Free Indelible Love - Emily's Story by DW Cee Page A

we’re
sitting in the examination room, and do you know what she asks me?
She had the gall to ask if I was really a doctor at GH and not just
some staff member.”
    In response to Jane’s “why” look, I
said, “Well, for someone who worked at the hospital, he got no
special treatment. I waited there just as long as everyone else to
get out of ER. In fact, there were patients who came after me but
left earlier. I thought he was lying to me about being a doctor. It
took us three hours.”
    Jane broke into a chortle. “Yeah, he
has no power there. You should have called Uncle Henry instead. You
would have been in and out with a call from him. By the way, why
are you guys going back down tonight? Jake, didn’t you ask Emily if
she wanted to stay the weekend?” I could tell Jake was happy to
hear his sister ask this question. Put on the spot, I didn’t know
how to answer. “Emily, you should stay with us in the apartment and
go down tomorrow night. We could spend another day together. Are
you uncomfortable with me being in the apartment? Do you want to be
alone with Jake?”
    This conversation turned even more
awkward.
    “Oh, no, Jane…I don’t feel
uncomfortable with you. Jake didn’t fully explain what was
happening today.”
    “Then you’ll stay the night? We can
get to know each other better.”
    What could I say? “I’d love that,
Jane, but I’m not prepared to spend the night here. I don’t have
any clothes or toiletries.”
    “You can borrow all of mine. We can
also quickly stop by any of the stores in Union Square if you need
to pick up something.”
    “OK.” I was really nervous about
spending the night with Jake, even with Jane in tow. I hadn’t
explained to him about my wishes to stay chaste till marriage. Most
likely, he would expect or at least desire to spend the night with
me. When and how I would have this conversation stayed with me the
rest of dinner as Jane and Jake picked up their unfinished
thought.
    “So, Jake, anything else you want to
tell me about Emily?”
    “Let me excuse myself to the ladies’
room and you two can talk about me all you like. It’s a bit
embarrassing hearing about myself.”
    I walked to the ladies’ room, leaving
the Reid siblings to talk. Jake and Jane had given me a true taste
of family, something that disappeared too early in my life. It was
altogether sweet, sour, salty, and a bit bitter at times, but most
of all, it had the wonderful flavor of love. This is what I’d
missed out on being an only child with parents up in heaven. I was
glad to have witnessed a small part of their family.
    On my way back, seeing that the Reid
siblings hadn’t finished their conversation, my pace slowed,
allowing Jake to finish. What I’d overheard added another cup to my
already overflowing feelings for him.
    “And…I love her strength. I’ve never
met any girl who is such a survivor. She’s pretty much been alone
since high school, put herself through college, and then bought and
created a home all by herself. She’s worked for everything she has.
Nothing has been handed to her. Yet she smiles and enjoys life. Her
attitude is amazing. But, as strong as she appears, she’s terribly
tenderhearted. I think this is what makes me so enamored with her.
She hurts easily, cries readily, but loves deeply. She makes me
want to care for her and shelter her from anything that may harm
her. I’ve never felt such a strong desire to protect someone as I
do for Emily.”
    As I walked back to my seat, happiness
swelled in my heart till it felt like a balloon about to burst.
Jake had summed up Emily Logan better than I could have. As happy
as I was, there was this nagging insecurity. Could such a perfect
man exist in my world? I feared answering this question.
     
    We got back to the apartment around
midnight and Jane excused herself to answer a phone call. Here it
was, the conversation I dreaded.
    “So…” Jake started very casually,
“where will you be sleeping