One Hot Doctor by Sarah J. Brooks

Chapter 23

Cora

I head to Riley’s after work, and as I park the car, exhaustion pulls at me. It’s not physical, though. It’s emotional, and Thomas is the cause of it. At first, I’d been angry when he stood me up at the doctor’s appointment, but when we next spoke, he had sounded so out of it that I knew something was very wrong.

We’ve seen each other for a quick cup of coffee, and when I asked, he said that he was fine. Fran called me today and voiced her own worries. Martin, her husband, has also tried finding out what is going on with Thomas, but he’s not saying.

I sigh and knock on Riley’s door. Her mother-in-law opens it, and we exchange pleasantries as she lets me in. Riley is doing a lot better, and I’m grateful for that. Leo’s mom is wonderful and super understanding, and friendly.

“Hey, you,” Riley says from her bed and puts the magazine she was reading on her lap.

“Hi.” I plant a kiss on her cheek.

We catch up, and then Leo’s mom brings us two mugs of tea and then leaves the room.

“How’s Thomas doing, any better?” Riley asks.

I shake my head. “No. Fran called me today. The family is getting very worried. He won’t confide in any of them, and he and Fran’s husband are pretty close.”

I’ve been going crazy with worrying about Thomas and trying to figure out what the problem might be. Fran asked around at his workplace, and everything appears to be fine at work.

“You’re probably the only one who can get through to him,” Riley says.

“Me? I’m the last person that Thomas would confide in.”

“There’s something special between the two of you,” Riley says. How I wish that it was true and that my feelings are not one-sided.

I struggle to find the words to describe how Thomas has been for the last couple of weeks. Then I find it. Sad.

“Sounds like a person in mourning,” Riley says.

“That’s exactly it,” I say. “It doesn’t make sense. He hasn’t lost a relative or friend, and he doesn’t have a pet.”

“He needs a friend right now. You have to be that friend,” Riley says.

“A little hard to be a friend when seeing him is hard enough. I’ve asked him to my place for dinner several times, but he declines each time. This time I know it’s not me.”

“Then show up at his place,” Riley says.

The thought frightens me. Thomas has invisible barriers around him that keep a person away. Even his sister Fran. But I have a feeling that Riley is right, and he desperately needs a friend right now.

“You’re right. I’ll go to his place.”

“What are you waiting for,” Riley says.

I glance at the time. Six PM. He’s home unless he went elsewhere after work. I kiss Riley goodbye.

I’m apprehensive as I drive to Thomas’s place. What if he kicks me out and tells me to butt out of his business? I would deserve it too, seeing that I’ve thrown him out of my place a few times.

His car is parked in the driveway, and I ease mine behind it. I take in a long deep breath before getting out of the car. When I walk to the front door, my legs feel like two blocks of cement.

I knock on the door, and seconds later, heavy footsteps sound from the other side. The door flies open, and Thomas stands there looking pissed off. His stance softens a little as he looks at me.

“Cora, were we supposed to meet?” he says, and suddenly I get an idea.

“No, I just thought that you might want to go for a walk,” I say.

That elicits a smile from him. He glances at his watch. “At six in the evening?”

“It’s a warm evening.”

He looks at me and then nods. “I’ll just grab the house keys.”

So far, so good. I let out an exhale of relief. Thomas returns a few seconds later, and we leave the house.

His neighborhood is quiet, and it feels surreal to be out walking as the sun is dipping.

“Everyone’s worried about you, Thomas,” I say.

He glances at me briefly. “Who is everyone?”

“Fran, Martin, your parents. Me.”

“Did Fran send you?”

“No, of course not. I’m here because I’m worried sick about you.”

He sighs deeply. “I thought I was hiding it pretty well.”

I’m relieved he has admitted that something is wrong. “Not quite. What happened?”

He doesn’t answer at first, and I worry that he might not confide in me after all. Then he starts talking, and I’m astounded by what he says.

“I found out that Tessa had an affair while we were married. I think she was planning on leaving me when she died,” Thomas says. His voice is controlled and bears no signs of emotion. My heart breaks for him as he tells me how he came to find out.

“I did neglect her by putting all my energy and time into work,” he says.

I shake my head vehemently. I have very strong opinions when it comes to cheating. “It doesn’t matter whether you were busy or not. There’s just never any excuse to cheat. If you don’t want to be with someone, then you should tell them.”

“That’s my thinking too,” Thomas says.

I glance at his handsome profile and find it hard to believe that anyone would cheat on Thomas. His physical attraction aside, he is the kindest, sweetest human being I know.

“I’m better now, but when I first learned about it, I couldn’t stop trying to remember whether there were any signs that she was having an affair.”

“Were there?”

“She was a skilled cheater. Nothing changed about her behavior,” Thomas says.

I let out a sigh. “What a horrible thing to happen. I think it would have been better if you hadn’t found out.”

“No,” Thomas says. “I’m glad I found out. Yes, it hurts to think that the woman I loved and thought I knew was unfaithful, but it’s helped me with some things I’ve struggled with for years. I’ve always felt guilty because I didn’t give her the baby that she wanted so badly. I don’t feel that anymore. The sad thing is feeling like I wasted my love on her.”

“I’m sure the early years were different,” I say to console him. I should be happy that the perfect Tessa doesn’t exist anymore, but I’m not. It hurts to see Thomas in pain. No one deserves to have their partner cheat on them.

“What I find frustrating is that you can’t confront Tessa,” I tell him.

He chuckles. “I’ve tried, but she doesn’t respond.”

I visualize Thomas ranting in his house and then waiting for Tessa to respond, and I chuckle too.

“I’m really sorry,” I tell him as we’re walking back to his place.

“I’m sorry for neglecting you lately,” Thomas says. “And thank you for coming. There’s no one else I can tell that story to. It would feel like I was soiling Tessa’s memory. It’s enough that I know.”

When we’re back at the house, Thomas takes my hand. “Do you want to come in for dinner? I’d just finished cooking when you came.”

My heart leaps. I’m not ready to part company with him. I missed him so much that being with him now feels like a Christmas gift.

“Yes, please, I’m starving.”

I help with setting the table while he serves the food onto plates and carries them over.

We chat about the baby over dinner, and though Thomas’s interest is like that of a good friend, I don’t let it get to me. He has a lot to deal with at the moment without me adding to his grief.

After dinner, we clean up and hang out a bit, watching TV, and it comes naturally for me to spend the night. We don’t have sex that night. Instead, I fall asleep in Thomas’s arms.

 

 

***

 

“I’m thinking of quitting my job at the fertility clinic,” Thomas says over breakfast the following morning.

I recall that he’d taken that job as a way of assuaging his guilt because he hadn’t granted Tessa her wish to have a baby. But leaving the job seems so extreme, though it’s not my place to discourage him. He is the only one who knows how he feels.

“There’s an opening in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the hospital. I might apply for that,” he says thoughtfully.

“You enjoyed working at the hospital,” I tell him.

He smiles, causing female flusters in me. “I did. It was nice to deal with a myriad of problems, not just fertility issues.”

“You’ll get it.”

“Thanks for the confidence, however misplaced it is. The competition is going to be tight,” Thomas says.

We don’t revisit the topic of Tessa’s infidelity again, but Thomas looks a lot better. It’s a nice morning as we discuss his future and get ready for the day.

At nine, he walks me to my car, and after a passionate kiss, I drive off with a wave. I can’t help the wide smile that comes over me.