Mia's Open Heart (Choices Open Heart AU)

Chapter 22: Holidaze

It was now mid-December, and Mia was in full Christmas mode. The entire diagnostics' office was adorned in Christmas décor, and all of Edenbrook was buzzing with the holiday joy. That is, until the day that the results of the board exams were to come. The way that Edenbrook operated was very quickly, the exams were during the first week of the month , the results out mid-December, and the attendings would get the coveted dark blue scrubs and the attending duties on January 1st.

Mia waited in the diagnostics office towards the end of the day, awaiting the email of her results. Ethan and Baz, along with Alex were in the office, while Tobias was with Aurora awaiting her results. Mia paced quickly around the room as the three others watched her, Baz and Alex sitting at Baz's desk and Ethan standing near Mia.

"Woah, stop walking around so much, you're giving me a headache from looking back and forth." Alex said.

"Are you sure you're fine with us being here?" Baz asked.

"Yeah, you guys just want to be supportive, and it's sweet." Mia said. "Gonna be pretty sweet when I'm scrubbing the toilets in McDonald's. She looked out at the time. 6:58pm, and the results were to be sent out at 7pm. Usually, two minutes is very quick, and will zoom past you. That is, of course, until it really matters. Mia continued to pace around the room as the other conversed, blocking them out until she heard the ding of her phone, all of the sharply looking at it with wide eyes. She read the notification, seeing the subject being "Board Exam Results". She couldn't bring herself to read any more of the email, holding her phone out to Ethan.

"I can't do it, you do it." she said.

"No, it's your results, you do it." he said, pushing the phone back towards her.

"But you've done this before. And I can't do it. And you love me. And I will make your life hell if you don't listen. Pleeeeeease?" she asked, pushing the phone back towards Ethan. He rolled his eyes and sighed, taking the phone as he unlocked it and opened the email. Mia held her hands over her eyes in nervousness, as Ethan's face dropped.

"No..." he said in a quiet and sad voice, making Mia's hands drop from her face quickly.

"WHAT?!" she asked, practically freaking out. It was then that a smile creeped on his face.

"You did it." he said with a smile, turning her phone so that she could read what it said. She passed the boards, and, because she had already done her residency with Edenbrook, they were giving her a position as an attending at the hospital. For the first time in weeks, she had a look of relief. She instantly smiled widely, and jumped into Ethan's arms, who hugged and lifted her.

"I should go meet with the others, we had a plan to find out our results individually and then meet up with everyone to see if everyone's good." she said. After receiving congratulations from Alex and Baz, she left, going to the hidden hallway where she and her friends hung out. Once arriving to the hallway, they all looked at one another, all of them smiling simultaneously, knowing that it was good news for all of them.

Christmas quickly came, and the good ol' Edenbrook gang was taking it easy, all of them celebrating it separately. Ethan and Mia were spending their Christmas quiet and alone with each other, and Jenner of course. It was Christmas Eve night, and Ethan and Mia lay on the ground of their apartment.

"Tell me again why we're lying on the ground?" he asked.

"Because it's nice." she said.

"No, it's dirty." Ethan said, as Mia shushed him. After a couple of moments lost in thought, she shot up, going outside to their balcony. After a couple moments, Ethan reluctantly followed.

"What are you doing, it's freezing out here." Ethan said.

"Smell the air." Mia said.

"What?"