Chapter 77

As soon as she said it, Nydia regretted it. She and Eddie weren't that familiar. Calling him like that felt too intimate, maybe even too bold. She quickly waved her hand. "Uh, I was just joking. I'm more used to calling you Mr. Houle." She smiled awkwardly. Eddie clearly wasn't satisfied with her response. After a moment of thought, he spoke again. "You can call me by my name." Now, Nydia was truly shocked. She wasn't sure if he was serious. "Eddie?" Eddie nodded. "Yes." She blinked, still unsure if this was real or just some kind of illusion. "Uh, I… I…" She ran her fingers through her hair. It wasn't a big deal, she told herself. It was just a name, so there was no need to overthink it. "Nydia," Eddie said suddenly, his tone calm, as though addressing a long-time friend. Her heart skipped a beat. "Huh?" Seeing her stunned expression, Eddie seemed to recall something and smiled slightly. "Brigham will be back in a few days. He'll need you for a follow-up checkup." "Oh,