Hi, everyone! I've had some problem with this story, mostly because I'm not sure when it's going to end. This has led to some dificulties and writer's block. thank you for understanding
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"I'm an idiot, I must be a complete moron" Robert declared during lunch to Matthew.
"Ok, and that makes me what? An imbecile? Not even a year and a half and you're already catching up on me. I swear, you're going to finish before I do." Matthew stated and took another bite of his sandwich with ham and cheese, Robert hadn't touched his.
"I honestly thought he gave a damn. I mean when your son gets an award you should be proud, right? I even sent him a copy of the damn paper" he muttered under his breath.
"Maybe he just has a lot to do. His new book just came out, right? He'll call"
"No, Caroline called and she only does that when she thinks he should but knows that he won't. And, of course, when she wants to tell about sweet little Sophie" Robert felt like Caroline had betrayed him somehow, she hadn't become that friend he had hoped for, more like a kind aunt. And even though that aunt was always nice and called him from time to time, she loved her husband and her own daughter way more. Matthew shook his head, since Robert had come back from his father's that week-end it had been clear that the 'Chase family' was a lost cause. Antonia had more or less forbidden him to see Rowan outside the class room and Robert slept on their couch more often than he slept in his own bed.
"I see, too bad . . . but hey, how did it go with that girl? You went back to your place?" Matthew asked referring to the gorgeous brunette Robert had met the night before.
"Pretty good, she's beautiful, the dinner was great and it took a whole hour before she asked anything about dad. We split up outside the restaurant."
"Well, your dad is a famous doctor and you're dating med students"
"Who else would understand the strange hours you have to pick for your dates? Or how much we have to study? You're lucky you're married"
"I sure am" Matthew smiled at his friend happy that they went to the same school and had been so for the last 15 months. It made it so much easier to stay in touch, and see each other on a regular basis. Even though Robert complained about his father pressuring him, Matthew had to agree with Rowan (even if he wouldn't out loud), Med School suited Robert. But Matthew shut up, never trying to push Robert in Rowan's direction and was grateful that his own parents had been satisfied with his way of life since he'd married Antonia.
"By the way Antonia wonders if you want to come home to us for dinner tonight"
"I don't know, I've got a test tomorrow"
"So do I, but we still have to eat, right? Come on, she hasn't seen you in weeks and you can sleep on the couch. It's formed after you anyway" he joked and tasted his friend's sandwich.
"Robert" Antonia threw her arms around him and he almost dropped the bottle of wine.
"Nice to see you too, Antonia. Hi Matthew!" he greeted his friend by the stove.
"Robert, you are most welcomed and if you'll compliment my cooking I welcome you even more"
"Come on, Matty, you know I can't lie." They all laughed and Antonia went to open up the bottle. Robert sat down at the table and started to talk about the life at med school.
"Matthew tells me you're doing great. I'll bet you're even better than the renowned rheumatologist Dr. Chase" Antonia did not possess Matthew's forgiving mind and ever since she had found out about Robert's childhood she had decided that Rowan Chase was no friend of hers.
"You are far too kind, Antonia" Robert thanked her.
"Kind? I'm not kind, just ask my readers. Reviewing books and movies can be so much fun, much better than writing about 'ten ways to curly hair', and there's no room for kindness" she joked. "Oh, by the way, Matthew did give you that letter? Who was it that didn't know you have your own place now?"
"Father Harrison, he just wanted to see how everything was, telling me that the community misses me, misses us and that he's praying for me" Robert's voice diminish at the thought of Father Harrison praying for him to God, when God . . .
Matthew saw his friend disappear in thoughts and looked at Antonia, silently pleading her to quickly change the subject.
"Well, that's nice of him. Have you heard anything from your other priest, eh, professor, Harlow, was it?" As a reward for her effort, she received a smile from Robert.
"Yeah, I emailed him the other week, telling him about, well, everything really. I was surprised he managed to read it and respond within the day."
"And what did he say?"
"Well, he wrote an essay twice as long as my email. But among other things that he's glad that the road making is going well and he wished me good luck with all my future ethical dilemmas, both the ones I have to make as a doctor and the important ones" Robert laughed quietly at his professors words and continued. "And apparently he's thinking of coming back . . . speaking of coming back, any word from Hannah?"
Antonia shot Matthew a glance before answering. "She's still in Germany, she's grown quite attached to it . . . she just moved in with him" at the sight of Robert's surprised face she turned to Matthew "I thought I told you to tell him"
"I was waiting for the right moment" Robert decided to interrupt before his friends started fighting.
"A guy? It's ok, of course she would meet someone. They've been going out for long?"
"Robert, I didn't ask Matthew to tell you that Hannah's got a new boyfriend. I asked him to tell you that she's engaged."
"Ok, that was Amazing!" the girl next to him in bed put her hand on his naked chest. "I figured you would be good with anatomy"
Great, another lame joke about him being a med student, he was slowly getting tired of them. Viviane was smart, but not half as witty as she thought. She was a former med student that he had met in the beginning of his time at Sydney Med and had dropped out a few months later. She had told him it was because she had changed her mind, that she rather wanted to become a lawyer than a doctor, but the rumour said otherwise.
Viviane Green had two months before she quit broke up with her boyfriend Fredrik. He had later that evening gone to a bar, gotten himself drunk and had decided to drive home. The truck driver never had a chance to stop. Ever since, everyone felt sorry for poor miserable Fredrik and Viviane was called the black widow of Sydney Med and people started to avoid her. Later it also came out that she had been cheating on Fredrik with one of their professors. Both the professor and Viviane denied it, but that didn't help and soon it had become impossible for Viviane to continue.
Robert had run into her on a night out, they had started talking and soon ended up in her bed. They had now been dating for a few weeks with secret meetings that often took place in either part's bedroom. Still they talked a lot, they had both had their share of misery and before, or after or at breakfast Robert liked to talk to her.
"Do you know why I like you so much?" he asked as she went up of bed and started to get dressed. She had a job interview in less than an hour.
"Oh, there are so many reasons to like me, I wouldn't know where to begin. Because I'm charming, good in bed, here and not in Germany. Oh, by the way, can you tell your friend that next time he wants to lecture me about leaving good boys alone, it's kind of tacky to start talking about the boy's ex."
"I can't believe Matthew sometimes. I'm sorry, he's just trying to look after me"
"Tell me about it, he practically wanted to bite my head off. I know you have a jerk of a dad and a mum six feet under, but I don't hear you wine about it, unless you're really drunk" she said as she crept under the bed looking for her skirt. "So that girl, the 'love of your life', was she pretty?"
"I broke up with her and she moved to Germany and now she's engaged to some German guy who apparently is an expert on the Mariana Trench" Viviane answered him from under the bed.
"According to your pal, that breakup was the biggest mistake of your life, that you weren't yourself, still aren't and now you're doing another stupid mistake, namely me, because you're heartbroken over this girl's engagement. Ah, there it is!"
"So what does he expect me to do? Fly over to Germany and stop her?" he handed Viviane her cardigan from the nightstand.
"Sounds very romantic, and stupid. Why would she leave a German expert that she's ready to marry to date the guy who broke her heart?" she sat down on the bed, fully dressed and ready to go. She took his hands in her own and looked into his eyes.
"You're a good guy, Rob, and smart, smart enough to understand that it isn't a very good world. Look at me, Fredrik made the idiotic decision to drive drunk, he could have killed someone, but who do people blame? And every time we meet you talk about your mum, or dad and professors and priests and whatever, all those people that tries to control you. I don't know what you think, but I think that we understand each other"
Robert sat up "So do I. Viviane, what we have, it's nice and all, but"
"But not a 'love of your life' thing, I know. But maybe this is as good as it gets, two people who can talk and have great sex . . . I know this was only suppose to be casual, but would you like to try it for real?"
"I-I guess we could try and see" Viviane didn't let him finish.
"Great! I prepared a draw for you in the bureau. God, look at the time, I really have to go. See you later!" she kissed him and hurried out of the door, leaving Robert in the bed wondering what on earth had just happened.
Thank you for reading! Any comments or wishes for how far this story shall continue?