Work Text:
Monday. Usually, the hospital is packed with unending medical cases but today is light. Everything's going smoothly—except for her.
Audrey, standing there at the Nurse's Station, her phone pressed to her ear, her expression a mixture of annoyance and concern. Neil , her boyfriend and a respected surgeon, was conspicuously absent from his scheduled shift. She had been trying to reach Neil for a while now, each call met with his voicemail.
Weird. Maybe he's mad I didn't stay at his apartment last night.
No, it's so petty.
She maintained a calm exterior, shrugging her thoughts off but couldn't help the worry that gnawed at her from within.
The nearby chatter of her colleagues, all equally perplexed by Neil's absence, filled the air. Dr. Claire Browne, a close friend, approached Audrey with furrowed brows.
"Dr. Lim, have you heard from Dr. Melendez yet? It's not like him to be late. Besides, he's got a lot of surgeries lined up."
Audrey managed a reassuring smile, though her patience was wearing thin.
"No. I'm sure there's a logical explanation, Claire. Maybe he's not feeling well or had a problem with his alarm. He'll turn up soon, I'm sure."
Dr. Morgan Reznick joined the conversation, her concern evident. "I've tried calling him too, but no response. Are you two in a fight? Lovers quarrel?"
Audrey's brows met, keeping her composure. "We're not. I'll try calling him again in a moment." As she dialed Neil's number once more, her annoyance melted into deeper worry.
She understood Neil's habits well enough to know that something was amiss. He was always punctual and reachable for emergencies. Neil's voicemail picked up again, and Audrey left a more composed message this time.
"Neil, it's Audrey.Why aren't you answering me? Where are you? Please call me back when you can. Take care.
"Did he answer?" Morgan asks.
She put her phone away and addressed her concerned colleagues. "No, he didn't. I'll give it a bit more time, but if he doesn't respond or show up, I'll go check on him. Let's not jump to conclusions."
Time seemed to drag on, and Audrey's patience held. She didn't want to cause unnecessary alarm, but deep down, she was growing more and more worried about Neil's well-being.
Finally, Dr. Aaron Glassman's voice came over the hospital intercom. "Dr. Lim, please come to my office." Audrey exchanged a calm, yet concerned glance with Claire and Morgan before heading to Dr. Glassman's office. Her heart was heavy with unease, but she maintained her composure, ready to face whatever was causing Neil's unexpected absence.
Oh, Neil. You better write a complete explanation later.
———
Audrey entered Dr. Aaron Glassman's office, her concern for Neil still lingering like a heavy cloud. Dr. Glassman was sitting behind his desk, a deep furrow etched on his brow. Without preamble, he began to ask questions about Audrey and Neil's relationship, catching her off guard.
"Audrey, how would you describe your relationship with Neil? Have there been any recent disagreements or tensions?"
Audrey blinked, taken aback by the unexpected line of questioning. She tried to choose her words carefully. "What? Okay, Aaron—Neil and I are deeply in love. We have a strong and supportive relationship. Yes, like any couple, we have our disagreements, but nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"
Why is everyone over reacting? she thought.
Dr. Glassman continued to press, "And have you noticed any significant changes in his behavior lately? Anything that might explain his sudden absence today?"
Audrey's annoyance simmered beneath the surface, but she replied calmly, "No, Aaron, nothing unusual. Neil's been his usual self. We've been looking forward to some time off together soon. I really don't see how our relationship is related to his absence today."
Dr. Glassman leaned forward, his gaze probing. "I'm just trying to understand if there might be a personal reason behind this. It's not like Neil to just vanish without a word."
Audrey couldn't contain her irritation any longer. She leaned forward, her voice tense. "Aaron, I appreciate your concern, but I assure you, there's nothing wrong with our relationship. Neil and I are fine. Like I said, maybe he's just not feeling well. You know him."
She couldn't help but think of how Neil's absence had caused her unnecessary stress and frustration. Part of her wanted to march straight to his apartment and give him a piece of her mind for putting her in this situation.
Dr. Glassman finally seemed to relent, recognizing Audrey's frustration. "I understand, Audrey. I apologize if my questions seemed intrusive. Let's focus on finding Neil and ensuring he's safe."
"I swear to you, he's okay. And once he showed up, I'll let him go straight to you."
"Okay then,"
Audrey nodded, her irritation still bubbling beneath the surface. She knew she needed to keep her emotions in check and concentrate on helping locate Neil. Deep down, she couldn't wait to confront him about the inconvenience he had caused her, but for now, finding him took precedence over everything else.
After her conversation with Dr. Aaron Glassman about Neil's unexplained absence, Audrey returned to her office to focus on her upcoming surgery. She carefully reviewed the surgical notes and prepared mentally for the procedure, trying to put her earlier worries aside.
As she delved into her work, the door to her office swung open, and Dr. Shaun Murphy walked in, his usually candid face marked with concern. "Dr. Lim,"
"Hey, Dr. Murphy. Anything I can do for you?"
"Nothing, I just want to ask—"
Audrey looked up, "If it's about Dr. Melendez, Shaun, no he's not here today. I'll fill you in later."
Shaun nodded, his concern easing slightly. "I saw you and Dr. Melendez the other night, and you two looked like you were having a serious argument. Are you sure you and Dr. Melendez are fine?"
Audrey's heart sank as Shaun's words hit her. She had hoped that their disagreement had gone unnoticed, but now it was clear that someone had witnessed their heated exchange.
She sighed and nodded, acknowledging the truth. "You're right, Shaun. We did have a fight. It was just a misunderstanding."
Shaun tilted his head, his curiosity evident. "Are you sure everything's okay now?"
Audrey offered a half-smile, trying to reassure both Shaun and herself. "Yes, we've sorted things out. Thank you for your concern, Shaun."
"Dr. Lim, please don't break up with Dr. Melendez. I like him for you. He seem like a nice guy and he always take care of you."
Audrey let out a half smile, "Yeah. Thanks, Shaun. Do you have anything else to say?"
Shaun shook his head no. As the doctor left her office, Audrey couldn't help but reflect on the argument she and Neil had had.
———
Last night.
The hospital was enveloped in darkness as Neil Melendez patiently waited for Audrey to finish her surgery. He had been biding his time, trying to find the right moment to discuss something important with her. Neil had always been a man of determination, but the conversation he was about to have with Audrey weighed heavily on his mind.
As he sat in the hospital corridor, lost in his thoughts, Dr. Claire Browne, one of Audrey's closest friends, approached him. She noticed his presence and couldn't help but ask,
"Dr. Melendez, are you waiting for her?"
Neil nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Yes, Claire, is she going to take longer?"
"Oh, we're finished already. She'll come out soon."
"Alright. Thanks!"
Minutes felt like hours until Audrey finally emerged from the operating room, still in her scrubs, her face a mix of exhaustion and relief. Neil greeted her with a loving smile and a gentle kiss. "Hey,"
Audrey leaned into the kiss, the weariness of the day slowly dissipating. "Are you waiting for me?" she asks.
"Yes."
Once she had settled into a nearby chair, Neil knew it was time to share his news, though the weight of it hung heavily in the air. "Are you alright? Are you sick?"
He took a deep breath and began, "Audrey, there's something I need to talk to you about."
Audrey, her guard slightly lowered in the comfort of her boyfriend's presence, looked at him expectantly. "Spill it."
Neil's expression grew more serious as he continued, "Are you sure you're ready to talk about it or you want us to go home first?"
"Neil, don't be like that. Come on! Tell me. Is it something I have to worry about?"
"I got an e-mail from the Northford Hospital, they are offering me a job there."
Audrey's eyes widened in surprise. She had assumed that Neil was dedicated to San Jose St. Bonaventure and would never entertain the idea of leaving. "Another hospital? Neil, we've talked about this right?"
Neil sighed, his gaze fixed on Audrey. "I know it may seem sudden, but this offer is a great opportunity, both professionally and personally. I wanted to discuss it with you before making any decisions."
"Wow, I thought you're not going to push this through. Is it because of me, having a higher chance of becoming the next chief and not you?"
"What the hell are you talking about, Audrey? What I'm saying is that maybe I can find more possibilities to conquer new generation of medicine—"
"That you can't find here?"
"Audrey..."
"Is this your way of saying that we should break up before anything else fall apart? Are you breaking up with me?!"
"Oh my god, Audrey, no! That's not what I meant. I am in fact happy that you're one step ahead of becoming the chief because that's what you always wanted. I am happy at St. Bon's. I'm happy for you!"
Audrey's brows met in anger. "Then why are you having second thoughts?!"
Neil stepped closer, holding both of her shoulders, "Babe, I'm not! That's why I'm asking you and discussing you this to know if I'm taking the right path."
"You know what? I feel like you really wanted to take that job, so why don't you pack your things and leave now?"
That was her last straw before exiting, leaving Neil in complete confusion.
———
Audrey's shift finally ended, and her impatience grew with each passing minute. She hastily gathered her belongings, She jumped on her motorcycle, weaving through the city's traffic while repeatedly trying to reach him, but all her calls and messages went unanswered. Her thoughts raced with various scenarios, none of them comforting.
Is he leaving me?
No, he can't do that.
As she parked her motorcycle outside her apartment building and rushed inside, her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't shake the fear that maybe her thoughts of him leaving her for another job might be real. When she reached her apartment door, she fumbled with her keys in her haste to unlock it.
The moment the door swung open, Audrey's frustration erupted.
"Neil!" she called out angrily, her voice echoing through the apartment. She stormed inside, her eyes scanning the living room, searching for any sign of him.
There he was, Neil, calmly removing his shoes by the doorway, seemingly unruffled by Audrey's outburst. He looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Audrey, you're home early."
Audrey's anger melted into a mix of relief and exasperation. She crossed her arms, her voice now a blend of annoyance and concern. She felt her eyes become watery but managed to stop it.
"Where have you been?! Everyone's reaching out to you but you weren't answering any of them. Including me, Neil!"
Neil straightened up, his face filled with a mixture of guilt and regret. “Audrey, I can explain. I had a good reason for missing work today.”
Audrey stayed at her position, waiting for her boyfriend. "What now?"
"Last year, I secretly participated in a charity organization with the help of my med school friends. It involves children living at an adoption center. We provide medical assitance.The place was a bit far away, there were no cell signals, my phone ran out of battery and I forgot to bring my powerbank."
Her initial anger gave way to a complex mix of emotions. Audrey couldn’t believe that Neil had kept this secret from her, but she also couldn’t deny that his altruistic actions were commendable. She sighed, her voice softening. “Neil, you could have at least told me about this charity work. We could have worked something out with your schedule.”
"I'm sorry. Don't worry, I'll let everyone know I'm fine."
Audrey couldn't stop herself anymore. Her strong facade finally replaced with fragile emotions. Tears fell from her eyes as she buried her face to the crook of Neil's neck. The boyfriend became a little confused, embracing her tighter.
"Don't leave." she murmured.
"I won't. I'd rather be with you all the time than not seeing you everyday." he whispered.
Without a word, Audrey closed the distance between them, and they met in a passionate, heartfelt kiss. It was a kiss that carried all the love, forgiveness, and reassurance they both needed at that moment.
Breaking the kiss, Audrey whispered, her voice trembling with sincerity, “Neil, I’m sorry for what I said. I was just…overwhelmed with emotions."
Neil held her gaze, his own eyes filled with love and understanding. “Don't worry about that, Dr. Lim."
Audrey nodded, tears welling up in her eyes."I wanna eat."
"Me?” Neil replied, chuckling. sealing their reconciliation with another tender kiss.