Page 85 of I Promise You
How could he keep this from me?
How could he not tell me after everything we’ve been through?
After Damian’s horrid welcoming, and then Kane’s revelation a second time...
I’m just...angry.
I walk into Ms. Salem’s room, and she’s going through a magazine, her legs underneath the blankets as if already tucked in for the night.
It’s getting late, and she’s my last patient.
“Hi, Ms. Salem. How did physical therapy go?” I look over her vitals, ensuring her blood pressure and oxygen levels are stable. I can go home knowing my last patient is on her way to sleep. At least this is one part of my day I don’t have to worry about.
Her dark brown eyes look tired, and she yawns, stretching her arms over her head.
“It went well. I didn’t curse at him this time. He’s actually cute now that we’ve gotten past our initial tension.” She wags her eyebrows up and down before shooting me a giddy smile.
I chuckle, and it feels good to forget my harsh reality, even for a couple of seconds.
“Although I walked for a few minutes, but the pain was unbearable for some odd reason.” She shrugs, reaching for her ankle over the covers. “So they’re keeping me here longer to try to find out why and if the surgery had any post-operative complications.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry about that.”
“Ehh, it’s okay. I get to spend more time with the cute physical therapist.” She blushes, lying back on the bed and crossing her arms. She looks at the ceiling as if she’s daydreaming.
“There we go. Think of the positive. Always try to remember that,” I say, checking my watch.
She catches on, shifting in the bed.
“I know that look. I used to have a boyfriend, too. Who is he and what has he done to you?” she playfully teases, but my hackles rise.
“It’s nothing, Ms. Salem. Please get some rest and I’ll see you when I come back for my next shift.” I force a smile, pivoting toward the door, but she stops me.
“I guess we have more in common than I thought. I used to have boyfriend troubles all the time. He was a cop...always leaving me and kind of an asshole.”
“Yeah, men...” I shake my head. Danny is kind of an asshole, but an asshole that I’ll be forever tethered to.
An asshole I’m in love with.
“First, we bond over losing our loved ones, and now? Boy problems.” She taps her jaw, and my emotion cracks when I think of the siblings we lost.
“Men are trash. That’s why I’m single.” She shrugs nonchalantly, looking away from me and back to her magazine.
My lips curve.
“Not all of them are, though.” I instantly think of Kane and how he’s always been good and kind despite his occasionally overstepping, which is quite overwhelming. Like today.
“Whatever. In my mind, they all are.”
“Good night, Ms. Salem.”
“Good night, Ari, and remember, you’re too beautiful to be sad.”
Waving goodbye with a smile, I close the door to her room and take a sigh of relief. Last patient of the day is stable and in good spirits. The best way to end a shift.
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ARI
