birthdate?” Javier asked. He watched his sister click on the name and was disappointed they were required her to provide a credit card. He quickly pulled out his wallet and slid a card toward Allie. “Here.”
“This feels so wrong.”
“If you don’t do it, then I will.”
“And do you plan to explain that you are calling to confirm your mammogram appointment with a voice as deep as yours?” Her lighthearted joke lightened the tension briefly, but then they both remembered the task at hand.
A few minutes later, Javier was perusing the background information on Teresa Clarke while his sister started calling local hospital diagnostic departments.
“Hello, I am calling to double check an appointment for a mammogram. I lost my cell phone and all the information for the appointment was saved on it,” he overheard his sister explain into the receiver. “Yes, Teresa Clarke.”
Allie spelled out Teresa’s name and then provided the woman’s date of birth and last four digits of her social security number. Allie pulled the phone away from her ear and covered the mouthpiece. “I’m going to hell for this. You better pay my bail and get me out if we get caught.”
Javier smiled nervously, praying their idea would work.
“Yes, great! Oh wow, it’s in half an hour? Then I better hurry up and get there. Bye!”
Alejandra hung up the phone and looked at her brother. There was no doubt that he heard her response. “Her appointment is scheduled at Spring Brook Medical Center.”
“Thanks.” Javier jumped off the seat and kissed Allie’s cheek before rushing out the door.
Teresa held the cloth gown closed and waited until she was instructed to step close to the mammogram machine again. She had spent the last ten minutes feeling her breasts uncomfortably getting pressed and squeezed between the metal plates. She knew the technician was trying to proceed with care, but it still hurt.
“Just three more images,” Teresa was instructed. A knock on the door interrupted them.
“One sec. Usually we don’t disrupt anyone, so I better get this,” the tech explained. After speaking softly with another employee, the technician returned to Teresa. “Your husband is in the waiting room. He’s a little frantic, but we assured him he can see you after we are done in here.”
Husband? Teresa questioned silently. “I’m not married.”
Her faith in the hospital was quickly deterior ating and Teresa now questioned how reliable her test results would be.
Confused, the woman instructed Teresa how to lean while manipulating Teresa’s breast into the proper position. “He told the receptionist that you were his wife.”
Teresa nodded and held her breath, while the plates pressed together slowly. She resolved to just do whatever it took to get her out of there.
“ Querida .” She heard as soon as she stepped into the hallway.
The man leaning against the wall looked different than the one she walked out on a week ago.
He stepped toward her, pulling a lock of hair that escaped her hairclip behind her ear. “Please tell me you’re fine, mi amor .”
The technician subtly cleared her throat and nervously looked between the couple. “It will be just a few more minutes until we can take you back for the ultrasound. Normally you would wait over there, but I can take you to a room so your umm partner can wait with you.”
“No.”
“Thank you.”
They both spoke at the same time, but Javier pulled Teresa so close with a tender embrace that she relished in his comfort. She needed something to help her after the nerve wracking twenty-four hours since her doctor’s appointment.
“That would be fine,” Teresa finally said, allowing the technician to escort them to another room.
Once the door closed, Teresa stepped away from Javier.
“Why are you here? How did you find me?”
“Teresa, we have to talk.”
“Not about what you think we do,” she countered. “What we had is over, so why are you
“This feels so wrong.”
“If you don’t do it, then I will.”
“And do you plan to explain that you are calling to confirm your mammogram appointment with a voice as deep as yours?” Her lighthearted joke lightened the tension briefly, but then they both remembered the task at hand.
A few minutes later, Javier was perusing the background information on Teresa Clarke while his sister started calling local hospital diagnostic departments.
“Hello, I am calling to double check an appointment for a mammogram. I lost my cell phone and all the information for the appointment was saved on it,” he overheard his sister explain into the receiver. “Yes, Teresa Clarke.”
Allie spelled out Teresa’s name and then provided the woman’s date of birth and last four digits of her social security number. Allie pulled the phone away from her ear and covered the mouthpiece. “I’m going to hell for this. You better pay my bail and get me out if we get caught.”
Javier smiled nervously, praying their idea would work.
“Yes, great! Oh wow, it’s in half an hour? Then I better hurry up and get there. Bye!”
Alejandra hung up the phone and looked at her brother. There was no doubt that he heard her response. “Her appointment is scheduled at Spring Brook Medical Center.”
“Thanks.” Javier jumped off the seat and kissed Allie’s cheek before rushing out the door.
Teresa held the cloth gown closed and waited until she was instructed to step close to the mammogram machine again. She had spent the last ten minutes feeling her breasts uncomfortably getting pressed and squeezed between the metal plates. She knew the technician was trying to proceed with care, but it still hurt.
“Just three more images,” Teresa was instructed. A knock on the door interrupted them.
“One sec. Usually we don’t disrupt anyone, so I better get this,” the tech explained. After speaking softly with another employee, the technician returned to Teresa. “Your husband is in the waiting room. He’s a little frantic, but we assured him he can see you after we are done in here.”
Husband? Teresa questioned silently. “I’m not married.”
Her faith in the hospital was quickly deterior ating and Teresa now questioned how reliable her test results would be.
Confused, the woman instructed Teresa how to lean while manipulating Teresa’s breast into the proper position. “He told the receptionist that you were his wife.”
Teresa nodded and held her breath, while the plates pressed together slowly. She resolved to just do whatever it took to get her out of there.
“ Querida .” She heard as soon as she stepped into the hallway.
The man leaning against the wall looked different than the one she walked out on a week ago.
He stepped toward her, pulling a lock of hair that escaped her hairclip behind her ear. “Please tell me you’re fine, mi amor .”
The technician subtly cleared her throat and nervously looked between the couple. “It will be just a few more minutes until we can take you back for the ultrasound. Normally you would wait over there, but I can take you to a room so your umm partner can wait with you.”
“No.”
“Thank you.”
They both spoke at the same time, but Javier pulled Teresa so close with a tender embrace that she relished in his comfort. She needed something to help her after the nerve wracking twenty-four hours since her doctor’s appointment.
“That would be fine,” Teresa finally said, allowing the technician to escort them to another room.
Once the door closed, Teresa stepped away from Javier.
“Why are you here? How did you find me?”
“Teresa, we have to talk.”
“Not about what you think we do,” she countered. “What we had is over, so why are you
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