How Much I Love by Marie Force

Chapter 22

WYATT

Today has been the most miserable day I’ve had in years. I lost a patient during a routine stent procedure when the guy suddenly coded. We did everything we could to get him back, but nothing worked. I had to tell his wife that the procedure had gone wrong and her husband was dead. I’ll be hearing her heartbroken wails in my dreams.

I know there was no negligence on my part, but since the procedure ended badly, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a lawsuit. Thank goodness for malpractice insurance.

The heart is a tricky, unpredictable organ in more ways than one. Mine has been aching all day over the disaster that unfolded last night on multiple fronts. After more than ten hours away from her, I’m prepared to give Dee six kids if that’s what it’ll take to keep her happy and with me where she belongs. I had a very long day to ponder the rest of my life without her, and I’m not down for that. We’re going to make this work, no matter what has to happen that wasn’t in my plans.

Even kids.

My heart does crazy things at the thought of having babies with Dee. It’s as if all the emotion inside me is too big to fit in the available space. It’s a feeling unlike any other I’ve ever had, and I’m officially addicted to the high of being in love with her.

I’m almost to a clean escape from my last day of work when my colleagues waylay me with a going-away party that adds another hour to this endless day. But I go through the motions with the people I’ve worked with for years, accepting their good wishes for me, my new girlfriend and our life in Miami. A few of them know what I’ve been through in my life, and they’re incredibly happy for me.

I just hope it’s not already over, and not knowing where things stand with her has my anxiety spiking to dangerous levels.

When I’m finally on my way home, an hour later than usual, I put through a call to my dad on Bluetooth. I’ve had all day to think about what I want to say to him. I chose him because he tends to be easier to deal with in situations such as this one. Not that I’ve ever been in any situation quite like this one.

“Hi there,” Dad says when he picks up the call. “Didn’t expect to hear from you today.”

“Yeah, so, about last night.”

“What about it?”

“Where should I start? How about with the way you guys were super rude to the woman I love?”

“When were we rude?”

“When you completely ignored her and took the fact that you’re pissed with me out on her.”

“We didn’t do that.”

“Yes, you did, Dad! You made her feel like shit, which makes me feel like shit. I know you don’t want me to move, but aren’t you the slightest bit happy that I’m in love for the first time in my life?”

“We’re happy for you, son, but what we don’t understand is why you have to move there. Why can’t she come here where your doctors are and where you have the support of family and friends?”

“There’re doctors in Miami, and she can’t come here because, as I’ve already told you, her mother is battling breast cancer, and she’s just been offered a fantastic career opportunity running her family’s business. I certainly won’t be alone there. I’ll have Dee, her family, Jason.”

My dad has no reply to that.

“I know this isn’t what you want, and I get why you feel the way you do. But you and Mom fought so hard for me to get the chance to live. That’s what I’m doing. You have to let me, and you have to be nice to Dee, or there’s going to be trouble between us. I don’t think you want that.”

“I don’t want that, and neither does Mom. We’ve been upset since you told us you were moving.”

“I’m sorry to upset you, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat Dee the way you did last night. I was mortified. You never asked her a single thing or talked directly to her. Do you know how awkward that felt for us?”

“I… I’m sorry, son.”

“I’m not the one who needs the apology. I’m going to send you Dee’s number. I want you guys to text her and tell her you’re sorry for the awkward night and that you look forward to getting to know her better, and anything else you can think of to smooth this over. You got me?”

“Yeah, sure. We’ll do that. I hope you know… It’s not about Dee.”

“I know that! You know that! But how in the hell do you think she felt when my parents would barely look at her because they blame her for a decision I made completely on my own? That’s unacceptable, Dad.”

“Yes, it is. We’ll fix it with her.”

“Please do, and sooner rather than later. I’m happy than I’ve ever been with Dee. I want you guys to be happy for me.”

“We are. We can see that you care for her.”

“I want you to be part of this and not left on the outside looking in. But if you force me to choose, I’ll choose her. I want this thing with her more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

“I understand.”

“And you’ll talk to Mom?”

“I will.”

“Thank you. I hate that you guys are upset about this. I hope you’ll eventually see that this move was the best thing for me, that she is the best thing for me.”

“We want you to be happy, son. It’s hard for us to let go of the worry we’ve lived with for so long. I hope you can understand that a little.”

“I hope I never know what that was like for you guys, and I have no doubt I wouldn’t be here without you fighting for me every step of the way. But we won, Dad. I won. I have this chance to truly live, and I’m going to take it.”

“I, ah…” He sniffles, which makes me realize he’s in tears. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him break down when the doctors first told us how dire my situation was. I’d insisted on knowing everything that was happening, and seeing my strong, stoic dad in tears left a permanent mark on me. “I want that for you, son. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to have everything. You’ve made us so proud with your tenacity and your incredible career.”

“That means a lot to me, but I never felt like I truly had it all until I met Dee. Now it’s like someone has opened a secret door and shown me how much more there is to discover, and I want it all.”

Even things I thought I’d never want, like children.

My dad agrees to text Dee, and I sign off with him feeling like he understands where I’m coming from. Hopefully, he can get my mom on board, too, because I want them to be part of this new life I’m creating with Dee.

When I’m at a red light, I send her number to him. I drive faster than I should because I want to get home to her so badly. I just hope she’s still there.