Lily stepped out of the lecture hall, and Philip was already rushing toward her.
«Did you pass?» Philip asked, his expression a mix of worry and admiration.
«With flying colours!» Lily waved her exam results in front of him. «What about you?»
«Brilliant! Never doubted you.» Philip winced slightly. «I got a bit muddledended up with a B. Fancy celebrating?»
Lily lowered her gaze and hesitated.
«Let me guessIm out of luck again?» Philip sighed.
«Sorry. Denis is probably waiting for me already.»
«Right.» Philip exhaled, not bothering to hide his disappointment. «Cant compete with a future star of academia, can I? At least let me walk you to the gates, since thats all Im getting.» He took her hand and led her toward the grand staircase.
The ornate cast-iron steps hummed faintly under their feet. Lilys chest tightenedshed miss this place. The towering old medical building with its lingering scent of formaldehyde and dusty textbooks, cool and shadowed even on the hottest days.
Philip pushed open the heavy door, and they stepped outside. Denis was already there by the gates, tall and holding flowers. Lilys cheeks warmed.
«Do you love him?» Philip still hadnt let go of her hand.
«He proposed.» She felt his grip tighten.
«Ow!» she gasped.
«Sorry.» His voice was rough. «Well, the heart wants what it wants.» He released her.
«Lily!» Denis called from the gates.
«Phil» she started.
«Go on. Dont keep the fiancé waiting.» Bitterness laced his words.
She walked away, feeling his gaze on her back. It wasnt just the university shed missit was him. Shed grown so used to him being there, shed stopped noticing, stopped appreciating it.
«I *asked* you not to come,» she snapped as she reached Denis.
«Dont be cross. I was worried.» He leaned in for a kiss, but she dodged it. When she glanced back, Philip was gone.
«Shall we go? Mums expecting us for lunch. She wants to discuss wedding plans Oh, these are for you.» He held out the bouquet.
«I havent said yes yet,» Lily muttered.
«Mums found a lovely venue» Denis carried on, as if she hadnt spoken.
Lily had hoped to talk to Philip after graduation, but he never showed.
«Wheres Samuels?» she asked his friend, Michael.
«He collected his diploma yesterday and left for London. Some relative offered him a job. Lucky sod.»
Lily nearly cried. There was no celebratingafter the ceremony, she went straight home. She was furious. How could he leave without telling her? After all his declarations of love?
Neither called the otherpride got in the way. Two months later, Lily married Denis.
Seven years passed.
«Hi. Got a minute?» Lily poked her head into the gynaecologists office. «Ugh. How do you work here? I *hate* that torture-chair.»
«Lils! Come in. Perfect timingIve just finished my shift.» Olivia grinned. «How are you?»
They exchanged pleasantries before Lily eyed the nurse by the instrument tray.
«Ruth, you can go,» Olivia said, catching the hint.
«Youre not just here to chat, are you?» Olivia asked once they were alone. «Finally expecting?»
«I wish. Came for advice. Denis and I its not working. Truth is, everythings gone wrong. His mothers convinced its my fault. Ive had some tests done, but I dont want the local clinic prying. Could you help?» Lilys voice wavered.
«Of course. Show me what youve got.»
Lily slid a folder across the desk. Olivia studied it carefully.
«Well?» Lily pressed.
«Minor irregularities, but nothing alarming. Youll need further tests. Who referred youDr. Smallwood? Has your husband been checked?»
«God, no. Wouldnt even consider it.»
«Right. Can you come back tomorrow? Eight sharp? Good. Lils, its so good to see you. Nowtalk.»
«Whats there to say? A year ago, I caught Denis in his office with his assistant. I nearly filed for divorce, but then his mother and mine swooped in. Convinced me not to throw away a marriage over a silly fling. As if thats all it was. The assistant was sacked, but things between us theyre broken.»
Her mothers words echoed: *All men stray eventuallyno use making a scene. Just have a babythatll fix everything.* As if it were that simple.
The next day, Lily returned for more tests.
«Well?» She adjusted her blouse collar as she sat.
«See for yourself.» Olivia laid out scans and reports.
«Look. Here. And here.» She pointed to pale spots on the image.
«A tumour? But Ive been examined so many times» Lilys voice shook. «Surgery?»
«Youre a doctoryou know the drill. Best do it in London. Listen, Ive got Samuels number. Hell refer you to a specialist. Ill call him now»
«Dont. Not yet. Let me do it.» Lilys plea was barely audible.
«Fine. But dont wait. Ill text you his number. Lils Im so sorry.»
Lily wandered the streets, numb. She felt finejust the occasional backache. Not even thirty, and now this? Surgery, chemo No chance of children after. The sunny day mocked her. Why her?
She roamed for hours, rehearsing what to say. She wouldnt tell her parents yetno need to worry them. Shed claim exhaustion, take leave, go to London.
By the time she got home, she was drained. Denis was at his computer, as usual.
«Denis» she called. «Denis!»
«What?» He didnt look up.
«Are you hungry?»
«Dont interrupt. The datas not matching.»
Typical. Always his spreadsheets, his research. Never her.
«Denis, I need to go away. A fortnight, maybe longer. Did you hear me?»
«Mhm.» He kept typing.
Good. No interrogation. She made him coffee, reheated dinner, and left it on the table. He grabbed a forkful without looking up. She sighed and retreated to the bedroom.
That night, she tossed and turned. She heard Denis undress, felt him slide into bed.
«Did you say something earlier?» he mumbled.
She pretended to sleep.
Once his breathing steadied, she crept to the kitchen. She stared out at the citytraffic lights blinking, headlights cutting through the dark. Eventually, she crawled under the duvet and slept.
The next morning, she requested unpaid leave. Packed lightly. Checked the fridgeenough food to last until her mother-in-law took over.
She left at dawn, Denis still asleep, a note on the table. London greeted her with noise and chaos. From the station, she called Philip. He answered instantly.
«Hi,» she said, forcing brightness.
She pulled the phone away. No, the line hadnt dropped.
«Phil? Can you hear me?»
«I hear you.» His voice was cautious. «Lily? Bloody hell. After all these years»
«I know. I didnt expect to call either. You once said if I ever needed help Well, I do.»
«Of course. Whats wrong?»
«Can we meet? I can come to your clinic.»
«Youre in London? Ill text the address. I cant believe»
An hour later, Lily peeked into the doctors lounge.
«Am I interrupting?»
«Lily!» Philip stood so fast his chair scraped.
She studied him. Where had her eyes been before? Hed filled out, grown handsomer. Probably broke a few nurses hearts along the way.
«Sit.» He gestured to the sofa. «Tea? Coffee?»
«Im here as a patient.» She took the chair opposite.
Philip sobered instantly. «Go on.»
She slid her folder across the desk. «Look at these.»
He pored over the scans, firing questions between glances. She was oddly calmbut her hands trembled. Being this close to him again
«Where are you staying?» he finally asked.
«Nowhere. Came straight from the train.»
«Your luggage? Left it at the station?»
«No. Checked it at the cloakroom.»
«Good. Lets get you admitted. You must be exhausted. Theres a decent café downstairs if youre hungry. RestIll consult colleagues and come back. A nurse will sort your paperwork.»
«Phil, just tell me. Do I need surgery?»
«Too soon to say. Lets wait for»
Tests followed. Specialists. Drips. Injections.
Philip visited, but skirted the subject. On the third day, a nurse fetched her.
«Dr. Samuels wants you in his office.»
«Its bad, isnt it?» Lilys pulse hammered.
Without a word, Philip laid out fresh scans and reports.
«I cant focusjust tell me,» she begged, fingers knotting.
«Nothing to tell. Youre perfectly healthy.» He smiled.
«What? But the tumour»
«There was no tumour. Just inflammationOlivia misread it. Weve treated it. See for yourself.»
«Im fine Im *fine*.» She leafed through the pages, disbelieving. When she looked up, tears spilled.
«Here. Should be celebrating, not crying.» He offered a handkerchief.
«Its relief,» she sniffed. «I cantthank you, Phil.»
«Dont thank me. Stay a few more days to finish treatment. Call your husbandgive him the good news.»
Lily froze.
«He doesnt know. I just left. No kids, his mother blaming me I started testing, and then» She swallowed. «Listen, any openings for a GP here?»
«You want to stay?» Hope flickered in his eyes.
«God, I Id made peace with dying.»
«Mistakes happen. You know that.» His gaze softened.
Three days later, Lily returned home. She resigned from her clinic.
Her mother-in-law was waiting.
«Had your fun?» the woman spat. «Weve been frantic»
«I *told* Denis I was leaving,» Lily cut in.
The tirade continuedhow shed *known* this would happen, how Lily would get *nothing*, how she was a *failure* of a wife
«Enough!» Lily snapped. The woman faltered. «I *can* have children. But your son? Hes the one who needs testing. You knew that, didnt you?»
The older woman flushed, muttered, and finally left.
Lily visited her parents, announced the divorce, and ignored her mothers protests. Nothing held her here anymore. No kids, no disputesitd be quick.
Phil kept his word. He spoke to the medical director, and Lily was hired. Just like at university, he was therebut this time, after the divorce, she let herself respond to his affection.
«Will you marry me?» he asked one evening. «Or am I still hopeless?»
«I made a mistake. I want to fix itjust give me time. You left so suddenly back then. I never got to say I only married Denis because Mum pressured me.»
«I was so hurt»
A year later, Lily married Philip. They had a healthy son.
Mistakes happenin life, in medicine. As they say: *You win some, you lose some. But sometimes, when you lose, you find your way back to what was always meant to be. The hospital corridors felt different nowlighter, somehow. Lily would pass the old lecture halls on her way to rounds and smile, remembering the girl who once stood at the crossroads, too afraid to choose the right path. Now, with Philips hand in hers and their sons laughter echoing through their home, she knew that second chances werent just possiblethey were worth waiting for.
