Unexpected encounter

The nurse turned toward her, noting the sudden change in Suzanne’s expression. "Is everything alright, Mrs. Langford?"

Suzanne blinked, snapping out of her daze. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath, but now that it had returned, it came in shallow, uneven gasps. "Dr. Carter... he’s... he's the one treating me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

The nurse nodded. "Yes, that's right. He’s one of our top specialists. He should be here shortly." She didn’t seem to notice the storm of emotions swirling inside Suzanne. "If you need anything in the meantime, just let me know."

Suzanne barely heard her. Her mind was too busy, replaying memories of her and Liam—his warm brown eyes, his laughter, the way he always seemed to know what she needed before she even said it. She had pushed all those memories into the deepest corners of her mind, but now, with the mention of his name, they came rushing back, unbidden and impossible to ignore.

Liam had wanted to be a doctor even back then, always so driven, so focused on his future. Suzanne remembered how proud he had been when he got into medical school. They had planned to be together forever—until life had different plans.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of the door opening. Suzanne’s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding as a figure stepped into the room. It was him.

Liam Carter.

He stood in the doorway, tall and confident in a white coat, his brown eyes scanning the room before they landed on her. Time seemed to stand still. The years had passed, but somehow, he looked almost the same—his jaw sharper, a bit more defined, but his eyes, those familiar eyes, were still the same. He hadn’t changed.

Suzanne could hardly breathe as their gazes locked, a thousand unsaid words hanging in the air between them. There was so much history in those eyes. So much she had buried, so much that had been left unresolved.

Liam’s lips parted, as though he wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he walked toward her, his steps measured and cautious.

"Mrs. Langford," he said, his voice low and professional, though Suzanne could hear the hint of something else in it. Something softer, something personal. "I’m Dr. Carter. How are you feeling?"

His voice had changed since high school, but it was still Liam. Suzanne swallowed hard, forcing herself to reply, though it felt like the ground beneath her had shifted. "I... I’m not sure. I just woke up."

Liam nodded, still observing her closely, as though trying to read something in her eyes. "It’s okay. We’ll take good care of you," he said, though his gaze lingered a moment too long, as if there was more he wanted to say, but couldn’t.

The nurse, sensing the tension in the room, excused herself quietly, leaving them alone. Suzanne could feel the air between them thicken, charged with the weight of years of silence and unspoken words. It was almost too much to bear.

Liam took a deep breath, his eyes not leaving hers. "Suzanne," he said softly, and her heart skipped another beat at the way he said her name—like it still meant something to him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Suzanne wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t know if she even wanted to know what he had become, or what had happened to him after high school. So much time had passed. So many changes. But in that moment, none of that mattered. All that mattered was that he was here, and everything inside her was asking the same question: What now?

"Liam," she said quietly, her voice shaking slightly. "I didn’t expect to see you again."

Liam blinked, seeming to notice the doubt in her eyes. "You’re... surprised to see me," he said, his voice softer now, with a hint of uncertainty she didn’t expect from the confident doctor standing before her. He took another cautious step closer, his gaze still locked on hers. "I wasn’t sure you’d recognize me."

Suzanne forced a smile, but it felt like a mask, a barrier between her and the feelings she didn’t want to confront. "I—" She stopped herself, unsure of what to say. How could she explain this? How could she explain the whirlwind of emotions she felt seeing him again after so many years?

Liam shifted slightly, his eyes scanning her face as though searching for some clue, some sign that she still remembered who he was. "I didn’t expect to run into you like this," he continued, the words tentative, as if testing the waters. "I didn’t know you were here. I... I never expected you to be Mrs. Langford."

Suzanne winced inwardly at the mention of her married name. Mrs. Langford. She had changed so much since those days with Liam. She wasn’t the same woman anymore, not even close. And yet, standing here, facing him, she felt like a part of her old self was coming back to life.

"I’m surprised to see you, too," she finally said, her voice a little shaky. "I didn’t think... I didn’t think you’d be here. I thought you went on to become a doctor somewhere far away." She had no idea why she was saying this. She didn’t owe him an explanation, but the words slipped out anyway, desperate to bridge the gap between them, even if only for a moment.

Liam nodded, his expression shifting slightly, a shadow passing through his eyes. "I was. I left to study medicine," he said. "But after everything that happened... I came back. I wanted for us. I never expected to run into you like this, Suzanne."

Her mind was spinning. This couldn’t be real. He couldn’t be here. But the more she stared at him, the more she realized that it wasn’t some trick of her mind. This was Liam, standing in front of her, older, yes, but still the man she had once loved with all her heart.

Suzanne shook her head slightly, as if trying to wake herself from the dream. "I... I don’t know what to say." The words came out quieter this time, and her hands trembled slightly in her lap. "I didn’t expect this. I thought you moved on. I thought... I thought you forgot about me."

Liam’s face softened at her words, and he stepped closer, though not too close. "I never forgot you, Suzanne," he said quietly, the sincerity in his tone hitting her like a punch to the gut. "I never stopped thinking about you."

Suzanne’s heart fluttered, but the feeling was quickly smothered by the weight of everything that had happened since then. She couldn’t let herself get lost in the past. Not now. Not after all that had come between them.

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the twinge of longing that flickered in her chest. "I... I don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to talk. So much has changed. You don’t know what happened to me after you left."

Liam’s gaze didn’t falter. "I know enough. I heard about some things, but..." He trailed off, his voice thick with regret. "I didn’t know it would be like this. I never wanted you to go through all that pain, Suzanne."

She could feel the tears welling up, threatening to spill, but she quickly wiped them away, forcing herself to remain composed. I can’t do this, she thought. I can’t go back to those feelings. I have to move on.

But her body betrayed her. Even after all these years, even after everything that had happened, she still felt that pull toward him, a pull she couldn’t deny.

Just as Suzanne was about to respond, her mind racing with everything Liam had just said, the door to the hospital room suddenly flung open.

Sarah was the first to walk in, her familiar, poised presence instantly filling the space. Suzanne’s stomach twisted at the sight of her. Right behind Sarah, Charles entered, his expression unreadable as always, followed closely by his mother, Beatrice.