After Ninety-nine Times

We’d been together for seven years, but during that entire time, my fiancée rejected the idea of getting married ninety-nine times, all because of a male intern.

The first time, she canceled our vacation at the last minute, saying the intern was stuck on a night shift and afraid of the dark. She got on a flight that very night and rushed back to the hospital.

The second time, we were already halfway through the doors of the courthouse to get our marriage registered. But just then, she got word that the intern had collapsed from exhaustion. Without a second thought, she left me standing alone in the snow for the entire day.

After that, it became a pattern. Every time we were together, the intern would find some excuse to pull her away. Eventually, I made up my mind to let go. I stopped dreaming about a happy marriage with her.

However, just when I announced I was transferring to another city, she broke down, begging me, almost hysterically, not to leave.

The courthouse steps were warm from how long I’d been sitting there.

For what felt like the hundredth time, I lit up my phone screen and stared at the last message Annie Sanders had sent three hours ago.

“A medical emergency just came in. Give me a few minutes.”

However, those “few minutes” had turned into hours.

Finally, that familiar white SUV pulled up. I stood up so fast I nearly tripped over myself.

Then, I froze. Sitting in the passenger seat was Joseph Quinn, the same intern who’d haunted our relationship like a shadow I couldn’t shake.

Annie rolled down the window, her voice carrying the same urgency I’d come to know too well.

“Get in! Joseph’s having heart palpitations. We have to get him to the hospital now!”

Right on cue, Joseph let out a pained groan, curling up in his seat.

I turned my eyes to him and noticed something. His hair had clearly been styled, and beneath his white coat, I could see a neatly pressed shirt collar. His skin even looked healthier than mine.

Was that what a medical emergency looked like? Did she forget I was a doctor too?

I took a deep breath before asking, “Annie, do you remember what today is? We were supposed to get our marriage registered.”

She slapped the steering wheel in frustration. “I know! But he’s in critical condition right now. Can we not argue about this now?”

Joseph lifted his head weakly, putting on that fake, selfless act of his. “I’ll be fine, Dr. Sanders. You two should get your paperwork done. I… I’ll take a cab back.”

As he reached for his seatbelt, he turned just slightly, and that was when I saw the smug, satisfied smile he flashed at me. In that moment, I knew exactly what he was doing. Of course, to Annie, all this made me look unreasonable again.

She raised her voice and kept his hand on the seatbelt.