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Once again, the rain pours down on the Windy City, making Sarah think they should probably just rename it the rainy city, because that’s what it seems to be doing most of the time, anyway. It’s been practically relentless for the past week or so, Sarah observes, looking away from her laptop screen and glancing out of the partially fogged-up window into the world outside. She’s sat at her favourite corner table in Callie’s, laptop open in front of her, trying to get through the multitudes of new reading material she now found she had since starting her psychiatry residency, a coffee and one of those heavenly cinnamon rolls keeping her company. Her shift doesn’t start for another two hours, so she has some time.
Sarah had never really considered psychiatry prior to Dr Charles offering her the residency post, and she’s finding that there’s such a lot to learn. It’s not a complaint though, because what’s even more surprising is that it is interesting. What had first started out as something she had treated as just being an opening back into the career she had all but quit had transformed into something she has been enjoying. It’s different.
It’s just as she’s about to go up to the counter for a refill though, that her phone vibrates on the table beside her. It’s her mother.
Won’t be able to make it this weekend. Tied up with a case.
Typical. But then again, what had she expected? If her mother hadn’t even been able to come down for her graduation, why on Earth would she stick to her plans for a weekend visit? Sarah doesn’t even know why she got her hopes up at this point. It still stung though, especially when she had cancelled the last three times too.
She nudges her phone away from her. Suddenly she doesn’t feel like that refill anymore.
She’s so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely registers the woman standing before her until she’s there speaking to her, and even then, she sounds so far off.
“Dr Reese, hi. Night shift as well I presume?” Ava smiles, drink in hand.
It takes a beat for Sarah to realise she is in fact, addressing her. It’s still so new to her, being addressed as doctor.
“Uh, yeah,” Sarah manages, still caught off guard, but hoping Ava doesn’t think she’s some sort of idiot.
“Want some company?” The cardiothoracic fellow asks, to Sarah’s utter confusion. She can’t quite understand why someone like Dr Bekker would seem so determined to get to know her. She’s just a resident, after all.
“O-oh, sure,” Sarah nods, gesturing to the seat opposite, because she could use a distraction right about now. “And it’s Sarah, by the way,” the brunette adds, ducking her head a little as she watches Ava make herself comfortable.
“What’re you working on?” Ava asks, motioning to Sarah’s laptop.
“Oh, just trying to stay on top of things. I think I’m a bit out of my depth in psychiatry— not that I’m not enjoying it— but I just don’t want to fall behind. The other residents aren’t too happy with me being on the program. Guess they think I only got the spot because of Dr Charles, which is true in a way but…” Sarah trails off, realising she had been rambling and had ended up saying much more than she had meant to.
“I’m sure you’re doing great,” Ava reassures, not perturbed in the least. “And who cares what the other residents think. If they were my residents, well, let’s just say they probably wouldn’t be for long. But in any case,” she continues, softer now, “Dr Charles wouldn’t have taken you on if he thought you wouldn’t be a good asset. And I may have only been around a few weeks, but if I’ve already heard high praise about you from others, I can tell you’re going to make a great doctor.”
Sarah considers Ava’s words, taken aback, a rosy blush forming across her face which she knows is much more visible than she’d like it to be. She wishes now she had got that refill, because it would at least have meant there would be something to distract herself with right about now.
“Thank you,” she says quietly, finally meeting Ava’s eyes.
“Don’t mention it,” comes the response with a shrug as Sarah’s phone pings.
Picking it up, Sarah sees it’s another message from her mother. Three words this time.
Maybe next weekend?
Angered, Sarah switches the phone off, placing it faced down on the table, a little more forcefully than she had intended.
“I take it that was not Dr Charles paging you,” Ava says lightly, carefully, as she takes a sip of her coffee.
Sarah shakes her head no. She doesn’t feel like unloading that onto Ava right now. Especially since they barely knew each other. Ava, however is good enough not to pursue the topic and masterfully manages to change the subject.
“So, Sarah, since it seems we keep bumping into each other like this here, how about we make a plan, instead?”
“Oh, sure,” Sarah nods enthusiastically.
“Great,” Ava continues, giving Sarah one of her dazzling smiles, something that Sarah hadn’t realised she’d missed seeing.
(In fact, she’s so caught up in studying Ava’s face that she almost fails to hear the rest of what she is saying. Though luckily, Ava doesn’t seem to notice)
“How about lunch on Saturday? There’s this little Italian place I’ve been wanting to try out.”
“It sounds perfect,” smiles Sarah, and though she may not like it, maybe her mum not coming this weekend is a blessing in disguise.
“I’ll give you my number so I can send you all the details,” Ava tells Sarah practically.
“Oh, right,” Sarah agrees, opening up her contacts and handing over her phone for Ava to put her number into while Ava hands Sarah hers.
Maybe this day wasn’t so bad after all.