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ELARA WALKED INTO THE living room smiling. She gave a thumbs-up before she took her spot back on the couch with a bowl of ice cream in her arms.
"We are officially kid-free," she whispered.
A smile found his face. "Does that mean we can start the show?"
Elara shrugged and pulled up the fluffy blanket. "Yes. We are barely halfway through your introduction to the Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital."
Rory threw his head back. They were only on season 4 and he still didn't get why this hospital went through so many name changes.
"So she doesn't marry Mark?"
"No."
"So why is his name in the name?"
Elara bit her lip knowing she couldn't say. "I can't tell you!" She leaned forward to grab the remote from his lap. "Okay, hush," she turned her body so that she was leaning into his side.
Rory looked down at her head on his shoulder with a smile.
After 5 years of waiting and watching, he had finally gotten her to agree to go on a date with him. They had been on enough dates for him to know that he truly did love her.
The only problem was the ring on her finger.
Elara's heart had already been taken. And no matter how far he let himself fall this would never be real to her the way it is for him.
So he accepted it.
Anything was better than nothing.
And who knew when her husband would be set free?
Everyone but him.
Elara fiddled with the ring on her finger that was flipped around so the diamond wasn't visible. She always felt guilty deep down when she hung out with Rory. She felt like keeping her ring on display was like Klaus lurking in the corner.
Sure, he gave her his consent to see other guys and explore a life without him, but she still felt guilty.
Although a part of her loved the feeling she got being with Rory, she hated the underlying twist in her throat.
Hayley came home that night to find the two of them cuddling on the couch watching TV. She pulled Elara away to tell her the news and just like that everything changed.
They knew this day was coming. It's all they've dreamed of.
For 5 years she had been looking for a way to save the family. She also spent five years raising her kids whose only male figure was the man she had come to possibly love.
