Chapter 311 – Cora at Home

Cora

When I wake up it’s almost eight at night and I groan, realizing that my sleep schedule is

completely wrecked. I’m reminded, suddenly, of my years as a medical resident when this sort of thing was normal – sleeping all day, taking night shifts, living moment to moment rather than a steady, scheduled life.

And quite frankly, right now? That sounds really wonderful, compared against a whole night of empty hours in which I have nothing to do but… think.

Think about what I’m doing in my life, think about my career which has gone in a really weird direction, think about my relationship…s.

About a certain kiss in the woods.

About a sweet doctor who, apparently, wants to build a life with me.

I sigh and sit up, looking around at my sterile little apartment. I never really decorated, I realize as

I look around at the grey and beige furniture, the simple linens, the charmless curtains. Everything is functional and high quality but none of it is… me?

Or is it?

I frown at my space, thinking of Ella’s sweet home that – even though Sinclair picked out most of the furniture before she moved in – still sings Ella Ella Ella in every corner. It’s warm and sweet

and comfortable. What does my space say about me?

I mean, I’m an orphan – I never had any possessions or any control over the environments in

which I lived, so where would I have learned to decorate? I never had a mother to show me how

So where did Ella…

groan, rolling my eyes at myself, sick, again, of being

love her so, so much – and I’m so happy she has what she wants in her life. But sometimes

the first thing I see is one of those relationships I’m trying to avoid leaving me an assortment of messages.

Hey, Cora – how did the baptism go? Dinner

Cora? You

2

a text when you get up – I

from

swipe the messages away and click through the rest of

a peep. As I

Hey, are you home? I’m… I mean, this is a little pathetic, but I’m outside. Can you let

your apartment door…

being so sweet and I’m…well, I’m not being fair to him, am

doesn’t even want – despite what might have passed between us last night, it doesn’t change anything. And there’s a man standing outside my door with mooshoo

of my bed and dash for the front door of

to it, I

dropping the large bag of Chinese on the little mail table I keep outside my

bright, too cheerful. “I’m so sorry,” I continue, smiling at him, “I just woke up – we were up all night. It’s

rare, warm smile. “I get it – you had

I ask, leaning against my door frame and gesturing towards my little apartment. “I

bit at the corner. “That sounds great, Cora.”

sit on the house, the Chinese spread out around us on the coffee table, eating right out of the containers with the supplied chopsticks, Hank tells me all about his day. He held down the fort at the little free clinic we both work at, seeing both prospective mothers as well as general

I watch Hank closely as he tells me his story, my eyes

that makes me…well, makes- me want to jump across

he asks, making me blink and focus

I say, giving him an apologetic look. “I got….lost in

hand, squeezing it a bit before sitting back. “I was just curious if you think Ella

a morsel. “But she doesn’t have any medical experience. Would she really be

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