Note: This is a companion story/continuation to "The End Maybe" (an Evan POV of key scenes from the "Astraphobia" episode + a bit after). This chapter is starting in basically the same place, but from Divya's POV. Enjoy!
"Why is it that the people who are wrong for us seem more exciting than those who are right?" she had asked Hank.
Oh, how this conversation would come back to haunt her.
Divya had thought she was just helping an obviously terrified Evan by riding out the big end of summer storm with him at the guest house he shared with Hank on the grounds of Boris's estate, and only because Hank had gone on a dinner date with Jill and Evan's girlfriend Paige was out of town and unable to be there to hold his hand. Although if she were being brutally honest with herself, there was just something that made her uneasy about that relationship. Paige seemed to be a lovely girl, and Evan seemed quite happy with her, but Divya supposed her opinion was colored by the manner in which Paige had entered the picture. Really, what kind of girl tries to buy a "faux beau" to introduce to her parents just because her actual beau is far too old for her? And what kind of girl would think Evan of all people would be an improvement? Okay, so he was at least from the same generation as Paige, and he did have the occasional witty moment, and when he really turned on the charm those blue eyes could draw you in closer in spite of yourself. But still… Evan?
Divya shook her head to clear it, exasperated with herself. She had completely lost her train of thought. Why did this kind of thing keep happening now? It was so inconvenient, especially when she was supposed to be focusing on patients and last-minute wedding preparations. She scanned her computer screen again, searching in vain for an answer to their patient's unusual symptoms, and trying to ignore Evan's agitation.
So of course the lights would go out now.
Evan paced nervously in the dark, muttering to himself, until she reminded him how well-prepared he was. (Obsessively prepared was more like it, but she wouldn't say that to him, not when he was so on-edge.) That seemed to settle him temporarily, even as he struggled to start the emergency generator, but after several tries he sat back down defeated. Divya lit a candle and sat with him, her thoughts already turning back to the work to be done.
"Damn the end of summer," he mumbled.
She looked up at him, studying his expression in the candlelight. Was that what was really bothering him? Hank had said that Evan had always had a fear of storms, so both of them had been attributing his increasingly neurotic behavior the last few days to that fear – his astraphobia. But now it seemed to her that he was worried about much more than just some bad weather. His father's legal situation, the future of HankMed… those were certainly distractions for him, which she gently pointed out.
"You'll be leaving the Hamptons," he interjected, meeting her gaze briefly. A distraction they shared. And apparently one neither of them wanted to think too much about. She struggled to reassure him. And wished she could reassure herself.
"In a few weeks, I'll be moving to London… starting a whole new life. It is… unsettling." The way Evan was looking at her just then was equally unsettling. She blinked, regaining her focus. "But like all storms, this one is going to pass. And you'll be fine, Evan. We both will." She sounded so sure she could almost believe that was true.
Apparently she had been right about the storm. The next day had dawned clear and warm and non-threatening, though she could see evidence of "the big one" (as Evan had called it) in the downed limbs and leaf debris littering the roads. The two of them were headed into Bridgehampton State Park, driving toward the signal beeping on the receiver in Evan's hand. He was bragging about the state-of-the-art GPS locator system he had purchased for just such a situation, while Divya was complaining that he could now track her every move.
"Ah, Divs, I prefer to think of it as protecting my valuables, actually." She noticed his look in her direction as he said this, and narrowed a glance back at him, wondering just what he meant.
She almost hated to admit it, but Evan's thorough storm preparations had been good for something. The new GPS locators had allowed them to track down Hank and Jill – who had gone missing in the state park during the storm – quickly… and quietly. They found them safe and sound asleep in Hank's muddy car, wrapped up together in a blanket from Evan's emergency preparedness kit. "Looks like they rescued each other," she grinned. The sight of the sleeping couple had been almost as cute as the look on Evan's face when he realized what it meant.
"Jank! Jank is back!"
It was almost enough to make her forgive him for his ridiculous "combo names" for the two of them. EvaDivs? Divyan?
"Ok, here's one. Divya… and idiot. Didiot."
He took the hint. "Not bad."
She drove Evan home practically in silence for once, both of them lost in thought. She hoped for his sake that his thoughts were more peaceful than hers. Although she appeared to be masking it well, the closer the wedding and her departure from the Hamptons loomed, the more she worried about the coming changes in her life. The wedding preparations seemed to be growing in scale exponentially with her parents making more of the decisions for her, saying things like, "Oh, Divya, we've suddenly realized we need to invite 50 more guests," or, "No, dear, I don't think having an elephant at the wedding is over the top." It barely felt like it was her wedding anymore. And every time she tried to bring up the subject with Raj, she found herself feeling like she was the one being silly for protesting when everyone else seemed so happy.
Not that the wedding was the only issue preoccupying her thoughts these days. Divya could hardly bear to think of how she'd let herself get carried away with Adam. It had been stupid, and irresponsible… and exhilarating. And it had felt nothing at all like the way she felt with Raj.
She sighed – it was no good going down that path in her mind yet again. She turned her attention back to the road, and noticed as she checked the mirror that Evan was watching her, unblinking, from the corner of his eye.
"Evan? What is it? You're staring."
He blinked. "I am?"
"Yes. You are." She glanced his way again as he seemingly registered that they had nearly reached the end of the drive at Boris's estate. He was still staring in her direction as she rolled to a stop. "Evan?" she asked again, turning in her seat to face him. The words she was going to say froze on her lips when she saw his face. It was as if he were mesmerized... as if he couldn't make himself look away. Now she blinked, puzzled at the intensity of his gaze. "Is there something you need to tell me?"
"Divs, I —" he stammered.
"Yes, Evan?" She waited expectantly, smiling. "What is it?"
He smiled back, then took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak. "Don't go to London. Stay here. Stay in the Hamptons."
"What?" She had not been expecting that. "Don't be silly, Evan. Of course I have to go to London. I'm getting married, remember?"
"But Divya, you don't have to go and you don't have to get married! Don't you see?" He looked so desperately hopeful. She hated to dash that hope, but there was nothing for it.
She shook her head. "No, Evan. I can't."
"Divs, look I know you think you have to fulfill this… this… obligation to your family by marrying Raj. But you don't! This is you we're talking about. Are you really going to be able to settle for what they choose for you? Isn't this your life now? You're going to give all this up just to avoid a family confrontation? What about your happiness, huh?" His blue eyes stared intently into hers. "And why would you marry a man you don't love?"
She started to protest. "I do love Raj! I – "
"As a friend," he corrected her gently. "Not the way a wife should love her husband."
"We'll grow to love each other." He couldn't win this argument, not when she'd had it with herself so many times.
Evan sighed, "You shouldn't have to, Divya." His hand reached for hers. "Not when there's someone here who loves you, just the way you are."
Her eyes flew open in shock as she jerked her hand away. "WHAT? How did you know?"
He looked almost as shocked as she did. "How did I know what?"
"About Adam, of course!" she yelled in frustration. "Who told you? Was it Hank?"
He frowned at her, confused. "What are you – ? Why would Hank – ?" Confusion turned to comprehension. "Wait… wait, Adam? The patient Adam? With the perfect hair, and perfect abs, and… and – " The look on Evan's face was unreadable. "What did you do, Divya?"
She flushed uncomfortably. "You mean you didn't know. Hank didn't – "
"Of course Hank didn't tell me!" he snapped. "If you thought about that for even one second, you'd know that Hank would never – what did you do, Divya?"
"That's none of your business." Her voice was icy, but she felt like she was on fire.
"On the contrary, that is my business," he responded just as coldly. "What goes on with HankMed, our patients, and our employees is most definitely my business." He turned away from her, looking out the window. "What the hell were you thinking, fooling around with a patient?"
"I WASN'T FOOLING AROUND!"
His head snapped back to face her. "You can call it whatever you want. But if word gets out that an employee of HankMed was inappropriately… involved with a patient," he smiled bitterly, "well, that's not going to be good for business, is it?"
She could feel tears beginning to sting her eyes, but she wouldn't let them spill. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm leaving."
"I suppose it is." He started to climb from the van, then paused as he opened the door, still not looking at her. "I never thought you could disappoint me, Divya," he said quietly. He shut the door behind him and walked away, never once looking back.
This time she couldn't stop the tears.