“Must have been quite a dream John,” Dr. Paul said with a laugh.

“Haha, yes Dr. Asshole, it was, thanks for your concern,” John said while laughing. “I see you met Stephanie. Hello by the way Stephanie. So nice to see you, but, how in the world did you know I was here?”

“Kim told me John. She and I have gotten quite close since she started school with us, and she was very worried about you. You mean the world to her you know. Maybe you didn’t know that,” Stephanie explained reproachingly.

John looked over at Dr. Paul and saw the slightest bit of a gleam in his eye. He was quite sure Dr. Paul loved to hear him get scolded like this, and he reminded himself to give him shit for this at a later date.

“I’m gonna let you guys talk for a minute John,” Dr. Paul said while grabbing his coat. “A friend of mine is here on another floor with a broken hip. Jesus I am getting old. Anyway, I’ll come back and see you in a little while alright?

“Alright doctor, go spread your sunshine somewhere else for a while,” John said laughing.

And with that Dr. Paul made his exit, leaving John with this mysterious and beautiful woman that he wanted so much to explore. Although the hospital wasn’t exactly first date material, he felt a rush of excitement just being in her presence.

“I have to tell you Stephanie, although I am really glad to see you, I am amazingly curious as to what you and the good doctor there were talking about. Do you know each other?” John asked curiously.

“No, but we talked for a couple of hours while you were out. He’s quite an interesting man, and he obviously cares a lot about you,” she continued. “He was your therapist wasn’t he?”

“Did he say that? I’m not totally sure I would call him my therapist. More of a mentor slash archenemy,” John said laughing.

“Well you are very important to him. He’s a tremendously empathic person, that much was obvious. I also thought I picked up on a great sadness in him though. Like he has experienced a tremendous amount of loss,” she explained seriously.

“He lost the great love of his life about 10 years ago, and since then he has never really been the same,” John explained. “They had one of those crazy rare connections that comes along maybe once in a lifetime.”

“Crazy rare connections ha? I felt like that might be it. Like maybe he had some kind of great love in his heart that was on hold or something like that.”

“On hold?” John asked. “I like that, and can kind of relate to it in my own life. I’ve always felt like I had a ton of love to give someone, but never quite found the way to do it. Man, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. I guess being in the hospital I’m feeling pretty vulnerable right now.”

Rather then respond, Stephanie came over and put her hand on John’s face and held it there. It was one of the most comforting things he could ever recall experiencing, and he reached up and touched her cheek as well. They didn’t say anything for quite some time, but eventually they both succumbed to their feelings and shared a passionate kiss,,

John felt like he was 14 again…