Interviews were attended by the remaining three at various locations across the county. Despite Neil and Audrey deciding to try and stay in California, they both flew off to New York and Texas just to be sure. Dr Glassman had encouraged them to do so and reminded them that despite its initial appearance, the medical community was quite small particularly when you started looking at specialties.
Their exams were finished and they were waiting patiently for results so there was finally time to relax a little, take their foot off the gas if only for just a moment. Any free time they were lucky to have was once again, their own and they certainly made up for any lost time.
With the intention of fully enjoying this last month as much as possible, they had been well prepared and booked tickets to Kings of Leon in the March much to Audrey's delight and travelled to San Francisco to see Florence and the Machine on an overnight trip which was an absolute blast. They had teased Neil for a couple of weeks after booking the tickets about staying at his folks house, until he eventually checked in with them to find they had relatives staying that entire week. Highly amused that their little ruse had gone that far, they let him in on the joke and booked hotel rooms instead.
Neil and Audrey squeezed in as many movies as they could from The Amazing Superman to X Men in their continuing series of 'non-dates' and their four weeks of relative freedom had gone in the blink of an eye.
X
"Kashal sent divorce papers" Audrey blurted out one April morning before Kevin had even managed to unload his breakfast tray to join her at her table.
"Wow" he replied. "A man of his word I suppose?"
"Helped along by the fact he's met someone else" she scoffed. "He wants to move on so I guess that's it. We're finally done."
"Wow" was all he could think of and for a few moments they sat in silence. "Are you going to tell Neil?" Kevin asked eventually.
"No" she replied. "He doesn't need to know right now, it's tense enough waiting for the Board results. I don't want to distract him from what's important."
"But..." Kevin started in an attempt to argue his case before being quickly shut down by a glare from Audrey. "Okay, okay" he said holding his hand up in surrender. "Sorry."
They ate their lunch for the next few moments in silence until Kevin let out a chuckle.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"If you sign them by next week" he said smirking at her. "You're little jolly to see Captain Fantastic will actually be a date" he teased with a chuckle.
"Captain America" Audrey corrected. "And no, I'm still not telling him" she frowned.
"Your choice" he replied shaking his head.
"Yes it is" she confirmed before finishing the last of her drink and getting up to clear her tray
"Though I think m'lady doth protest too much" he said in the worst English accent she had ever heard and she could help but laugh at her friend.
X
The night of celebrations had started with a nice civilised dinner which had become an end of year tradition for the four friends. However, this time, the news that Board certification was achieved all round, and they would all stay together at St Bonaventure for at least one more year had encouraged them to carry on with the party afterwards.
They had smashed all the tests and trials they'd been given out of the park over the last five years and they were no longer residents. Starting next week they would be Fellows and Board Certified surgeons. The hospital had jumped at the chance to keep this unique group together, seeing how much of an asset they would be and guided by their mentor Dr Glassman.
They had found a bar nearby and started with a few shots. This had quickly turned into them squashed in with dozens of other people on a sweaty dancefloor. The loud and heavy beats had them bouncing along with the crowd and they laughed as Neil grabbed Jo and started to spin her around almost lifting her off her feet. They danced as a pair for a good few songs while Kev and Audrey went back to their table to catch their breath.
They sat in a comfortable silence watching their friends and laughing out loud as every now and then, Neil would perform some dramatic move and Jo would just would just hang on to him for dear life, laughing as he spun her around as if she was made of feathers.
"You neeeeeeed to dance with Neil" Jo said as she flopped down in the booth next to Audrey, out of breath and grabbing her drink for a long draw. "Tell me why we've never come to a Latin bar before? He has got some serious moves!"
"No way, we haven't done that in ages" she replied. "I don't think it'd go very well now, would it" she laughed at her friend.
"Aaahhh, just do it. Let your hair down!" Jo argued. "Go on!"
"Are you going to tell him Kashal sent over divorce papers?" Kevin asked giving her a nudge and a wink.
"I don't think so. It's all a bit presumptuous isn't it?" she answered, shaking her head. She was about to say something else when she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling gently.
"Come on, your turn" Neil shouted in Audrey's ear. He had appeared the other side of her without her noticing, and she jumped a little. "Come on, let's go" he repeated as he grabbed her hand.
She looked back over her shoulder at the other two, who just shrugged. Had he heard them? Probably not, it was really loud, she assured herself so after protesting a little more, she took his hand and followed him into the crowd.
"I've already told him" Jo shouted to Kevin as they watched their friends from the booth. "I told him about the papers this afternoon."
"You didn't" he admonished. "She's going to kill you!"
"Only if it goes wrong" she smiled and shrugged casually, taking a sip of her drinking and looking at Kevin with a grin.
Neil pulled her out into the middle of the pulsing dancefloor and turned to face her. He shifted his grip and interlaced their fingers, holding her at a respectable distance as they began to move with the music. It had been a while since they'd danced together especially as he'd been the resident on call for the last Gala.
They were being bumped and pushed by the crowd and couldn't help but move closer to each other. As they did so, just holding hands became uncomfortable so Neil boldly took a chance and put one arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Their other hands, fingers still linked, were tucked in against his chest.
"Where'd you learn to dance like this?" Audrey shouted.
Neil laughed.
"Dance classes as a little kid, and then a misspent youth" he said, quieter than her because he dared to get closer. She felt his breath against her ear as he spoke and it sent a shiver down her spine. There was no doubt that he felt it too because she could feel him smiling against her neck.
The next thing she felt was a light brush of his lips, just beneath her ear and her eyes fluttered closed. She let his arms carry her with the music and when she opened them again they were nose to nose.
He gave a smile as he lifted her hand to the back of his neck. He took his time running his fingers back down her arm, then down her side to join his other hand at her hip and suddenly their foreheads were touching. It had all happened in a blur and his courage was no doubt fuelled by the amount of alcohol they had consumed so far this evening.
The beats of the music seemed to fade away as he kissed her. Just quickly at first to make sure he wasn't overstepping but when she didn't object, he kissed her again, and again.
"I assume you're going to be signing those papers?" he asked the next time he stopped. She nodded mutely and he kissed her again.
Their kisses deepened and the next thing he really remembered was pressing her body hard against the wall somewhere out back past the dance floor. One of her hands was buried in his hair holding him in place and her other hand seemed to be everywhere all at once.
His hands were holding her hips as still as he could as she moved against him in an attempt to get closer, despite the fact they were already touching from head to toe. He wrenched his lips from hers and kissed down her neck to her collarbone which elicited an overwhelmingly positive response. He lifted his head, recaptured her lips and found her mouth warm and welcoming as their tongues danced back and forth.
She pushed at his shoulders and broke the kiss.
"Let's go to my place" she said breathlessly. "Let's finally get this thing out of our systems."
With those words, he pulled back and looked at her as if a switch had gone off. He looked at her, his eyes black with emotion, hers confused and both their chests heaving with exertion. He shook his head as if trying to remove actual thoughts from his mind.
"I'm sorry, I can't do this" he said untangling himself from her and stepping back.
She opened her mouth to reply, but he was gone before she could form the words.
He left her standing there, bewildered, as he made his way back across the dancefloor through the heaving bodies. He stopped at their booth to get his jacket and leaned in closely to speak to Jo.
"She's had too much to drink, you should take her home" her told her.
"Why can't you do it" Jo challenged.
"I can't" he started. "It's not a good idea. Tell her I'm sorry" he said as he turned on his heel and headed to the door.
Moments later she appeared, looking slightly dishevelled and very confused.
"Where is Neil?" she asked.
"He's gone" Jo replied. "What just happened?"
Audrey sat down heavily with a sigh.
"I think I messed up" she said, picking up her glass and taking a very long drink.