catherine’s face gently, her thumb tracing the curve of her jaw. “We’ve spent so much time being scared and holding back. But no more.”

---