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."

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 disease. She

"Then come on down. I'm waiting in the parking

"You're here?"

voice cheerful, "Picking up Ms. Webster from work

"I'll be right there."

gesturing hurriedly, "Go on, go on. Look at you, all

in our faces

"You..."

go get him,

my bag from my office and made

held the warmth of late summer turning

lazily leaning against

well-defined, were fiddling with his phone, his casually drooping eyelids giving off a cool detachment. He

utterly carefree about

out

instead, "You didn't even look.

"Not afraid."

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

"Isn't everyone

looking deep

free to slip into the