And The Tide It Take Me Away From You (And It Brings Me Back Again)
'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' by XYLĂ
Beth stormed into the hospital room with Dr Shields right behind her and Chris floundering in the hallway.
"What did you do?" Beth demanded
"I- I don't know! We were just talking and she said she had to go and then ran away before I could even say anything!"
"What exactly did you say to her?" Siobhan inquired
"Uuum...I said I was sorry for some stuff I said while under the influence of Vicodin, then I said she was one of my best friends and I needed her-"
"I'm sorry what did you say?!" Chris yelled from the hallway "You said she was one of your best friend?!"
"Don't feel jealous Beck." Mark joked, confused at the horror stuck faces Beth, Chris and Siobhan were sending his way "Guys seriously, what?"
Beth sighed "Mark, you egg."
"What!" He asked "What did I do that was so bad?" He looked to Siobhan "Doc? Any help here?"
"Give me a minute, I'm currently reminding myself I am a professional psychiatrist and not some sort of meddling friend. That being said I must agree with your friends, you are in deed an egg."
"Let's just pretend that I don't know what you're all talking about. How about you pretend to explain it to me."
Beth sighed more dramatically "She loves you Mark."
Watney stared at her for a full 10 seconds with a look of disbelief and the whole room was silent "What?"
Chris raised an eyebrow "You seriously didn't know? Martinez would be disappointed."
"Wait seriously? Mindy Park is in love with me?"
Siobhan leaned in "Why is that so hard to believe?"
He shrugged "I don't know. It just...is."
"Could you two leave for a second please."
"Sure thing Doc." Beck and Beth evacuated the room and left the doctor and her patient in the hospital room alone.
"Do you love her?"
"I-"
"Come on Mark don't clamp up on me now!" She repeated sternly "Do. You Love. Her?"
"I do." Mark whispered
"So why didn't you tell her that?"
"I.. I don't know I just-?"
"You just what? You just think you're not good enough for Mindy Park or for anyone because of how much money and time and other countries boosters were used to save you. I'm sure you feel all those resources were wasted but they weren't. You don't get to decide if you're good enough for Mindy, if she likes you then she likes you. You need to decide if she's good enough for you!"
"Of course she is!"
"So tell her this! Tell her you love her!"
"I can't I-" Mark was cut off as he sucked in a deep breath almost involuntarily. He closed his eyes "I can't tell her."
"Why not?"
"Because what if she doesn't feel the same way."
"Standing next to you is the best psychiatrist in Houston. I'm telling you she does feel the same way." She sat down the the chair that had been previously been occupied by the party in question "I understand that it's scary and it's unknown but what would the world be like if no one told the person they loved that they loved them? You have to take risks sometimes to live life to the fullest."
"As your psychiatrist, as your friend and as a human being I'm telling you: Go to Mindy tell her how you really feel."
Mark looked at her somewhat doubtful but as the two stared at each other he was filled with confidence. "I will. I will tell her how I really feel." He swung his leg off the bed and then paused "Am I clear to go?"
"Yes you are."
"Then I'm going to go to Mindy's and knock on her door and tell her how I feel!" He practically leapt out of the bed and ran out the door past the less confused Beth and Chris in the hallway. He yelled at them as he passed "I'm going to tell her how I feel!"
Chris immediately starting grinning and gave him two thumbs up "Good luck buddy!"
"Go get her Mark, you deserve it!" Beth called after him.