Blinded by Color

Chapter 20 Tiffany

Tonight, I am off for the first time in what feels like years. I am ready to make the most of it by going out and having some fun. I am long overdue for a good time. I texted this guy I met in med school, Daniel Hernandez, and asked him if he wanted to grab a drink and some dinner. Daniel and I both excelled in school, and we both came from prominent backgrounds. He was at the top of the class, as was I, and therefore, we worked together on many projects. We spent a lot of time hanging out and studying for exams while eating wings, drinking beer, and watching football. I always liked Daniel. He was very family-oriented, as were most Hispanics I met. Daniel was outgoing and fun, and he understood all my struggles as a doctor. He went through hell with me. We never dated or hooked up, not because I didn't want to, but more because we were so preoccupied with becoming doctors that one-night stands weren't in the cards. I have talked to Daniel here and there since starting my residency, and of course, we have kept in touch on Facebook when we had time. Thankfully, Daniel was down to meet tonight, and we agreed on a spot in downtown. It was just a casual place, and I dressed the part but made sure to go a little overboard since I never get out. I even pulled out my knee-high black boots; they went perfectly with my low-cut blouse and tight black jeans with rips down the front. Since it was July, we didn't need jackets, and that was rare for Chicago.

I headed out of my condo with my bangles jangling all the way down the hall to the elevator. I couldn't wait to swap stories with Daniel about all the craziness becoming a doctor has brought to my life. The best part about Daniel is that he understands my crazy schedule, and we can sit and talk about our residency and how much we love what we do. He understands my hectic lifestyle and hard work. We get along really well. I haven't seen him in about four months, which makes our catch-up stories that much more interesting. Inside the elevator, a cute little face greets me. The little girl is with her mother and stares in my direction, eyeing me up and down until her mother reminds her politely not to stare. I smiled, and she proceeded to say, "But Momma, she is just so pretty." I bent down and looked her in her eyes and told her, "Thank you, but you are definitely the prettiest one on the elevator." She got super shy and smiled big enough for me to see her two front teeth were missing. When we stopped moving, I walked off first into the lobby and waved goodbye to my new friend. I cannot wait to have children of my own. I walked outside, hailed a cab and headed downtown to the restaurant.

When I arrived, Daniel was already there with two drinks in hand. I sat down next to him at the bar and took a sip of my drink. We exchanged hugs, and I expressed my gratitude for his early arrival. I hated sitting alone in a public place. It was mortifying to me. I always felt like everyone was staring at me. The fact that he was brave enough to sit alone and not be bothered made him even more attractive to me. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a button-down collared shirt. It was red with a small emblem of a polo sign in the corner of his chest. Daniel looked amazing tonight like always. His perfectly sculpted jawline and five o'clock shadow. He smelled like a memory I wanted to hang on to for dear life. Everything about his beautiful face and well-built body was making me warm. I felt nervous all of a sudden and realized I needed more alcohol. While we were looking at our menus, I couldn't help but look at him several times and just smile. Daniel was gorgeous. I had to get my mind off him, so I brought up work. We sat and talked about our residency while we ate sushi and downed Saki bombs. The night was cool but not cold, so we decided to take a walk. The city is gorgeous at night, and the Lake Michigan looks extra blue tonight with splashes of moonlight dances on top of it. Daniel grabbed my hand and pulled me next to him.

"Tiff, I had a lot of fun tonight. I've missed hanging out with you." I felt like my heart was going to beat right through my chest. We stopped walking, and right there, with the city lights dancing on the water and people passing, Daniel put his lips on mine. I didn't want it to end. I wanted to hold on to this moment forever. I put my head on his chest and breathed in his smell. I felt safe; I felt like this was where I was supposed to be. Everything around me seemed to stop mattering. Him. This moment. That was all I could see. We stood like this for a few minutes before I finally pulled back and invited Daniel back to my condo. He looked as if he had been waiting his whole life for me to say this to him. I laughed at his excited YES and grabbed his hand. We headed to Michigan Ave to grab a cab and head back to my place. Never letting go of one another.

Once we arrived at my condo, Daniel and I got comfortable on my couch. I opened a bottle of champagne, and we sat there in the dark, drinking and holding each other. I found him attractive and flirted with him all through med school. Nothing ever came of it. I wasn't sure why now the timing felt right, but it did. He felt right; his strong body and his overly perfect smile made me feel desperate to have him. Daniel was about to know me on a personal and intimate level. I knew once I took it there, there was no going back. I grabbed his glass and placed it on the coffee table alongside my own. I stood up, grabbed his hand, and led him to my room.

****

I woke up to Daniel getting dressed, and I sat up to check the time on my phone. It was 4:30 am. I had to be at the hospital by 2:00 pm. He walked over to me and kissed me on the forehead.

"Bye, beautiful, I will text you later. I have an early shift." I smiled and blew him a kiss with my eyes still half-closed. I lay back down on my satin pillows and started kicking my legs and slamming my arms down. YES! YES! YEES! Last night was the best night of my life. Could I really do this? Date a doctor? Could this work? I wasn't sure it was possible, but I was sure I wanted to try. He was perfect, and after last night, I knew I loved everything about Dr. Daniel Hernandez. I wasn't sure if he was going to text me later, but at that moment, I didn't care. I was going to enjoy every second of my sleep and his smell on my sheets. I rolled over and started to laugh. I really did that. Me and Daniel. I couldn't stop smiling. I set my alarm to wake up at noon and call my mom. I had to fill her in about Daniel. I couldn't wait to tell her all the details of last night's rendezvous.