It was the end of her shift and one thing was standing in between her and leaving St. Bonaventure for the weekend. The bag of Doritos trapped in the vending machine. Of course, the time the snack would get stuck inside the glass would be when the baby wanted a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, "Dammit," Lim muttered to herself, pounding on the glass as hard as she could; the bag didn't budge. She gently kicked it for good measure, though she didn't want to physically exert herself too much.
Lim didn't even notice Morgan and Park come out of the locker room and come up behind her, "Dr. Lim?" questioned Park in confusion.
Lim jumped and turned to face her residents, "Dr. Park, Dr. Reznick…I was just getting ready to leave."
"Did you get something stuck in the vending machine?" Park looked curiously, "Because we could hear the noise from the locker room."
"Yes, and since I can't seem to get it to move, how about you try?" asked Lim in more of a command than a question.
Park scowled a little, "Why don't you just go to one of the administrative desks and get your money back?"
"Because I don't want my money back, I want my Cool Ranch Doritos," she said snippily.
Morgan snickered to herself and laid a hand on Park's shoulder, "Just try to get Dr. Lim her Doritos. Trust me on this," she walked away from the two physicians.
Park was still bewildered, but with his brute strength as the result of being an ex-cop, he was able to retrieve the bag of flavored tortilla chips. He picked them up and handed them to Lim, "With all due respect, Dr. Lim, I think it would've just been easier to get your money back."
Lim grinned and took the bag from him, "Thank you, Dr. Park, I appreciate your help. Enjoy the rest of your day," once Park was out of earshot, Lim glanced down towards her abdomen and laid a hand on her belly, "He had no idea how badly you want Doritos."
It was a Friday evening and Melendez had to work overnight, so Lim had decided to meet up with her friend, Laura, at her house and to see baby Everly. Lim figured she needed the practice of caring for an infant outside of a medical context and what better way than to dote on her best friend's baby. When Lim arrived at Laura's house, she quietly knocked on the door just in case Everly was asleep. Laura smiled when she saw her friend, "Hi Audrey?"
"Hi Laura," Lim smiled and entered the room. Everly was asleep in her playpen, "And how has little Everly been doing since the surgery?" Lim smiled at the baby.
"She's been doing well. But she's been teething, so she has been fussy a lot," Laura commented and headed towards the kitchen, "Did you want anything to drink?"
"Um, just water, please?" asked Lim.
Laura nodded and handed Lim a bottle from the refrigerator. The two women sat down on the couch and Laura turned to Lim, "So how have things been at work?"
"They've been alright. The new chief of surgery is a real piece of work, but other than that, nothing really to complain about. How has motherhood been treating you?"
"I've been loving every minute of it," Laura smiled, "I waited so long for it. It's been worth the wait though."
Lim wasn't quite sure how to bring up her own pregnancy to her friend. Just months ago, she had believed Laura had been abusing her baby, though Shaun had determined her injuries had been a result of a vacuum birth. Laura hadn't been afraid to tell it like it was to her about not allowing herself to be vulnerable and that she didn't know love. Sure, she had already started dating Melendez, but she had been holding back and was hesitant about going public with their relationship out of fear of being hurt again. It wasn't until the gala night was she finally comfortable with other people at St. Bonaventure knowing Melendez and she were a couple, "I'm pregnant, Laura," Lim spit out unintentionally. Shit. Where did that come from?
Laura shot her head up and looked at Lim, "Wait, you're what?"
"Pregnant, with child, gestating, having a baby, going to be a mother…how do you want me to describe it?" rambled Lim.
"Hold on, slow down, Audrey," Laura grabbed her friend's hand, "Are you really pregnant?"
Lim pulled out the sonogram she kept in her bag. She had plenty between her visit to Dr. Bradley and her appointment with Dr. Garcia at the hospital, "Is that enough confirmation for you?"
Laura grinned broadly, "Oh my God, Audrey, congratulations!" Laura embraced her.
"Watch the girls, Laura," Lim winced in pain.
"Right, sorry. It hasn't been that long since I was pregnant. I should remember how awful the first trimester is," she sympathized.
"Yeah," Lim took a deep breath as the tingling slowly dissipated.
"So how far along are you? When are you due?" Laura questioned, "And you're seeing someone?" she asked once the thought hit her.
"Eight weeks, due in early March," Lim answered the first two questions before she smiled softly, "His name is Neil. He's also an attending surgeon at St. Bonaventure."
"Wait a minute? Surgeon at St. Bonaventure…do you mean Neil Melendez? The guy that you had a crush on during your residency before you started seeing Kashal? The one who was always competing against you and the one who was with the blonde lawyer that you complained to me about every chance you got?" questioned Laura in mock astonishment.
Lim glared a little, "Yes, he's the one."
Laura chuckled, "I can't believe you and Neil finally got together. How long have you been seeing each other?"
"Since February," answered Lim.
"February?!" Laura's eyes widened in surprise, "So you were in a relationship when I brought in Everly for that subdural hematoma?"
"I was," Lim admitted, "Neil and I were keeping it a secret but after that discussion with you and after I examined a couple of my own personal issues, we went to the hospital's charity gala as a couple and have been open about us ever since then."
"Well, I'm so happy for you," Laura smiled softly, "So, now that you've learned to let yourself be a little vulnerable, how has it been?"
Lim sighed, but smiled, "Sometimes showing vulnerability is awkward for me, I'm not going to lie; but I haven't been this happy in a really long time. To know someone loves me for who I am, all of me, even my flaws and my bad qualities, it's one of the best feelings in the world. Like my first day of residency, my first successful surgery, and every time I save a patient all combined."
Laura smiled at Everly and said, "And now you'll get to know the truest love of all; a mother's love for her child," Lim swallowed a little, still not quite believing that part was truly happening. Everly started to cry, so Laura cradled her in her arms, "What's wrong sweetheart? Are you hungry?" Laura glanced over at Lim, "Can you hold her while I go warm a bottle for her?"
"Of course," Lim smiled softly and took the whimpering bundle from her friend. Laura disappeared into the kitchen and Lim did her best to soothe Everly, though it wasn't coming as naturally as she thought it might. It did scare her a little knowing that in seven months, she would be the one with an infant, but at the same time, she was excited. Laura came back into the living room with the bottle and Lim looked up at her friend, "Can I do it? I could use the practice."
Laura laughed a little, "Sure," she handed Lim the bottle and Everly took the offered milk right away.
"Mm. Is that good?" Lim cooed at the baby.
"You look so natural, you know?" smiled Laura at her friend with her daughter.
"Believe me, it feels far from natural right now. It still hasn't quite sunk in yet," admitted Lim.
"I know. I don't think it ever really hits you until you're holding your baby in your arms. And it might not be natural to you at first, but you'll get the hang of it," Laura comforted.
Lim nodded, "I just don't want to mess up or make a mistake. I mean, I know I will, it's inevitable, but I already love him or her so much. I have all these hopes and dreams for him or her. I picture what the baby will look like, if it'll have my or Neil's personality; either way, this baby will be pretty stubborn," she laughed to herself. Lim glanced at the time and passed Everly to Laura, "Well, I really should be getting home. I'm sure you have to start getting her ready for bed," she whispered quietly.
Laura nodded and began to burp Everly, "Well, if you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you," Lim went to leave the house, "So are you finally going to give up your motorcycle?"
"Still going to put a car seat on the back of a Ducati," she joked. She got into her car and thought to herself, "I think I could really go for a strawberry milkshake right about now."