A Successful Woman – 9

As I sat at the head table, taking congratulations from this one and that, eating the dinner created in my honour, I kept glancing towards the corner where Mickey sat with his wife.

I kept seeing that last night we had been together.

How young and full of energy we were! How we came home from an incredibly hectic day in the Emergency Room, talking of saving lives, and jumping into bed, making love. For when Mickey and I were together, it was love.

I didn’t know it then, not really, everything was exciting and fresh and happening all at once.

It was after, when I remembered the acceptance letter and gave it him. He read it, smiling, proud of me, yes. He was proud that I had been chosen.

He looked at me, his eyes so warm, and I returned his smile.

But he thought I had turned it down, to keep our relationship. And when he realised that nothing was more important to me than my career, his smile froze, broke, dropped.

“I better get home…” he had said.

It was unusual he didn’t spend the night.  I had puzzled at it, didn’t say anything as he quickly dressed and left.

We never were together again, after that night.