Page 43 of Still The One

‘There are plenty of worse things about that hospital than the food,’ I say, taking another bite of her delicious French toast, savoring the sweet flavors that dance on my tongue. The blueberry compote is the perfect balance of tart and sweet. I’m beginning to think perhaps Eve is good at everything she does. ‘A lack of clothing for the patient, for starters. No one asks, they just look at everything. Intubation tubes. Needles. ORs. And morphine-laced thoughts.’ With each thing I list she nods in agreement, until the last one where she lifts a single finger into the air as if having an epiphany of some sort.

‘I am a pro at translating morphine-laced thoughts. It’s part of what I get paid for.’ She settles in her chair, sipping her coffee as she watches me pretty much devour the breakfast in possibly record time.

‘Ready?’ she asks, the moment my fork settles on my plate.

‘Shouldn’t we wait thirty minutes to prevent cramps?’

She laughs. ‘Wives’ tale…’

‘Really?’

‘Scientifically, it’s completely unfounded, so yeah. Now come on, you don’t want to lose your uh – firmness?’ she asks, looking horrified that she’s said it as she touches my bicep.

I stand, wiping my mouth with the napkin I had on my lap. ‘If you’re going to spend our walk complimenting me like that, I’m in. Please, keep a tight grip on my firmness,’ I say, patting her hand wrapped around my good arm.

‘If Phil gets wind of this conversation, we’ll never hear the end of it…’ she says, leading me out of her apartment and into the hallway.

Four apartments, two facing two, are on either side of the out-of-service elevator, creating a big square for me to do laps around. Perfect, a built-in gym I didn’t expect. Not that I hate the gym, I’m there often. What I hate is how lazy this morphine makes me.Let me sleep the pain away, please. But no, she’s right. Movement is key.

‘So,’ she says. ‘Pretending the last ten seconds never happened, let’s start over. How’ve you been?’

‘We’re doing the “hi, how are you” routine?’

‘Why not,’ she asks, innocently looking up at me. ‘We haven’t really even spoken about it yet and it’s been weeks.’

She’s got me there.

‘All right then, well, there’s not much new with me that you haven’t probably already googled or witnessed.’ I look at herquestioningly, knowing full well she has done exactly that. She probably knows more about me than I do at this point.

Pink fills her cheeks, and her stride speeds, causing me to have to pull her back a bit.

‘My bruised spine and broken ribs request a soft stroll, not a speed walk.’

She smiles through the blushing and slows her step.

‘How about we start with you. How are you feeling with me in your apartment unexpectedly?’

The sigh she exhales says she’s not sure.

‘Confused,’ she says.

‘About what?’

Her head snaps my way and her look says, ‘Have you lost your mind?’

‘You. Me. Us. Everything. The past. The present. And the future.’

‘You’re confused about all that?’

‘And then some.’ She shakes her head, glancing around the hall as if looking for her thoughts. ‘I may have even possibly fallen asleep while scrolling your Instagram last night. But it was unintentional – the Red Bull account is what led me down that hole.’

‘Really? Find anything good?’

Why do I like the idea of this?

‘Or should I ask, see anything you like?’ I joke, winking at her flirtatiously.

Eve rolls her eyes, a playful smile dancing on her lips as she meets my teasing gaze.

---