After being given the wrong allergy shot by Chase Gordon’s young apprentice, I almost went into shock and lost my life.
Out of guilt, Chase agreed to go with me on a long-hoped-for trip to Norway for our third-anniversary celebration.
But right as the plane was about to leave, I got a message from him. [A patient suddenly came in at the hospital. Don’t wait for me.]
A moment later, I saw his apprentice’s Instagram Story.
It was a picture of her wearing Chase’s white shirt, holding black tea, her long legs stretched out in a cute pose.
Caption: [My period just came, and Chase is acting all dramatic. Being looked after like this is sweeter than brown-sugar ginger tea.]
Under it were likes and comments from all our shared friends, full of good wishes.
I stared at it for a few seconds.
Then, keeping the act, I tapped like, turned off my phone, and went on the plane.
——
The two-week Norway trip ended.
When I got ready to go back home, I switched my phone on.
More than a hundred missed calls finished showing on the screen.
Right after that, Chase’s call came in.
Before I could think, I accidentally picked it up.
“Astraea Grant, Zaria Quinn is just a harmless, sweet young girl. You hit like on her Instagram Story on purpose. Are you trying to make people talk about her?”
“Because of your foolish and selfish moves, you upset her so much she dropped half a kilo in two weeks.”
“Come back right now and say sorry to Zaria.”
I quietly heard him speak, then opened my phone, found that post, and removed the like.
“Sorry, tell her from me that this kind of slip won’t show up again. If she’s still unhappy, I’ll stop by tomorrow to say sorry face-to-face.”
Chase was left stuck for words by how I spoke.
Only then did he seem to recall that I had been overseas for half a month.
As my fiancé, his very first call wasn’t to ask if anything risky had happened to me, or when I would get home, but to stand up for his soft, harmless little apprentice.
Realizing he had slipped up, his voice dropped a bit.
“I didn’t go with you to the airport that day because Zaria suddenly had her cycle and felt awful. You know I’m a doctor. I can’t abandon a patient.”
A patient… from her period.
Thinking of the bright-cheeked girl in Zaria’s Instagram Story, all of it suddenly felt pointless.
“Hmm, I get it.”
He paused, his tone shocked. “You’re… not upset?”
“Why would I be upset? You laid it out; doctors look after people first. I get what you mean.”
It made sense.
Back then, I would have already thrown a tantrum, crying and pushing for a reason.
I used to be foolish, thinking that the one who cries gets a treat.
But I forgot that someone who truly cares gave you the treat even when you stay quiet.
Quiet hung on the other end for a long beat.
“Tonight I’ll come get you. Wait for me at the airport.”
The ride from the airport to home took an hour and a half.
I didn’t turn him down.
By the time the plane touched down, it was already past 1 a.m.
Outside the airport, lightning cracked, and rain poured in heavy sheets.
I looked around but didn’t spot Chase.
I checked my screen, and the flight info that I had sent him ahead of time was right.
I rang his number.
Eight tries, yet no reply.
I stayed another thirty minutes, then finally waved down a taxi.
Inside the taxi, I slept and woke again as the car bounced along the road.
Jolted awake by a loud burst of thunder, I naturally stared out the glass.
Through the heavy downpour, this wasn’t the route home.
My chest tightened.
I reached into my pocket, grabbed my phone, and quickly pressed my emergency contact.
The call connected at last, yet what came through was a loud crowd cheering.
“I passed my probation period today! Chase says he’s paying for everything tonight!”
Someone teased, “You work in the morning. Don’t drink too much.”
