Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 21

Bethany

POV

The shop sold scrubs and other hospital clothes, and a training hospital nearby helped me find what I wanted easily. I ended up buying ten outfits. Five with a skirt and five with trousers, all easy to wash and keep clean, and all of them had the heart theme, all colorful. I was looking forward to going to work and seeing how my boss would react to my new clothing. I hope it is received with the jest as intended. I know children would appreciate it, and though I would not see living patients during research, I was told that living would come first, and I would not want it any other way. I am a good surgeon, and being a good researcher is just an added benefit, but I love being in theater and helping change someone's life. Especially for children who have been born with a defect, I have a reputation for my microsurgery on small hearts. That was why Robson had been trying to get me to his hospital. He said he had several children on his list, waiting to have a surgeon willing to operate on the small hearts. It is not for the faint-hearted, and no pun is intended. Working on children is a skill not all surgeons have. My small, skilled hands were made for tiny hearts, and that is one gift I am thankful for. Losing a small child breaks your heart, but then losing any patients hurts, and though we may look. On my way back home, I walked past a butcher shop and could not resist going in. I brought the meat for my lasagna that I was going to make today, and next door was the shop where I could buy the pasta, a homemade sauce, and garlic bread. As I was making my way to the checkout, I found some cheese. My day just got better, and this shop had everything. I will be coming back here in the future. They even had some ready-to-heat meals that looked like they were made here on the premises. When things get busy, I will definitely be back and fill my freezer with these quick meals, better than any TV dinners. They look healthier and are made here, not in some factory. I am into home-cooked meals, and I often cook more than I need and freeze the rest into meals for another day, but this looks as good as anything I can cook.

I put away my clothes. I will give them a quick wash tomorrow and start cooking. I am absorbed in cooking and singing the songs I have put on. That time flew by. The main meal was nearly done. I cut up a salad and put the garlic bread into the oven, set out the table, ready for us, and set up the coffee pot. All that I needed to do was flip the switch, and everything would be done. Having completed everything I needed, I headed out to my balcony and watched the city come alive as night descended on the city below. It was still early, and the full moon came alive in the sky. It looked huge, like full moons often did. It had only just turned six-thirty, and the ding of the oven told me it was time to turn it all off and leave it in the heat until Theo arrived. I turned and entered the room and stopped in surprise. Theo was standing there, staring at me, with a look that made me flush with warmth. I do not remember ever having someone look at me the way he was at that moment.

'Hi Theo,' I said as I walked up to him, kissed his cheek, and continued into the kitchen to turn off the oven and turn the switch on the coffee pot.

'This place smells so delicious. I love what you have done to your hair, Theo said as he followed me into the kitchen. His voice sounded husky, and I wondered if he was coming down with something like that. He tried to clear his throat, and I grabbed a glass, poured him some water, and handed it to him. He took the glass and downed it in one long swallow. I stood there staring at him, shocked at his thirst. Wow.

'You hungry?' I asked, trying to clear my mind.

'Starving!' he chuckled as he grabbed another glass of water.

'Can I help?' I was surprised he offered after saying he was terrible in the kitchen. He is a single man, so maybe it was just an excuse to get me to cook.

'Nah, go sit. I pulled the lasagna out and placed it on a heated mat on the table. The salad was already there, and then I grabbed the garlic bread and placed it down before taking a seat opposite him.

'Wow, this looks great! He took a deep breath, smelled the food, and I giggled. That was so nice; it made me feel like all the time it took to prepare was worth it. It's silly to think that I know, but Bret never showed any appreciation for my cooking. If anything, he complained about everything I cooked. Nothing was ever good enough.

'Would you like to serve it up?' I let Theo cut the lasagna and placed a large slice on my plate before adding one to his plate. I helped myself to the salad, opened the foil for the garlic bread, broke it into pieces, took two slices, and placed them on my plate before pushing the rest towards Theo.

Theo groaned in appreciation as he ate, and it was lovely. We ate until almost everything on our plates was gone before he spoke.

'This is so good. Could I take some back to my place? I love to put some in the freezer. I am a terrible cook, and this would make a good meal when I don't have time to prepare something. He seemed genuine in his request.

'Of course, I have made two more and was going to do that for myself. I would be happy to cut one up just for you if you like! 'You do not mind?'

'Of course not.'

'Yes, please.'

After the meal was over, he helped clean up while I cut up one of the others and put them in containers for him to take back, and the same for me. The kitchen cleaned, we headed back out to the balcony and watched the cars below. We sat listening to music and enjoying the peace of the night. Neither of us felt pressure to talk. It was nice to sit and be together; the quiet was not uncomfortable; it was as if we had known each other long enough to know that talking was not needed and to enjoy having someone else's company.

Theo reached over, took my hand, and raised it to his lips. He did not look at me; it was as if he knew where my hand would be and just took it. He then just kept hold of my hand, running his thumb over my knuckles and circles on the back of my hand. It had a calming effect on me, and I thought if I relaxed further, I would fall asleep right there on the balcony. 'Would you like a coffee?' I needed something, or I would be dragging him down the hall and taking advantage of him. Where that thought came from, I have no idea, but it was true. I wanted to bed him again. He was so good last time. He had left me a smile on my face for days, and I wondered if he was that good or if it was because I was in desperate need and emotional.