Chloe's homecoming had been a joyous event. Although her parents had protested, she decided that she would find her own place. The Wesley house was indeed her home, but she feared the hectic schedule of a first year resident would be too disturbing to Craig and Nancy's routine. They, of course, insisted that it wouldn't be any different from when she had been in high school, but truthfully they had become used to their peaceful empty nest. Besides, poor old Sugar had finally passed away, and Chloe just could not get used to Nancy's new puppy, Spice.
Chloe was saved from apartment hunting by her friends. Max and Jules had insisted that she take the other apartment above their soon-to-be club. Although she felt guilty taking advantage of their generosity, she couldn't resist the great deal on rent they offered her. A first year resident didn't exactly rake in the big bucks, and Chloe refused to take handouts from her parents. In the end, both parties benefited from the arrangement. Chloe got a massive apartment at a bargain price, and Max and Jules got Chloe's help with the remodeling.
Chloe began her residency within a month of her moving. Her work was all consuming. She went in early, left late, and every fourth night she was on call (working 30-36 hours straight). The goal of this grueling schedule was to see and treat as many patients as possible. When she wasn't seeing patients, Chloe was busy reading medical texts or attending lectures. Secretly, she had developed a deep fear that a patient would come in that she wouldn't be able to treat. That fear kept her motivated to keep on learning.
As the bottom of the food chain, the work of a first year, or intern, was very rarely enjoyable. For Chloe, the unpleasant nature of her work was magnified by the fact that her stepfather was the chief of staff. Disgruntled doctors and nurses took special delight in making her do the most menial of jobs. She was the first to be criticized and the last to be praised.
Despite the initial roadblocks, Chloe took to being a doctor amazingly well. Drawing on the time when she had lain in hospital bed clinging to life, Chloe developed a natural and easy bedside manner that patients and families responded to immediately. She thrived in the competitive and demanding environment of the hospital. In the end, her passion and skill at the job earned her the grudging respect of the other residents and doctors alike.
Sleep and free time became a luxury. Just as in medical school, Chloe made the most of every spare moment she had. It was easy with Max and Jules across the hall. The couple seemed to save up all their zaniness for when she was around. If they went shopping together, they came home broke. If a night out was on the docket, they all staggered home and collapsed. Even the mundane task of remodeling the club became a festival of laughter and practical jokes.
Craig and Nancy were pillars for her. During her first week at the hospital, Craig had mistakenly come when Chloe was paged. He was somewhat embarrassed by but strangely proud of the confusion. Chloe had offered to go back to using the name Lane, but Craig's protest had been overwhelming. Soon the hospital staff was sure to page the two doctors by their full names. Craig's office was always open to her, and she often went there seeking his advice and support. He seemed to know exactly what to say to challenge her intellect while keeping up her confidence. Nancy had been invaluable to her as well. She kept up on the little things that Chloe no longer had time to accomplish. Somehow once a week, Chloe's apartment was cleaned, her fridge stocked, and her clothes laundered. Chloe knew that her mother was responsible for these mini miracles, but she suspected the Jules had a lot to do with them as well.
With support from her family and friends, Dr. Chloe Wesley had a fulfilling life in Salem that poor Chloe Lane never would have imagined.