After everything we’ve talked about today, I think that’s allowed, Elena replied with a small smile. Why haven’t you moved on from that hospital in New Jersey? With your skills and experience, you could work anywhere, make more money. Elena leaned against the railing, considering the question.
It’s complicated. After my parents died, I needed stability for Tommy. Changing jobs, maybe moving to a new city.
It just seemed like too much upheaval when our lives had already been turned upside down. And now Tommy’s 18, almost in college. Now there’s the financial reality, Elena admitted.
I’ve been at Memorial long enough to have decent seniority. Good shifts. Starting over somewhere else might mean more money eventually, but in the short term it would be a risk.
And I can’t afford risks right now, not with Tommy’s tuition to think about. Damien nodded thoughtfully. You’ve sacrificed a lot for your brother.
It’s not a sacrifice when it’s someone you love, Elena said simply. Still, Damien persisted. Don’t you ever think about what you want for yourself? Dreams you’ve put on hold.
The question hit closer to home than Elena was comfortable with. Of course she had dreams. Travel, further education, maybe even a relationship someday with someone who understood her complicated life.
But those things had seemed so far out of reach for so long that she’d gotten used to not thinking about. Them. Sometimes, she admitted.
But dreams don’t pay the bills. They could, Damien said quietly, with the right support. Elena tensed, immediately understanding what he was suggesting.
I don’t want your money, Damien. I know you don’t, he replied quickly. That’s not what I meant.
Then what did you mean? Damien seemed to struggle with his words, which was unusual for him. I meant that maybe there’s a way for you to have both stability and dreams. Before Elena could respond, a street musician nearby began playing a hauntingly beautiful melody on a violin.
The moment shifted. The conversation suspended in the notes of the music. As evening approached, they made their way to Montmartre, climbing the steps to the highest point in Paris.
The city spread out below them, beginning to twinkle with lights as the sky darkened. Your flight leaves in three hours, Damien said, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. We should probably head back to the hotel soon so you can get your things.
Elena nodded, a heaviness settling in her chest at the thought of leaving. These two days in Paris with Damien had been like a beautiful dream, but reality was waiting back home. Hospital shifts, bills, and the day-to-day struggles that defined her life.
Thank you, she said softly, for everything. This has been more than I ever imagined. Elena.
Damien turned to face her, his expression serious. What if you didn’t get on that plane tonight? She blinked in surprise. What? Stay, he said, the word holding more weight than its single syllable suggested.
Stay in Paris with me. Damien, I can’t just— Why not? He stepped closer, his eyes intense. Tommy’s with your aunt.
You’re not on shift until Monday evening. That’s two more days. Elena’s heart raced at the possibility.
Two more days in Paris, two more days with Damien. I don’t know. I have a house here, Damien continued.
Just outside the city. It’s peaceful. We could go there, spend some time away from everything.
Get to know each other better. The offer was tempting. So tempting that Elena almost said yes immediately.
But a warning voice in the back of her mind held her back. Damien, we live in completely different worlds, she said gently. Whatever this is between us, it can’t go anywhere real.
Why not? He challenged. Because I have money and you don’t? That’s just a circumstance, Elena, not a definition of who we are. It’s not that simple and you know it, Elena countered.
Your life is private jets and luxury hotels and business empires. Mine is hospital shifts and student loans and making ends meet. Those are just details, Damien insisted, taking her hands in his.
They don’t have to define us or what we could be to each other. Elena pulled her hands away, suddenly afraid of how much she wanted to believe him. They’re not just details, Damien.
They’re realities. And the reality is that I have responsibilities that I can’t walk away from. Not even for this.