Three years of marriage. My doctor husband had canceled our honeymoon ten times. The first time, his female intern got into an argument with a patient. He left me stranded on some random street in Chicago. The second time, the intern couldn't diagnose a patient. He rushed back to the hospital in the middle of the night. Left me in the Wyoming wilderness. After that, every time I mentioned the honeymoon, that intern always had some emergency. I was exhausted. The marriage too. But when I became a doctor without borders, he begged me to come back. Crying. -- I was already in Charleston when I found out the honeymoon was off. Again. Hotel booked. Everything. Liam Black trailed behind me, irritation all over his face. "Who told you to book so fast? The second we landed, I told you. Sophie has a critical patient. I'm her mentor. I have to go back." "It's just a honeymoon. We can go anytime. Can you stop being so difficult? This is life or death." I swallowed the ache and stopped walking. My suitcase sat between us. "Then go back." Minutes earlier, the plane had just landed. Liam rushed to the restroom. I connected his phone to the airport WiFi. Messages flooded the screen. All from Sophie Vance. I wasn't trying to read them. But I did. What I saw made my blood run cold. It was a group chat from the hospital. Sophie spamming Liam with messages. Cutesy. Playful. "Dr. Black, it's my one-year anniversary at the hospital! And one year since we met! I already booked the restaurant. You wouldn't stand me up, right?" "I invited a bunch of friends. We'd all be so sad if you didn't show." Someone jumped in immediately. "Relax. You know him. He cares about you more than anyone. That honeymoon he keeps putting off? Bet he'll find an excuse to ditch her in ten minutes." "Honestly, his wife never even wears makeup. How does she compete with Sophie? And she's so damn clingy. Always obsessing over that stupid honeymoon. Does she not get how busy doctors are?" "They've been married forever. Who still cares about that stuff? Some people just need external validation because they know they're not loved." My body went rigid. My mind went blank. This was our tenth attempt at a honeymoon. Every single time, Liam found a reason to abandon me. Mid-flight. At the first landmark. Always. Always because of Sophie. His excuses always sounded noble. He was her mentor. It was his duty to guide her. Sophie was an intern. She was there to learn. He couldn't just leave her hanging. Now I knew. Those were just words. "Something wrong?" Liam came out of the restroom. I was staring at the mirror. Vacant. He looked confused. I pressed my lips together and handed him his phone. "Your messages kept buzzing. Someone's looking for you." I hadn't unlocked it. Just watched the notifications roll in. Read every single one. Liam wiped his hands on his pants and grabbed the phone. A few seconds later, panic flickered across his face. "The hospital admitted a critical patient. I need to get back and assist Sophie. We'll do the honeymoon another time." I opened my mouth. I wanted to ask. Was it really a hospital emergency? Or was he just racing back for some anniversary dinner? The words died in my throat. Came out as a sigh instead. "This time I actually made a plan. I mapped out all the places you'd want to eat. Photo spots. I already booked the hotel. Can't you just come see it? Someone else at the hospital can handle it. There are other doctors." I was pathetic. Hoping he'd stay just because I asked nicely. He barely glanced at me. "Are you done? You knew I was a doctor when you married me. I have professional ethics. Are you seriously telling me some patient's life matters less than your honeymoon?"
He was loud. Other travelers turned to stare. A middle-aged woman shook her head at me. The look said, cut your husband some slack, he's a doctor. I lowered my eyes. Didn't explain a thing. No one knew how bitter this tasted. No one knew how exhausting this dead marriage had become. So fine. Let him go. I was done reaching for things I couldn't touch. "I know you feel wronged. Here's the plan. Go check into the hotel. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, fly back. I'll wait for you at home. I'll make your favorite. Barbecue ribs." "I have to go." Liam disappeared into the crowd. I saw it clearly. The way he was already on the phone, walking away, calling Sophie. Racing back to see her. He flew all this way just to put on a performance for me. Must have been exhausting for him too. I checked into the hotel. Submitted my resignation to the hospital. The director responded fast. He thought I was running away. From Liam. From Sophie. He told me to think it through. I stubbed out my cigarette and called him. "Thank you for everything. I've thought it through very clearly. This isn't impulsive. It's something I've wanted since I was a kid. It has nothing to do with anyone else. And I won't let irrelevant people change my path." Silence on the other end. Then a sigh. "As long as you're sure. Resigning is serious. Going into Doctors Without Borders, especially. You'll face danger constantly. And you need to tell Liam. No matter what, you two are married. Don't let things get too ugly over this." "Emma, I'm genuinely happy you've found a new direction. As for the marriage... try to make peace with it." His voice was full of concern. Full of reluctance to see me go. I said yes. Wiped the corner of my eye. "I'll tell him. I wish you all the best." I hung up. Put my head down on the desk and sobbed. Three years married. Two years together before that. Liam and I had so much history. I thought we'd be together forever. Turns out forever was just a word. Rain tapped against the window. I pulled out the itinerary I'd spent weeks planning. A few sundresses. A bitter laugh escaped me. When we first got married, we'd both just finished our residencies. We barely had time to breathe. No time for a proper wedding shoot either. That's why the honeymoon mattered so much to me. I wanted to capture us. At our best. As his wife. I always felt like I owed him something. Wanted to make it up to him. I just never realized my efforts had become a burden to him. Maybe he'd thought it a hundred times. Why is she still hung up on a stupid honeymoon? We're too old for this. I used to defend myself. Now I didn't bother. This was the best ending for us. The next morning, I stepped onto the plane. The streets were still damp from the rain. A thin fog hung in the air. Other passengers chatted excitedly about their trips. The sights they'd see. I kept my head down. Stole one last look at this city. It used to be the place I wanted most to visit. I'd been here so many times. Abandoned every single time. Never again. A few hours later, I dragged my exhausted body home. Liam clearly hadn't been back all night. Everything was exactly as I'd left it. The slippers I'd kicked off in my rush to leave still sat crooked by the door. I expected it. Still, irritation crawled up my spine.
Liam walked in at dusk. Still wearing yesterday's shirt. A cloying sweetness clung to the air around him. Perfume. Mixed with stale alcohol. It hit my throat. I held my breath without thinking. "You're back." He caught my reaction. Tugged at his collar. Uncomfortable. "Surgery ran late last night. I took the department out for a late dinner. Everyone pushed for drinks. I couldn't say no. So I didn't come home." "The smell is a lot. Let me shower first." I didn't respond. Liam grabbed a towel and fled into the bathroom. When he came out, I was on the couch. Eating takeout. He had walked in holding a bag of groceries. I saw it. Didn't mean anything to me. Liam broke promises all the time. I didn't think the groceries were for me. He only kept promises for Sophie. "I told you I'd cook today." He yanked the takeout container from my hands. Face dark. "Emma Vail, what the hell is your problem? Yesterday was an emergency. I explained this. The department admitted a critical patient. You're a doctor too. Did you want me to just let someone die?" "All this over a honeymoon? Seriously? I'll make it up to you later. Okay?" He was aggressive. Water droplets from his hair flew everywhere. Landed on me. Cold. Just like how I felt right now. "Say something." Still furious, he hurled the wet towel at me. Pain and cold hit at the same time. I rubbed my eyes. He'd actually knocked tears loose. "What story are you spinning in your head?" He let out a cold laugh. "Sophie and I are mentor and intern. Nothing else. She's new. She doesn't know anything. I'm guiding her. Why do you have to make everything so filthy?" "You see dirt everywhere because you're dirty." I hadn't said a word. He was already scrambling to deny everything. Wasn't that guilt? "Liam, I haven't eaten all day." I slumped onto the couch. Reached for the takeout he'd thrown in the trash. I was so tired. No energy left to fight. Liam froze for a second. Then guilt flooded his face. He grabbed a napkin. Tried to wipe my face. "That takeout is trash now. Don't eat it. Find some snacks first. I'll cook right away." I flinched away from his hand. Jerked back. Stiff. "Don't. I can wipe my own face. Go cook if you're going to cook." I didn't want to watch this fake concern anymore. He couldn't stand being near me. Yet here he was. Pretending to care. Liam. I never understood you. "Okay. I'm going." Before heading to the kitchen, he grabbed the takeout box from the trash. Threw it away again. I dug through the pantry. My stomach gnawing at itself. He came out holding chips and cookies. Set them in front of me. "Just snack on these. Don't eat too much. You won't have room for dinner." His eyes held something that looked like genuine worry. I was genuinely impressed by his acting. "Should we invite your... intern? For dinner?" He was already walking away. Heard my question. Turned back immediately. This time, the hope in his eyes was real. Lit up. "Can we?"
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