Read The Procedure for Free Online Page B

breathe normally, hoping to calm my racing heart. I was afraid to move, even the tiniest bit, so making myself comfortable in one of the big, leather chairs in front of the massive wood desk was out of the question.
    Standing in the middle of the room, I clutched my handbag with both hands against my stomach and slowly turned my head to look around. Pictures of Dr. Roman, and what I assumed were his family, filled empty spaces on the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined one side of his office.
    A couch, two chairs, and a coffee table filled the space in front of the shelves, while his massive desk, filing cabinets, and a multitude of academic degrees littered the other half. Three large windows opened the otherwise dark room with natural light and a breathtaking view of downtown Miami.
    Buildings, tall and wide, stood in the heated city, shading those who walked the sidewalks beneath them. Palm trees shadowed against the orange sky in the distance was their backdrop. I could feel the heat of the outdoors breaking through the window and basking my cool skin.
    The pull of the city and all its activity called to me. I found myself pressed against a warm window, looking down at the hustle and bustle. People spilled out of shops and restaurants as the mad dash for a quick bite or a little shopping took hold of the lunch rush.
    I spotted Mama Maria’s, one of Michael’s and my favorite little restaurants, and smiled. We’d gone there almost every day for a year when we first moved to the city. I’d fallen in love with everything about the place and couldn’t get enough.
    Sometimes, he’d surprise me at night with takeout, even if we’d eaten it for lunch. If he had ever gotten tired of the place, he never showed it, nor did he complain when I suggested it time after time.
    I couldn’t remember the last time Michael surprised me with their takeout… or anything for that matter. We were married, living together, and until recently, sleeping in the same bed. But I might as well be invisible for all that Michael noticed me anymore.
    I was about to turn away, my trip into memory lane hurting too much, when I saw a young couple emerge from Mama Maria’s. They looked no younger than Michael and I had. A long, tan arm wrapped around the girl’s slender shoulders as they came to a stop right outside.
    She had something in her hands, and it only took me half a second to realize what she had. Mama Maria’s was famous for her hollowed chocolate balls. They literally melted the second they touched your tongue, filling your mouth with a dark, rich chocolate. That wasn’t what they were famous for, though.
    Before you ate them, you cracked them open. Inside each one was a note. It wasn’t like a fortune cookie. These notes were special, personal. They gave you hope and made you smile.
    I watched as the girl read hers, smiling as big as I had when I’d read each and every one of mine. She looked up at the boy, and he kissed the tip of her nose before nuzzling the high curve of her cheekbone. I blinked back tears that not only stung my eyes, but my heart as well. Jealousy made me sick with green, but not in a hateful way. I was happy for them, but sad for myself.
    I chuckled softly, wiping at my tears, and watched as he spun her in his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and he kissed her hard and passionately before dipping her over his arm. She laughed uncontrollably, her head dropping back and her long, dark hair cascading down toward the sidewalk.
    When he pulled her up, he whispered something into her neck that made her smile sweetly and then run her fingers through his hair. I was so tempted to run downstairs and demand to know what her note said, but I’d probably be arrested or break my leg in my haste.
    They started to walk away, and I made a small sound of disappointment. Their life was so much better than my own—their passion evident. I didn’t have that. But watching them for that little bit, I’d lived