Chapter 154

Chapter 154
“He'll be moved to a private room shortly. You'll be able to see him soon.”

Tears glistened in the older woman's eyes.

Olivia squeezed her hand in return before letting go. Then she headed toward the staff locker room to change.

Ashton would be picking her up in an hour.

Despite her exhaustion, the thought of having dinner with Mrs. Lennon and her son sounded far more appealing than returning to an empty home with no one waiting for her at the end of the day.

A few minutes later, she had changed into a breathable satin blouse the color of soft cream. The smooth fabric felt far better against her skin than the stiff hospital uniform she had been wearing all day. She paired it with dark slacks and comfortable flats.

After brushing her hair, she leaned closer to the mirror and applied a faint amount of lipstick to bring some color to her face.

She had barely finished when the locker room door swung open. Nurse Jessy walked in carrying a clipboard.

The moment she saw Olivia, her eyes widened. "Wow Doc, you look good. Going somewhere?"

Olivia capped her lipstick and slipped it into her purse. "Mrs. Lennon invited me to her birthday celebration."

Recognition flashed across Jessy's face, and then she burst out laughing. "Oh, I remember her."

Olivia groaned. "Of course you do."

"How could I forget?" Jessy said between chuckles. "She's the patient who practically tried to bribe you into becoming her daughter-in-law. It was hilarious."

"Honestly, she wouldn't have stopped if she hadn't found out you were married," she added.

A buzz from Olivia's phone interrupted them. She pulled it out to find a message from Ashton and then slipped her phone back into her bag.

"That's my ride."

"Have fun, Doc."

Olivia didn't look back. She just waved at Jessy and headed for the door.

—

Warm chandelier light danced across crystal glasses, making them sparkle like tiny stars. The soft murmur of voices drifted through the room, mingling with the piano's graceful notes that floated in the air.

Olivia found herself relaxing more than she had expected.

Across from her, Mrs. Lennon was in the middle of telling a story about a disastrous attempt to purchase something online, only for the item to arrive looking completely different from what had been shown in the app.

Ashton sat beside her, shaking his head in embarrassment.

“I ordered a settee, but my butt barely fit on the one I've got! It looks nothing like the actual picture!” Mrs. Lennon exclaimed dramatically.

Olivia nearly choked on her water.

It was always fun to joke around with Mrs. Lennon; she never ran out of humorous stories. Olivia couldn't remember the last time she had sat at a table and simply enjoyed herself.

A sudden vibration against her side pulled her attention away.

Her phone kept buzzing. She ignored it.

Mrs. Lennon continued talking as the waiter arrived with their meals.

The smell of grilled steak and butter drifted through the air. Olivia thanked the waiter and picked up her fork.

Bzzz. Bzzz.

The phone seemed determined to throw itself out of her bag. She took a sip of water and tried to focus on the conversation.

This time, Mrs. Lennon glanced toward the source of the sound. "Dear, I think you should answer that."

"It's alright."

The last thing Olivia wanted was to seem rude.

Mrs. Lennon had invited her here because she genuinely wanted her company. The woman had been excited about this dinner.

Olivia didn't want them to think she was distracted or counting the minutes until she could leave.

“It's probably nothing important.”

Mrs. Lennon waved a dismissive hand. "I insist."

Sighing, Olivia reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. The moment the screen lit up, the smile on her face vanished.

Missed calls flooded the notification bar, along with dozens of unread messages. Most were from friends, while others came from relatives she rarely spoke to.

She didn't even need to open them all to know what they said. Every message was asking the same thing: Why aren't you at the party?

Trying not to draw attention to it, she held the power button until the screen went black.

“A friend is asking about something,” she lied, slipping the phone back into her bag. “It's not important. I'll get back to her when I get home.”

Before either of them could ask more questions, she gently steered the conversation elsewhere.

“I hope you don't mind that I didn't bring you a gift, Mrs. Lennon. But I promise I'll give you a proper thank-you gift for inviting me tonight.”

“Doc Olivia, I really don't mind. Isn’t saving my life a gift enough?”

Mrs. Lennon reached across the table and lightly patted her hand. “A month ago, I thought I might never see another birthday. I might never have another dinner with my son. Then you came along and changed that. So please don't worry about gifts. Having you here tonight is more than enough for me.”

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat.

Mrs. Lennon dabbed a napkin at the corner of her eye. “Enough of the emotional stuff. I'm supposed to be celebrating my birthday, not crying in public.”

“That's right,” Ashton agreed. “People might think I forgot my wallet.”

Mrs. Lennon scoffed. “Please. If you forgot your wallet, I'd make you wash dishes in the kitchen.”

The table erupted in laughter.

Hours passed far more quickly than Olivia expected. By the end of the evening, she realized she had a really good time with Mrs. Lennon and Ashton.

—

“Ashton, why don’t you walk Doc Olivia to her car? I’ll follow suit in our car after I go to the bathroom.”

Ashton stood without complaint. Olivia grabbed her bag and followed suit.

“Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Lennon.”

Mrs. Lennon kissed her on the cheek. “It was lovely having you. Take care on your way home.”

Ashton and Olivia walked side by side through the aisle, leading to the door. The automatic doors slid open, and a soft rush of night air met them. They stepped out.