He Left Me Broken Now He Wants Me Back Chapter 36
He started with clinic hours and post-op follow-ups. It was a long time before he was cleared to return to the OR.
On the morning of his first scheduled surgery, he woke up at five.
His tossing and turning woke me.
“Nervous?”
“No.”
“Your heart’s beating a little fast.”
“You’re imagining things.”
I laughed softly in the dark.
He reached out, wrapping his arms around me, then immediately asked, “Is this okay?”
“You’ve already got me in a hug. Isn’t it a little late to ask for permission?”
He started to let go.
“Sorry.”
“Come back.”
He pulled me close again, gentler this time.
After sunrise, I walked him to the door.
Seeing him in his dark blue scrubs, I remembered the first time he’d appeared in my hospital room.
Back then, he had demanded to know why I hadn’t told him I was hurt.
Now, he didn’t ask me to need him.
Before he left, he just asked, “When the surgery is over, can I call you?”
“Yes.”
“No matter what time it is?”
“If it’s too late, my phone will be on silent. I’ll call you back when I wake up.”
“Okay.”
He bent down and kissed my forehead.
At nine that night, his call came.
“It’s done.”
The relief in his voice was unmistakable.
“Did it go well?”
“Yeah.”
In the background, someone called for Dr. Ashbourne.
He paused for a few seconds.
“Liv, I’m happy.”
“I know.”
“You don’t have to do anything. I just wanted to tell you.”
Holding my phone, I looked out at the stage.
The actors were doing a final spacing run in front of the empty house, the stage lights pouring down over them.
“I have something to tell you, too.”
“What is it?”
“Our play was nominated for Play of the Year.”
There was silence on his end.
Then I heard something clatter to the floor.
“Rowan?”
“Dropped my phone.”
“You sound more excited than I am.”
“Because they finally see how good your writing is.”
I leaned against the edge of the stage and laughed.
“Wrong.”
“What?”
“I’ve always known how good my writing is.”
This time, I heard him laugh, too.