Addison tells Naomi something she's never told anyone before
Naomi was in the kitchen with dessert when Addison walked out of the guest bedroom.
"Did you have a good talk with Mark?" Addison nodded and sat down beside her friend.
"Yeah, he said he would try and come out here soon." They dipped their churros in the hot chocolate and they both moaned at the delightful flavor. "These are so good," Addison groaned as she took another bite. "Mark wants some churros when he comes for a visit, I'm already excited to eat more," she laughed. Chocolate was dribbling down her chin. "I am such a mess tonight, I think I've forgotten how to eat," she mumbled while trying to clean off her face. Naomi grinned at her and together they cleaned up the mess.
"You want to go get a shower?" Naomi asked when everything was cleaned up. Addison nodded, but stopped and turned back around halfway towards the bathroom.
"You're sure you don't mind me sleeping with you?"
"I'm sure Addison, besides we both know you're probably going to cocoon yourself into that fleece blanket." Addison knew that was a likely outcome.
"I honestly like having you here Addie. Ever since the divorce it just, it gets lonely," she sighed and Addison stepped closer to her friend and cupped her shoulder in a way that she hoped offered comfort.
"I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends." They stood there for a moment before Addison turned back around and went into the bathroom to shower.
Twenty minutes later Addison had a towel wrapped around her wet hair and was dressed in a pair of baggy sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. Her friend was dressed similarly and sat on the bed reading a medical journal. Addie sat down next to her. Naomi looked up and Addison felt like she should say something since she had unintentionally stolen her friend's attention.
"I asked Mark about some of my old medical journals. I don't think I'll be ready to practice anytime soon, but maybe I can do some research and publish a few articles." Naomi nodded in agreement.
"That sounds like a great idea," she said while dog-earring the page. "I know you're worried about operating again, but research is a step in the right direction, hell we practically lived in the medical library in med school and then in the research library throughout residency." Addison nodded and things grew silent and Addison took the towel off of her head and began brushing the damp locks. She really needed to get a haircut it was far too long for her to manage right now.
"I need a haircut," she groaned.
"I'm glad you said something because I didn't want to," Naomi responded and Addie couldn't help but grin at her friend.
"I want a pedicure too," Addison sighed and Naomi perked up at that. "Maybe we should do that tomorrow," Addison suggested and Naomi smiled and nodded in agreement. Addie's hair was dry enough now for her to lay back on her pillow and Naomi mirrored her and they laid there, head to head. "Would you mind if I spent time with Sam?" Addison asked as she turned her head to look at her friend. Naomi shook her head.
"You know I'm sorry I freaked out earlier it's just that things with Sam are so confusing, I just want to stuff him into a box in the back of the closet, but we work together and we have a teenager and he's just around all the time and I can't deal with how I feel about him and our relationship because I honestly don't know how I feel."
"Yesterday Dr. Kline actually asked if I still love Derek. What kind of stupid question is that? We've been together since med school. That is most of my adult life. All that time and all those feelings, the memories we made together, don't just go away because a beautiful woman turned my world upside down." Addison sighed. "I get where you're coming from Nai."
"I'm really glad you told me Addie," Naomi said grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Especially before I tried to drag you in to watch Dell walk through the office shirtless to go surfing during lunch. Now I know that wouldn't have cheered you up." Addison couldn't help herself, she just started laughing.
"It's the thought that counts Nai," They stayed like that for a while, just staring at each other from their respective pillows.
"If you and Sam are going to be checking out women together though, I don't want to know about it. Okay?"
"I don't think I'm ready for that right now Nai." Her friend nodded and then, "you're sure I'm not making things weird by staying in here?" Addison asked yet again.
"Only when you keep asking that Addie," she responded with a reassuring smile. "I don't want to get naked with you. I don't think you want that either, besides I have an ex-husband who I still have lots of feelings about, and I am definitely attracted to men, but it is the 21st century and we're in Los Angeles Addison, your being gay isn't a big deal." And Addison couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears. Naomi immediately reached out to offer her comfort. Years ago maybe Addison would have felt the same way, but then she was young and naive and maybe idealistic about the world and now she was thirty-six and jaded.
"I've never told anyone this before," Addison whispered and Naomi's responding nod in understanding coupled with a reassuring squeeze allowed her to continue. "The summer before med school," she started. "My parents gave me a flat in Paris as a graduation gift. I spent the entire summer there and I met Claire. When we were together I felt so alive, like I'd been sleeping my entire life. Being with her felt magical, but the summer ended and I told her I was in love with her," she was sobbing and Naomi had one hand in her hair and one reaching for the tissues. "She told me she loved me too, but that I was young and naive and she didn't want me to be disowned by my parents like she had been. So I should go home and forget about her and I would meet a nice man that I could spend my life with, and when I met Derek I thought maybe she was right. I had the kind of summer romance they make movies about and I have repressed it for years." Addison continued to sob and Naomi offered her a tissue and continued to stroke her hair.
"It's okay Addie," she whispered, "let it all out, I'm here for you."
"What if I never find that again Nai?"
"You will. We are going to get mani pedis tomorrow and we are going to make you a hair appointment and Mark is going to visit and probably try and set you up with a dozen women and if they're not interested in you he'll be having an orgy at a hotel." They both started laughing that was something Mark Sloan would be involved with.
"Nai," the woman in question hummed to her friend that she was listening. "Will you hold me?"
"Only if you wipe your nose first." Addison smiled at that and took a tissue and wiped her nose before excusing herself to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. When she returned she curled into her friend's shoulder.
"I know it feels like the end of the world right now, but you are going to get through this, because there has to be someone out there for you, when you're ready." Addison nodded sleepily. Exhaustion must have taken her quickly because she felt her friend's arms wrapped around her and then she was sound asleep.
Two weeks later Mark arrived. He'd sent the medical journals ahead in the mail along with a few books. Addison had a new shorter haircut, freshly painted purple toenails and a tan. She had retold the story of Claire in therapy and it felt as if a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying had been lifted. The self-inflicted damage to her left forearm and wrist had healed and all that remained were several ugly scars, and the damage did not appear to go much deeper. The thought of operating again made her hand tremble and she knew she was not ready to go back to work, and she definitely didn't want to go back to New York and her husband and that house and that kitchen where she had almost died. The thought of it all made her anxious and irritable, but her friend was there in LA for her, and she looked great and she was feeling much better and life didn't need to be an insurmountable climb right now, because she was walking on the beach with Mark.
"You look amazing!" Mark said breaking the silence and relieving Addison of her inner turmoil.
"Your friend is right Red," a muscular blonde in a white tank and ripped denim shorts commented and Addison turned pink.
"You'll have to excuse her, she's a little shy," Mark replied. She ignored him and continued looking at Addison.
"Can I buy you a drink?" She asked, holding out her hand to the nervous redhead. Addison nodded and took the blonde's hand.
"Addison," she said.
"Hi Addison, I'm Nichole, but everyone calls me Nikki," she offered Addison a charming smile. "Your friend can chaperone if he wants," she added.
"She has a very strict curfew," Marked joked as he followed behind them to a nearby beach bar. Addison sat down with Nikki and Mark made himself scarce at the opposite end of the bar, but not before giving her a thumbs up. Addison covered her eyes with her hand and shook her head, before ordering a drink.
"Please tell me he's not your boyfriend." Addison snorted.
"Oh god no! He's just my friend, he's visiting from New York," Nikki seemed quite pleased with that response. Addison had ordered a piña colada and "oh god that's a lot of rum," Addison choked, after her first sip and the blonde chuckled. It had been well over a month since the redhead had any alcohol and she was worried that it was going to hit her hard.
"Please tell me you don't have an alcohol problem." Addison shook her head in response.
"I just haven't had anything that strong in a while," she answered and the blonde accepted that with a nod.
"So Addison," she paused, "that's a beautiful name."
"It is when you say it."
"And your friend said you were shy." They shared a laugh and it felt nice. "So did you actually go to Yale or did you just buy the sweatshirt?" Nikki asked.
"People do that?" Addison asked and Nikki nodded. "I did my undergrad there," Addison answered.
"What did you major in?"
"Pre-med."
"So you're a doctor?" Addison nodded. "I'm not usually attracted to women with respectable careers. I tend to go for bad girls," she laughed and Addison did too.
"So what does it take to attract all these "bad girls"?" Addie asked.
"Why do you wanna know?" Nikki shot back.
"Maybe I'm a bad girl," Addison whispered. Her teeth pressed to her lip in a suggestive smirk. It had the desired effect because Nikki started talking about herself when Addison asked where she went to school.
"Stockton University, not as glamorous as Yale, but I had a great time, I mean considering I was in New Jersey." Addison laughed and asked about her major and what opportunities she had and it was kind of wonderful. "I studied Marine Biology." Addison was impressed when she told her about spending time in Australia studying the Great Barrier Reef. "I love the water, scuba diving is such an incredible experience, have you ever tried it?" Addison shook her head. Listening to Nikki speak about it with such enthusiasm made her want to try scuba diving though. "And surfing, I love surfing."
"I kind of want to try surfing," Addison replied and the blonde smiled. They'd been talking for almost an hour when their drinks were finished and Addie felt giddy. The blonde paid for their drinks and borrowed the pen she'd signed the receipt with and took Addison's hand.
"I really enjoyed your company Addison. Maybe we could try dinner sometime this week?" Addison nodded and smiled as the blonde wrote her number on her hand. She giggled at the sensation before handing her phone to the blonde so she could put her number directly in there. When they parted Addison walked back along the beach with Mark.
"How long should I wait before I call?" She asked clearly wanting to call the blonde the moment they had parted ways for the evening.
"God woman at least try and play hard to get," Mark shook his head. "You can't be too eager at least wait until we get back to Naomi's and text her, don't call, Naomi and I are going to spend at least 20 minutes teasing you about this," he said pointing to the phone number on her palm. Oh and they did tease her and she settled for sending Nikki a text. Thanks for the drink. I look forward to doing it again soon xo Addison. Mark looked it over and nodded his approval before she hit send.
Their date was scheduled for Tuesday night, and Mark was going back home on Monday, and before Mark left Addie was freaking out.
"What if I can't do this?" She cried. "I mean I haven't been on a first date in over a decade. What do I do?"
"The other night, that was all you Addie. It's normal to be nervous about a first date and you two hit it off. You're not looking for a marriage proposal here Addison, it's just a first date, and if it doesn't work out you will be alright. I'm going to make it a point to come visit you again, besides you owe me beach babes, you can't just find one in five minutes and hang me out to dry," he teased. She chuckled and promised to tell him how things went.
"Have a safe flight Mark. Call me when you land okay?" He nodded.
"Don't worry Addie, I'll be back." They smiled at each other and he went through to board his flight back to New York.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I think this story will be 8 chapters, I am working on the end right now