Head Above Water Pt. 04

"What?"

"I have my graduation today. I don't think I'll go."

"Wes, what the fuck? Of course you have to go!"

"I can't leave you here alone."

"Wes, honestly, I'm not five. I'll be fine. I want you to go. I'll never forgive you if you don't."

"Celie, babe, I can't bear the thought of you being stuck here alone."

"She won't be alone," said a voice from the doorway. We both looked up.

"Rita!" I cried, grinning. She had in her hands some iced coffees from 7 Leaves. I gave her a grateful smile as she handed a coffee to each of us, sipping her own with a pleased expression on her face. Her engagement ring flashed in the morning sunlight, sparkling brilliantly. I only glanced at it for a second, afraid to give Wes any ideas; I didn't want him thinking that I wanted one.

"I brought a phone charger for you, Celine," Rita said, holding up her purse. "And some scones and biscuits. I have them in my bag. I'll keep you busy while Wes goes to his graduation." She turned to Wes. "I'll fucking kill you if you don't go."

"She's serious," I said. "Hell hath no fury like a woman sconed."

"Was that a joke?" Wes asked, dumbfounded. Rita burst into laughter.

"Sconed," she said, giggling. "I get it."

Wes's face broke into a beautiful smile. "You amaze me more and more every day."

"Yeah, yeah, we know Celine's an awesome badass beauty," Rita said, giving him a shove toward the door. "Get out of here before I beat you with a scone. Your graduation is in like three hours."

"Yes, ma'am," Wes said, waving. Rita held up a fist and he backed away slowly, grinning. "Bye, ladies!"

"God, I thought he'd never leave," Rita said when he was gone. She plopped down in the chair by my bed, sipping her iced coffee and passing me her bag. I snapped it open, finding a paper bag with scones and biscuits, just like she'd said. I helped myself to some, suddenly feeling ravenous.

"Slow down there, you animal," Rita said, amused. "The food isn't going anywhere."

"Mf hungfee," I said through a mouthful of biscuits. I'm hungry.

"Did you eat anything yesterday?"

I shook my head, gobbling down another biscuit.

"I'm gonna go get you breakfast from the cafeteria," Rita said, getting to her feet.

"No need, I've got her breakfast right here." A nurse carried in a tray with food, looking a little tired.

I ate my omelet, toast, grapes, and banana with surprising speed, making Rita laugh. She plugged in the phone charger in a spare outlet and put my phone to charge. I was surprised, staring at my phone as I ate, realizing that in all the time I'd been in the hospital, I hadn't once thought about work. What the fuck was wrong with me?

"Relax, the place hasn't burned down in your absence," Rita said, watching me. I ignored her, checking the call center stats as I drank my orange juice. Numbers looked okay; not great, but stable. If I'd been there, I could have probably pushed them to do better, but since I wasn't, I'd just have to accept their efforts. I checked my emails, thumbing through the crap from David in Underwriting, amendment approvals that he could more than handle without my authorization. I had a few emails from supervisors wishing me well, the typical "get well soon" emails that I would usually loathe, but being here, having to be away from Wes on the day of his graduation, they helped me feel a little better.

Addie dropped by an hour later, dressed very nicely in a dress that wasn't as revealing as her usual.

"I heard there was an empty chair in Wes's corner," she said. "He called me an hour ago. He thought it'd be nice if you had a friend to tell you everything about the graduation."

"He's right," I said, smiling. "I'd love for you to go in my place."

"Think there'll be any hot doctors that would be interested in a redhead?" Addie asked hopefully. She and her boyfriend from HR had called it quits a couple of weeks ago, choosing to remain friends. They said the spark had fizzled out and it was time to move on. That meant that Addie was back on the market, which equaled to very dangerous waters for any men that crossed her path. She was hunting for prey.

A moment later, as if it had been fate, James walked into the room, clipboard in hand, reviewing it absentmindedly as he bumped right into Addie. It was straight out of a rom-com.

"Shit," he said before he could seem to stop himself. "I mean—I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No," Addie said, rubbing her shoulder where he'd bumped into her. "I'll be fine."

"Didn't I tell you to stay away?" he said, and then caught sight of Rita. "You two do know her condition is contagious, right?"

"Vaccinated," Rita said, sucking the last of her coffee out with her straw.

"I called my doctor's office this morning," Addie said. "Turns out I'm vaccinated too."

James stared at Addie maybe a second longer than necessary before turning to me. He took my vitals himself, saying that he'd promised Wes I'd get the best care UCI could offer. He told me that I was starting to look better and if all went well, I could be discharged in the afternoon.

"Bed rest for a minimum of one week, though," he said. "I don't want you going around spreading meningitis, and I don't want your condition getting worse either. And you," he said, turning to Addie. "I overheard what you said earlier, and I'm definitely interested in redheads. You, in particular. I'm not sure if I'd consider myself hot—"

"I would," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"Have dinner with me?"

"I'd love to," she said, and they exchanged numbers.

"I'll text you," James said and whistled as he walked out of the room. Addie turned to us, mouthing, "OH MY GOD."

"A doctor's wife," Rita said, grinning. "You both nabbed the ultimate dream."

"Okay, first of all, I'm not getting married," I said. "And I didn't nab—"

"Oh, shut up, Celine," Addie said, turning to Rita. "Did you see how fucking cute he was? My mom is gonna flip. A doctor!"

They gossiped like hens for a few minutes and then Addie headed out, grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. She was going to go meet Wes to help him pick out a tie and then head over to his graduation with him.

Rita went to the waiting room and brought back magazines to keep herself busy while I made a few important phone calls into work. In a few hours, I started to get texts from Addie with pictures from Wes's graduation. I smiled, watching a video of Wes giving his favorite nurse, Mama Bear Kathleen, an award. Wes had once explained that all staff was to be appreciated, teaching staff and nurses alike. Wes received his own certificate of completion, and another for his outstanding contribution to medical education, proving that he'd been the best senior resident of his class, helping junior residents and interns, unmatched to any other.

After the awards, Addie sent pictures and videos of a drunken Wes at the graduation dinner, drinking too much wine and laughing his ass off with his fellow graduated residents. There was even an attending that he kind of disliked that he was drinking with, clinking glasses, and forgetting about all the times that attending had barked at him to do scut work during his internship years before. I was sad to have missed his big day, but I also knew that all those people would have overwhelmed me.

I knew Wes deserved better than that. He needed a girlfriend to go to galas and award ceremonies with him, something pretty on his arm, a supportive woman that would smile for all the pictures.

The problem was, I wasn't sure if that was me.

—

Rita was there when I was discharged and she drove me home. She helped me into my apartment, pried my shoes off my tired feet, and tucked me into bed. She hung around for a little bit, cooking up some soup in the kitchen while watching 90 Day Fiancé on the TV, and then hugged and kissed me goodbye. I took my antibiotic pills, drank a little of the soup, and fell asleep again, drowsy from the headache that had started to throb in my temples.

I wasn't sure how much later, but I heard a noise in the living room. I opened my eyes, listening closely, and heard choked laughter, as if they were trying to keep quiet but having a lot of trouble doing so.

"Thanks for driving me home," Wes slurred, still drunk.

"Always happy to keep you from getting a DUI or dying," responded Addie's voice.

"And thanks for bringing me home early. I didn't want Celine to be left alone."

"Don't mention it."

They whispered for a little while before I heard the front door open and close. A moment later, the bedroom door opened and I saw Wes walk in, loosening his tie. He hadn't noticed I was awake so I shut my eyes to keep from making him feel guilty for waking me. I listened as he changed out of his suit and turned on the shower.

I got up, taking off my clothes, and decided to join him. He was turned away from the door, shampooing his hair when I walked in. I opened the shower door and slipped inside, causing him to grin. He'd felt my presence, even with his eyes closed.

"Baby," he said softly, washing the soap away from his eyes. He slicked his dark hair back from his face and turned to me, suddenly caging me against the tile wall with his arms. I squeaked in surprise and then moaned as he pressed his lips to my neck, sucking and nibbling my skin, driving pleasure straight down to my pussy. It was hot, too hot, the water raining down on us as his burning lips met mine, sharing a kiss that was soul-searing. I felt my body ache, the slick already running down my thighs, my entire body trembling.

"I want you," I said, parting my legs and sliding one up and around his waist. Wes gripped my hips to steady me, kissing me against the wall, and I felt the desire burning through my system, eating through my bones. He reached between us, his cock so hard that it was throbbing, and guided it inside me, making me gasp. I was still surprised by the thickness, still in awe of just how much he stuffed my slick pussy.

"Oh, fuck," Wes hissed, the sound ripping through his lips, taking his breath with it. His legs shook for a moment as he drove inside of me, as if he too needed to get used to filling me with his cock. Rippling muscles spread across his body as he moved, letting out the filthiest moan when I reached down and began to desperately rub my clit. My cries rose higher and higher as he sped up to meet them, the sounds of the water and our slapping bodies echoing in the bathroom.

I rolled my hips, grinding down on the thickness of his cock, shifting my body so I could take all of him inside of me.

"Jesus," he groaned, his mouth seeking mine, crushing those pliant lips against mine. My hips bucked as he began to pound into me, his fingertips digging into my hips. Impatience boiled in my blood, and all I could do was push down on his cock, fucking him back in desperation, already coming undone. A scream ripped from my throat, the white-hot pleasure rolling through me as I spasmed, coming on his cock. He pounded me through it, not stopping, showing me no mercy, and I found that I was begging him not to stop despite the pain, despite knowing that my body was being destroyed by him already.

"Fuck, I'm going to—"

"Come in me," I said, my pussy already contracting again just from the thought of ropes of hot cum spilling into me, making the heat bloom inside of me, my whole body quaking in anticipation. A moment later, a noise rose from his throat, a grumble as he came, splattering my pussy with so much cum that it began to drip out of me. His stomach muscles clenched and I felt the jerk of his cock as he filled me and filled me and filled me with his thick creamy seed.

We threw our arms around each other, holding on tight as we breathed hard, trying to catch our breath. His whole body was shuddering when his cock slipped out from my pussy, cum falling in a thick trail down my legs. It was a wonder that he could have that much cum inside of him. I loved that he spent himself in me, that I could take all of his frustrations and turn them into pleasure.

Wes gently cleaned me, sticking two of his fingers inside of me, scooping out the cum, his thumb brushing over my sensitive clit as he did so. I arched my back, my body betraying me, begging for more. He grinned, shut off the water, and carried me, soaking wet, straight to bed.

_______________

More to come soon!