Chapter 36
Noah
All my attempts to dissuade Elina from our planned visit to Munich have failed. So we drove here this morning and have been strolling through the city all day. We visited the Viktualienmarkt and indulged in extravagant coffee creations. Elina's cheeks glowed with joy as we explored the city center and listened to street musicians. I managed well for the first few hours, but then we climbed a church tower that took my breath away in more ways than one.
"You're not usually out of breath so quickly," Elina comments, laughing, as we finally step back onto the cobblestones of Munich's city center.
I shrug. "Shall we find a spot in a park to rest?"
Suddenly, the intensity of her laughter fades. "That's not possible, unfortunately. I need to stop by a colleague's place."
A colleague? She hasn't mentioned that before.
"It's not far, don't worry." She nods encouragingly and links her arm with mine, pulling me along.
On the way to her colleague's place, she becomes strangely silent. And even when we finally enter a light gray plastered building with white decorations above the tall windows, she doesn't say a word. Fortunately, we only have to climb the stairs to the first floor, but Elina's hand suddenly feels sweaty.
"It's over there." She sounds a bit disoriented but heads straight for the tall, white double doors with golden fittings and opens them.
I spot a sign on the wall. This is not an apartment. It's a doctor's practice. Her colleague is probably on duty, which is good for me. The visit won't take long; after all, he has patients to treat.
With a relieved smile, I step through the door. Only two young women are sitting in the waiting room. It smells like a wild mix of perfume and leather.
No one greets us.
Of course not. That's how it is in the city. Luckily, the elegant chairs with high backs and wide armrests are spaced far enough apart that I don't feel too crowded. I choose the solitary seat behind a potted plant while Elina talks to the receptionist.
It doesn't take long for Elina to collapse into the chair next to me. "He's running a bit late," she explains with an apologetic expression.
Before I can respond, her phone chimes. She rummages in her bag and unlocks the screen.
In my peripheral vision, I notice that she must have received an email.
Suddenly, her expression turns serious. "Oh man," she says, lowering her gaze as if she has trouble looking at me.
A queasy feeling spreads in my stomach. Tenderly, I put my arm around her and stroke her back. I probably should ask what's wrong, but I can already guess what it's about.
Julian.
And my nightmares, which I still can't believe are real.
"So..." Elina begins hesitantly, but then immediately interrupts herself to clear her throat.
I could stop her. Tell a funny story or ask about her friend Maya and her famous pianist, whom she mentioned yesterday. Her eyes lit up as she talked about their fantastic love story.
"It's just that I... well... I have..." Awkwardly, she tugs at the hem of her T-shirt. Then she takes a deep breath. "Noah, you're the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me in my life."
A part of my queasy feeling dissipates. I pull her closer to me and rest my cheek on her head. The patient in the chair on the opposite wall looks up from her newspaper, but I don't care. She can see that we love each other. "I can only say the same."
"I want to be with you forever." She trembles slightly, and I can feel it. "You do too, right?"
What a question. "Absolutely," I confirm, kissing the top of her head.
"Do you remember what I told you about my brother?" she asks next. "That no one has ever been able to help him with his symptoms?"
I nod as my throat tightens. Because I already have a sense of where this conversation is heading. "Doctors are only human," I quickly say. "They can't heal everyone. As terrible as the thought may be."
Suddenly, she untangles herself from my embrace and studies me with an intense gaze. "What if I still had a chance? What if I could still achieve something for my brother?"
