Lost Me Gained Regret

The arrow hit the bullseye, though it wasn't exactly planned that way.

By the time the meeting wrapped up at the office, dusk was already creeping in. I had hitched a ride with Christine earlier in the day.

I was just about to call an Uber back to the hospital.

Christine offered to drop me off, and I shot her a sidelong glance, teasing, "I saw you texting Dailey during the meeting. Don't let me hold you back from... whatever's brewing there."

Christine's laughter was bright and beautiful. "Oh, what now? You've become a screen peeker?"

"Just happened to catch a glimpse."

I chuckled awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

During the meeting, she was seated diagonally to my left, leaning over the table to text. It was impossible not to see.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Gregory.

"All done with the meeting?"

His voice, relaxed and casual, flowed from the other end of the line, making me smile.

"Yeah, just finished. I'm heading back to the hospital to check on Ramona, then home."

several attempts by Dr. Thompson, Ramona's condition seemed stable, identical to anyone her age. If I kept up my constant vigil at the hospital, she'd start suspecting she had some incurable

said, "Then come on down. I'm

"You're here?"

Webster from work is all in a day's

"I'll be right there."

saw her gesturing hurriedly, "Go on, go on. Look at you, all lovesick the moment you know it's your

it in our faces every day,

"You..."

nose, "You go

my office and made a beeline for

held the warmth of late summer turning into

he was, lazily leaning against

his phone, his casually drooping eyelids giving off a cool detachment. He

carefree

he suddenly stretched out an arm without even looking up, pulling

instead, "You didn't even look. Weren't you afraid of grabbing the wrong

"Not afraid."

hand caressing the small of my back, "A one-of-a-kind person

"Isn't

my cheek and looking deep into my eyes, "In my world, you're

wriggled free to slip into the passenger