Part 2When I Finally Put Myself First

This was the fourth year of our long-distance relationship.

And it had been brutal.

I flew from New York to Seattle every single month to see him. That was only twelve visits a year.

To bridge the gap, we promised to video call every single night. Even if we were dead on our feet, we had to say goodnight before hanging up.

I couldn't quite pinpoint when it started.

But gradually, Sophie's name began dominating our nightly calls.

"The new nurse assigned to me is so clumsy. She missed the vein three times during a blood draw today."

"She has a really kind heart, though. She sneaks cafeteria food out to feed the stray cats in the alley."

"I overheard the chief mentioning that she comes from a really tough background. She took out massive loans for nursing school, just like I did for med school. But she wasn't as lucky as me. My greatest luck was meeting you in college."

I never took it seriously. I just assumed she was a quirky subordinate.

Then, a month ago, Joey told me he had an out-of-state medical conference and wouldn't be able to do our goodnight calls.

It wasn't until a mutual friend from his hospital called me to say Joey had been admitted for a severe stomach ulcer that I found out the truth.

His "medical conference" was in my city. New York.

He wasn't planning a romantic surprise.

He genuinely just hadn't planned on telling me he was in town.

"I was just too busy, and it slipped my mind. I was only going to be there for two days anyway. There was no point in making a huge fuss and dragging you out."

To him, seeing me had become a chore. A burden.

While I was standing in his hospital room processing that, the thermos of hot soup in my hands was suddenly shoved aside.

A woman in scrubs aggressively popped the lid off her own insulated container and glared at me. "Dr. Wright was admitted for a severe stomach ulcer! He cannot eat heavy, greasy food!"

She fluttered around his bed, adjusting his pillows and pouring his water.

She looked exactly like the lady of the house.

She threw the apple I had carefully peeled for him straight into the trash, claiming I hadn't washed my hands using the proper clinical seven-step method, so it was contaminated.

When I stared at his IV drip rate, she scoffed, telling me I was a clueless outsider and ordering me to stay out of the way.

I stepped out to use the restroom for exactly three minutes.

When I came back, the two of them were laughing together, completely immersed in their own world.

Knowing I had absolutely no interest in the medical field, Joey cleared his throat and offered a weak explanation. "We were just talking about work."

But Sophie just had to add her own little jab. "Even if we explained it to you, you wouldn't understand a word."

A ball of fire twisted in my gut. I looked straight at Joey. "Since when do you hire nurses with this kind of attitude? Fire her."

Sophie froze, then puffed out her chest. "I am a registered nurse with a degree from a proper medical program. I am not some cheap caretaker you can just dismiss!"

That was when I realized this was Sophie.

Clearly, she had crossed the line.

And Joey had completely enabled her.

Infidelity and emotional wandering are the oldest clichés in long-distance relationships.

I used to arrogantly believe we were the exception. I thought we were immune to a bad ending.

If I had been harboring any foolish hopes before, pretending I was just being overly sensitive, the whole "fake couples hoodie" incident completely shattered that illusion.

...

I bought Brooke a gift at the mall and picked up the custom-tailored suit I had ordered weeks ago.

After a quick lunch with Brooke, I dove straight back into my work.

Between working endless overtime and getting caught in a freezing Seattle downpour, I ended up with a raging fever and landed myself right back in the hospital.

Talk about terrible luck. The nurse assigned to draw my blood was Sophie.

She tied the tourniquet around my arm with entirely too much force.

She jabbed the needle in three separate times, failing to find the vein every single time. Horrific, dark purple bruises bloomed across my pale skin.

I lost my patience. "I want a different nurse."

Sophie didn't look remorseful in the slightest. Her tone was completely justified. "You do not own this hospital. Medical resources are strictly limited, and there are other patients waiting. Please stop wasting my time."

I laughed out of sheer anger. "Your technique is garbage. I have every right to request a competent nurse."

Sophie lifted her chin, her face a mask of pure stubbornness. "Please do not insult my professional abilities. You kept squirming. Of course I couldn't get the needle in."

I didn't waste another breath on her. I simply pressed the call button for the attending doctor.

The person who rushed through the door was Joey.