Chapter 5 Wife Jokes
Dinner for Two
Adrian had been back at the hospital for three days when he finally admitted that returning to work had not restored everything to the way it had been before.
His body was stronger. His concentration had returned. He was once again moving through the hospital corridors with the steady confidence everyone associated with him.
But something had changed.
He no longer treated exhaustion as an unavoidable part of being a surgeon.
He ate before long procedures.
He drank water instead of surviving on coffee.
He left when his scheduled hours ended whenever circumstances allowed it.
Most importantly, he went home.
That last habit had surprised him.
Before Riley entered his life, home had been the place where Adrian changed clothes, answered emails, and slept between shifts. Now, home had become something he actually looked forward to.
He had not told anyone that.
He wasn't sure he could explain it.
That evening, two of Adrian's closest colleagues were coming over for dinner. They had spent enough time working beside him to notice when something was different, and Adrian had a feeling their curiosity would not remain contained for long.
Riley had insisted on cooking.
Adrian had offered to order food.
Riley had refused.
"You've been back at work for three days. Let me make dinner."
"I can cook."
Riley glanced toward the kitchen.
"You nearly destroyed chicken."
"That happened once."
"Once was enough."
Adrian smiled.
He had learned that arguing with Riley over certain things was pointless.
By six thirty, the apartment smelled like roasted vegetables, herbs, and something Riley had prepared with chicken.
The dining table was set properly.
There were cloth napkins.
Candles.
A bowl of flowers in the center.
Adrian looked around.
The apartment barely resembled the place he had lived in before.
Not because Riley had changed anything expensive.
He had simply added warmth.
A small watercolor hung near the dining room.
A stack of art books sat beside the sofa.
A woven blanket rested across one chair.
There were even two framed drawings from children at Riley's art program near the hallway.
Adrian had originally thought the drawings were temporary.
They had remained for weeks.
He didn't mind.
The doorbell rang.
Riley opened it.
"Come in."
Dr. Marcus Bennett entered first, followed by Dr. Elena Torres.
Marcus stopped in the doorway.
He looked around.
Then he looked at Adrian.
Then back at the apartment.
"Did I come to the wrong address?"
Adrian frowned.
"What?"
"This place has color."
Elena laughed as she entered.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Adrian closed the door.
"It's my apartment."
Marcus looked at Riley.
"Clearly."
Riley laughed.
Adrian ignored them.
They moved into the dining room.
Marcus picked up one of the framed drawings.
"What's this?"
"Riley's work," Adrian said.
Marcus looked at him.
"You know Riley?"
Riley answered before Adrian could.
"We've been spending time together."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Spending time?"
Adrian gave him a warning look.
Marcus smiled innocently.
"Interesting."
Dinner began pleasantly.
Marcus and Elena talked about the hospital.
Adrian answered questions about his recovery.
Riley kept the conversation from becoming too focused on work by asking about Marcus's upcoming vacation and Elena's new apartment.
The evening felt surprisingly comfortable.
Adrian watched Riley move around the table.
He noticed how naturally Riley checked whether everyone had enough food.
He noticed the way he listened when people spoke.
He noticed how quickly he could make a tense conversation lighter.
Adrian had become accustomed to those qualities.
Apparently, his colleagues were noticing them too.
After dinner, Marcus leaned back in his chair.
"I have to say, Adrian, you look different."
Adrian looked at him.
"Different how?"
"Healthier."
Elena nodded.
"Less exhausted."
Marcus gestured around the room.
"And your apartment looks like an actual home."
Adrian didn't answer.
Riley began clearing plates.
Marcus stood to help.
"No, I'll do it," Riley said.
Marcus looked at him.
"You live here?"
The question was casual.
Riley hesitated.
Adrian noticed.
Before Riley could answer, Adrian said, "He's staying here."
Marcus looked between them.
"Staying?"
"His apartment is being repaired."
"Right."
Marcus nodded slowly.
Then his eyes moved to the kitchen.
To the food.
To Riley's artwork.
To the carefully arranged table.
Then back to Adrian.
A grin appeared.
"What?"
Marcus shook his head.
"Nothing."
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
"I know that look."
Elena laughed.
"He's thinking it."
"Thinking what?"
Marcus pointed toward Riley.
"Did you secretly get married while we were all busy at the hospital?"
Riley nearly dropped the plates.
Adrian stared at Marcus.
The room went quiet for half a second.
Then Elena burst out laughing.
"Marcus."
"What? Look at this place."
Marcus gestured around them.
"There is home-cooked food, flowers, artwork, and Adrian actually looks relaxed."
Riley's cheeks turned pink.
Adrian should have corrected him immediately.
The logical response was obvious.
No.
We're not married.
Riley is staying temporarily.
He is helping me recover.
There is nothing romantic happening.
Adrian opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
He looked at Riley.
Riley was standing near the table, looking embarrassed but amused.
There was something unexpectedly soft about the image.
Riley in his kitchen.
Riley serving dinner.
Riley laughing with his friends.
Riley belonging here.
The thought arrived before Adrian could stop it.
My husband.
The idea didn't feel absurd.
It didn't feel uncomfortable.
It didn't even feel impossible.
It felt...
Natural.
Adrian closed his mouth.
Marcus noticed.
His eyebrows rose.
Elena looked from Adrian to Riley.
Riley looked at Adrian.
Nobody spoke.
Then Marcus slowly smiled.
"Oh."
Adrian gave him a warning stare.
"Don't."
Marcus raised both hands.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
"I was going to say the food was excellent."
"Then say that."
Marcus grinned.
"The food was excellent."
Riley laughed.
The tension disappeared.
They continued talking.
But Adrian found himself distracted.
He kept noticing Riley.
The way he smiled.
The way he tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
The way he leaned against the counter while listening to Marcus tell an exaggerated hospital story.
And Adrian kept remembering that moment.
The question.
Did you secretly get married?
He should have found the joke ridiculous.
Instead, he couldn't stop thinking about it.
After Marcus and Elena left, Adrian closed the door.
Riley remained in the kitchen, gathering glasses.
Adrian walked toward him.
"You don't have to clean everything tonight."
"I know."
Riley smiled.
"I'm almost finished."
Adrian leaned against the counter.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Riley looked at him.
"You didn't correct him."
Adrian knew immediately what he meant.
"No."
"Why?"
Adrian hesitated.
"I don't know."
Riley looked down at the glass in his hand.
"You could have."
"I know."
"You almost did."
Adrian nodded.
"I did."
Riley waited.
Adrian searched for an explanation that made sense.
"I looked at you."
Riley slowly raised his eyes.
"And?"
Adrian's voice became quieter.
"And I realized I didn't hate the idea."
Riley's expression changed.
He looked almost stunned.
Adrian wasn't sure what he had just admitted.
But he knew it was true.
The apartment was quiet after Riley stopped moving.
Adrian could hear the refrigerator humming.
The city outside.
Their breathing.
Then Riley smiled, small and uncertain.
"I don't think I've ever seen you speechless before."
Adrian gave him a faint smile.
"I'm not speechless."
"You are."
"I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous."
Adrian laughed.
Riley laughed with him.
And for a few seconds, the idea of being mistaken for husbands no longer felt like a joke.
It felt like something waiting patiently between them.
Something neither man was ready to name.
Yet.
The Word We Don't Say
Riley waited until the dishes were washed before allowing himself to think about what had happened.
That was easier said than done.
Marcus's joke kept replaying in his mind.
Did you secretly get married while we were all busy at the hospital?
Riley had heard teasing before. He knew Marcus hadn't meant anything cruel by it.
The joke had simply been based on what he had seen: Riley cooking, Adrian looking healthier, the apartment feeling warmer, and the two of them moving around each other with a familiarity that had developed faster than either man had expected.
Still, hearing the word wife had made Riley's stomach twist.
Not because he disliked it.
That was the problem.
He had imagined being Adrian's partner more times than he was willing to admit.
He had imagined sharing mornings with him.
Cooking dinner.
Falling asleep beside him.
Taking care of him after difficult shifts.
Building a home together.
But those had always been private dreams.
Hearing someone else say it aloud had made the fantasy suddenly feel dangerously close to reality.
Riley stood at the kitchen counter, drying the last glass.
Adrian was nearby, putting away the dishes.
Marcus's teasing had continued during the rest of the evening.
Every time Riley brought something to the table, Marcus had made another comment.
"Careful, Adrian. You're going to get spoiled."
Then later, when Riley reminded Adrian to take his medication, Marcus had laughed.
"He's definitely the wife."
Riley had smiled awkwardly each time.
Adrian hadn't laughed at Riley's expense.
Instead, he had calmly redirected the conversation.
"Riley is helping me recover. That's all you need to know."
The tone had been firm enough that Marcus stopped teasing.
Riley remembered that too.
Adrian hadn't been embarrassed by him.
He hadn't allowed anyone to make Riley feel foolish for caring.
That meant more than Riley wanted to admit.
When the kitchen was finally clean, Riley wiped his hands and turned around.
Adrian was standing near the window.
He looked thoughtful.
Riley hesitated.