Page 11 of Cherish

“I don’t need a medical degree to know that a woman eating pickles covered in rice is weird, no matter how beautiful she might be.”

“Well, you can keep your unsolicited thoughts and opinions to yourself.”

Irritated at her dismissal, and her presumption that I’m interested in her, I not only cross my arms, but turn my body around, practically giving her my back. Mellie and her friend come walking back, and I snatch the tray from my sister, not even caring or realizing what the hell it is I’m eating.

We eat in silence for a few minutes, the food tasting like cardboard as I chew.

“You two should come over sometime,” Mellie announces. “Jase bought this awesome three-family house in Fields Corner. It’s right off the red line.”

Ananda perks up, but Alex stands up rather abruptly, announces she’s going to finish her lunch at her desk and walks away from the table before any of us can respond.

“She’s rude,” I say to the table.

“She’s really not,” Ananda says. “She’s stubborn. Don’t give up on her,” she says to me.

I look at her like she’s crazy. “All of you women are nuts. I’m not interested in her. She’s not interested in me. Listen,” I say, looking at my Apple Watch, “I have to get back to my rounds. See you at home, Mellie.”

“Hold on! Don’t go yet,” Ananda says. “Stop lying. We all saw the electricity between the two of you.”

“So? She’s attractive. I see attractive women every day, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested in any of them. I don’t have the time, anyway. Your friend is downright hostile for no reason.”

“It’s because she thinks she’s supposed to be with someone else, but the psychic told her she was wrong. And you guys met just as the psychic predicted, but that doesn’t match up with Lex’s plans, so she’s fighting it with everything in her,” Ananda says, her speech rushed.

My ears perk up at one thing she said. “So, she’s interested in someone already? I’m not even going to address the part of the psychic because then I’d be just as crazy as you.” I turn to my sister. “You knew about this psychic bullshit, Mellie?”

“Yes, and it’s not bullshit. Not everything can be explained by science, Jason.”

“Goodbye, ladies.” I walk as fast as I can out of the cafeteria. It’s not until I’m in the elevator that I realize I left my tray and leftover food on the table. I send a quick text to Mellie apologizing for leaving my mess behind.

CHAPTER 6

ALEX

I see Jason Dupree everywhere. He’s in the halls, elevators, cafeteria. I’ve seen him standing outside three times when I arrive to work in the morning. You’d think he’d be too busy as a resident to just be loitering outside, but he’s not.

We haven’t spoken one word to each other since that horrible lunch in the cafeteria, but every time we walk by each other, his eyes find mine. Even when I was standing in front of him in the elevator the other day, I felt his eyes boring into the back of my head.

When the elevator stopped on the fourth floor, he walked by me, his body rubbing against mine in the cramped space. I could have sworn he did it intentionally, and he offered no apologies for rubbing against me just a little bit too long as he exited the elevator. My body remained alive and aware of his touch and his smell the entire rest of the day. In fact, that night while lying in my bed in my mother’s old condo, I thought of him as I gave myself some relief.

The next day when I saw him standing outside of the hospital, I avoided all eye contact, worried that he’d be able to read my mind. I can’t explain it, but since the day we bumped into each other, I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind, not for a single moment. With just a few words, he’s invaded my entire world.

I want to know everything about him, from his favorite breakfast food, his preferred brand of toothpaste, to his favorite movie. I want to know if he’d be understanding about my fear of thunderstorms. Will he hold me until the storm passes, or will he make fun of me like my last boyfriend? I already know the answer to that question, but I’m not ready to deal with that right now. Right now, I’m focused on breakfast.

“Haven’t seen you in a few days,” Tina, the owner of Beantown Café, says to me as she pours coffee into my mug.

“It’s only been two days,” I tease. Tina’s in her early forties, a burned-out lawyer who gave up the corporate world to run her own little breakfast and lunch spot.

“I’ll get you your usual. Oh, and I have good news.” She leaves my table and greets a group of customers. I sip the black coffee as I wait for my two eggs, bacon, and English muffin breakfast special.

I’m lost in thought, wondering what Tina’s good news can be, but so happy that she feels close enough to share it with me. Despite walking by this place for the past two years since it opened two years ago, I’ve only been coming in here for the past six months when I found out about her.

I didn’t know what to expect, but she’s friendly and talkative. Anyone who’s a regular at her restaurant is a friend. I’m lost in thought when I hear the door chime open. When I see who walks inside, I almost choke on my coffee, but I manage to pull myself together.

He finds me immediately. Despite being fifty feet away, our eyes lock. His gaze only leaves mine when the hostess tells him to seat himself. He takes the table right in front of me, and instead of giving me his back, he sits facing me. I know he’s staring, waiting for me to lock eyes with him, but I pretend to look at my phone as I drink my coffee.

A minute later, Tina brings me my food, and instead of leaving, she shoves her phone in my face.

“Bruce and his wife finally had a baby,” she says, showing me a picture of the most perfect baby boy. “Owen Michael Reilly, born three days ago, weighing seven pounds three ounces. I finally have a nephew. I wanted one closer to my son’s age, but he can babysit now that he’s nineteen.” I take the phone from her and will my eyes not to tear up at the news.

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