Page 3 of Unbreakable Connection (Connections Duet)

Although she was born in America, her father was French, and she told me that she had dual citizenship and would spend half her time in Europe, getting educated in both countries. She primarily lives in Italy, and her accent is one I cannot describe in the effect it has on me and how it intensifies my desire to be with her.

Another pause before she spoke, “Edric, I thought the ground rules were clear on the subject of our demanding careers, and just in case you weren’t paying attention when we agreed to see where ‘we’ go, our biggest obstacle is location. Now, I believe I have done my best to accommodate our meetings, which have been lovely up until this phone call. I'm sorry and wish you’d understand, but I assure you that my reason for not making it this weekend is important to my patient and me. I’m asking you to believe that because it’s the only basis for me not showing up. In any other circumstances, I would have never broken our time to be together.”

She sounded sincere with some fight fading, but something was nagging at me, and of course, I had to be stubborn and only hear what I wanted, and that is—she’s breaking our date by canceling on me. “Ground rules? Our meetings? The picture you are painting right now is not what I see when I look at you. You make it sound like we are just two people that hook up on occasion when you damn well know we are so much more than just fuck buddies.”

“Ugh! You’re an asshole. What is it with men? Here I am, being honest and forthcoming about why I cannot make our date, and you disregard all I’ve said and dirty it up. For your information, I suggested no such meaning. I am a well-known, respected doctor and far from being someone’s fuck buddy, so let’s make that very clear. I’ve already apologized for breaking our‘date’as I initially believed it was, but now I know it’s been a mistake to continue whatever we are when we live in two different countries.”

In a panic, I immediately regretted my words. “Ellen, I’m sorry I said what I did. I would never treat you like a meaningless hook-up. I guess I thought since we’ve spent time together that goes longer than a cup of coffee, you would know how much you mean to me by now.”

“Up until this phone call, I thought I had. You surprised me, Edric because I believed you would be more understanding. If you had phoned me to say you had to suddenly pack up and leave for parts unknown because of a job, I would have to understand and let you go. Sure, I would be disappointed, and maybe I would have done the ‘woe is me’ dance for about a second, but never shame you for choosing work, not if it was important. Wasn’t it you who told me in so many words that could be a possibility when it comes to what you do for a living? How is my job so different? I save lives, too; I do it in a way that’s different from you.”

“You don’t play fair, Ellen, and we are way off course now. Fuck woman! I miss you, and I want to see you.” I held the corner of my desk so hard that I thought I would snap a piece off.

“I miss you too, but this was unexpected, and I know it's bad timing, but we will have other weekends.” I heard voices in the background, and then she said, “I have to go, and I’m sorry too. Take care, Edric.”

With my jaw clenched, I said, “Woman, I swear if you hang up on me, I will get on my plane and show up on your doorstep.”

The fight was back because she countered and said, “Go right ahead; I won't be here,” using the sassy tone I’ve grown to love. The line went dead, and I threw my phone against the wall, smashing it to bits.WTF? I thought as I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting off the headache this phone call had caused.

“Fuck! She hung up and challenged me, daring to see what I would do.” I shouted in my empty office; Kaz was undoubtedly listening on the other side of the door. I looked around to smash something else until I felt better and found the vase on my center table. I raised it above my head, and then Kaz walked in, not looking amused with me.

“Drop the vase, and I mean back to the table. You are holding what is valued the last time I checked over two hundred thousand dollars.” She said as her hands were on her hips, and she tapped her foot until I did what she demanded. No one rarely defies Kaz, our office manager, and the glue that keeps us and our office running as smoothly as it does.

“I need a new phone,” I said after I returned the prized piece of art to the table. Of course, knowing me as well as she does gives me a new one and then the'I'm in trouble'look.

“Edric, if you want to take out some much-needed aggression, then that's why Bourne had a private gym fitted with a boxing ring and plenty of men who train just as hard as you do. So go punch one of them and not wreck your office.”

“She canceled again,” I said in defeat as I walked back over to my desk to slump down in my chair.

“I'm sure she had a good reason as to why. Did you allow her to explain? I'm guessing not because of the smashed phone on the floor.”

“She's lying to me,” I said and pounded my fists down to my ten thousand dollar desk. Kaz glared at me, and I lifted my hands like they were on fire.

“And? How do you know that?”

“It's a feeling, and you know me, Kaz. When am I ever wrong when I trust my gut?”

“Today,” she said with her hands positioned at her hips.

“What?”

“You heard me, Edric; you’re wrong and jumped to the wrong conclusion. If you believe for one second that Ellen is deceiving you, then you don't know her as well as you believed. Bourne has always trusted my ability to accurately characterize a person, as well as you have. Dr. Ellen Chantal is a loving and compassionate doctor and a far cry from being a deceptive person.”

“And you know this how?”

“Is that a serious question?”

“Yeah, okay, I heard the words. If Ellen is not playing me, why cancel when I know she was looking forward to it? I’m telling you, Kaz, she was excited about our upcoming weekend, so I cannot understand why she would break our date. We've planned this for weeks, and the thought of not seeing her makes me see red. Bloody hell, this hurts.”

“Edric, look at me,” asked Kaz.

“You love her, don't you?”

“Miracles happen,” I say back.

“It's long overdue, and I couldn't be happier for you, but if you want to hold onto her, you must control your temper and learn to be more trusting. Ellen is a straight shooter, and I can spot a liar better than anyone, and she doesn’t fit the profile. If she gave you a valid reason why she had to cancel, and she did by stating it was related to a patient, then you believe her, but first, ring her back and apologize.”

“It’s that easy? Just apologize and hope she forgives me?”

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