“Erin.” Dr. Archibald stands, giving the young woman wearing an identical uniform as Anita a hug. She hugs him back tightly. My eyes narrow on their own accord. Who is this woman? She is attractive with large brown eyes and plump pink lips. An elegant green silk scarf is wrapped stylishly around her head. It’s a good idea to keep the hair from her eyes.
I mustn’t have a very good poker face because she pulls away apologetically. “How rude of me. I’m Erin.” She extends her hand, which I shake lightly. “Don’t let this guy give you any trouble. If he does, just tell him you saw a bigger bike than his.” When she winks, I smile. Any joke at the doctor’s expense is just fine by me.
Dr. Archibald clutches at his chest, staging distress. Erin giggles. “I’ll be right back to take your order.” She rubs his arm affectionately before leaving our table.
As he watches her fondly, a surge of suspicion overwhelms me. Why the hell did he bring me here? “So who’s Erin?”
With his gaze still pinned to her, he reveals, “She’s someone remarkable.”
I put two and two together and roll my eyes. Did he bring me here to rub my face in his happiness? Or maybe he brought me along to make her jealous? Or maybe she’s his girlfriend? There are too many maybes in this equation, and I don’t like it.
“Well, I’m happy for you both,” I say, reaching for my coffee, hoping to drown my sorrows.
Anyone would think Dr. Archibald is sucking on a lemon when he turns to look at me. His nose and forehead are scrunched up tight. “We’re not a…thing,” he clarifies, gesturing back and forth between them with two fingers.
“So why did you bring me here? Doctor—Roman?” It feels beyond strange to call him by his first name, but this is the only way he’ll tell me the truth.
He gestures with his chin to Erin, who is laughing and chatting with customers. “What do you see when you look at Erin?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. What do you see?” When I hesitate, he adds, “This isn’t a trick question.”
Fed up with his games, I look at Erin and shrug. “A pretty young woman.”
“And?”
“And what? I doubt she’s a real blonde. What do you want from me?” I snap, throwing my hands out to the side.
“You’re missing the most vital point. Think. What is the difference between you and her?” He rounds the table and lowers his face inches from mine. I hold my breath because he is absolutely, infuriatingly beautiful.
I know what he wants me to say, but why? Surely, he wouldn’t be so cruel. But he is. “Does she walk with a limp? Or talk with a stutter? Is her life going to be cut incredibly short?”
The tears I’ve tried to keep at bay break the surface because his malice hurts more than I thought it would. “Why would you say that?” I whisper, my lower lip trembling. “Why would you compare me to someone like her? She’s…perfect.”
I don’t wait for him to explain because no reason can excuse such spite. I shoot up, shoving past him, not caring that the entire diner is now staring. I storm past them all; none, including Dr. Archibald, mean anything.
The fresh air isn’t sufficient to ease my impending breakdown. Nothing will. No one has ever been this cruel, not even my mother. I feel a fool for thinking Dr. Archibald was different.
“Lola!”
“Go away,” I affirm, sniffing back my tears as I charge away from him. “What did I ever do to you?”
“Lola, listen to me. I’m sorry I made you cry.” The breeze carries his apparent remorse, but I won’t listen.
“I’m not crying,” I stubbornly argue as I’ll be damned if he sees my tears.
“Stop, please.” But it’s too late.
I break into a sprint, surprised what adrenaline can do. My victory is short-lived, however, because I’m swathed in his arms, and I reproach my body for relishing in the contact.
“Let me go!” My sadness is steadily replaced with rage as I fight to break his hold. “If you wanted to humiliate me and make me feel like utter shit, mission accomplished.”
His strong arms lift me off the ground to stop me from squirming. “The answer to your question is—”
“I don’t care what the answer is. The only answer I want to know is where I am so I can get the hell away from you, you asshole!”