21st Century

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"It's the 21st century, June. Men aren't the only ones that propose anymore."

I said as I packed up my things, getting ready to leave for the night.

I plan on surprising my boyfriend of three years with a marriage proposal dinner, but first I need to surprise him at his work... Conner McKentire. He is the most special person to me and I loved him. I know June didn't have much of a liking for him, but she didn't know him as well as I do... I gathered my things, said goodbye to my friends at work and made my way to his office.

I worked at Mercy Hospital as a student physiotherapy nurse. Conner and I met almost four years ago when I was still in college... we were on the same bus every day for the past few months when he finally started talking to me, three months later he asked me to be his girlfriend, and we have been inseparable since.

He works as a sales agent for H&B... He has always been very dedicated to his work. I would usually call him before showing up to his work, but as I said, I wanted it to be a surprise... I drove down to his office drumming my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music blasting in my car... I was excited about seeing him after a whole week.

Conner had some business deals in New York City, and he let me know that he had arrived, he just needed to finish up some work, and he would be home soon. I pulled up to his workplace and smiled at the guard by the door. He nodded his head, but he seemed odd. Denver the security guard was always chatting and smiling when I came by... maybe he was just tired. This is the first time I came to the office at this time.

I got onto the elevator and rode up to floor number four... the closer I got to his office, the faster my heart started beating... slow down. I thought as I placed my hand over my breast where my heart is... we didn't want to get a heart attack even before we popped the big question, did we? But not, even my pep talk didn't help...

The elevator dinged, indicating that we had arrived at the fourth floor, and as I stepped out my heart raced faster, my hands became clammy, and I felt like turning around, getting back on the elevator and heading home... But one thing about me. I never quit. I strode to his office and stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath, placed my hand on the door handle and pushed the door open as I exhaled.

Was I prepared for what stood before me? No, was I going to go caveman on their asses? No, as much as I wanted to, I was the type to suffer in silence, I believed in karma, his lips were locked with a woman I had never seen before. Conner looked over to the door and his eyes grew big... he held her by her waist and instantly dropped his hands from around her.

"Sorry I got the wrong office"

I said as I backed out and closed the door behind myself.

My eyes stung with tears and I felt as though I was being choked as my anxiety took over... I got back onto the elevator, he was playing with me. How did I not see it? I inhaled sharply, stepped out of the elevator and walked out. Denver eyed me closely... that son of a b***h knew.

"Hey Denver? A heads-up would have been great."

I said when I stopped before him, then continued walking back to my car.

He looked guilty, which confirmed my suspicion. I decided that I was going to head back to the hospital... I would just drown myself in a bottle of wine and mope around the house, he didn't deserve my tears... besides, he would come looking for me there... at the hospital someone would at least cover for me if he came looking for me there.

"Hey, back so soon?"

June asked as soon as I entered the changing room.

June and I have been close ever since college. We studied together, and we shared everything with one another. She truly was a good friend, someone I trusted with my life. She knew exactly when someone or something bothered me.

"I found him"

"And what did he say?"

She asked excitedly.

"I never got the chance to ask."

"Is everything okay Ava?"

"His cheating on me, June."

I whispered, hearing those words leaving my lips made the tears I had been holding back spill from my eyes.

She comforted me for a while, encouraging me to be positive and to not let this get to me. She always knew what to say to make me feel better, but right now nothing she said helped. I pulled away from her, wiping away my tears and putting a small smile on my face...

"Thank you, now put me to work. Please, I am not going back home tonight."

"Okay... room C12. I was supposed to take care of him, but you can. I could ask Jenny for something to do."

she said

I changed back into my nursing clothes, washed my face and fixed my hair... I still had the ring in my hand... maybe I can gift the damn thing to someone on my way there... I clocked in at the main desk, then made my way to room C12... I knocked softly and pushed the door open... oh sweet baby Jesus...

"Ava!"

I turned around at the door when I heard June calling my name.

She was waving her arms in the air as she ran down the hallway of the hospital towards me, some nurses shushing her as she passed them. When she finally reached me, she bent over trying to catch her breath, when she started breathing normally she spoke

"Sorry I gave you the wrong patient."

"oh, uhm..."

"Not this one. This one is a bit of a brute. You should go to B12."

"I could always just stay here."

I said to her.

"You don't understand, his family is assigning him another nurse in the morning."

"Why?"

"Every nurse he has had leaves his room crying, he has no way of speaking to them."

She whispered softly.

"Can I try? I think he's asleep. Anyway, I'll just sit with him until morning then."

"Okay fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

She said as she turned and waved me goodbye.

I entered the room, closing the door gently behind me, so I didn't wake up the sleeping bear. Once I was alone in the quiet room, my tears rolled down my face as I stood against the door holding the ring I was going to give to him in my hand... how had I been so blind? There had to have been signs, so why didn't I see them? 

I clasped my hands over my face as the tears wrecked my body, biting down on my lip, so I didn't make a sound. My shoulders shook violently as I pictured Conner holding another woman in his arms... Maybe it was because I was always too busy with work that I hadn't noticed, that bastard deserved every bad thing karma was sure to send his way...

I dried my face with the back of my hand. He didn't deserve my tears.... I looked at the man before me and wondered what had happened to him... he was hurt badly. His limbs hung in the air...

"Next time you need to cry, do it outside, not here."