Buttercup1912 - your suggestion is in this one. Thanks for the prompt, hope you like it!
Kevin and Jo left for the airport after a hearty breakfast that morning. They'd been so glad to be able to catch up with Dr Glassman and see him with their own eyes. He was doing well with his treatments and recovery was on the cards so the conversation quickly moved on to what they had been doing since they last spoke. After a good hour of non stop chatter, their car arrived to take them to the airport, prompting a round of farewell hugs and promises that they would see each other much sooner next time.
Sat on the opposite side of the cafeteria, were the current third year residents, taking a moment together before rounds with a coffee just as the old guard used to.
"You know who those two were right?" Reznick asked Park almost bubbling with excitement.
"No" he shrugged. "Seemed nice enough though. They were having a good old time with Glassman."
"Dr Walker and Dr Miller?" she replied with disbelief, as if their names should mean something to them all.
Park and Browne looked at each other and shrugged again.
"The only complete resident team to be retained at the end of their tenure at St Bonaventure" Shaun said without looking up. "The most successful team to date."
"I should have gone and introduced myself" she said, her mood changing and feeling frustrated with her lack of initiative. She was never usually intimidated by anyone, but this particular group were the stuff of legends and now she was kicking herself at missing a golden opportunity.
"They were having way too much fun to be worrying about you" Park quipped getting an eye roll in reply.
"Funny" Reznick sniped. "This job is just as much about who you know. They could have been useful contacts" she said, shaking her head.
"Well they seem to still be close with Dr Lim and Dr Melendez so maybe we'll see them again sometime" Claire added, trying to think of the positive spin. She didn't want Morgan dwelling on this for the rest of the day.
"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall at dinner with those four" Morgan said with a faraway look. "I bet we'd learn a lot."
"Their medical expertise would be outstanding" Shaun added. "We would learn a lot from them."
"Maybe we'd finally get to know what makes Dr Lim tick" Morgan mused. "If you believe the rumours from the last decade, there is certainly a lot to learn."
"I'm not sure speculating about one of our bosses is the best use of our time" Claire said, not wanting to start a gossip session.
"I don't believe there is much to speculate about Dr Melendez" Shaun said flatly.
Hearing her cell phone chime, she sighed with relief. A good reason to excuse herself from as conversation she didn't want to be in for a minute longer.
X
The hours passed slowly for both Lim and Melendez with every case and every query seeming to take an eternity. By the time the end of the day came they were almost vibrating with excitement at the thought of spending the evening together alone.
Walking through the lobby, they worked hard at keeping an appropriate distance between them, casting glances at each other while trying not to give anything away. They bid each other a courteous farewell just outside the main entrance and headed off in separate directions - Neil to his car and Audrey to her bus stop.
Fifteen minutes later, she disembarked and looked around, her face breaking into a grin as she saw him parked a little further down the street with the engine still running. Dropping into the passenger seat, she leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and smiled when he turned to her, planting a kiss firmly on her lips and lifting his hand to her cheek to hold her in place.
"Kevin was right" he smiled as they parted just an inch. "I've been wanting to drag you into every closet we passed today" he laughed.
"Let's go home" she smiled, briefly wondering if she should correct herself. She was happy enough with his lack of reaction to her slip up - it was his place, not theirs - so she didn't take it any further.
Putting the car into drive, he spent the whole five minute journey running his fingers along the in-seam of her trousers. For such an innocuous move, it was giving her goosebumps which she was almost certain he knew about when she clocked the smirk on his lips. His eyes were fully focused on the road ahead and neither of them spoke, the only sounds came from their shallow and sometimes shaky breaths.
Arriving at his apartment, she didn't wait for him to perform his usual chivalrous act of opening the car door. Before he could walk around to her side, she was on the sidewalk and the door was shut. Taking his hand, she pulled him gently to follow her and he did not object in the slightest.
They stumbled along the corridor to his front door with their lips crashing together and hands grasping at any loose material they could get hold of. He fumbled his keys into the lock and pushed her in through his front door, dropping his bag and shucking off his coat before starting work on hers.
Breaking apart for a moment, they stood looking at each other, chests heaving and hair tousled. Grinning at each other, they collided again, not finding any need to exchange any words and eventually Neil felt them moving again. She was gradually guiding him towards the couch and he couldn't help himself.
"Here? Really?" he questioned. After her obvious discomfort at their sleeping arrangements the night before, he was surprised they were heading there.
"It's no good for sleeping, very uncomfortable in fact" she said, pushing at his shoulders for him to lose his balance. He sat down heavily, leaning back into the cushion and smiling up at her. "But we're not going to be sleeping" she said as she straddled his lap and kissed him again.
X
"Where are you going?" she asked him as he turned off the ignition and made to get out of the car just down from the bus stop the next morning.
"I was going to wait with you until your bus came?" he said with a questioning tone.
"Why?" she replied. "You don't normally?"
"Erm... not sure really, we're a bit earlier than usual so I thought you might like the company. I can go if you want?"
"Just go before the bus pulls in, okay?" she said non-committally.
"Sure" he smiled as he followed her to the stop.
She stood leaning against the supporting pillar of the small shelter while he stood with his back to the street, hand stuffed into his pockets, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.
"Can't you stand still?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him. "You're making me edgy" she smiled.
"I've just got some energy I need to burn off, that's all. I should have gone for a run this morning but I got a bit distracted" he replied with a smile. "You could help me out?" he suggested cheekily taking a step closer.
"Neil" she warned. "Anyone could see us."
"Nobody cares enough to be looking at us" he retorted, nudging her nose with his and smiling softly. "Everyone is too busy with their own lives to be worried about two random people kissing in a bus stop."
"You think?" she said quietly, not actually believing him at all.
"Yeah I think" he said quietly as he brushed his lips against hers, smiling as he felt her let out a small sigh in defeat. She was actually thinking that kissing him was one of her favourite things to do but she wasn't going to let him know that.
As they shared a few more sweet kisses, his hand found hers and their fingers tangled together absent mindedly as they thought of nothing but each other. A cough somewhere in the distance broke through the fog that had descended on them and they slowly separated, smiling at each other.
Looking around, they saw an older lady just taking her seat to wait for the bus to arrive.
"Good morning" Neil mumbled with a smile.
"Good morning" she replied, smiling widely.
"Maybe you should get going" Audrey suggested to him with a little nudge. "The bus will be here any minute."
"Okay" he smiled. "See you in a bit" he said giving her a quick peck before turning and heading back to his car. It was less than a minute before he passed by the stop, raising his hand to bid her farewell with a grin.
"Now tell me why that handsome young man can't drive you to work in that fancy car of his" the older lady asked with a smile.
"It's complicated" Audrey replied with a little laugh.
"There was nothing complicated about the way he looked at you miss" she laughed right back. "He likes you!"
Audrey laughed out loud at that before standing up a little more straight as she saw the bus approaching. Standing to one side, she gestured to the lady to board first which she did keenly, taking a seat near the door.
Moving to sit on the opposite side of the aisle, Audrey smiled briefly at her as she took her seat which seemed to encourage the lady to continue with the conversation which hadn't really been her plan.
"So why is it complicated" the lady asked. "Indulge an old lady" she smiled, hoping Audrey would chat with her on her relatively short journey. She had a trying day ahead, and was eager for a distraction.
"We work together" Audrey replied with a small smile.
"Aaahhh, so it's against the rules?"
"No" she replied. "We're on an equal footing. It's just... I'm not sure actually" she admitted.
"So why keep it secret?"
"We're keeping it private" Audrey corrected. "There is a difference."
"Well, he didn't look like he wanted to keep it particularly private" the woman warned with a smile. "Careful he doesn't start to take offense."
"We've been friends for years" she smiled. "I'm not sure I'm ready for the attention that would come with everyone finding out" she blurted, finding cathartic release in talking to this stranger.
"But keeping it private, keeping it hidden, automatically implies that you think you're doing something wrong" the woman countered. "Are you doing something wrong?"
"No" she replied abruptly. "Neither of us are involved with other people or anything like that" she said defensively before apologising. "Sorry. I've always cared a little too much about what people think of me. It's hard being a woman in my position, I've had to be the best from the offset and I don't need any judgement about my personal life added to that."
"That's fair" the woman replied. "Just be careful" she smiled.
"We will" Audrey replied feeling glad that the conversation had lulled.
Seeing her stop coming up, she stood and took a few steps closer to the door and was caught off guard a moment when the lady did the same.
"This is your stop?" Audrey asked cautiously.
"Yes" the lady replied. "I'm having a hernia repair today" she smiled. "This is where you work?"
Audrey just nodded.
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me" she smiled as they got off and walked towards St Bonaventure together.
X
Audrey and her companion parted ways just inside the door as she directed her towards the surgical wards while she headed towards the cafeteria to pick up the strongest coffee she could find to try and calm her nerves. She was feeling quite agitated at the mere thought of someone knowing about their clandestine relationship being at the hospital.
Hours later, Audrey learned that the womans surgery was complete and debated with herself whether she should swing by and pay her a visit.
Her procedure had been supervised by Neil while one of the fourth year residents completed the repair of her peri-umbilical hernia. He was stood quietly in the corner of the room as the resident gave the patient a run down of how it had all gone. Shaun was stood alongside her and reeled off instructions for aftercare as she listened intently.
All their heads turned on a swivel as she walked in to the room, each of them wondering exactly why Dr Lim was there and she instantly regretted her decision.
"I sat next to this young lady on the bus this morning" the patient revealed. "I'm sure she's just checking up on me" she smiled.
"Of course" Audrey admitted. "Dr Melendez" she said acknowledging Neil and seeing the realisation dawn on him of who exactly this lady was and what she would have witnessed at the bus stop that morning.
"You will not be able to ride the bus home tomorrow, Mrs Watkins" Shaun announced. "It would be most uncomfortable for you."
"Is there someone we can call for you?" another resident asked. "A partner or friend perhaps?"
"My neighbor could come for me? He is lovely and lives in the apartment next door at the complex" she suggested. "It's a lovely place for older people and but they discourage anything more than friendships because we live so closely as a community. It's such a shame" she said with a sigh and rolling her eyes.
"Do you have to announce it?" One of the residents blurted. "Couldn't you keep it under wraps?"
"That can't be a good way of starting a relationship" Shaun lamented. "Not telling anyone about it implies that it is something that you're not completely happy with. Besides, I doubt it would be sustainable. The truth always has a way of coming out."
"Oh, I don't know" Mrs Watkins replied. "Secret relationships can be packed with excitement and intrigue. I bet that keeping a relationship under wraps can create highly passionate and exhilarating moments" she smiled, making eye contact with Audrey who found herself holding her breath in anticipation of what could be coming.
"Wouldn't it just set a precedent of dishonesty?" Shaun asked. "What would people think when they eventually found out? Other people could be hurt by your actions?"
"As long as you are prepared for the potential fallout from the people that care for you, then you should be fine" she answered with Shaun nodding in agreement. "No relationship can stay secret forever, so you have to wonder if a few months of peace is really worth the inevitable fall-out with people you care for?"
"Maybe it just depends on the situation" Shaun suggested. "Maybe if it were single co-workers attempting to downplay a romance in order to avoid gossip or the drama of dating on the job it could be okay?"
With that last statement, Neil stepped forward to put a stop to the conversation. His mind was racing, wondering what Audrey was thinking but trying not to stare at her to gauge her reaction.
"As enlightening as this is, we do have other patients to see" he said. "We'll give them a call to arrange your ride. And if there is anything you need in the meantime, just shout " he smiled awkwardly before heading out of the room with his residents filing out behind him.
Audrey hung back a moment. She didn't know why - she certainly didn't want to hear any more. She felt knocked off course a little and unsettled by the whole conversation she had just been witness too.
"You shouldn't have to hide something that you know is right" Mrs Watkins said quietly.
She felt a surge of anger rise in her chest, and she was about to vent her frustrations when she caught the intense gaze of the lady lying vulnerable on the bed.
"I know" she replied.
"Dr Melendez adores you, that's clear. He'll do whatever you want him to do but watch you don't end up pushing him away" she said, shifting in her bed and getting herself comfortable to settle in for some rest.
"I'll keep that in mind", she smiled softly before retreating from the room and leaving the patient to recover in peace.
She found Neil at the nurses station scribbling in a patient chart. He didn't look up as she stepped up next to him but stifled a smile as she sighed audibly.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
"I am" she replied. "I think I might want to go home tonight though" she said.
"I understand" he smiled, looking up at last. "It's fine."
"Thanks" she replied before turning tail and walking off into the corridors of the hospital.
X
Dragging himself to his car later that day, he was seriously considering heading to the gym to let out some frustrations. Audrey had left an hour or so earlier, he had seen her head out from her office and he was disappointed that she hadn't stopped by to say goodnight.
Grateful that his senior position allows him to park close by, he reached his car in a matter of minutes. Dropping heavily into the driver's seat and starting the engine he pulled his cell from his pocket hoping to see a message waiting for him. Throwing it casually onto the passenger seat, he fastened his belt and put the car into drive, ready to head home to his dark, cold apartment.
Before he could back out of his space, the screen lit up and it vibrated across the seat. He grabbed it quickly and unlocked it to see her name and the message garnering a smile.
'Bring dinner x'
