Free A Love Like This by Kahlen Aymes Page B

half running down the long corridor toward me,
her long ponytail wagging behind her.
    “Sure, that’s fine.”
    Jane smiled and I resumed walking when she
reached me, but truthfully, I didn’t feel much like conversation or
company. I could tell she wanted to talk. We knew each other a
little bit, talked a little over coffee or hanging out in the ER
between patients, but it had been pretty impersonal. Except for the
day I lost my first patient. Jane was working on the little girl
with me and had been the one to call time of death, practically
pulling me off as I continued to work on her. It still hurt to
think about it. Especially after what happened later when Julia
remembered losing our baby.
    “Rough day, huh?” she asked, and it was
clear that I wasn’t the only one who felt uncomfortable. She’d
arrived at work several hours after I did. The nurses worked three
twelve-hour days, but the residents practically lived at the damn
hospital. Someday you’ll make the big bucks , I reminded
myself.
    “Not terrible. Surprisingly, no trauma.
Usually we have three or four really bad cases a day.” I ran my
hand through my hair as we entered the cafeteria. It smelled good,
even if the flavor of it was less than appetizing. I smiled weakly.
“Of course, you know that right? You’ve been here longer than I
have.”
    “Yes. Almost five years.”
    I looked at the menu for the day. Standard
hospital fare: Meatloaf, hot turkey sandwiches, lasagna, some sort
of Mexican glop that was supposed to be enchiladas, burgers,
chicken sandwiches and then the sandwich and salad bar. I ordered a
grilled chicken sandwich, and to my surprise, Jane got the
glop.
    I didn’t realize it, but my face must have
reflected my horror because she laughed. “You don’t like
enchiladas?”
    “Is that what that is?” I joked lightly. “It
looks like barf.”
    “I’ll let you know in a minute.” She
chuckled lightly.
    We each paid for our own meals and then
found a table near one of the windows. I pulled my pager off of my
belt and sat it on the table next to my tray. No word from Julia
yet. This was weird and I was starting to worry slightly. I sighed
loudly as I picked up the top half of the bun and opened one of
those little packets of mayonnaise.
    “What’s the matter?”
    “I’m expecting a call. Julia was out of town
all week and got back today. She has some issue at her job and so
I’m not sure if she’s home yet.”
    “Julia’s your wife?” She glanced at the
platinum and diamond band on my left hand.
    My face split into a huge grin as I
reassembled my sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. “Yes. Are you
married?”
    “No, but I have a boyfriend. We’ve been
dating for four years. I wonder if he’s ever going to get around to
asking me to marry him.”
    “Four years is a long time. That’s how long
Julia and I were technically a couple before we got married as
well… but we were best friends for another four before that.”
    “Holy cow!” Jane’s eyes widened
incredulously. “That’s forever!”
    I watched her take a bite of the glop and
waited for her reaction. Her nose wrinkled a little bit and I
laughed out loud.
    “See? If it looks like barf, don’t eat it,”
I teased. Jane nodded, but took another bite.
    She smiled. “I don’t see you in the
cafeteria much. You get used to the barf over time.”
    “I bring my lunch most of the time. Julia
rocks in the kitchen, so I’m spoiled. Puts this shit to shame. When
she travels on short notice, I’m stuck with it, however.”
    “She travels? What does she do?”
    “She’s a fashion editor at Vogue and is
working her way up the ranks. Sometimes she needs certain settings
or a certain designer for a layout but other times, someone else
can’t go as scheduled and they send Julia instead. Those are the
times my stomach pays. When she knows she’s leaving, she sets me up
in advance.” I was talking more to myself than to Jane, wistful in
my thoughts.
    “She does