50
Zander
Time to Immigrate
“DAMN, ARE YOU SURE?”
Doing my best to stop my knees bouncing where I sat before the desk of the hospital hiring department, I nodded. Every muscle ached like I had the flu. Every day was worse than the last. Somehow, a week had passed since I’d been with Sailor, and she hadn’t sent me a single message.
Not to X or to Zander.
I’d drafted so many texts to her, coming up with the quickest, surest way to make her hate X and cut him out of her life completely, but each time I wrote something—each time I typed lines like: ‘I’m sorry’, ‘forgive me’, ‘this is the only way’, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you’—I hated myself a little more.
“How about you think a little more on this and—”
“No, I’m sure.” I wedged my palms on my thighs. “I’d like to be transferred. I’m happy to consider any hospital you recommend. I’m even open to overseas.”
“Well, okay then.” The director of recruitment nodded. His greying hair was slightly balding on top. “It will take me a few months to put out the necessary feelers and find someone to replace you.”
“That’s fine.” Standing, I headed toward the door.
“Hey, Dr North?”
I turned and forced a smile. “Yes?”
“Why the sudden decision to move? Forgive me but I thought you were born and bred here? I don’t mind admitting that due to your young age but already impressive record, I’ve already earmarked you for taking over as medical director one day.”
I nodded politely. “Thank you for your trust in me, Dr Parker, but things change.”
“They do indeed.” Shuffling some paperwork, he nodded with a sad smile. “In that case, I guess I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks.”
Slipping out of his office, I headed back downstairs to the staffroom where I had ten minutes before checking on a patient.
I checked my phone for the millionth time, hoping, wishing, fearing a message from Sailor.
But nothing.
I didn’t have the courage to send that final text from X ending things.
And I couldn’t survive the pain of messaging her as Zander, knowing what she’d done with X.
I couldn’t be mad at her for sleeping with another man who wasn’t me.
She had slept with me.
But she’d also shown that I didn’t mean as much to her as X did, and now, I had nothing left.