Defeat

“Your labs all look to be improving,” I listened to the steady beating of my patient’s heart through a stethoscope, “I think it’s safe to say we will be able to send you home tomorrow.”

The woman looked so relieved at the news, warming my heart.

I’ll never understand how my mother could look down on my position. Every day I come here excited to be making a difference in the world. Sure, my father’s groundbreaking drug trials are making massive changes in the world, but it has just never felt the same to me.

Walking out to the nurse's station, I don’t even get a word out before I hear the dreamy sighs and giggles of my coworkers.

Lifting my eyes from my clipboard, I see the reason standing with an awkward smile on his face and a bouquet of white roses.

“James,” I furrowed my brows, “What are you doing here?”

The whispers around me intensified as did the horrified looks. I’d just addressed my husband by his name and not some endearment as well as not being excited to see him.