Over the next few weeks, Michael took Catherine to the workshop where the new surgical robot was stored. His team had worked on the technology and built the machine over the last three years, yet it had only been approved for use six months prior. The arms were sleek, chrome and white. Tiny robotic hands were able to swap out for an array of surgical tools. An advanced lens allowed the viewer to see down to microscopic levels, and everything was fed to a screen that they would work behind.
Catherine took a nervous breath as she stared at the machine. She had never performed a surgery behind the screen of a robotic assist, although the practice was becoming more popular. She was accustomed to working with her hands, and the thought of having to mimic those motions in the imitation gloves that were attached to the screen and fed to the three arms was intimidating. But she knew she’d have to overcome that fear, practice with the device, and hope that she could make it work for Lucas.
The benefit of this machine was the ability to keep the operation less invasive and scale down to an incredibly small level. Lucas’ tumor was buried deep in his skull, smooshed beneath the Broca Area, beside the Parietal and Temporal Lobe. Those were in charge of speech and language, which explained his slur, the speech issues, and word recall problems. The temporal also was charged with emotion and intellect, but from his charts, Lucas didn’t appear to be suffering in those areas, yet.
She knew the longer they waited, the larger it would grow and push on that area. Right now, it was only the size of a dime, but it could expand suddenly with no rhyme or reason. If she had learned one thing in the world of brain surgery, it was to predict the unpredictable.
George was the lead on the robot assist. He worked with her through the mornings and afternoons teaching her about the various tools and their functions, as well as how to control their movements. It was exhausting work, and by lunchtime, she was ready for Michael to sweep her off to a new and exciting restaurant. She relaxed in his presence, enjoying the genuine conversation until it was time for both of them to get back to work. Their goodbyes were getting harder, and she gave a smirk as she recalled how their goodbye that day had ended with her back to the wall in a supply closet and his tongue caressing her clit. The memory made her squirm in desire.
She spent the evenings working on different pieces of fruit with the robot. She would create a small opening and work to retrieve the seeds with the least amount of damage done to the flesh and inside pulp, then she would sew it back up. The first few attempts ended in juice, and she felt herself doubt this entire decision. But she kept at it; she sat for hours every night and worked on the controls. Her hands were becoming accustomed to the actions. She was beginning to get the feel for how to merge with the machine. She would finish each operation and look up to see Michael waiting patiently by the entrance to her lab, his tall frame leaning against the wall as he gave her a look of sincerity. He would then drive her back to the estate, they’d have a midnight snack, and sometimes she’d blow him right there on the counter. They’d bid each other goodnight and sadly head to their rooms.
It was one week until surgery, and the entire team was meeting with Michael and Lucas. Everyone was gathered in the lab, each member taking their time to go over the robot and ask George any questions they had about the machine before surgery. The operation would be a correlation of tech support who were on standby in surgical garb in case the machine experienced any sort of malfunction and the doctors and nurses who were there for any needed support.
She swallowed hard and looked around the room of people. Then she looked to Michael, and he gave her a nod. She exhaled slowly and whispered to herself, “Okay, here we go.”
She approached the machine and rested a hand on it. Her eyes looked out to the crowd, and everyone fell silent. She had their attention, and it was time to go over the plan of action.
“Hello everyone, I want to start with a thank you. Thank you for being here today and throughout this journey. I know you’ve all been putting in the extra time and working hard to make sure this surgery goes as flawlessly as possible, and I really appreciate that. As I’m sure our patient over there does, too.” She winked at Lucas, and he gave a nervous wave as everyone turned to give him a smile.
Her face hardened, and her eyes narrowed in determination, “But the work has only just begun. Next week, we’ll be in that operating room for a minimum of twelve hours. This is going to be incredibly slow, tedious work and will require every single one of you to play your part. We have to think about this operation as a motor. Each one of us is a single component, but together we make the engine run.”
She paused and looked around the room again at the stoic faces. Some nodded and others looked down as they thought about the stress of the upcoming week.
“This week, I need you to focus all your energy on running your part as smoothly as possible. Nurses, we’re going to need you there to clean up, provide aid, and watch vitals. Anesthesia, we need constant vigilance. Neurologists, I need you to keep track of every single signal that brain sends while I’m working on it. Tech, we need to quadruple check every piece of this machine. If any piece of that robot fails or falters, we’ll lose time and precision, two huge components of this operation.”
Michael watched her with a spark in his eyes. Her ability to command the attention of every person in this room with her confidence and natural authority mesmerized him. Her black hair fell in waves, and the curves of her face seemed to accent the sharp, look of determination. Her tall, lean, yet well curved form stood in the spotlight. Those long legs seemed to beckon him. He felt himself harden just a bit as he watched her. He shook his head and tried to push the thoughts away; now wasn’t the time to think about that, but he couldn’t help himself.
She took a deep breath and continued, “I know we can do this. Over the last week, Michael has introduced me to all of you amazing people. Compassionate, intelligent, and driven. You all share those qualities, and I know that together, we can do this.”
There was a brief pause before the team gave a round of applause. Lucas whistled, nudged Michael with his elbow, and winked. “I like her.”
His brother chuckled as he watched her shake the hands of the different members. “Me too.”
***
That afternoon, Michael took her to lunch at the authentic Italian restaurant Paladar Vistamar. The sun was high, the temperature was a perfect seventy-five, and the skies were a cloudless cerulean. The buildings here seemed to run together, brick and more contemporary structures. Catherine looked out in confusion as they pulled into a spot on the small side street, their destination seemingly hidden.
He gave her a look of faint surprise. “Guess we’ll find out.”
She gave him a playful shove as they began to walk toward an entrance. The two of them walked in, her heels clicking on dark hardwood floors and echoing against big, white stone walls. The look and feel were clean and modern. The glass allowed the natural light to pour in and reveal the hidden gem inside. They walked past rows of wine displayed in old fashioned wood crates and headed up the stairs.
A host led them to a balcony that overlooked a giant, pristine pool. The grounds expanded toward the shore, and the view was all ocean. A smile spread across her face as they sat at the table. The ocean air was salty, and the umbrella above them protected their skin from the harsh sun. She looked over to Michael, grabbed his hand, and gave it a squeeze, and he returned the gesture.
“I feel like I have the best tour guide in Havana,” she said as she opened the menu.
“You do,” he acknowledged simply with a smirk.
“Alright, ultimate Havana guide, what do you recommend off the menu?” she quizzed him as she quickly closed her menu, set it on the table, and laid her crossed hands on top of it.
“Hmmm, have to say the lamb stew is the best I’ve ever had.”
“If it’s not, you owe me dessert,” she replied.
“Oh, I’ll give you dessert.” He looked up slyly, to which she bit her lip and brushed her foot against his leg.
“Yeah, you think so?”
“I do.”
Their flirting was interrupted as a waiter stepped up to their table. Michael gave him the order, and he returned shortly with drinks. They sat in silence for a moment as they watched the waves dance and listened to the seagulls call out to no one in particular. After a moment, he looked to her with concern in his deep, blue eyes.
“That was a really good speech you gave to the team today. I’ve been talking to them, and they all trust you to lead this operation.”
Catherine’s eyes broke away from the crashing water and met his, more serious now.
“That’s good. The more trust there is in a team, the more likely to succeed.”
He paused for a moment, his eyes returned to the ocean swells, and then he looked down, “Do you think he’s going to make it?” he asked her quietly.
She was quiet for a few moments. Her eyes watched him as his gaze returned to her, and they looked into one another’s eyes, both seeming to search for something. She felt that familiar feeling rush through her—the excitement of his attention made her heart flutter, the connection in his look made her feel grounded, and his presence brought her a calm, soothing stillness that she never realized she had lacked.
“I think you have the best team on earth working on your brother, and I think we’re going to perform a near flawless surgery. I think he’s a strong guy who has the will to live and pull through all this, he could even make a full recovery.”
She paused, and he gave her a sad, small smile. “There’s a ‘but’.”
She nodded slowly. “But, no matter how well you plan, and how hard you fight, you have to accept that life is raw and unpredictable. As much as I’d love to give you the ‘everything is going to be fine’ line, it’s not in my nature, and I care for you too much to make false promises.”
She reached out and grasped his hand, feeling his warmth spread to her fingers as she squeezed his gently.
“We all need life to dangle the unknown before us every once in a while, to make us appreciate living.”
He looked at her with a small smile. “Think of that one yourself?”
She grinned back and laughed as she reached for her drink, then held it to her lips before replying.
“In fact, I did.”
***
Michael convinced Catherine to take the rest of the afternoon off and explore the city with him. While she was reluctant to take time away from the lab, as they drove down the streets lined with palm trees, shops, food trucks, and markets, she was glad she did. They stopped at the farmer’s market and tasted the fresh bananas, citrus, and mangos.
They meandered through the streets, and the towering, old, white stone buildings seemed to transport them to another time, as they blended seamlessly with the classic cars. It was a totally unique place, romantic and dreamlike. They walked hand in hand, and while she wasn’t quite sure what this relationship was yet, she enjoyed his company and wanted to explore this more.
Evening settled in on the tropical city, sending rays of warm, orange sunlight filtering through the towering buildings to clad the streets in its glow. They decided to return to the estate and enjoy the evening on the private beach, where it was quiet and they could relax without the company of strangers. The drive back was serene, and a look of happiness seemed to rest on Michael’s face.
She noticed that before he had seemed more tense and ready to work at the drop of a hat. Now, with her, he seemed to be more at ease, more himself. He reached a hand over and rubbed her thigh as they made their way down the coastal road. His motion was slow and intentional. His hand crept carefully toward her crotch and lingered there, and he gave her a smirk as he teased her. She laughed and pretended not to notice, which only made his hand grow closer to her. She felt the warmth and wetness flush her, and she wanted nothing more than to have him pull the car over, strip off his jeans, and press his shaft inside of her.
She resisted the temptation but reached her own hand over and clasped it on his thigh as well. They continued to playfully provoke each other all the way to the garage. He parked the car, killed the engine, and turned to her with shining eyes. He reached up and pulled her face to his; her lips pecked at his beard, and he chuckled at her antics. He caught her mid peck with his own lips, and the kisses were light and flirtatious. They lingered and softly tasted one another. Then he pulled back and caressed her face with a look of tenderness.
“You head down to the beach, while I let the chef know to pack us a picnic. I’m going to grab that and a bottle of wine. I’ll meet you down there.”
They went their separate ways. The path that went down from the house to the beach was a winding, sandy stretch that cut through dunes and the tall, sparse grass that grew there. Catherine stepped onto the large, stone patio behind the house and took off her shoes, then continued down toward the white sand.
Her thoughts began to wander and delight emanated from her eyes. She bit her lip and smiled as she thought of Michael. What was all this? What had her life become? She had gone from the doctor in New York City, never leaving the operating room or office, to living in paradise with a billionaire and working on the newest, greatest surgical robots. None of this felt real—it all seemed like an unimaginable dream.
Her mind suddenly reminded her of the exile and the charges against Michael. She felt her stomach sink and her heartbeat quicken. Her contentment faltered… could it really be true? Could he have given money to a terrorist operation? She hadn’t asked him about it, because she had wanted to give him a fair chance and really get to know him. Too many times she’d had people jump to wrong conclusions about her, and the pain of those allegations had opened her mind, prompting her to try and avoid judging people based on one part of their life.
Over the past few weeks, she had simply observed him and let their interactions play out. She knew her intuition well and followed it often. It told her this man was a good one—he was down to earth, fair, and honest. His dry sense of humor, his ability to take life in stride, and his calm disposition drew her like a moth to a flame. He worked hard and was passionate about making people’s lives better. The fact that he was incredibly good looking and a billionaire didn’t hurt either. The tender smile returned to her face. She would leave it to him to bring up the exile. In the meantime, she was going to relish the relationship she was building with this man.
She had reached the end of the path and stood on the seemingly endless beach. Palm trees decorated the shore, their long leaves gently whispering in the breeze. The waves were calm this evening, and their soft lullaby made her close her eyes and just listen. The serene nature of this place made her feel more alive and well than she had ever thought possible. It made her step back and appreciate the grace that life had to offer.
And Michael…he just seemed to bring it all together for her. His genuine nature and affection for her was something she had never experienced before. She didn’t know if she could go back to a life without him. That thought was startling, but she couldn’t deny the honesty of it.
She felt a warm, broad chest press against her back and generous, strong arms wrap around her waist. Hands slid down to her hips and held them, and a beard tickled her neck as silky lips gingerly adorned her. She let out a laugh, opened her eyes, and looked up to see Michael beaming at her with affection. She turned around and wrapped her hands around his neck, then pulled him in for a deep kiss and felt him stiffen beneath her. His arms still wrapped around her, he placed his hands on her ass and gave a squeeze.
She felt her own excitement but pushed it down as she pulled back and looked to his handsome face. While she still wanted nothing more than to undress him and explore his body with her delicate hands, she knew the time would come. But tonight… tonight, they would simply enjoy the gorgeous sunset and delicious dinner.