I Do, Don't I?

Chapter Seventeen

We ate homemade dinner made by Marissa.  Two other maids joined her standing on the side, waiting for us to finish.

     "So what were you up to while I was gone?" Jude asked, chewing on his goopy carbonara.

     "Well," I toyed the contents of my plate with my fork.  "Uhm, I learned that I have a lot of...bags."  I raised my head to him and laughed, masking the nervousness.

     He chuckled as well and went back to eating.  After a bite or two, he reopened a discussion.  "By the way, tomorrow's Saturday.  I forgot to tell you that you have an appointment with Dr. Clavell."

     I frowned with curiosity.  "Who's he?"

     "He's your psychiatrist."

     I nodded.  "I see."

     The night went on smoothly until we finally dozed off peacefully on our loving bed.

                                                  ******************************

 I felt quite nervous as we sat at the hospital's waiting area along with other patients.

     "Why don't I get you beef croissants from the canteen while you wait here?" he asked in a low voice, observing silence of the hospital.

     "That would be nice, thank you," I smiled.

     "Hi, sweetie.  Are you here to see Dr. Custer, too?" a woman in her fifties asked.

     "Uhm...no, I'm here to see Dr. Clavell," I answered.

     "Oh."  She nodded and smiled pleasantly then, returned to minding her own business.

     "I hesitated in asking the stranger a question.  "I was just wondering...what does Dr. Custer do...mainly?"

     "Well, in my case we'll be talking about my surgery but--"

     "Surgery!" I exclaimed without meaning to make the woman wince.  "I'm...I'm sorry for cutting in like that but...what surgery are you going to do?...if you don't mind my asking."

     "Oh.  Well, I have a hard time breathing on my left nostril so he's going to fix it for me."

     I tried inhaling and exhaling but I didn't feel like I had problem breathing.

     "He also does nose jobs and sorts of things," she added.

     "Nose job?"  I felt my eyes widen.  I put a hand on my nose and felt it, pinching it as hard as I could.  The woman looked at me with an odd frown.  "Does my nose look in need of a lift?" I asked, sounding alarmed.

     "Your nose is the prettiest I've ever seen, dear," she said, sounding sincere.  She frowned.  "What's with all the questions, deary?  Do you have nose issues?  Don't worry green boogers are normal--"

     "No, no, no problem at all," I interrupted, startled with the thought of green boogers.  "Thanks for your time."  I smiled and she gladly returned a grin.

     "Hey there."  Jude has returned with two brown bags and recycled cups from the canteen.  He sat on his space beside me as he handed over a soda and a lunch paper bag.

     I inserted the straw on the cover of the cup and took a long thoughtful sip.  I unwrapped the pastry and it was halfway to my mouth when I dropped my hands to my lap and finally had the guts to ask this question.  "Jude..."