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"Mrs. Brown, is it?"
"Ms. Brown," I correct the older man who sits across from me. He looks at his papers with great interest, scanning each line carefully. I put my hand down on the cherry wood desk, nervously shaking my knee.
"Hm no diagnosis yet- How long have you been here?" he asks. "One week," I answer. He nods, looking back down at the papers he holds on tightly to.
"Well, it's too early to really say how long you'll be here or any diagnosis," he pauses, looking up at me like he remembered something. "Oh, I completely forgot, someone called for you today uh, a young man."
"Did he leave a name?" I ask, eyebrows furrowing.
"Eh Romeo I believe," he replies leaning down and opening a drawer.
Romeo.
Never did I think I'd here his name again. I could've sworn things were over after I had pulled my little "stunt".
"He wants you to call him back when you can- is a he boyfriend of yours?"
"Something like that- thank you but I don't really want to talk with him," is all I say.
The doctor nods, before closing his drawer and sitting back up to look at me with his stern eyes.
"Come see me if you ever need anything. Anything at all."
I nod, accepting that as my cue to leave. Standing up from my chair, I ask one last question, "what's your name?"
He looks shocked for a second, then he sits back in his leather chair, eyeing me with this same interested glare he gave the papers.
"Doctor Modine but please, call me Matthew."
"Are you sure-"
"Yes," he answers, cutting me off mid question. With that I nod, putting my hand on the brass doorknob and turning it. I step out, only to be greeted by nurse Natalia who has been waiting patiently.
"That didn't take long at all, any news?"
I was about to shake my head "no" when I remembered some interesting information the doctor had told me.
"My boy- ex boyfriend called or something," I say, immediately grabbing Natalia's attention.
"Ex boyfriend? Tell me all about it," she says, grabbing my arm as she begins to walk down the hallway. "Well we weren't really- it was just this stupid thing and I think he wanted more but I didn't. I'm still young I wanted space-"
"I hear ya, women have more options nowadays. We don't have to be expected to wait on men and families-"
"Don't be so sure," I interrupt. She turns her head to me as she stops walking, making me stop too. "It's the sixties sweetheart, women aren't expected to pop children out at 18 and grow old with a man, waiting hand and foot on him until he dies."
I swallow hard, shaking my head. "I think that's what my parents expect me to do," I say. "Well then," she pauses and looks around to make sure there is no one near. "Fuck them," the small nurse whispers, like it's something she shouldn't be saying.
