Her Forever Fling

by Kimmie Ferrell

  Instead of running from these feelings so foreign to her, like her mind had been wired to do many times before, Melissa stepped off the escalator, ready to embrace what would come. She welcomed the hairs rising on the back of her neck, signaling to her someone was watching her. She enjoyed the feeling of the goosebumps exploding over her skin. A sense of calm overtook her and the familiar, mouthwatering scent filled her nose, causing Melissa’s knees to buckle. It swept through Melissa’s body, ebbing away the stress, frustration, and the loneliness she’d suffered with since Jayla relocated a whole month before her scheduled start date, citing she needed to get acclimated with the new city. Melissa made a mental note to call Jayla later to inform her of her arrival.

  But for now …

  “Looking for someone?”

  Melissa closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions that soared through her as the melodic tone of the rich, smooth tenor voice played in her ears. She spun around. The tears she told herself she wouldn’t cry slid down her cheek. “Yeah, you.” Letting go of the handle of her carry-on bag, Melissa threw her arms around Elijah’s broad shoulders, immediately burying her face in his chest, and inhaled an invigorating mixture of citrus and earthy tones. He smelled so damn good, but there was something about his scent that hit Melissa differently this time. She couldn’t immediately recognize it, but began to fully understand—and welcomed—the sensations bombarding her the longer they stood there, embracing in the middle of baggage claim.

  With his strong arms wrapped protectively around her, and his large hands splayed across her back, Elijah effortlessly lifted her off the ground and twirled around, causing Melissa to laugh through the tears that continued to fall. Finally, Elijah placed her back on her feet and whispered against the shell of her ear, “I missed you, sweetheart.”

  “I missed you, too.” Melissa lifted her head with a smile. “Part of me thinks I’m dreaming, and in a few minutes, my phone will ring, the alarm clock will go off, or the cat will jump on the bed meowing because she wants some food.”

  “You don’t have a cat.” Elijah chuckled, then sobered. His gaze flickered to her lips, which Melissa instinctively licked out of nervousness. He followed the motion with hunger-laced orbs. “Trust me,” he whispered, moving closer until his lips were mere inches from hers, “you’re not dreaming. We’re both very much awake.”

  Melissa’s breath hitched in her lungs, and desire electrocuted every single nerve ending in her body. She stood on her tiptoes and tilted her head upward. “Give me a reason to believe you.” She’d been impatiently waiting to taste his lips since Elijah proposed them meeting up.

  “Gladly,” Elijah rasped out.

  The warmth of his minty fresh breath fanned her mouth, causing Melissa’s eyes to flutter close on their own accord. Elijah captured her lips, snatching her very next breath. His tongue pushed inside of her mouth, twisting, twirling, and dancing alongside hers for dominance, neither one relenting nor submitting to the other as each fought to control the kiss. Melissa gripped fistfuls of his short-sleeved T-shirt, trying to keep herself upright on wobbly knees, and if it weren’t for Elijah’s strong arm holding her against his hard frame, Melissa would’ve fallen to the ground at his feet. At length, Elijah pulled back, resting his forehead against hers, as the staccato spurts of their breathing filled the space between them. “See, this is why we can’t kiss in public. We always draw stares.”

  Slowly, Melissa’s eyes fluttered opened and glanced around them. She released Elijah’s shirt, smoothing a hand down his chest, and shrugged. “Not my problem. They should be focused on their loved ones, not on us.”

  “True.” Elijah grabbed the handle of her carry-on bag. “Did you check another suitcase?”

  “No, this is it. But…” Melissa reached over and punched Elijah in the arm.

  “Dang, woman, what was that for?” Elijah asked, rubbing the spot where she hit him.

  Laughing, Melissa laced their fingers together. “Did I not tell you I was going to get you for not telling me Jaedon was a prince?”

  He chuckled. “You did, but I thought you would have mercy on me knowing I’d signed an NDA and all.”

  On their last night in Chaud, Jayla learned the man she’d been gallivanting around the island with was the spare heir to the throne of Chaud. But, instead of freaking out, like Melissa would’ve done in the situation, Jayla seemed unfazed by Jae’s title. The two maintained contact and were engaged in some sort of international, friends-with-benefits situation.

  Allowing Elijah to lead her toward the exit, Melissa observed her surroundings. She couldn’t believe she was in Memphis, Tennessee. During one of the conversations after Chaud, Elijah confessed to being a huge fan of Rhythm & Blues, so the city was fitting for their weekend rendezvous. And the five-word sentence in the body of the forwarded information—Let’s dance on Beale Street—had Melissa seeing stars and ready to say the hell with waiting.

  Once settled in the passenger seat of the rental car, Melissa sent a quick text to Jayla, letting her know she arrived, and slipped the phone back into her purse. She glanced over at Elijah, studying his profile. His eyes were focused on the road, and his brows were knit as he wove in and out of the congested airport traffic. Elijah reached over to lace their fingers together and brought the back of Melissa’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it before settling their hands on the center console. The move sent heat spiraling through her.

  “I have a question to ask you, and I know this is going to sound weird.” Melissa shifted in her chair to face him. “But I’ve been thinking about this since I boarded the plane. Well, perhaps even before then, like when you sent me the confirmation email, or maybe even after you suggested this trip. I knew I had to ask this because I feel like—”

  “You’re rambling.” Elijah chuckled. He pulled to a stop at a red light and turned to face Melissa. His eyes sparkled with amusement, and the corners of his mouth twitched with the makings of a smile. “Just say it.”

  She swallowed past the lump that bubbled in her throat and squared her shoulders. “What are you doing in three weeks? Give or take a couple?”

  “Right now, I have no idea. But more than anything, I hope I’m with you.”

  “Me too.” Melissa smiled, sitting back in her seat.

  “Time of death,” Elijah glanced at the clock over on the far wall, “zero-one-thirty hours.”

  A deafening silence filled the operating room as the nurses moved to switch off the machines hooked to the patient. Everything, including time, seemed to stand still. Elijah bent his head low and closed his eyes, whispering a solemn prayer over the body of a forty-five-year-old father of three who had been rushed to the hospital after his wife found him passed out in their kitchen. Despite getting the man to an OR within minutes of him being wheeled into the emergency department, he’d succumb to his heart condition.

  After concluding his prayer, Elijah glanced around the room at the fallen faces of the staff. This was the second-worst part of his job, not being able to save every patient who walked, limped, or was pushed through the hospital’s doors. Now, he needed to get cleaned up to prepare for the absolute worst part— informing the family, an act that never got any easier, despite having informed countless families throughout his career.

  Almost an hour later, Elijah yanked off his scrub cap and stuffed it into his pocket. The wails of sorrow from Mrs. Holten, words of encouragement from family members who’d gathered in the OR waiting room, and the questions of confusion from the couple’s three children followed Elijah all the way to the bank of elevators. He pressed the button, calling for the elevator, and squeezed his eyes shut against the images of Mrs. Holten’s crestfallen face as he informed her that her husband, the man she’d dated since middle school, had not survived. It ripped a piece of his soul from his body and left a fragmented crack on his heart. Her broken sobs would surely haunt him for an unforeseeable future, or until Elijah was forced to do it all over again, breaking devastating ne
ws to yet another family.

  After removing his cell phone from his pocket, Elijah unlocked the screen and pulled up the messaging app on his phone. Chances were Melissa was asleep. At least, Elijah hoped she was. During their weekend in Memphis, Melissa tossed and turned for most of their first night. She’d later confided to having insomnia caused by the stress of living with the consequences of quitting her job and trying to find a new one. But Melissa never wanted to talk about the job she’d applied for since she had yet to hear anything back from the HR department and declared it a total loss.

  By the time they met in Savannah, Georgia, six weeks after their time together in Memphis, Melissa was so far down in the dumps, Elijah debated calling the Human Resource Department at his own hospital to see if they had any openings. However, thought better of doing so, not wanting to upset or offend Melissa.

  The phone vibrated in his hand before Elijah could think better of messaging Melissa. He swiped the notification and smiled.

  Nurse Sweetheart: Thinking about you.

  Elijah didn’t even think twice, pressing the button to dial Melissa’s number. She answered on the first ring.

  “Dr. Bae, did I wake you?”

  “Not at all, Nurse Sweetheart,” Elijah said, smiling at the usage of the nickname he’d given her to counteract the moniker Melissa insisted on calling him. “I was thinking about you and was going to text but figured you were asleep and didn’t wanna wake you.”

  “Awww, babe, I wasn’t…” Her voice trailed off. “Wait, you were about to text me? Why? What’s wrong?”

  Elijah scrubbed a hand down his face at the concern dripping from Melissa’s tone. The fine hairs on his arms stood on end, and goosebumps prickled his skin. This was the part in their relationship that often left Elijah confused. Melissa’s concern and constant worrying over him. Granted, Elijah thought about Melissa at all hours of the day when his mind wasn’t bogged down with work-related subjects. But the level at which Melissa expressed her concerns mirrored those of his mother, and Elijah questioning how deep her feelings were for him. Though he knew asking Melissa flat out was a no-no, Elijah would remain patient, giving her time to sort out her feelings and continue to set the pace of their relationship.

  Over the last few weeks, Melissa commented on the exhaustion lining his eyes or how he appeared to have lost a little weight. She’d questioned his sleeping patterns, eating habits, and despite his hesitancy against wanting to divulge too much about work since their time together was so fleeting, he’d shared with her that his schedule increased since returning from INAPC.

  “Babe, noth—”

  Before Elijah could finish the statement, the phone chimed in his ear. He pulled it away to glance at the screen and smiled, pressing the button to connect the video call. Seconds later, Melissa’s face filled the screen. Her eyes were heavy-lidded with sleep and unease. She stifled a yawn behind the back of her hand. “You were too quiet. I thought you hung up.”

  “Never.” Elijah smiled, wishing he were there with Melissa, holding her close because he’d learned she alone possessed the power to make his world stop when he wrapped his arms around her. “Wanna tell me why you’re up thinking about me in the middle of the night? I mean, besides the obvious reasons of you wanting me.”

  Melissa smacked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Only if you tell me what’s wrong and why you were about to text me in the middle of the night.” She cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips together. “And before you say ‘Ladies first,’ remember I asked you first. Does it have anything to do with the other attending?”

  Elijah shook his head. While in Memphis, Elijah explained to Melissa that he and the other attending had been bumping heads since one of their fellow attendings went on paternal leave. Elijah believed the increase in altercations stemmed from the rumors of the impending retirement of the Head of CT Surgery and subsequent position opening.

  “Nah.” He released a heavy sigh, warring with himself on whether or not to explain his current condition or continue to carry the weight on his shoulders. Elijah decided the former. How else could they continue to strengthen their relationship if he held things back from her, even little things like this? “I lost a patient an hour-and-a-half ago.”

  “Ohmigosh, Elijah!” Melissa shifted to sit up in her bed. She rested her back against the Tiffany Blue tufted headboard, her eyes twice their normal size. “I’m so sorry.” She pressed her lips together in a thin line. “I wish I were there with you. I know I can’t bring your patient back. I can’t take away the anger, the confusion, or even the self-doubt you may be experiencing right now, but I could be there. I would wrap my arms around you, hold you as we sat quietly together, digesting what happened. And then, I would tell you how great of a doctor you are, Elijah. I would remind you of the countless lives you’ve saved and how even though I know you did everything possible to save the life of your patient, you are only a doctor. You’re not God. Although, you do walk around with a God-like complex.”

  The wink and smile Melissa gave him after her verbal jab hit Elijah square in the chest. He sucked in a sharp breath and locked his knees as not to fall to the high-polished floor. Even in the dead of night, Melissa had a sense of humor. She could make him smile with the greatest of ease, on top of being kind-hearted and thoughtful. It was one of the reasons why he’d been so adamant about continuing their budding relationship after Chaud. Elijah knew Melissa was unique, and as much as he wanted to tell her so, he wouldn’t. Not yet anyway.

  Maybe after Florida. Elijah invited Melissa to spend the weekend with him in Florida in a couple of weeks. He’d been invited to speak at a convention and was only expected to be available for his forty-five-minute presentation. The rest of the time, he planned to spend with Melissa, showing her how much he appreciated her for giving them a chance.

  “Don’t act like you don’t love my quote ‘God-like complex’ unquote.” Elijah tossed Melissa a wink of his own before growing serious. “But seriously, I’ll be fine. I’ve already requested an appointment with the grief counselor for tomorrow.”

  “That’s definitely a great start. Unfortunately, too many doctors—too many African Americans—have an aversion to seeking therapy. We’re led to believe, and in some instances flat out told, that doing so means there is something wrong with us when in all actuality, it shows we’re human.”

  “Exactly.” Elijah nodded. “Now, why are you up? Couldn’t sleep?”

  Melissa adjusted the silk bonnet Elijah had come to adore on her head and shrugged. “It’s gonna sound weird, and you may look at me differently.”

  An unsettling mixture of confusion and dread rolled through his body. “Okay,” he said slowly. “I highly doubt anything would make me look at you any less than I see you now, but I’ll keep an open mind and heart.”

  “I don’t even know how to really explain it,” Melissa said after a bout of silence filled the line. “I woke up feeling off. It wasn’t a bad dream, more like a sense of overwhelming sadness but not for me, for you. Something wanted me to call you. I felt it in my soul, my spirit, and my heart. And until I did, there was no way I would get any sleep.”

  “Wow,” was the only thing he could fix his mouth to say as his mind tried processing Melissa’s statement. He settled back into the cushion of his chair, enjoying the warmth that wrapped itself around his overworked body at her words. She never ceased to amaze him, and while Elijah had no idea what it meant to be so interconnected with a person you feel them, he liked that their relationship got to this point.

  “Well, I’m glad you called me. You really just made my night.”

  “Me too, and I can’t wait to see you in Orlando.”

  Pressing a button on the key fob of her rental, Melissa unlocked the doors, tossed her purse onto the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel of the Ford Fusion. She closed her eyes and laid her head on the steering wheel, willing her heart rate to slow down before she ran the risk of having a heart attack in the
parking lot of her possible new job.

  New job. Melissa still couldn’t believe she was now one step closer to being gainfully employed. After going so long without hearing anything from the hospital recruiter, Melissa sulked and stressed, leading to restless nights. She’d mourned a job she never held ownership of and fell headfirst into the clutches of depression and despair. And just when Melissa was all but ready to throw in the towel, she’d gotten a phone call asking her if she could come for an in-person interview. Of course, Melissa jumped at the opportunity, although it meant canceling a much-needed vacation to Orlando with her brilliant, sexy, funny boyfriend.

  Elijah!

  Melissa bolted upright, the beating of her heart now eclipsing the sounds of approaching sirens and vehicles pulling in parking spots all around her. She massaged her temples, feeling the makings of a migraine coming on. Her day started off fantastic. She’d awakened in the second master bedroom of Jayla’s condo—the room that would ultimately become hers once she got herself together and finally moved—had breakfast, and even took a short boat tour while at the Harbor, trying to kill time before her interview. But now that the interview was over, all Melissa wanted to do was crawl back into bed, bury her head beneath the comforters, and prepare herself for what could possibly be the most challenging conversation she would ever have in her life.

  The interview itself went well, or at least Melissa believed it had. She’d wowed the panel of doctors and nurses. Melissa was truthful, professional, displayed her sense of humor, showing she was well-rounded, and answered all the questions thrown at her. Each person commented on her knowledge of the latest studies and procedures and was thoroughly impressed with her glowing recommendations. The only person who Melissa was unable to gauge through his stony expression was the Chief of Surgery, Dr. Webster. He’d walked into the conference room, commanding the attention of everyone inside, yet the only thing he’d said was a chaste thanks before preceding everyone out of the room at the completion of the interview. But not even Dr. Webster’s attitude had fazed Melissa.