I couldn't think of anything else but the girl in front of me, and how I was on top of her.
I was kissing her, and she was kissing me back. I wasn't dreaming; this was real, I kept telling myself in my head to believe it.
I felt a desperate urge to kiss her, because of the empathy she had shown me. I could see in her eyes that this wasn't insignificant or something she was saying just to reassure me.
What she was really sharing was her deepest fear. I noticed it in the nostalgia in her voice as she told me.
My body reacted to her confession, and when I came back to my senses, I was already on top of her, kissing her. I apologized, trying to lift myself off her lap, but she surprised me by kissing me again.
I could feel how we were frantically battling with our tongues, a fight I only wanted more and more of.
My judgment blurred, leaving all control to desire. I began unbuttoning her blouse, making her lift her arms quickly, then plunging us into a deeper kiss.
I kept biting her lips roughly until I tasted something metallic. Up to this point, I didn't want to stop. But then I remembered something very important about Shanti: her legs.
"We should stop," I said between gasps, using the little willpower I had left to pull away from her.
"Okay," she agreed, trying to calm her breathing.
"Your legs," I finally said, catching my breath.
"Excuse me?" she asked, confused.
"I stopped because of your legs," I warned her. "To be honest, I didn't want to stop, but I couldn't continue because of your legs," I spoke nervously.
I didn't want her to think I regretted kissing her.
"You don't regret it?" she asked, puzzled.
"If I did, I wouldn't still be on top of you," I laughed nervously.
"That's a good point," she laughed.
I moved beside her, and a lightning strike made me hug her again. She leaned back and slid her arm under my head.
"I was going to ask you out when you were fully recovered," I confessed nervously.
"Really?" she opened her eyes wide. "Of course, I would have said yes," she replied. "I didn't think you felt this way," she admitted.
"What? You're joking, right?" I sat up a little and turned on the light to see her face. "You've been killing me slowly and didn't even realize it," I said, offended.
"What?" she said, surprised. "You've never given me any signals," she defended herself.
"I've given you too many signals since you got here," I contradicted her.
"What? No, you haven't," she countered. "Show me what signals?"
"I always asked you what you wanted to eat so I could order. I also always picked the shows you wanted to watch…" I began.
"What?" she looked at me incredulously. "Wait, wait," she interrupted. "Asking about food is just courtesy; you always ask your guest. And we always agreed on the shows we wanted to watch, for both of us. But what kind of signals are those?" she laughed softly.
"Since you didn't notice… didn't you notice when I was showering you, how I touched you more than usual?" I said without thinking.
Her eyes nearly popped out at my confession.
I blushed from embarrassment while she just stared at me, very surprised. The seconds of silence felt like hours, and all I could think was that I had messed up. Now she must think I'm a pervert.
"I don't know how to respond to that," she finally broke the silence. "I thought I was just really dirty, and that's why it took you so long scrubbing me," she laughed mockingly.
"You're a…" I didn't let her finish.
She turned slightly to press her lips to mine, then deepened the kiss, only pulling away when we ran out of air. When we separated, I saw that her lip was split. Now I understood why her kiss earlier had a peculiar taste.
"I'm sorry I split your lip," I apologized.
"It hurt a little, but I liked it," she said, teasingly. "Can I ask you three questions?" she changed the subject.
"Three questions?" I asked, puzzled. "Yes, of course," I agreed, with some uncertainty.
"How many days until you take these casts off me?" she asked with a pout that made me melt.
"Two and a half weeks," I answered.
"That long?" she complained.
"Yes, it has to heal properly," I replied, clearing her doubt. "What's the next question?"
"What happens if I move my legs too much? Could they break again?"
"If the movements are too abrupt, yes, there's a high risk they could break again," I replied. "What do you want to do?" I asked, uneasy.
"I'll tell you after you answer my last question," she spoke mysteriously.
"Okay," I agreed. "What's your last question?"
She looked at me very seriously, so intensely it was unsettling.
"How long does it take for someone to bathe another person without having perverted thoughts?" she asked, teasing and laughing until tears ran down her cheeks.
I wanted the earth to swallow me whole for her last question. I was so embarrassed I thought about leaving, but she stopped me again with her hand.
"Sorry, darling, but if I ever have another accident and someone else has to take care of me, I hope it's not you. I'd be timing them while they bathe me," she said, still laughing.
"You're a…" I didn't get to finish.
She silenced me with a slow kiss, then pulled away and bit her lip seductively.
"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"What?" I asked, still stunned by her confession.
"It's okay if you don't want to yet, I guess I jumped ahead. Because you wanted us to go on dates," she babbled quickly, looking adorable.
"Yes, I do," I answered, and kissed her to stop her babbling. She looked surprised, then relaxed into the kiss.
After a kissing session that lasted more than half an hour, I was too turned on and didn't want to stop kissing her, but she made me stop because we needed to sleep… and because she was restraining herself.
---------------------
t was crazy what was happening. Not in a million years would I have thought—or even imagined—that a sexy doctor could be my girlfriend. I never believed that everything that happened yesterday would unfold the way it did, much less with such an unexpected outcome.
Even though I would have loved for everything to have ended differently, I never imagined I would be the one saying we needed to sleep. I was so turned on I could barely hold myself back. Still, I had to calm down because of my legs. I needed to get the casts removed, and in order for them not to keep them on longer, I couldn't make any effort at all.
Torture. That's the only word I can use to describe my miserable situation. And that's how it stayed until they finally removed my casts.
During the two and a half weeks that passed, every chance I got, I kissed her—whether it was in the shower, while eating, or watching TV, I always found a moment to steal a kiss from her.
However, during those same two and a half weeks, every single night without exception, we had long and heated kissing sessions. They were painful, but exciting. I could swear that during one of those sessions I heard her moan. I was also pretty sure the sound she made was the same one she had made when she once fell asleep on the couch some time ago. Although it could have just been my imagination.
Today, finally, they were removing my casts. Paulina took me in the morning, and we were seen almost immediately. One of the advantages of being the owner, she told me with a smile.
The doctor and a nurse were removing my casts, and before they finished, Paulina left to schedule my physical therapy sessions.
"That's all, Miss Vega. Dr. Scott will tell you when you need to come in for your therapy sessions," the doctor informed me while I stared at my legs, which looked so fragile.
"Okay, thank you very much for everything, doctor," I said gratefully.
"No need to thank me. It was a pleasure treating you. I must be going now," he said before leaving.
"Would you like some help getting into the wheelchair?" the nurse offered.
"Yes, thank you very much," I said, moving into the chair with her help.
"Now you just need to do your rehabilitation, and you'll be good as new," she said kindly, smiling.
"Tell me the truth, nurse… will the rehabilitation be painful?" I asked, a little scared.
"A little bit," she said, making a small gesture with her fingers. "But after rehab, you'll be able to go out walking, shopping, or to the movies with your boyfriend or girlfriend," she added, standing in front of me. "You know, you owe them quite a few dates," she commented, trying to hide her interest.
I stayed silent for a moment, trying to process what she was saying so I could respond.
"I'm sorry, I think I was too forward," she apologized.
"It's okay, don't worry," I tried to be understanding.
"Well, if you don't have a partner, maybe we could go out someday," she suggested.
And there it was—the thing she had been trying to say from the very beginning.
Suddenly, Paulina burst into the conversation, furious, stepping in front of the nurse.
"What's going on here?" she interrupted in an accusing tone. "Did you forget the regulations? You know perfectly well that you're not allowed to date patients," she reminded her, making the nurse turn pale.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Scott. It won't happen again," she said embarrassed, before quickly leaving, leaving Paulina and me alone—with her clearly furious.
From that moment on, my beautiful girlfriend didn't speak to me. She only told me the schedule for my rehab sessions and asked me what I wanted to eat. She was furious about what had happened with the nurse.
I chose to let her cool off on her own, but it wasn't working. I knew very well that when Paulina was heated, the worst thing I could do was talk to her. She simply wouldn't listen to reason, excuses, or suggestions. She was stubborn in every sense of the word.
We arrived at the penthouse, and from there I began putting a little weight on my legs with the help of the crutches, even though they hurt so much they felt like jelly.
The walk from the parking lot to the couch was painful and torturous, but in the end, I managed it.
"Honey," I called, without success in getting her to look at me. "I know you're upset about the nurse, but I would never have accepted her invitation," I said very seriously.
"Why didn't you say you had a girlfriend?" she asked, her tone full of reproach.
"Honey, I was going to tell her, but you arrived," I defended myself.
"You still could have said it afterward, but you stayed silent. It's as if…" —she fell quiet.
"As if what?" I asked, uncertainty creeping into my voice.
"Forget it. I'll go order dinner," she replied, lowering her head.
"Paulina, honey," I called after her, but she didn't respond.
I grabbed my crutches and, with great effort, walked after her into the bedroom. My legs hurt so much that even the slightest touch sent pain through me, but I ignored it just to talk to Paulina.
"Honey," I called again as I sat beside her. "You know the secret to a good relationship is communication," I said with a weak smile. "Tell me what's bothering you. Tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it," I asked.
She looked at me with eyes full of tears.
"Do I really mean so little to you that you can't even say I'm your girlfriend?" she said, her eyes overflowing.
"Honey, that's not true. Why would you think that? Paulina, you mean everything to me," I replied as I wiped away her tears. "I didn't say anything because you yourself said it—you can't date patients," I said, taking her hands in mine. "Honey, I am your patient," I added, caressing her cheek with my other hand. "I don't want you to get into trouble because of me," I reassured her.
She looked at me in silence, finally understanding my concern.
"I understand, and you're right. I didn't think about it. But still, I didn't like that you didn't say I'm your girlfriend," she complained softly.
"Do you want me to say you're my girlfriend, no matter the consequences?" I asked, looking straight into her eyes.
"Yes!" she answered enthusiastically.
"I won't do it, honey. I would never do something reckless—especially knowing it could harm you. But you know, I do have a solution for situations like this. Do you want to hear it?"
"What kind of solution could be better than saying I'm your girlfriend?" she said, still annoyed.
"Of course I'll say I have a girlfriend. But I'll also say she's a sexy doctor—tall, blonde, with a smile that takes your breath away. That just seeing her leaves me speechless. She has lips so kissable that every time I kiss them, I want more of her. So much so that I can't wait to make her mine," I confessed.
I said the last part without thinking. It was a thought I had been keeping buried in my subconscious for a long time. I don't know why it came out at that moment, but what I said was the pure truth. I wanted her—wanted to claim her, to make her mine.
........................
All the anger and fury she had just a second ago vanished with those two words.
Make her mine.
They echoed in her head. That could only mean one thing: she felt that same uncontrollable desire too.
That uncontrollable desire she had been trying to suppress—one that became more difficult and more painful to hold back with every passing day.
I had to control myself from throwing myself on her, because her legs were still weak, but she didn't escape the kissing session I gave her after that confession.
After four weeks of starting her therapy, I could already notice a great improvement in her recovery; I saw how she was gaining strength in her legs thanks to the rehabilitation.
I always accompanied her to her therapy, and that day was no exception, so when we returned from her session, it was freezing, and we almost ran into the penthouse to avoid getting cold.
In our room, I took off my coat, though at the same time, I caught a glimpse of my girlfriend taking off her scarf and coat. Then her top lifted slightly, revealing her toned abdomen.
I still couldn't understand how it remained so defined, after a month of not exercising and only a month and a half of resuming workouts.
I lost my composure and jumped on her, throwing her onto the bed. I went on top of her abdomen at lightning speed and kissed her passionately, with ferocity and longing.
I wanted all of her, and she wanted me too. Her hands were on my ass, massaging and squeezing it. I bit her lip, drawing blood, then moved toward her chin, leaving small bites until her neck, where she stopped me to bite and suck every corner.
Her hands moved toward the buttons of my blouse, which she was removing impatiently. When she took it off completely, she went straight for the button of my pants. With both hands, she pulled my pants down, and I had to stand to finish removing them. However, that wasn't the only thing that came off; I grabbed her blouse with both hands and took it off.
Maybe it was the desperation to feel her skin or inexperience—since it was going to be my first time—but I realized I should have taken off my sneakers first, because my pants got stuck in them.
After solving that small, embarrassing moment, which I think Shanti didn't even notice because she didn't take her eyes off me, I removed my bra, leaving only my panties. I reunited my lips with hers to continue, but before going further, I had to confess the reason for my uncontrolled nerves.
"Shanti," I murmured on her lips, moving away slightly, sitting on her abdomen.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay? Did I hurt you or make you uncomfortable?" she asked, worried.
"Honey, no, none of that," I said, holding her face in my hands to calm her.
"What is it then?" she continued, still concerned.
"Shanti, I've never been with anyone, I mean, neither a man nor a woman. I'm a virgin," I confessed nervously, and it looked like her eyes were about to pop out.
"You never…" she stammered and quickly sat up.
"No," I said, embarrassed. "Are you upset?" I asked, scared.
"No, of course not, oh my God, why would I be upset about that?" she said, frowning. "But honey, this is important regardless of your gender, so I'll do something special for you," she said, gently touching my face.
My heart raced from her warm touch and her sweetness toward me.
I knew she was holding back because when she caressed my cheek, her hand trembled, and her body looked on fire, even in the cold room.
"I didn't tell you to stop," I confessed. "I want to be with you," I said, frustrated.
"Honey, listen to me. There's nothing else in this world I want more than to be with you, but this is important. I want it to be a beautiful memory for you," she said, kissing my knuckles.
"I want to make love to you today," I whined, grinding against her.
"Ca…ri…ño," she ran her saliva along my neck. "I'll do something special for you, and tonight we'll make love all night until you ask me to stop," she said, never taking her eyes off my lips.
I was about to fall into temptation again; I could see it in her lustful gaze.
"I just want you to take control this time. I'll learn quickly and then I'll make you feel good," I whispered sensually in her ear. "Do you know how many nights I've woken up gasping because of wet dreams about you?" I whispered again, sighing in her neck, making her shiver.
"We should stop," she stammered.
"You don't want that, honey," I said, taking her hand and leading it to my panties, which were completely wet. "I propose something, honey: right now we'll make love just twice, and when you recover, we'll do it all night," I seductively suggested.
Without saying more, I lunged at her lips. Her hand was caressing over the fabric, and the other grabbed my breast to take it to her mouth. She was sucking it so gently that it hurt, and I prayed she wouldn't increase the pressure. My gasps turned into moans, and it felt so f***ing good I could die.
Her hand pulled down my panties, and I finished removing them. In a quick movement, she turned me over, leaving me beneath her.
"Move further up the bed," she ordered, and I slid up on my back.
Her face was between my legs; I could feel her ragged breathing. She buried her face in my center, moving her tongue in slow circular motions. My hands gripped the sheet, her tongue didn't stop—she was licking my clitoris. She was driving me crazy. My moans intensified; I tried to hold them back, but when she started to suck my clitoris, I moaned louder, probably loud enough for the whole building to hear us.
"I'm going to come," I warned.
Shanti didn't pull away and continued with her face between my legs. I moaned loudly again as I reached my orgasm, making Shanti drink all of my essence.
Shanti gave a few more small licks before crawling up toward me. She kissed me passionately, making me taste my own essence.
I was spent and lying on the side of the bed; my legs were still trembling after my orgasm. Shanti was on the other side, kissing and biting my shoulder, making me get aroused again.
Even with my weak legs, I straddled Shanti again. She looked at me surprised, thinking I would leave her alone after that, but that wasn't going to happen.
"Honey, I want you," I said, taking her fingers and putting them inside me—I sucked them.
"Paulina, darling…" she swallowed hard.
"I don't accept excuses," I smiled seductively. I took her hands and guided them to my still-sensitive center.
Now she lost her composure and kissed me fiercely while her fingers caressed my clitoris.
"Tell me if it hurts," she looked into my eyes, trying to get my approval, which I nodded.
She inserted her first finger inside me, which felt a little uncomfortable. It became more so as she went deeper. She turned me over to be on top again, and I knew it was uncomfortable. She ran her tongue over me again to ease the discomfort. When I relaxed, she inserted the next finger, reaching deeper. By the fourth finger, the pain was indescribable. I went rigid, gripping the sheets tightly, letting out a tear.
"Honey," she called, looking up at me.
Her mouth was full of my essence. Her eyes filled with worry and fear froze her, but after a few seconds, she reacted and moved toward me.
"I'm sorry, honey," she tried to calm me. "I was clumsy, forgive me," she said in panic.
"I'm fine, darling," I tried to reassure her, but the pain in my crotch wouldn't let me. "We can stay like this for a while," I said, and she nodded, still scared.
After that intense moment, we fell asleep, and I didn't wake up until the next day.
The next morning, half asleep, I began searching for my girlfriend with my hand across the bed. Not finding her, I sat up with a small jump and saw the bed empty, so I tried to get out quickly.
However, I had trouble standing because of the pain in my crotch, which was still throbbing. Still, I forced myself to get up to look for my girlfriend. She must have woken up earlier and was probably blaming herself for what happened.
"Honey," I called, searching the living room.
"I'm over here," she replied, poking her head out from behind the sofa.
"What are you doing, love?" I asked, reaching her side.
"I'm sorry about last night," she whispered.
"Honey, you didn't do anything wrong," I sat next to her, taking her hand. "Last night…"
"I hurt you," she said, upset.
"You didn't. It was incredible…"
"How can you say that, Paulina?" she interrupted indignantly. "I hurt you, you cried… your first time—it was a total…"
"It was the best first time," I interrupted. "You gave me the best first time anyone could ever wish for. Remember? Your face was first between my legs," I reminded her. "Honey, it's true I was scared, and it did hurt, but it was because of my inexperience. I'm sorry for scaring you, love."
"You don't need to apologize, darling. I should have controlled myself, but…"
"How about," I interrupted, "we agree it was an amazing first time and nothing else?" I smiled, reassuring her. "And I don't accept no for an answer."
"But honey…" she protested.
"No buts," I contradicted her, leaning in to kiss her. "Don't you want to kiss me?" I asked, sad because she didn't move.
"I always want to," she smiled, now seeking my lips.
.........................
It has been a fast, though painful, rehabilitation, and finally, I could exercise my legs. I hadn't touched Paulina since then, although every day she made it difficult, wearing lingerie or very short, revealing pajamas—it was pure torture.
"Are you going to exercise?" she looked me up and down, leaning on the kitchen island.
"No, actually I wanted to talk to you," I answered.
"About what?" she asked, surprised.
"Honey, I should have returned a long time ago. What we have is amazing, but…"
"Are you breaking up with me?" she interrupted, upset.
"I didn't say that," I contradicted. "I'm just saying I have to go back. Paulina, I need to return to work," I said carefully. "I know a long-distance relationship is complicated…"
"Complicated is garbage," she interrupted again. "That doesn't work." She was pacing the house. "Do you really think this will work like this?" she asked hysterically.
I stayed silent, because I had never believed in long-distance relationships. To me, it seemed silly, and unless you wanted to have a pair of lovely horns on your head, I saw no point.
"From your silence, it's clear to me that you would never be in one," she said to herself.
She grabbed her jacket, which was hanging near the door, and left the penthouse, slamming the door violently, leaving me shocked and worried.
I waited for her until late at night, but she didn't come. I called her, sent messages, and went out looking for her, but I couldn't find her. Maybe she just wanted me to leave—I didn't know what to think. So I decided to start packing, although all the clothes I had were bought by Paulina, so I only took the set of clothes I had originally brought with me.
Between tears, pain, and helplessness, I tried to resign myself, but it was impossible. The thought that things would end like this with Paulina was killing me. I just wanted to collapse on the floor and cry, and I would have, if it weren't for the sound of the door opening. I ran quickly—it had to be Paulina—and I wasn't wrong; it was her.
I was in for a big surprise seeing her like that. I had never seen her drunk before.
"Wow, if it isn't my adorable girlfriend," she slurred, staggering as she tried to reach me. "Oh no, right, my ex-girlfriend," she continued dragging her words until she reached me.
I had to hold her because she almost fell in the middle of the living room. I embraced her in a bridal style to take her to the bed, while she just touched my face.
"You should sleep," I told her, leaving her sitting on the bed, wobbling.
I knelt to take off her shoes, but because of her drunkenness, she misinterpreted the situation and thought it was sexual.
"Now. If you want to f** me," she accused angrily. "Or do you want to have one last f**, as a farewell?" she slurred, biting her lip.
"I'm just taking off your shoes," I replied calmly while removing them.
I set her shoes aside and stood up to lay her down on the bed so she could rest.
"Are you telling me you don't want to f** me?" she grabbed my hand and placed it on her chest.
I just sighed, took her by the shoulders, and gently laid her on the bed. Within a few seconds, she fell asleep.
..................
I opened my eyes, disoriented, still unsure of where I was due to the hangover. I felt an excruciating pain in my head, but as if that wasn't enough, the discomfort came with a wave of nausea that hit me immediately.
I ran to the bathroom, and while my head was over the toilet, emptying my stomach, I remembered how I had ended up drinking so much.
Flashback
I was shattered, so hurt that I felt like I couldn't breathe. I went to a bar near the hospital to get drunk. That day, my only goal was to lose consciousness as quickly as possible, to dull the pain in my chest.
"Dr. Scott," a familiar voice called out to me.
I immediately knew that voice belonged to my friend Maddison Stuart, who, like me, was a doctor—though she worked as a pediatrician at the hospital.
"Dr. Stuart," I replied without turning to look at her.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Scott," my assistant, Mary Downson, greeted me as she stood beside me.
"Mary, hi. How are you?" I replied, surprised to see her, while Maddison simply winked at me.
"Why are you drinking alone? I thought you'd be with your girlfriend right now," Maddison asked with clear displeasure.
"She left me," I replied flatly.
"She left you?" she asked, incredulous. "How could she leave you?" she snapped, already asking for more drinks.
"The usual?" the bartender asked.
"Yes, Carl," Maddison replied. "And please leave two extra bottles of whiskey."
"Why didn't you call me, Paulina?" Maddison scolded me. "That's always been your problem—you never ask for help. Or at least you could ask us to keep you company during hard moments."
"I don't need a lecture right now, Maddison," I complained.
"Maddy, Dr. Scott is right. Don't overwhelm her," Mary said, coming to my defense.
"Thank you," I said to Mary.
"This morning she told me she had to go back. That the only way to continue was through a long-distance relationship. I asked her if she thought it could work, and she didn't give me an answer," I told them while taking a sip of whiskey.
"Dr. Scott, I'm sorry to butt in, but she didn't leave you, and I think you should talk to her," Mary suggested.
"Mary, sweetheart, the problem here is that she doesn't believe a long-distance relationship will work," Maddison said carefully. "That idiot… who in their right mind leaves you?" she murmured, taking a drink.
"Dr. Scott, you should talk to her, it's obvious she cares about you," Mary suggested again.
"I don't know what you saw in her. She wasn't anything special when you introduced her to me… during her rehabilitations…" Maddison said, annoyed.
"Rehabilitations?" Mary asked, curious.
After a brief moment, as if a divine light had hit her, Mary realized who my girlfriend was.
"Your girlfriend is the patient you…?"
"Hit with my car," I finished the sentence.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…"
"It's okay," I interrupted. "We're friends now, Mary," I smiled. "And no one must know that my girlfriend is the patient I hit," I said calmly.
"Wow, what a surprise," Mary said, astonished. "According to the nurses, she has a killer body," she added, ecstatic.
"Excuse me, darling," Maddison protested.
"That's what's said around the hallways," Mary excused herself while I bit my lip.
"Hey, you're thinking about her right now. You should hate her," Maddy scolded me. "Admit it, she has a great body, but friend, you'll find someone with the same body, or even better, if that's what you like."
"I don't like her for that," I contradicted her. "When I first saw her, I liked her, but it wasn't for her body. I liked how she looked, how she laughed, that sincere and spontaneous smile she has, that she doesn't fake. But more than anything, I fell in love with her when I got to know her completely—her clumsy, sweet, sensitive, kind, understanding, and adorable side. I also fell in love with her actions, how she takes care of me even when she's in pain, how she puts up with me and stays with me, even when I'm a storm," my voice broke mid-confession.
"You love her?" Maddy asked, taking my hand.
"Of course I love her," tears rolled down my cheek. "And I know it because I've never felt this with anyone else. I can't explain it. It's all so complicated," I cried.
"You're very much in love," Mary tried to console me. "You should go to her, try it, and if it fails, you won't have any regrets," she encouraged me.
"Even though I hate her and I'm against it, I agree with Mary. You have to go for her, Paulina. I also hate admitting it, but that idiot stole your heart. If she makes you happy, go for that happiness. And if she hurts you, I'll destroy her with my own hands," Maddison threatened.
"And if she's not in the penthouse anymore? I won't be able to bear seeing it empty again…"
"Wait, wait," Maddison interrupted me. "She hasn't left yet. I mean, she didn't leave with her suitcase to the airport before you came here, right?" she asked, staring at me.
"I left her when she told me she was going to leave," I replied.
"You'll be…" Mary took Maddison's hands to stop her from speaking further.
"What Maddy means, Paulina, is that if you go now, she could still be in the penthouse," Mary said.
It was then, for the first time, that a small ray of hope lit up in this dark place where I found myself.
Without saying anything else, I got up to go after my girlfriend, although as soon as I stood up, I felt dizzy. I thought it was nerves, so I grabbed the whiskey bottle and drank almost half, only to realize that I wasn't dizzy from nerves but from the alcohol.
"You idiot, why are you doing that?" Maddison scolded me, taking the bottle from my hand.
Before losing consciousness, I asked Maddison to take me home because I couldn't go alone.
I don't know how much time passed or how they got me out of the bar. I only heard distant voices calling my name. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Maddy and Mary moving me to wake me up.
I was numb, my hands didn't feel anything, and everything was confusing. Halfway, I asked them what time it was and realized they had let me sleep for five damn hours.
I left Maddy and Mary in the car and hurried toward the elevator of my penthouse, staggering, almost falling. I reached the elevator, hoping she was still there. My heart was racing, and my stomach twisted with nerves and desperation.
When I saw her, I felt whole again. So full of life. Just seeing her for a second recharged me 100%. And this sexual desire I had never felt before appeared just by looking at her. After that, I don't remember anything else.
End of flashback
I felt someone gathering my hair and pulling it back. Then, a warm hand caressed my back. I lifted my head from the toilet and sat to the side, holding my head. There was Shanti, worried, crouched next to me.
"You need to get it all out," she whispered so sweetly that anyone would melt with love. "I made you something to help you feel better," she said, taking my hand to help me up and lead me to the kitchen island.
I sat around the island while Shanti handed me a plate of soup and some pills with water.
"Take the pills first, then eat everything on the plate," she warned. I took the pills because my headache was killing me.
"I'm not hungry," I said softly.
"You have to eat, you'll feel…"
At that moment, her phone rang. But I was surprised that she didn't answer; instead, she hung up. However, it kept insisting. My jealousy flared instantly.
"You should answer," I said, my voice angry.
I watched her fingers move quickly, apparently sending a message.
"Eat, please," she asked.
"Why haven't you left?" I asked, upset.
Her face changed in an instant, filled with sadness. What an idiot I was. I hadn't asked what I really wanted to know. What I truly desired was to know if she stayed for me. If she had left everything to be with me.
"I'll leave in a couple of seconds, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she replied, sadly. "And, well, to say goodbye, though I guess it's not necessary anymore. That's all," she said, moving closer to kiss my forehead. "Take care," she whispered so sweetly it hurt.
She turned around, grabbed her backpack with one hand, and started walking toward the penthouse exit door.
My body didn't respond to what my heart was screaming. "Go after her, tell her you love her. Paulina, do something. Please!" My heart shouted, and without thinking, I jumped from my seat, ran after her, and before she could open the door, I threw myself on her, making her fall hard to the ground.
"I don't want you to leave!" I screamed desperately, still on top of her. "Why? Why do you leave me like this? Why don't you even try?" I asked, my voice breaking.
"I don't want to leave you alone, I have to go back, Paulina," she said, her voice pained, still on the floor. "I have to settle things and assign permanent staff to the branches," she continued, her tone reflecting exhaustion.
"Why didn't you tell me that from the start?" I demanded, my voice breaking. "You didn't let me explain yesterday or today. I thought everything between us was over," I said, dropping her backpack to the floor in desperation.
She turned around, and that's when I noticed something that froze my blood. Blood was flowing from her nose. She put her hand to her face trying to stop it, but she couldn't. My heart stopped realizing her nose was broken. Panic overtook me, and without thinking, I rushed to her.
"Oh my God! Your nose!" I exclaimed, gently touching her face, immense fear filling me as I tried to assess the severity.
She pulled her hand away, letting out a painful moan. With trembling hands, I examined her nose. It was broken, completely shattered.
"It's broken… and the bleeding won't stop," I said alarmed, pressing my hand against her nose to stop the bleeding. "I have to take you to the hospital," I warned urgently.
I ran to grab a towel, quickly placed it on her nose, then helped her stand up. We rushed out of the penthouse toward the hospital.
When we arrived, the nurses, busy with other cases, looked at us, confused and surprised. Shanti, paler by the second, was losing blood quickly. Meanwhile, the glances of some nurses shifted from me to her, full of concern. Finally, one of the nurses snapped out of her stupor and helped me place her in a wheelchair, as she could no longer walk easily.
"Her nose is broken, I need an X-ray and…" I began speaking quickly, searching for solutions.
"Dr. Scott, I'll take care of her," a familiar voice interrupted me from behind.
I turned around, startled, and what I saw froze me. There was my mother, looking at me with a serious expression. I didn't understand what she was doing there, as she usually handled hospital administration and rarely came down to the ER.
"The bleeding won't stop," she said firmly. "Take her to the operating room; we need to operate immediately," she ordered, her authoritative tone filling the air.
"I need the X-ray," I responded quickly, refusing to be influenced by my mother's authority.
"Dr. Scott, unless you want to leave the patient without a nose, we can stay here and run all the tests you want, even allergy tests if you wish," my mother commented, visibly annoyed. "Don't let your emotions take over. Think like what you are: a doctor," she whispered in my ear.
Without answering her, I gave one last order, my voice firm and determined:
"Take her to the operating room and call Juls," I said, feeling the tension and fear taking over me.