Her trust in me makes me want to fix everything wrong in her life.
“I’ll be r-right here.” I tip my head to the side before she’s wheeled out of the room.
Once Vienna’s gone, I go to search for the doctor and thankfully find him in the lobby. When he’s finished talking to a couple, I walk closer to him.
“Dr. Nels-son, I’d like t-to know w-why you requested an MRI for Vienna. What d-did you see in th-the X-ray?”
He waves his hand lightly to the side. “Mr. Teager, it’s just a hunch. Nothing concrete.”
He’s about to give me some more blanket answers, so I pull out my medical license. “I d-don’t practice, but I’d really like t-to know about th-this hunch. You don’t have to share the details. I understand the protocols.”
Dr. Nelson gives my license a look before glancing back at me. “Follow me.” He leads me into his office and fires up his computer before pointing on something on the screen. “You see this?”
Vienna’s tearstained face swims before my eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Teager. Let’s hope this is nothing, and your wife’s MRI comes out clean.”
Words remain clogged in my throat as my gaze doesn’t waver from the X-ray.
“Doctor Nelson, do you have a minute?” A woman in scrubs walks in, and I leave the room.
I ball my hands into fists as I remember Vienna’s words. I don’t want to die.
Fuck.
I’m alone in the ER for only a handful of beats before Mary rolls Vienna back. My fake wife’s scared face tears my heart out.
“You did very good, Mrs. Teager.” Mary pats Vienna’s hand before leaving us alone.
“Thank you for not leaving,” she says once settled on the bed. Her solemn voice and expression are so different than how I’ve otherwise seen her in our short time together.
“You’r-re welcome.”
As I try to think about something to say so that she’s no longer this serious, she asks, “Are you sure your bosses don’t mind you being away from work?”
I shake my head. “Ever-ryone gets-s to take time off wh-when their wife’s sick.”
Thankfully, a small smile touches her lips, filling me with unbridled relief. “You are the best fake husband, Zane.”
4
VIENNA
His beautiful eyes glint, and my chest clenches in the small ER room. For a second, I forget all the worries that have been gnawing at my stomach since I was lying inside the MRI chamber. But then everything comes crashing back.
“Hey, wh-what’s the matter?”
I shake my head and make a grab for my bag, which the nurse put on the side table.
I need to call Joe.
“Vienna!” Zane pulls me back, halting my move. He then motions toward the IV stand, which is now standing crooked and ready to topple over on me. “Wh-what do you need? T-tell me.”
“I need my cell phone. I need to call my boss in the café. He’d be waiting for me. I don’t know how I’ll pay for the MRI and all the other tests. I can’t lose my job at any cost.” My throat chokes at admitting out loud how broke I am. I don’t know how Joe will react to me suddenly taking a day off.
“Hey.” Zane grabs my hand as I make another attempt to get my handbag. “D-don’t th-think about all of this.”
“What do you mean?”