Page 120 of My Heart's Doctor

“Thank you, Orson,” I said emotionally, and I could see his eyes were getting misty too.

“Same here,” Sylvia assured me. “If that guy makes you unhappy, he won’t just have to deal with Orson. I’ve got a pretty good right hook too.”

“And don’t forget about the knee,” Orson said, remembering the one she had given Lino when she ran into him the day we signed the divorce papers.

“That’s right, tell your boyfriend so he knows what’s waiting for him if he screws up with you,” Sylvia affirmed proudly, andthe three of us started laughing as I hugged them again. They were my family.

The day I divorced Lino, my friends were waiting for me, and when he came out of the lawyer’s office, Sylvia approached him and kneed him in the testicles, leaving him doubled over in pain.

“Speaking of Lino, I should tell you that I ran into him at the beach today when I was with William and Aurora, and he behaved very strangely,” I said, and both of them started paying attention to my story again.

“What do you mean by ‘very strangely’?” Orson asked.

“He was acting as if he had some kind of interest in me. He even kept talking to me that way when William approached and made it clear that he was my partner, speaking to him coldly.”

“Point for Cavaller! I’m glad he put him in his place,” Orson announced with a smile.

“The guy is a complete imbecile. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was trying to play the seducer with you. If I had been there, I would have...”

“Given him another knee to the balls,” Orson said, laughing. “And he would have totally deserved it.”

“Exactly, I would have done exactly that,” Sylvia affirmed.

“Tell us what happened,” Orson requested.

Once again, I recounted everything that had happened at the beach with Lino and William, emphasizing Lino’s behavior and the protection William had provided me.

“It’s clear that guy can’t be trusted, and to be clear, I’m referring to your ex,” Sylvia affirmed. “He probably saw you with your new partner and must have gotten jealous.”

“I don’t think that’s it because he had acted that way when I was alone too. He was speaking to me sweetly and calling me ‘my queen’ like he used to when we were married, or rather, duringthe good times, because when he found out I couldn’t have children, I became just Devon. As I told you, nothing like the cold and hurtful guy he was with me when we separated. He left me completely confused. Thankfully William arrived and made me feel protected.”

“I don’t like it,” Orson said with a thoughtful expression. “I always thought Lino couldn’t be trusted, and I assure you that with what you just told us, I feel concerned.”

“Concerned? What can he do? We’re already divorced and...”

“And that son of a bitch bastard took more money than he deserved. Let’s agree that he took a pretty big slice, a slice that didn’t belong to him because you were the one who contributed more to that marriage,” Orson pointed out, interrupting.

“I won’t deny it, but that’s something that’s already in the past and I’ve forgotten about it. I let go of everything that had to do with Lino. The separation made me see that the change was for the better because my relationship with him was a farce. Neither did he love me nor did I love him, the latter I understood with time. And let’s stop talking about him because he doesn’t deserve even a minute of our beautiful time together.”

“You deserved a great love, and life has rewarded you for all the love you give to others,” Sylvia said with a smile.

“And what a reward it is with this love. Not only do I have William, but also Aurora. And now let’s toast to us, to our great friendship, and to my wedding with William.”

“Cheers,” Orson said, raising his beer bottle.

“Cheers,” Sylvia and I repeated, clinking our bottles.

While I was with my friends, I received a message from William:

“Hope you’re having a good time.

I miss you. What time are you coming home?”

My heart raced at his words.

Me:

“We’re having a great time.