He made himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with his breakfast. The food tasted delicious, and he felt his spirits lift with every bite. By the time he’d finished drinking his coffee, it was abundantly clear to him that he was feeling significantly better than he had the day before.
He stood up, suddenly feeling an urge to call Dr. Keller and ask him about how he could speed up his recovery even more.
He got his phone, which was resting on the kitchen counter, and dialed the number of the doctor’s office with fingers that felt as though they were buzzing with excitement. Dean had heard at some point that there were things that could speed up his recovery, but he’d wanted to wait and see how his body did with the healing process on its own before looking into them. Now that he was feeling so much better, however, he felt confident that with some added medical intervention, he would feel great for his and Noelle’s wedding.
He listened to the phone ring, and he hoped that Hazel would answer for the doctor’s office. He made a goofy face of frustration when he heard a man answer.
“Rosewood Beach Medical Center.”
“Hi,” he said, “I’d like to talk to Dr. Keller, if he’s available. This is Dean Owens. Would you be able to transfer me?”
“Sure thing,” the man said.
Dean felt jittery with excitement as he listened to the waiting music playing in the background of the phone call. It was soft, serene piano music, but he felt as if his heart was playing the bongo drums.
Oh, I hope this all works out,he thought,squeezing his hand into a fist and rejoicing over how easy it was. I so want to feel my best for my and Noelle’s wedding.
“Hi, Dean.” Dr. Keller’s crisp, friendly tone sounded on the other end of the line. “What can I do for you? Is your recovery going well?”
“It is, thanks. As of this morning, it’s going very well. I woke up and my pain is substantially reduced. I was starting to worry I wouldn’t be recovered in time for our wedding, but now I think it’s more than possible. I want to be certain, though, if there’s a way for me to be. Do I remember correctly that you said there were treatments I could undergo to speed up the healing process?”
“Correct. I’m thrilled to hear that you’re feeling better, Dean. I think considering how soon your wedding is approaching, I would advise undergoing these treatments in order to guarantee that you’re feeling your best on your big day.”
“Wonderful. I want –” Dean hesitated, suddenly remembering that his insurance was unlikely to cover any more costs. He knew he was going to have to pay a great deal out of pocket for the surgery itself, and the wedding had stretched bothhis and Noelle’s bank accounts thin. “I want to consider it. Could you give me an estimate of the cost?”
“Ah, certainly. The treatments are a bit expensive. Let me have our finance department send you an estimate before you commit to anything. They should get that to you in just a few minutes.”
Dean heard a clicking sound, and he guessed that Dr. Keller had begun typing on the computer. He waited, and after a second he realized that he was holding his breath. Some of his enthusiasm had waned when he’d been faced with the reality of the cost, but he still felt eager to try the treatments, as if he was waiting in a rollercoaster, hoping that it would take off.
“Ah, it looks as though the bills for your surgery have come in,” Dr. Keller said. “I’ll make sure the finance department sends those along with your estimate. That way you have a better sense of your financial situation and you can discuss it with Noelle.”
“Sure. Sounds great, thank you, Dr. Keller,” Dean said, even though it didn’t sound great to him at all. He was worried that the bill from his surgery would feel like a punch in the gut.
“Sure thing, Dean. So glad you’re feeling better. You should get that bill in a few minutes. Anything else I can help you with?”
Dean could tell that the doctor, despite being kind and well-meaning, had started to check out of the conversation, no doubt thinking about the next thing on his long to-do list.
“No, that’s it. I appreciate it.”
“Of course. We’ll talk again soon.”
Dean said goodbye and hung up. For a few seconds he stood there staring at his phone, feeling a buzz of thoughts and emotions, none of which were concrete. A moment later he ran his fingers through his hair, whistling under his breath.
Man, I hope this all works out,he thought.I make good money, but not great money. And with the wedding, we hardly have anything left in savings.
He started to pace back and forth as he waited for the email to come in. He had his email app set to display notifications on his phone screen, so he kept looking at his phone, waiting to see the email come up.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was only four minutes, a notification popped up on Dean’s phone screen. He made a grunting noise as he tapped on it immediately, pulling up the email from the doctor’s office.
His heart sank all the way down to his toes when he saw the bills for his surgery. It was going to stretch his budget almost to its breaking point and leave no room for the cost of the treatments. He was floored by how expensive it all was, and for a moment his head spun as he wondered if there was a way he could make it all work.
He realized with a pang that the only way it would be possible would be if he and Noelle cancelled some of the things they wanted for their wedding, such as some of the décor and a live band. It broke his heart to think about it, since he wanted her to have the wedding of her dreams, but he knew without having to ask her that she would rather have him be fully recovered than have those things on their big day.
He went back to his kitchen table and sat down, his mind turning over the situation, wondering what would be the best decision to make. His heart felt heavy, and he knew that he would have to tell Noelle about the cost of the surgery soon, but he hated to.
I know we need to figure this out together,he thought,but I just wish there was some way I could figure something else out before I tell her. Something that would give us enough money to still have the wedding she wants but would allow me to undergo these treatments as well.
He held his hands out in front of him, enjoying the way they felt so much better. He closed his eyes, imagining dancing withNoelle at their wedding without any pain. He smiled slightly, knowing that meant the most to both of them, more than any decorations or fancy additions to the vibes of their wedding. He sighed, wishing there was some way they could have all of it, but knowing that at the end of the day, they would have what mattered most. He smiled.
