Here's the final chapter. Thank you to each and everyone of you that has taken the time to read and review this one.
The 3rd story in this series is called Recreating Memories. Keep an eye out for it in the near future.
I had something else written out for explaining Zoe's decision to move to Bluebell but it wouldn't work so I had to go back to this version of things and I do get that she's making a really rash decision with her life, but there's just something about the way I have it that I like.
Enjoy!
She had spent many of her nights over the past two weeks thinking about her future and what it was she really wanted now that she was being forced to take time off from the only thing that she had known for so long, she still didn't know what it was she wanted but Bluebell stuck out the most in her mind. What she told Jesse about taking a vacation in Bluebell would be nice. And from what she heard about the little town it sounded like a lovely little place to be. It was everything that New York wasn't and that in itself would be the best thing about it. Plus she'd know a few people so she wouldn't feel so lost.
Even sitting at her desk, she was able to go through what patients she had left able to come up with some kind of a game plan to see herself out of the hospital sooner than expected. If she could change patients over to other doctors she'd be able to take time off sooner than expected. And change wouldn't be the worst thing in her life.
But first she had a phone call to make before she went out to change her patients over.
"Big Z, what do I owe for this pleasure?" Lavon asked answering his phone with an amused chuckle.
"I've got some time off coming up in a month or two, Noelle told me a little about Bluebell and I thought I'd come check it out for myself and Jesse told me that you would be okay with me staying in the carriage house," she told him unsure of her own words.
"That's totally fine, I'm sure we can get it fixed up before you make it down here, you'll have to let me know when though," he informed her.
"I will and maybe things might work out for the best and I'll end up staying there," she joked.
"That doesn't sound like you're planning on coming down just for a vacation, big Z. Something else on your mind?" Lavon questioned her with a soft chuckle.
"I'm not really sure. I've never taken time off, the last time I had time to do as I pleased was back in school and changing scenery isn't such a bad thing now is it?" She questioned him.
"No, it's not and maybe it's just what you need. Your life shouldn't just be filled with that hospital," Lavon informed her. "I've got to run. Call when you know for sure when you'll be in town?"
"Will do," Zoe told him, hanging up her phone.
Grabbing the files she had on her desk from the handful of patients that needed more attention than a few that would be leaving soon she headed out to find the doctors in mind for each child.
Convincing the doctors and families that it would be a good thing was no easy feat but she was able to sit at her desk later in the day with a smile on her face with only a select few of her patients left. In two months time she'd be on her vacation and maybe it was exactly what she needed to do, a life elsewhere might be in order for her.
She thought she should've kept walking out of her office when she heard her office phone ringing, they'd leave a message and she'd call them back tomorrow. It was after hours and she didn't want to tell the person on the other line that she was done for a few months maybe longer, but something in her made her turn back and pick the phone up. She was thinking that they had hung up when she did answer it so when a male voice started talking on the other line she was pleasantly surprised.
"Dr. Hart this is Dr. Breeland, I run the practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Is this a bad time?" She shook her head, remembering that he couldn't see her.
"No, it's fine," she told him, sitting down in her chair. "What can I do for you Dr. Breeland?"
"Noelle Kinsella's files, I was wondering when you would be able to fax them over to me, I've talked to Jesse and I've faxed all the papers that I needed to you, did you get them?"
"I haven't had a chance to go over any papers on my desk, I'm sorry," she told him, glancing at the stack of papers waiting on her. With the day she had talking to the other doctor's and family members of her patients spending extra hours after hours looking through files hadn't seemed to be too appealing to her. "I'll have them to you by the end of tomorrow, Dr. Breeland," Zoe informed him, she'd get on it first thing in the morning.
"Great," Brick told her. "I don't want to intrude on you, Dr. Hart but I was talking to Lavon and he was saying that you were coming here for a vacation." Hearing that had gotten Zoe's attention greatly, she had been ready to hang up.
"Yes, I'll be there hopefully in December," she told him.
"I was wondering if you would want to help out here, it would be nice to have a day or two off, Dr. Wilkes is going to be gone that month."
Zoe smiled. "I'd like that," she told him. It would be nice, give her a chance to see what else was out there for her.
"That'd be great and maybe if things go right you can have a permanent job here." Something about his words gave her hope, made something snap.
"What if I came to work for you and this Dr. Wilkes allowing the both of you to have more time off," she suggested. The words had been out of her mouth before she had even thought them. But with them out there, she had to smile. Moving away from the city, the only home she's ever known as scary as it would be it also seemed like it was the right thing to do.
"Let me talk it over with Dr. Wilkes and I'll get back to you, but that does sound great. Of course we'll also have to see how things work out and have a proper interview," he informed her. These were things that Zoe knew, but she refrained from saying so.
Zoe smiled saying she'd have everything to him tomorrow and if he needed anything to let her know and she'd get them to him. Hanging up the phone from her conversation with Dr. Breeland she felt light and free. A feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.
Over the past month everything had gone smoothly as could be. Dr. Breeland and Dr. Wilkes were letting her come in and work for them, giving her a shorter amount hours to work which in return would give her time to have the personal life she had been missing out on for years now. It was a perfect fit for her.
After her last visit with Noelle she only had two patients left and after the end of the month they would be heading home to their families and seeing a different doctor for any of their check-ups to come up in the future. She was so close to her freedom that she could taste it.
"You look really happy?" Noelle said, watching Zoe enter the room.
"I'm very happy today, Noelle," Zoe replied, sitting at the computer in the room. "I've been given some really good news," she replied, logging on to her account.
"What's that?" Noelle had been sad that today would be the last day she'd get to visit with Zoe and it bummed her out that Zoe was so happy about something.
"Remember how you told me all about Bluebell?" Zoe questioned, getting things set up. Noelle nodded her head. "Well next month I'm moving as well." That not only got Noelle's attention but Jesse's as well.
"Where are you moving too?" Jesse asked.
"The best little town in Alabama," Zoe smirked.
"Bluebell?" Noelle questioned. Zoe smiled and nodded her head.
"What about work?" Jesse asked her. "I don't want you to think that you have to move to Bluebell, Zoe," he told her.
"I know and I've been offered to work at the practice so I'll still be your doctor," Zoe informed the now smiling girl on the medical bed. "I thought about it and it's something that I want to do for me and it doesn't hurt that you all will be there too."
"You mean it?" Noelle asked, her excitement radiating through her.
"Every word," Zoe told her.
"I think you'll like it there," Noelle told her with a massive grin.
Zoe gave her a smile and worked in quiet doing what needed to be done. After the check-up Zoe was putting things into the computer. "Everything still looks good, are you feeling okay?" Zoe asked. Noelle nodded. "Good, once the blood work comes back, I'll give you call, Jesse," Zoe told him.
"Okay and you've really thought this whole thing through, moving to Bluebell?" Jesse asked her concerned.
"I have and I do love what I do here, but I guess I feel like it's just time to move on and really start living my life again. I want a life I can actually look back on and not a life that was only filled with work and other than this job, I can't seem to think of anything else that's left here for me," she told him.
"In that case, I can't wait for you to see Bluebell and it will be good to have you around, you've become an important part in my life in all of this."
"I feel the same way about you, Jesse. And now you know that you won't be able to get rid of me as easy as you had hoped," she joked walking to the door. "Have a fun day and I'll see you when I get to Bluebell," she told them walking from the room.
She smiled seeing Lavon waiting for her, she walked up to him with her luggage in tow. He was quick to wrap her up in a hug. She laughed returning the hug.
"Let's get you home," he commented, taking her luggage for her.
Hearing those words made her smile grow even bigger. The last time she had been this happy had been when she was 10 spending the whole day with Ethan on his day off and she thought that was kind of pathetic of her. She should've had happier times since that day.
Lavon filled her in on everything it was she needed to know about the carriage house. Hearing that it had no kitchen was just fine with her because she couldn't cook to save her life. She was a bit worried about running across Burt though. And she would work around having multiple things plugged in at the same time if it meant it would blow the fuse box she shared with Wade.
"Thank you for this, Lavon," Zoe told him.
"It's no big deal. I had the room, it's the least I could do for you after everything you've done," he told her with a small shrug. "If you need anything you know where to find me and the town is small enough," Lavon told her, setting her luggage inside the carriage house. "Need a ride anywhere?" He asked her then.
"I'm good, I'm going to walk to the practice, I have a few minutes to waste before Noelle's appointment," she told him. Lavon nodded, climbing back into his car.
She took in the fresh air getting ready to start on her walk, getting to know Bluebell just a little better.
"Hey, Big Z, welcome to Bluebell," Lavon told her, driving off.