Then whispered:
“Best day of my life.”
I smiled through tears.
“Mine too.”
At the time, I thought we meant the same thing.
Later, I would realize we didn’t.
Afterward, people slowly drifted out.
Someone brought a grocery-store cake.
My parents hugged me.
The nurses took pictures.
Ethan eventually fell asleep with his hand wrapped around mine.
I sat beside him watching his chest rise and fall.
Trying to memorize every detail.
The shape of his fingers.
The curve of his mouth.
The little line between his eyebrows.
I thought I was preparing myself to lose my husband.
I had no idea I had just married a stranger.
THE NURSE STOPPED ME IN THE HALL
Eventually, I went looking for coffee.
A young nurse caught my elbow outside Room 407.
“Claire.”
I turned.
She looked nervous.
“Don’t tell Ethan I said anything.”
My stomach tightened.
“Said what?”
She glanced toward his room.
Then lowered her voice.
“Before you leave tonight…”
She swallowed.
“Look under his mattress.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“Under the mattress.”
“Why?”
Her eyes flicked toward the nurses’ station.
Then back to me.
“He’s lying to you.”
My whole body went cold.
“About what?”
“Him and the doctor.”
“What about them?”
“They have some kind of plan.”
I stepped closer.
“What plan?”
“I don’t know everything.”
Her fingers tightened around my sleeve.
“But Ethan doesn’t know I saw what was hidden there.”
Then she walked away.
Just like that.
I stood frozen in the hallway holding a cup of vending-machine coffee.
My wedding ring suddenly felt heavy.
“EVERYTHING’S STILL ON SCHEDULE.”
I returned to Ethan’s room wearing the same smile I had worn all afternoon.
He looked up.
“There you are.”
“I got lost finding coffee.”
“You always get lost.”
I smiled.
But now all I could hear was:
Look under his mattress.
A few minutes later, Dr. Klein entered.
“How’s our groom?”
Ethan grinned.
“Married.”
“I heard. Congratulations.”
The doctor glanced at Ethan’s monitor.
Then said:
“Everything is still on schedule.”
Ethan gave him the smallest nod.
“So tomorrow works?”
“It should.”
I watched both of them.
Tomorrow?
Ethan had no treatment scheduled.
No procedure I knew about.
Nothing.
Dr. Klein left.
