The Freedom

I did not know how long I was crying on Sean's chest. He did not say a word but did not stop stroking my hair and my back. Knowing somebody cared and understood your heartache was such a nice feeling that my crying spell took longer. After what seemed like an eternity, I pulled my self up and looked at him with a faint smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Grey."

"Sean. We already agreed on this."

"Ah, yes," I chuckled, feeling awkward.

"I need to go back. They are already looking for me," I said as I looked around, ignoring his complaint. I sighed in relief when I realized we're standing on a corridor that only ER staff were using. I pulled my phone out and saw unread messages. I then opened the one from my fellow physician-on-duty.

"Doc, Red. don't worry. I'm taking over. Mr. Martela asked if you are on duty but I told him you are accompanying a patient who transferred to another institution."

I smiled at Dr. Mimi's thoughtfulness, but I grumbled at Eric's stupidity. As his partner, he should have known if I was on duty or not. His question only gave away the status of our relationship, and I felt ashamed. In my third year of residency, some of the ER staff had already seen Eric during those times he picked me up. However, I smirked at the thought that he only did it every time he wanted to have sex with me. It was those times, perhaps, that no one else was available for him. I already knew about his sexual relationship with others, but the knowledge was less painful than seeing his manhood stuck in my friend's cunt.

"Where are they now?" I replied.

"Up in their room already."

"Has he pulled out already?" I asked, and goosebumps spread all over me. It was awkward to ask, but I couldn't wait to know. I couldn't wait to attack them and tell Eric I'm leaving. Now, I already had a valid reason to do it.

"He has, but since they are both sedated, we transferred them to a regular room."

I turned my attention back to Mr. Grey. I knew he had read my exchange of messages with Dr. Mimi.

"S-Sean," I said, stuttering due to a sense of awkwardness, "you may go now. Thank you so much."

"You sure you're okay?"

I nodded, and he rubbed my back once again. "Tell me if you need someone to talk to. Do what is right," he said. Those few words were enough to tell me what he wanted to say.

When I went back to the ER, there were already many patients waiting for their turn. I felt relieved then, though I knew these colleagues of mine respected my privacy. True enough, no one dared to ask me except for Dr. Mimi, who gave me updates on their status. The medication I ordered would induce sleep, and my friend's vaginal wall would then open up and release Eric's shaft. Dr. Mimi also ordered a relaxant, not only to calm down Eric's stress but to hasten up the release of his tortured penile muscle. I almost laughed at the thought of it, but a pang of pain washed over me.

I got busy then, checking up and admitting a couple of patients until I was able to cater to everyone under my scope of duty. I then asked a post-graduate intern to check Eric and her other woman. Though I didn't get the title of being his wife, sleeping with him in his bedroom for five long years, gave me the right to call his flings as his other women.

"They are already fine, doc, and both of them are awake already," the PGI reported after checking on them.

I heaved a deep sigh and decided it's time to face them. I asked the PGI to go with me, and we went up. While on the way, the PGI already told me that someone came in to process for their discharge, thinking perhaps, to avoid me. I smirked inwardly. Why didn't they go to other hospitals instead? But I also thought that the reason could be about confidentiality. The people here knew Eric, and he expected them to respect him, on my behalf. He was right, then. No one talked about it, and no one looked at me with accusing or scornful eyes, even when I dropped by the nurses' station.

The moment the traitors both saw me, I couldn't describe the guilt and fear in their expression. If my friend had a choice, she would never have wanted to see me. I saw the color leaving her face and the fine tremors of her lips.

"How are you both doing?" I asked, trying hard to show no expression as if what happened did not affect me at all.

"Red, I'm so sorry," came Shirley's apology, even before I started to confront one of them.

"Red, it's not what you think. We were both drunk during..." Eric started to justify, and I raised a hand to stop him, looking at Shirley, who was sobbing already. I did not want to hear his lies - it only heightened my hatred against him.

"It's not the right place to talk about this. I'm just checking to see if you're both fine."

Eric laughed like a fool and came forward to hug me, but I stepped back and pushed the PGI to my front so that I would be standing behind him.

"I know you are so understanding, babe. You know I can never imagine a life without you."

I felt like throwing up in hearing him. I did not see the Eric anymore who slept with me at night, but instead, a demon right in front of me. I managed a smile and replied, "You're wrong. You can never imagine a life without them."

I stressed the word 'them' to remind the only best friend I used to know that we were not the only women in his life. He could purchase a truckload of them if he wants. What hurt me most was the fact that even my best friend, whom I loved as myself, betrayed me behind my back.

I turned my back on them and went out of the room. To my surprise, I was not hurting as much as I was a few hours ago. Eric and my best friend were not worthy of my tears. A beautiful future still lay before me, and I shouldn't waste my time over insensible things. Yet, human as I was, I couldn't get away with it, no matter how much I wanted to.

The following morning, I went to Eric's house, my home for five years, to pick up my important things. I left those expensive things he bought me, such as bags, shoes, sets of dress, and laptops. I wanted to show him that those material things were not important to me. If I had to choose, I would rather live a simple life in a happy home than living like a princess in an empty mansion.

I asked the guard to call a taxi. I did not want his car anymore. He could sell it if he likes, it's all up to him. I was about to step inside the taxi when two expensive cars stopped in front of me.