Chapter 44 : Elsewhere

The next morning, they woke up a little lighter and terribly anxious. "Do you think we took the right decision? I mean we have all here… Diving into the unknown…"

"No Claire, no more doubt. Not anymore. I know we've got anything here… In fact, we think we do. But look at you… You replace Audrey as often as she needs… And you run a new service, and you have to deal with your new interns… You're great but you can't handle all of this…I mean I know you can because you're gifted but your body needs to rest."

"I know… This is just I'm in Bonaventure for so long… Almost 10 years now… I can't imagine working elsewhere…"

They took some times to prepare. Today, they were not in a hurry. They had gotten up very early not to be rushing all over the house preparing their stuff. Claire got dressed first, a black skirt and a yellow blouse while Neil was making breakfast. They sat to share their first meal of the day and enjoyed being together. They decided to remain silent about their project at the hospital. No one needed to know in case it didn't work out.

"But I do want to talk about it to Morgan and Alex. They deserve to know…"

He nodded. She was right. Their best friends needed to know, it was not a small decision, it was not a temporary lunacy. It was a decision of a lifetime.

"We could call them…"

"No Neil… I want to tell them face to face. This is important. What about going to see them tonight at the clinic? We don't have any planned surgeries today. Except if an emergency arrives…"

"And then you beep me and I'll come to help. At four hands, we'll go faster."

She made this thing with her nose he liked so much. "My savior!" She answered ironically. He knew she hated to be treated like a child, to be dependent on someone else. She was the kind of people who built by herself and didn't like being assisted.

"I'm not kidding, if an emergency arrives, you call me and I'll give you a hand so we could go to the clinic quickly."

"I know." She smiled at him and as every time she did that, he smiled at her idiotically and time stopped. Like always, from the moment she entered his life and he knew unconsciously his world was going to change forever.

Their day at the hospital was calm, just a few visits to their patients, files to fulfill and to archive, some moments shared with their residents. A calm day where no one came to interrupt them from the tedious work of completing each file with caution. This was not the most exciting part of being a doctor but it was absolutely necessary. And sometimes, especially when you were feeling a little low, it was the perfect work to do.

"Ready to go to the clinic, or you need more times to end your files?"

"I was gonna come to get you. Did you call Morgan or Alex to tell them we were on our way?"

"Have texted Alex this afternoon. They're waiting for us. In fact, their last patient is expected for 7:30. So we have time to get there."

Claire gathered her stuff, put her jacket and grabbed her handbag before joining Neil who was waiting for her at the doorstep. She took his hand in hers. And they walked through the hospital to reach the parking where their car was parked. Claire drove till the clinic. When they arrived, Alex and Morgan were still working. They went to Morgan's office and enjoyed the sofa. As Morgan and Alex joined them, they were kissing, cuddling against each other. They could hear Claire giggling.

"If we disturb you, we can come back later..."

Morgan was so sarcastic. Neil had always said her MO was being cutthroat. And she was becoming better with time.

Claire let out a faint smile while she was going away from Neil's mouth. Neil wiped his lips with his sleeve and glanced at their two friends.

"We were just waiting for you… And remember, we're a young married couple…"

"Claire, don't start with this. It's not because you're married, you can do whatever you want. At least not here."

Alex burst into laughing. So did all the three others. Good times with good friends. This was why life was so easy. They ordered Italian food and stayed at the clinic to spend more time together. It was only a few days since they had last seen but they still had a lot to tell each other. The evening went fast, faster than they thought. Neil gave Claire a wink. It was time to share their ideas with Morgan and Park. To tell them about what they were planning. They didn't know if it could work, but after all they did for them, it was the fairer thing they could do.

"We'd like to talk to you about something… It just popped in our heads yesterday but I'm sure that it had unconsciously been here for way much longer…" Claire couldn't find the good words.

"You want to leave San José…"

Both Claire and Neil were surprised by Alex's assertion. He was so certain of his answer. As if he had read their minds.

"How did you know?!" Claire asked, still stunned by his conviction.

"It became pretty obvious after you came back from Thailand. We've talked a lot about this with Morgan. Indeed, we even argued about it." He let out a laugh. "And then we came to a consensus… But one thing was sure, we both did know you will be leaving San José soon."

Claire and Neil shared a look. Their friends did know them very well and in a way, it relieved them.

"How did you figure it out?"

"Morgan and I witnessed you were not the same people when you came back from Thailand. I mean not that you change, you're still the same annoying friends…" He laughed. "But your priorities seem to have changed…"

"What Alex is trying to say is that your trip in Thailand had allowed you to revise what is important for you and it seems like work can be left behind contrary to your personal life… We do understand you, you know. Alex and I have thought about it too… This is why now he has decided to work Bonaventure only half time and the rest of the time we're here together at the clinic. Here there's no pressure. Of course, the days are long but we only are depending from ourselves. And we can eat together and go home together. And it's everything."

Morgan stopped and smiled at Alex. She had so much changed since she arrived in Bonaventure, when she was nothing but a bitch. She only wanted to be the first, to crush people, to do anything that had to be done to rise. And then her hands failed her and she changed a lot. She learnt not to be the first, but to do things wisely. She understood she couldn't manage all the times, that sometimes you need to fall to rise again. And that envying your close ones only brought pain.

"I admire how you change Morgan. If someone had told me the ambitious young resident who joined my team almost 10 years ago will become the wise woman I've in front of me, I would have not believed it."

She blushed. "Thanks Neil."

Neil and Claire talked to them about their project to leave San José to go somewhere else. They didn't know where or when it will happen. They just knew they needed fresh air and time for them. Neil added Morgan will keep all the rights over the clinic as she had when they were in Thailand. He had total trust in her and couldn't imagine anyone else to run his "baby".

"Have you found any lead then?"

"No... Not a single one… But we only decided to move yesterday night, so we haven't studied the opportunity yet. To be fair, it can be anywhere as I have no family left and Neil has only Gabbi." She pressed his hand, as a way to tell him Gabbi will follow them anywhere they will go. "Let see where the future will lead us!"

The evening ended when Neil and Claire left Morgan and Alex around 11PM. They separated when they arrived next to Alex's car. Neil's one was a little far away. This night, the four friends didn't sleep well, all thinking about their futures, about what made them really happy and about what they really wanted to be in their life.

Days, then weeks passed and Neil called many hospitals to know if they hired new surgeons, sent CVs and called old mates from med schools to find leads. Claire did the same. But no one had some positions to offer them. The medical world was in crisis and most of the hospitals couldn't afford to hire two new surgeons. While waiting for a positive answer, they continued to work hard at Bonaventure, promising to spend at least two evenings together during the week.

They went to see Mrs. Lynch to talk to her about their project. They wanted to be careful. She was not surprised by their decision. "I've always known you'll leave one day. Since your break in Thailand. When I saw you back after six months far away, you were different, the same but different. Always passionate about medicine but also in love and conscious that work is important but not as important as you."

Claire and Neil lowered their heads. This woman was very wise and she knew how to read them. The same way Morgan and Park had figured out they wanted to go somewhere where they will be able to enjoy their love for medicine and time together. She explained to them how to proceed in case they found a new position, what papers to send, how many notice-months they had to do before leaving Bonaventure. She warned them the direction of the hospital could be very hard with them because they were cornerstone people there.

"But don't worry, I'll help to find a compromise with them." She winked at them. They smiled her back.

"Could you remain quiet about our project?" Claire asked in a low voice. Mrs. Lynch nodded. "You secret's safe with me."

This night, they came home silent. Both thinking about what Mrs. Lynch had told them earlier. As they were preparing the dinner, Claire confessed Neil she was scared in San Jose because of the earthquakes.

"Since this had happened to you, I'm always afraid it happened again and this time, you won't be as lucky as before and I lose you forever. I don't want to think like this but I do. And I hate myself for this. But I've always these dark thoughts. And..."

Neil stopped her by putting his finger on her mouth. Getting closer to her, he embraced her and put his arms around her waist. He looked at her in the eyes. "I've something to confess too…. I'm scared of earthquakes too, of this place, of everything related to the nightmare. I'm afraid to lose you, to lose all we have built..."

He let his hands down up to her bottom. She giggled. She liked when his hands ran over her body. "Dinner can wait…" She took his hand in hers and pulled him to the bedroom. This time, she wanted to take the lead, to be the one in charge. She made him lie on the bed and undid his shirt first. She let her hands ran all over his chest, taking time to kiss all of his old scars, the ones that had sealed their future together. She continued and unbuttoned his pants, letting it falling on the ground. And finally took off her blouse and skirt.

He didn't move, he liked when she was wild, uncontrollable. The opposite of the nice student he met when she arrived in Bonaventure. She sat upon him and kissed him. He answered with ardor. She could feel he was almost done, the foreplays were about to end… At this precise moment, she felt him entering in her and let out a moan. Her whole body contracted of pleasure. He pressed her hands in his, to feel connected at every level. She answered by pressing his hands back. She kissed him once again, as if her life depended on it. He always deepened the kiss as he was not never satisfied, filled with her.

They kept playing, sharing and connecting for a long while. They never had enough of each other. They will never have. Their body were interconnecting on every level. Their hands were clenched. As they both reached orgasm, they moaned in the same time to let out their pleasure, their bliss. She let the wild Claire go and cuddled next to Neil, enjoying his body's warmth and sweat.

"You're good… We're good at this…"

"We're the best. We could get an Oscar!"

She flicked him in his chin and giggled. She loved being against him and put her head on his chest. She loved when he kissed her hair and forehead. She just loved this man so much she could become insane if someone or something will separate them…

"Not the dark thoughts, Claire. I'm not abandoning you. Where you go, I go. Remember, we're a team, the best one. Together. Always."

They intertwined their fingers to seal their pact. That was when the phone rang. They looked at each other, neither of them wanted to leave the bed to answer. They were too good where they were. "We'll call back later."

They remained there a while. It was good just to be near the other. Only hunger made them get up to go in the kitchen and eat some lasagna. Neil took his phone and listened to the voicemail, putting on speaker for Claire to listen to it too.

"Dr. Melendez, I'm so sorry to call so late, I'm Dr. Cameron from Raleigh General Hospital. I've received your CV and the one of your wife by one of my old interns and I'll be very interested in meeting both of you. I may have something to propose to you…"

Neil smiled to Claire. Time to call this Dr. Cameron back. This evening couldn't be better.