The Exception(29)

“Welcome to New York.” She smiled. “Would you like to join me?”

“Sure.” I paid for my coffee and bagel and the two of us took a seat at a small table by the window.

There was something about Andrea that made me feel very comfortable. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it, but she was one of those people that you could just instantly connect with.

“Did you move here with someone?” she asked.

“No. I moved here alone. My life is a little complicated at the moment.”

Why did I just tell her that?

“Isn’t everyone’s life a little complicated from time to time?” she smiled.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

After talking for a while and finishing our bagel and coffee, we headed back up to the third floor. When I walked into Kristen’s room, she was awake.

“Hey, you. Where were you?”

“I was in the cafeteria having breakfast with your nurse, Andrea.”

“I’m glad you met her. I knew you’d like her.”

Just as Noah woke up, Kristen’s doctor walked in.

“So, missy. It looks like you have a bacterial infection, eh?”

“That’s what they tell me, Dr. Jenkins.”

“Your immune system is down from the chemo and radiation. I know you have an appointment on Monday for another scan, but since you’re here, we might as well do it now. Are you okay with that?”

“Do I have a choice?” Kristen smirked.

“No. Not really. I’ll go order it and someone will be here soon to take you down.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll talk to you later.”

After he walked out of the room, Andrea walked in with a warm blanket and draped it over Kristen.

“There you go, honey. We need to keep you nice and warm.”

“Thanks, Andrea. By the way, how’s your son and girlfriend doing?”

“Oh, good news. He finally dumped her. Hearing him say that was music to my ears.” She winked before leaving the room.

“Sounds like everyone is getting dumped these days.” I laughed.

“She couldn’t stand that woman. On my chemo days, she’d tell me how much of a bitch she was and that her son could do so much better. She couldn’t understand what he saw in her besides her big fake tits.” She laughed. “Her words, not mine.”

It wasn’t too long before the transporter walked into the room and took Kristen for her scan. Noah went with her and I stayed back in the room and waited for them. Pulling out my phone, I decided to give Kellan a call to tell him about Kristen and to ask how his mom was doing. But before I could dial him, like an idiot, I opened up my photos and stared at the selfie Drew and I took after we swam with the dolphins. My heart started to ache and I hated the sadness that overtook me every time I looked at that damn picture.

“You okay, honey?” Andrea asked as she walked into the room.

Closing out of the picture, I looked up at her, and instead of saying a simple yes, words just came falling out of my mouth.

“I don’t know. I met this guy when I was on a trip and I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s like he’s in my head twenty-four hours a day.”

“Where’s he from?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask and I didn’t want to know because I’m not in the dating zone, so to speak. I’m rediscovering myself and there’s no room in my life for a man right now.”

“May I ask why you’re rediscovering yourself?”

“Long story. My parents are very rich and influential. They molded me into someone I’m not nor do I want to be. I ran away.” I looked down. “And I’m never going back.”

“Kristen never mentioned that about her parents.”

“That’s because Kristen and I only share the same father. A father who paid her mother off never to tell anyone who her father is. He’s never acknowledged her and he’s never met her.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve only known that I had a sister for a couple of years and that’s only because she found me.”

Andrea walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to me.

“What have you found out so far about yourself?” she asked as she placed her hand on mine.

“That I love being on my own but also that I have this need to feel safe. The guy I was talking about earlier made me feel that way. Even though I’d only known him for a few days, it felt like I’d known him for years. He made me feel secure, even though I had always thought I felt it. But apparently, I didn’t.”

“Sounds like you’re in love with this man.” She smiled.

“How could I be? I barely know him.”

“Doesn’t matter, honey. You don’t have to know him to feel it. It’s instant chemistry, divine intervention, soul mates. Whatever you want to call it, it’s just there. My thought on the whole thing is if you’re meant to be together, you will be. Maybe not now, or next year, but some time in this life.” She winked. “I have to go check on my patients. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Thanks, Andrea.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

I stayed with Kristen the rest of the day until she kicked me out and ordered me to go home.