"Playing Doctor"

"I can't believe I am doing this. I haven't seen her since high school," Gary whispered to himself. He was staring at an acrylic painting of a cabin nestled between tall clusters of pine and oak trees. Two children were depicted playing on a tire swing. The autumn leaves, mixed with brown pine needles, blanketed the forest floor. The painting reminded him of his childhood home.

He was startled by the creaky sound of a door opening behind him.

It was Lisa.

Gary smiled widely. "She is still as beautiful as the day I met her," his nostrils flared as he admired his former lover.

Dr. Melton was reading her charts and taking notes. She had a concerned look on her face. She started, "Good morning, Gary. I see you recently finished treatment for stage 4 lung cancer. How can I help…." Lisa lifted her head and looked into his eyes. She gasped and then peered at the chart again. Dr. Melton read his birthdate loudly.

Lisa dropped the chart on the counter. She started to cry. She couldn't look at him. Gary stood up from the examination table and put his arms around her. Lisa leaned into his chest, "I'm sorry, Gary. I see your dad. He is a patient of mine, and he told me everything; how you lost your wife, your job, and now this horrible lung cancer."

"So much life has happened to us, hasn't it?" Gary whispered. He kissed the top of her head, released his embrace, and stepped away from her.

She nodded and wiped her eyes with a tissue. Lisa had straight, blonde hair with a few streaks of grey. She was wearing a white lab coat. Lisa hopped onto the examination table and stared warmly into his eyes.

"It's been a long time since I have seen your smile and those hazel eyes," he returned her smile.

"Some of my best moments growing up here were with you, Lisa. The long hikes in the forest. Summertime at the lake and remember the…." Gary paused. He choked, and his face turned bright red. He looked over at the painting. Then, a tear fell from his face; he whispered, "And the hours we played on the tire swing."

Lisa playfully punched him in the arm, "I know! I am reminded of that tire swing every time I walk into this room!"

"Don't forget the kisses; we did that a lot too!" she reminded him.

"How can I forget?" he boldly brushed back her hair with his hand.

Lisa stood up from the table, "Why are you here? Do you need anything? How can I help you?"

Gary lowered his head and closed his eyes. He had thought about what he would say to her since he was recovering in ICU. "Lisa, I had experienced so much pain these last few years. I had lost my mother, my wife left me, lost a job that I absolutely loved, and then this lung cancer arrived. I was within minutes of dying several times. But, dying was not as painful as the divorce or losing my mother or my job."

Lisa returned to the examination table and placed an arm around his shoulder. He paused, lifted his head, and looked into her eyes. A breath of fresh air filled his lung.

"I realized during that moment that I might not wake up again. I thanked God for this life. I told him I loved him, and I was ready if he needed to take me." Gary grabbed Lisa's hands.

"I'm not sure when I woke up, but I did! My mind raced!" He squeezed her hands. "I have so much to do, I thought! And then I thought of you. Like I seem to do throughout the different phases of my life. I always return to you."

Lisa let out a deep breath, "Awe, Gary."

"I wanted to return home, and I wanted to tell you, after all these years, how much you have meant to me and how much I miss you." Gary paused for a moment.

Lisa's hazel eyes sparkled with delight from his confession. She smiled and tried to speak but only could laugh hysterically.

Gary leaned towards her, and Lisa stopped laughing. He placed his arms around her waist, and she put her hands around his neck. Gary pulled the clip from Dr. Melton's hair. "I think you are even more beautiful than when we were young and reckless." He pressed his lips against hers. At first, it was short, wet kisses, but soon they held each other tightly and kissed passionately until they were forced to breathe warm, intimate breaths into each other's mouths.

Gary stopped. They were breathing heavily. "Wait!" He pulled her away but held onto her arms. Then, he leaned in, "Are you married?"

She released herself from his grip, laughed loudly, and punched him in the arm again. "What? No? Oh my God! You brat!"

He placed his arms around her again. They began to sway back and forth. Soon they were kissing again. Gary was overwhelmed with how attractive she made him feel. He reached for her lab coat and started to tear at the buttons.

Lisa reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head.

A loud tap could be heard at the door, followed by the nurse entering the room. Gary's shirt was still on his head with his arms raised upwards. He dropped Dr. Melton's hair clip to the floor.

The young nurse giggled at the two of them. "Right on, Dr. Melton. I see you're trying your new therapy protocol on this patient." She laughed again and left the room.

Gary looked at Lisa. Her face was completely flushed. "New therapy protocol? Has she seen this method before?"

Lisa leaned over and laughed. Gary rubbed her back. She moved away from him, laid down on the examination table, and covered her eyes. Dr. Melton couldn't stop laughing.

"Actually, Gary," she shook her head and continued to laugh, "she has!"