I'll Be Seeing You

3. Mark

Returning to work was such a breath of fresh air. Getting back into my daily routine and being around friendly faces again felt good. Plus, helping people made me feel like I had a real purpose in life. Working in a hospital wasn't for the weak, and it was a job I took very seriously. Several of my patients noticed my absence and were thrilled to see me on the floor again.

"It's good to see you are doing better!" Mark said as I walked past his guard station.

"Well, hey there stranger. Thank you! I feel so much better and I'm glad to be back at it."

"I hope that boyfriend of yours took good care of you."

"Yeah, about that. We have a lot of catching up to do." I laughed.

"I'm all ears. Let me know when you take your lunch break, and I'll join you."

"Sounds like a date." I smiled, hoping he knew I didn't mean that literally.

The morning seemed to drag by, but once noon hit, I met Mark in the cafeteria for lunch. I was only going to give him small details of what had happened over the last couple of months but before I knew it, I had told him everything. I was almost positive he was going to get up and walk away and never speak to me again.

"Alyssa, you have got to get out of there!" he said with horror in his eyes.

"I know. I'm trying. I have to get a car first and then find my own place. It's hard where I was out of work for so long and then had the accident and was out for several more weeks."

"God, this makes me so mad. I'd love to have a talk with him. You'd probably be bailing me out of jail or visiting me in prison, but this just isn't right."

"There will be none of that." I laughed. "His karma will come. That's what I keep telling myself. One day this will all come back and bite him."

"I worry about you. I hate that you are in this position. I'm always a message or phone call away if you need anything or need someone to talk to."

"Thanks Mark, I really appreciate that."

"No man should ever treat a woman like this. He's an idiot."

"And that's why I'm done with men after this." I smiled.

"Oh, going to switch teams?" he teased.

"Actually, a little fun fact about me... I play for both teams."

"No way! You're into girls?"

"Yeah, my relationship before Chris was with a female actually. She and I were together for a couple years, but it was nothing but drama. She couldn't let her ex go and she was always starting stuff and coming in the middle of our relationship, so I finally had to call it off."

"I wouldn't have pinned you for the type." he said.

"I get that a lot. But being gay or lesbian doesn't come with a label to post on your forehead."

"No, I didn't mean that in a disrespectful way. That came out wrong. I just wouldn't have ever thought you liked girls. Nothing wrong with it though."

"I'm just messing with you". I laughed. "It's not something a lot of people know, I guess. And not something I broadcast like a lot do. But in all seriousness, I think I'm better off with women. I've had nothing but bad experiences with men. None nearly as bad as Chris, but none that have given me hope."

"Don't give up. We aren't all that bad."

"I know, I know. I just don't think there's one out there for me. And after seeing some of those cute little messages your girlfriend sends you, I can see she was lucky enough to find one of the good ones."