Rebecca nearly laughed. The irony of her mother, the woman who had pushed her into this career and demanded perfection at every turn, telling her there was more to life than work wasalmost too much. But she didn’t laugh. Instead, she let the silence linger between them.
"Is there anything else, Mother?" she asked, her voice colder now.
Vivian let out a small sigh, the kind that suggested Rebecca’s lack of enthusiasm had disappointed her yet again. "No, that’s all. Just don’t embarrass the family. I’ll see you next weekend."
Without waiting for a response, Vivian hung up, leaving Rebecca standing in the empty hospital hallway, the coldness of the conversation settling into her bones.
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, but Rebecca didn’t move. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind, the reminder of the medical conference, of her responsibilities, of the way she had been raised to keep her emotions locked up tight.
Rebecca had spent her entire life learning to control everything—her career, her image, her emotions—and now, here she was, standing on the edge of something she couldn’t control: her feelings for Lillian.
It terrified her.
With a heavy sigh, Rebecca stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. She had to get out of here, away from the hospital, from the pressures of work, from the weight of her family’s expectations.
As the elevator descended, her thoughts drifted back to Lillian, to the text she had sent earlier, asking for a rain check. She had wanted to say yes, wanted to make time for Lillian, but every time she got close, something pulled her back. Her mother’s voice echoed in her mind, reminding her of the consequences of getting too attached, of letting someone in.
But Lillian wasn’t like anyone else. She wasn’t just another surgeon, colleague, or person who would eventually disappoint her. Lillian was warm, open, and full of life—the exact oppositeof everything Rebecca had been taught to be. And that terrified her more than anything.
As the elevator doors opened, Rebecca stepped out into the lobby, her mind still racing. She needed to clear her head, to figure out what she wanted—what she was willing to risk for Lillian.
Without thinking, Rebecca pulled out her phone and opened the message thread with Lillian. Her fingers hovered over the screen, typing and deleting several drafts of a message, each one feeling too vulnerable, too exposed.
Finally, she settled on something simple.
Are you still awake?
She hit send before she could second-guess herself, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for a response. The minutes ticked by, and Rebecca’s stomach twisted with uncertainty. Maybe Lillian was done waiting for her, tired of the mixed signals and the push and pull that Rebecca couldn’t seem to stop.
But then, her phone buzzed, and Rebecca’s heart leaped into her throat.
Yeah, I’m up. What’s on your mind?
Rebecca stared at the message, her fingers trembling slightly as she typed:I was thinking about you. About us.
She paused, biting her lip as she considered what to say next. This wasn’t easy for her. Letting someone in, showing vulnerability—it went against everything she had trained herself to do. But with Lillian, it felt different. It felt like maybe, just maybe, it was worth the risk.
Can we talk?she typed, before quickly hitting send.
There was a long pause, and Rebecca’s stomach tightened with nerves. What if Lillian said no? What if she had already given up on her?
But then, the reply came.
Come over.
Rebecca’s heart pounded in her chest, her fingers tightening around her phone as she read the words again. Lillian was giving her a chance—a chance to talk, to be honest, to let her guard down.
And for the first time in a long time, Rebecca felt like maybe she was ready.
She slipped her phone back into her pocket and walked out of the hospital, the cold night air hitting her like a wake-up call. This was it. No more hiding, no more running. If she was going to make this work with Lillian, she had to be honest—not just with Lillian, but with herself.
As she walked to her car, her mind raced with a thousand thoughts. But one thing was clear:
She wanted Lillian.
And this time, she wasn’t going to let her fear get in the way.
13
