Convenience and Compatibility (18 page)

We sit at the small dinette and I ask Adam
how Greg is doing.

“He’s good actually. He’s dating again,
finally.” He looks to Tara and they give each other a look. I
wonder what that means.

“That’s good. I’m happy for him.”

“He’s still in love with you Mallory.”

“But you just said that he’s dating. Adam,
it’s been… six months. I don’t know why.”

“It didn’t help that you strung him along for
a while.”

I hope Tara will interject and take my side;
her boyfriend is laying it on hard. I don’t have to explain what
our relationship was to him. I look over at her for help but she is
looking down, picking at her salad.

“It was consensual Adam, we decided to hook
up after the break up. We. A part of me will always love Greg, but
now I’m with Dean.”

Adam throws his hands up. “Okay, I said my
peace. I just think you are making a big mistake.”

“Time will tell.” I look Adam in the eyes,
he’s used to winning, but I’m not backing down.

Tara finally changes the subject. “We’re
meeting up with Chris and Heather later, do you wanna come?”

“I don’t think so. I have to work
tomorrow.”

Tara frowns. I’m sure she misses our time
together. I miss it too, but now everything has changed. “Are you
at least going to be home tonight?”

“No, Dean is expecting me later.”

“Oh.”

The rest of lunch is awkwardly silent, except
for the occasional small-talk. Maybe I should move in with Dean, we
are engaged now. I decide another month or two would be acceptable,
then officially move out. Surely then everyone won’t think we are
moving too fast. I wonder who I can ask to be my maid of honor. I
always thought that Tara would have that role. Now I see that it
would probably be a bad idea. I can just imagine them glaring at
one another at the altar. No thank you.

After lunch I go to
my room and pull
out my suitcase. How much should I pack? He asked me to move in so
I don’t think I can bring over too much. This is one guy that is
not afraid of commitment. I grab toiletries, scrubs, casual
clothes, nighties, and a few fancy items. I wonder if we are going
out tonight? I would really like to go out with my friends, but I’m
sure Greg will be there, and besides, I have to work. I frown; I’d
much rather lie in bed with Dean all day than work tomorrow. I push
the thought of quitting out of my mind. I’m not that kind of
girl.

I’m all packed and then I wonder how I’m
going to get out the door with this large suitcase undetected. Not
wanting to explain this to Tara and Adam, I sit down on the bed and
listen through the wall, waiting for them to leave or go in the
other room. It sounds like they are in the kitchen cleaning up,
talking in hushed voices. More than likely about Dean and me.

It’s been fifteen minutes when I decide to
try to make better use of my time while I’m waiting. I get out my
pedicure set and start working on my toenails. I get one foot
painted when I hear them go in Tara’s room. Shit. I quickly finish
painting the other foot and put on my flip flops. They won’t be the
stealthiest of shoes, but at least I can save my pedicure.

I peek into the hallway, then roll my
suitcase to the front door, and as quietly as I can get out of the
apartment. I practically run down the hallway with my suitcase
following, feeling as though I have gotten away with something.

I get back to Dean’s house and lug my
suitcase up the stairs. Dean is nowhere in sight. I deposit the
suitcase in the closet and go into the bathroom.

Dean is in the shower, lathering his hair,
with his back to me. I pull up a stool and sit, waiting for him to
notice me. Dean turns, but his eyes are closed, and he’s letting
the water run over his body. I’m enjoying the view, drooling, and
consider taking my clothes off and joining him under the shower. I
want to feel his hands on my body again and feel him inside of me.
I involuntarily sigh and Dean looks up.

“Hi.”

“Hi yourself. I missed you, I’m glad you’re
back.”

“Me too. You’ll be happy to hear that I
packed a bag. A suitcase really.”

“That does make me happy.”

“You bathe a lot.”

“Why do you think I have such a large
bathroom? I took out one of the bedrooms to make this room so
big.”

“Hmmm.” I smile up at him and he comes over
to kiss me.

Dean dries off, rubbing his body down with
the towel and rubbing his hair into a wet mess. He’s absolutely
beautiful and I can’t keep my eyes off him. I can’t believe that I
am going to marry this man.

“What do you want to do tonight?”

“Honestly, not too much. I have a long day
tomorrow.”

“Okay, how about dinner at home and watch a
movie.”

“Alright.”

“Do you like obscure foreign films?”

“Maybe.”

I pour myself a glass
of wine and sit
on one of the patio chairs just off the kitchen. Dean is getting
dinner ready; grilling steaks on his fancy outdoor grill. I’ve
never been in his backyard before, never even looked out a window
on this side of the house. It’s a small yard, as most yards in
Seattle are, but it’s private. Tall fir trees line the far end of
the property with blackberry bushes forming a hedge under the trees
and on the other two sides of the yard. It reminds me of a
fortress; instead of a moat are the prickly thick bushes. I bet the
summer is unbearable out here with the bees all over the fruit. The
rest of the yard is well manicured and simple grass. I wonder if
Dean does his own yard work. I can’t imagine he knows how.

“How do you like the wine? I bought it for
you.”

“It’s yummy, tastes familiar.”

“We had it on our second date.” I’m surprised
that I haven’t noticed before how detail oriented Dean is, or maybe
he just notices the details when it comes to me.

I put my feet up and smile at him, wrapping
the blanket from the sofa around me. The wine is warming me up, but
not enough. Dean and I are dry under the eaves of the patio, but
there is something about the cold drizzling that can chill you to
the bones.

“Do you come out here much in the
summer?”

“I did.”

That’s right, I keep forgetting that Dean has
missed the past three summers.

Dean continues, “I used to have parties out
here.” He shrugs. “I was the only one of my friends that had a
house.”

“Do you miss that? Having friends over.”

“No. Everything has changed now. I’m much
happier than I was before.”

I smile up to him and pull the blanket
tighter. I might want a bath to warm me up later, maybe with
Dean.

“You need to be at work by seven, right?”

“Yea, I’ll catch the bus about six
fifteen.”

“I want to take you tomorrow.” Dean
interrupts.

“No Dean, it’s too early. You sleep in.”

“I’m taking you tomorrow.” Dean says this
matter-of-factly. I shrug my shoulders. Okay, if you want to wake
up before the sun to drive me to work – I guess I won’t argue.

We sit down to a dinner of steak, green
beans, and artisan bread. Dean has set the table and lit a
candelabra. The meal is simple but artfully presented; napkins,
place settings, even the flatware is in the right order. I sit down
and Dean turns on some music. I think it’s Harry Belafonte. It’s
jazzy and fun, but quiet enough that it doesn’t make me want to get
up and dance around the room.

“What kind of movie were you thinking of
again?”

“Maybe a French or German film?”

“Okay, I don’t mind subtitles.” And then I
remember that he knows French. “Do you know German as well?”

Dean laughs. “No, but I wish I did.”

“You know, if you want to get me in bed more,
you just need to speak French to me.”

Dean raises an eyebrow; he’s mastered the art
of sexy facial expressions, and I practically melt looking into his
face. “I’ll have to remember that, although I don’t think I’ve had
a problem with that so far.”

“Dean!” He practically called me easy and I
punch him in the arm playfully. “So where did you learn
French?”

“My mom is fluent. When I was a child, that’s
all she spoke to me.”

“Wow.”

We finish dinner and head to the sofa. We end
up watching a French film about two lovers that have a child
together but can’t quite get their act together. It ends just as
strangely as it began with the lovers being happily apart. I’m used
to watching American films where there’s always a happy ending and
the protagonist gets what they want. This film doesn’t quite end
happy, but it isn’t sad either – it’s real life.

Just like he promised, Dean
is up
early with me and drives me to work. It’s still dark and raining as
he takes the back roads to the hospital.

I’m sad that I have to leave him all day.
He’s wearing sweats again and a hoodie – his plan is to go running
after he drops me off. I’m a little jealous that I can’t spend the
day with him. “What are your plans today after running?”

Dean glances over at me. “I need to clean
house and run a couple of errands.” He winks at me and I melt. Why
is that so sexy?

I take this gesture as a hint that I’m not
supposed to ask anything more. We drive in silence the rest of the
way, Dean’s hand on my leg most of the time, my curiosity
piqued.

He double parks out front and I hop out,
quickly pecking him on the lips on my way out. I run across the
street and look back to wave. He is watching me from the window and
blows me a kiss. I walk into the hospital feeling like the luckiest
girl alive – until I get to the floor.

I take shift report knowing I’m going to have
a hell of a day. One of my patients sound like they need to be in
the ICU, but that unit is at full capacity once again. The charge
nurse is sick and they are calling someone else to take her place –
so no help there. I don’t even have Tara here, who I can at least
count on if I need an extra hand. The other nurses on my floor
today are known to keep to themselves and expect others to do the
same.

I hit the floor running – thank God for my
nursing assistant. I bark orders at her and she runs around, doing
what she can and I don’t have time to do. By the time five o’clock
comes, I’ve transferred a patient to the ICU, which thankfully got
an opening, and procured Jasmine, the best charge nurse on the
unit. Bless her heart, she lets me take a quick break to eat some
food and take my first bathroom break of the day.

I sit in the cafeteria and take off my shoes.
My feet feel swollen and I’m not sure I’ll be able to get them back
into them without difficulty. I scarf down a granola bar and look
at the clock – only two more hours, it should go by in minutes. I
look at my phone and see a text from Dean. “I’ll pick you up
tonight. I miss you.”

I smile down at my phone. Well, I hope he is
having a better day than I am.

Reluctantly, I squeeze my feet back into my
shoes and head back to the floor. Apparently I’ve acquired a new
patient from the ER while I took a fifteen minute break. Fuck me. I
finish the intake that Jasmine started and look at the clock. What
seemed like five minutes, in reality, had been an hour – that’s
nursing for you. I sit down to chart when Jasmine comes to my
desk.

“Mallory, that woman is back. She wants to
talk to you again.”

“What? What woman?” And then I remember. The
only woman who would interrupt a nurse at work to have a chat. My
heart sinks into my shoes. I want to tell Jasmine to make her wait,
but I don’t think this will help our relationship. Grudgingly, I
get up and walk to Jasmine’s office. Dean’s mom is sitting in the
same chair as before. I walk in and pretend to be cheerful.

“Hello.”

Mrs. Collins looks up and I can tell that
she’s been crying recently. She has tried to cover it up with
makeup, but her eyes are still puffy and her nose is pink probably
from blowing it too much.

She is all seriousness and nothing like she
was the other morning at Dean’s house. “Mallory, please shut the
door and sit down.”

I shut the door and stand by the chair.
Doesn’t she know that I’m busy? There’s a time and a place to have
a discussion – this is not it.

“Please sit Mallory.”

I reluctantly follow her suggestion and sit.
“I don’t have much time… I.”

“I’ll be brief.” She cuts me off – okay. I
can already tell that this conversation will not end well.

“I understand that you and Dean are engaged.”
I raise my eyebrows, this must be one of the ‘errands’ Dean was
talking about this morning.

She continues, “This can’t happen. What will
it take?”

She looks at me expectantly like I should
know what she’s talking about. “Will what take?”

He voice raises an octave with her next
statement. “What will it take to be rid of you?” I cringe as I’m
pretty sure that the rest of the floor just heard this. Great.

I stand up. “I’m done here. Goodbye.”

She grabs my arm and pulls out her wallet
with the other. “Here, let me write you a check. What do you want?
I’ll give you a million dollars if you go away.” She is sounding
desperate now and I almost feel sorry for her. My empathetic side
wants to give her a hug and tell her that everything is okay. I
know she is hurting, but I selfishly pull my hand from her grip and
walk away.

I walk to the nurse’s station and sit at the
desk as everyone turns to look at me. I mumble my apologies to
Jasmine and ignore the rest of them. I get back to my charting,
knowing that I will have to stay late to finish because some rich
bitch thinks she can buy me. I can feel my eyes filling with tears
and resist the urge to cry. I just need to hold it together for
another forty-five minutes or so and then I can cry all I want.

The night nurse shows up and I give report.
She looks at me with pity, probably thinking that my day was
overwhelming on the floor. I ignore her looks of sympathy and get
back to charting after giving report. I probably have another half
hour left and I feel bad that Dean will be waiting.