Page 90 of Sweet Heart

“Is that… abnormal?”

My voice comes out small. I am almost afraid to ask, since Cat is already this agitated and on edge. But Carmen’s reaction… If this is something worrisome, I want to know. I need to know.

“It’s not something he usually does,” Cat offers, pinching the bridge of her nose.

My eyes find Carmen, who sees it too, and she gives me a small nod.

“I have to get back, but I will check in with you later. Let me know?”

She looks pleadingly at Cat, who nods. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, and her fingers curl a little tighter around my hand, but the nod is decisive. Of course. It is all her best friend needs, and with that, Carmen marches out of the hallway through the double doors, without as much as glancing back even once. Her faith is almost palpable, and I wish I could steal some from her.

“What happened in there?”

Cat guides me to the chair and sits me down, her breathing a little faster than usual.

“It was exactly like we expected. They wanted to know how we met, when we started dating, and if there was any possible way I could have groomed you—”

“Groomed me?” I hiss out, instantly bristling at the thought.

Cat lets out a startled chuckle, just one quick burst, but the sound is enough for the outrage to dissipate.

“Well, yes… Mary, that’s why this is such an ethical dilemma. As your treating physician, you are dependent on me, and—”

“I’m not dependent on anyone,” I snap back, and Cat’s eyebrow raises with something akin to amusement.

“I know that, amor. I know you, your spirit, your heart. But they don’t.”

“What will happen next?” I ask, dropping my gaze to the floor.

Her fingers instantly slide under my chin, and she forces me to look at her.

“Mary, I make my own choices, too. This is not your fault, or mine, for that matter. I wouldn’t trade what we have for the world.”

Her gaze pins me down, and I feel a small shudder, as if her fingertips brushed along my spine.

“They might come to a conclusion. They might need more ti—”

“Doctor Durand?”

The same woman from earlier interrupts us, and Cat’s pupils dilate slightly before she turns her head. I can feel her hand tremble in mine, and for a moment, I think I can hear her pulse quicken, before I realize it is my own.

The woman just turns on her heel, dropping back inside without another word. Cat gazes back at me, and then untangles our fingers. She rolls her shoulders back, takes a deep breath, and smooths out her blouse. My heart breaks a little more with each gesture. Before she steps back in, she looks back at me briefly, and I nod. I muster all the strength I have to show her my faith in her, which is endless. My faith in the system, however…

The door shuts behind her, and just like that, I’m alone again in the quiet hallway. Something beeps in the distance, and voices echo off the walls, but what happens behind that slab of wood is completely unknown to me. I blink, before I dart toward the nearest trash bin and heave.

The acidic smell lingers in the hallway and heats my cheeks. I rinsed my mouth and took a mint, but I can hardly get rid of the bin. Yet, when the door opens again, my eyes dart up, and everything else is forgotten. A stern-looking ash-blond doctor, exits. He doesn’t raise his eyes to meet my gaze, but instead seems to be trying very hard to avoid it. My stomach twists again. What have I done?

Cat doesn’t get out for another five minutes. I am instantly on my feet, grasping the hem of my shirt to keep my hands from shaking too much. Her eyes find mine, tired and red-rimmed. She takes a deep, steadying breath before she moves toward me. My stomach plummets. What if this is it? What if she loses her career over me? What if they told her she can only stay if she breaks things off… What would she do? Selfish much?

She reaches for my hands, and I move to interlace my fingers with hers. Her nose crinkles, and a small crease forms between her brows. Cat briefly cocks her head toward the trash can and then toward me, opening her mouth, but I cut her off before she can ask.

“What did they say?”

She closes her eyes and squeezes my hand. When they open again, they are brimming with tears. I hold my breath as my heart slams against my ribs.

“Cat?” My voice comes out way too small.

“They—”