A Promise

Chapter 3

This night felt different for Claire. Breeze hadn't been home for weeks. The next morning, two police officers came by and knocked on her door. She thought they were there to arrest her. "Miss Browne?" one of the officers called out. Claire went and open the door, their faces were pale, flushed with worries. "I am officer Hernandez and this is officer Marie." The three of them shake hands and Officer Hernandez says, "I am sorry to let you know, your mother, Breeze Browne." And before he could continue Claire sighs and say, "If she's being locked up, just let her. I don't have enough money to bail her." Officer Marie steps in and say, "She isn't being locked up. Listen, there was a drunk driving case happened in San Jose and the address that lead us here was the drunk driver. The accident involved your Breeze Browne's car and the victim's car. The victim is currently recovering at the hospital and Breeze Browne... I am sorry she didn't make it." The words echo in her head, "she didn't make it." All the memories of her mother came rushing back to her. The beatings, the mental abuse and everything. San Jose? What was she doing in San Jose? Did she go and find Neil? Is that what she did? What was she thinking... Claire wrote Neil another letter to let him know the tragedy. She expected him to reply soon... but nothing. Nothing for the past months. Nothing. Nothing. Claire cries to herself. How could he do this. He... he broke his promise. Claire is definitely alone then after that.

"What are you staring at?" Morgan jumps her from behind.

"Gosh you scared me, Morgan!" Claire startled.

"Tell me, spill the tea." Morgan instructs.

"Will you go to the same residency as I am?" Claire asks changing the subject. Morgan just nods.

*****

Claire gets accepted in San Jose St Bonaventure for her residency. Wait, that is where Neil is! She says out loud. She couldn't wait to see Neil. It has been years since they last saw each other, and really it has been years since he last wrote back to her. Claire however, never stopped writing to him. She wrote him another letter today, that is to tell him that she got accepted into San Jose St Bonaventure Hospital.

Claire rings Morgan to see if she gets accepted or not. It was only a ring for Morgan to pick up. "Congratulations to us both Claire!!" Morgan says assuming Claire got in too. "What? Shut up! You didn't!" Claire replies excited. "Yup! We're getting out of this shithole bebeh!" Morgan replies. They have decided to go there a week early just to get used to San Jose.

*****

The first day. The first day of her residency at San Jose St Bonaventure Hospital. She is more excited to see Neil than to start her residency. If her calculations are correct, Neil should be in his fifth year of residency. "You're ready?" Morgan asks which interrupts her thoughts. Claire takes a deep breath and nods. They make their way inside.

They were guided to the residence lounge and two more people were already there. They assume that they're residents like them too. "Stop Claire! Look at that hot shot!" Claire quickly looked and her heartbeat dropped. No way. It's him. Who's that girl? Why is she so close to him? She quickly notices that the ring she gave him, was still on his index finger. She clears her throat and smiles at Morgan. They knocked on the door and both inside, Neil and Audrey turned. Neil and Claire locked gazes and Morgan and Audrey shared a look. A weird look. Neil feels like he knows her. Deep down, he's feeling an electric impulse. Come on, he doesn't remember me? Claire thought to herself. She remembers him. He still looks the same except, he is way hotter now. Audrey clears her throat which made them straighten up their posture and Audrey shakes hand with both Claire and Morgan, "Audrey Lim. Fifth year resident." "Morgan Reznick, about to start her resident." They both laughed. "Claire Browne. First year resident." Claire Browne... she sounds familiar. Neil thought to himself. "Neil Melendez, Fifth year resident, Chief Resident." He shakes both of their hands and when he shook Claire's it was a tight grip. He notices her ring, exact, same ring as his. He is getting all weirded out and suddenly seeing glimpses of his accident.

He passed out right there right then. Everyone panicked but not Audrey. "It happens when he gets glimpses of his accident." Audrey blurts out. Audrey slaps Neil in the face to wake him up and Neil suddenly whispers her name. Claire. Claire suppresses her tears at hearing her name on his lips but is also trying to process what Audrey just told them. Two more residents walked in, but they were quite weirded out with seeing Neil on the floor. "Alex Park, Shaun Murphy." Audrey says. They both nodded and shake hands. "Why is he pretending to be dead?" Shaun asks, fidgeting with his toy scalpel. Alex nudged his arm and whispered, "That's our Chief Resident." "Still, he shouldn't play dead to attract people's attention." Audrey laughs at Shaun's remark. "He's autistic, it makes him comments a lot of things" Audrey clarifies. Audrey notices the ring on Claire's finger as well as Neil's. She looked in between them, and she nods. A few minutes later Neil wakes up, "I saw her, I saw her. She was there she was there. It was her." Neil panicking, rushing his fingers through his hair. What a sweet gesture. Shit he is hot. Claire says in her head, and she quickly brushes off the thoughts, "Are you okay, Dr Melendez?" Claire asks, breaking the silence in the room. "I'm fine." Neil replied arrogantly. "You're arrogant." Shaun blurts out. Everyone gazing each other and sharing each other looks of oh he f**ked up. "I'm sorry?" Neil questions Shaun. "you're arrogant. Does it make you a better surgeon? Does it hurt you as a person?" Shaun replies back. On the first day, he is already getting on Neil's nerves. Neil threw Audrey a look and she sighs in defeat, "Dr Murphy, you shouldn't be saying that to him. He's kinda your boss... so you don't wanna be on his bad side." Audrey says calmly. "Okay." Shaun replies. That's it? Is that all he had to say? No sorry sir? Nothing? God! Neil thinks to himself.

"Good morning! You're all here!" Marcus greets excited. "I am Dr Marcus Andrews, your attending. You will be divided into half where 3 of you will work with me and another three will go with Dr Glassman. Dr Glassman is our President." Marcus pauses before continuing. Studying the 4 freshies he takes a deep breath, "Dr Park, Dr Reznick, Dr Lim. You're with me this week. Dr Browne, Dr Melendez and Dr Murphy, you're with Dr Glassman this week." Neil and Audrey shot a look, definitely disagreeing but it's only a week, they'll get through it.

Dr Glassman arrives, and he gets the resident started. "Linda Osbold, 29, fluid lungs." Aaron shoots a look at Claire, which indicates he is asking for her input. "We could give her diuretics to decrease the pressure in her lungs that is caused by the excess fluid then when we see the pressure is going down, we could think of an approach, a procedure to remove the fluid in her lungs." Claire nods, smiling as if she won a lottery. Damn that sounds clever Claire! Claire pats herself. She swears she sees a small smile forming on Neil's. come on... you don't remember me, Neil? Claire asks herself. Aaron nods at Claire's suggestion, "3 hours to find an approach, meet me after lunch and go through your procedures then." He nods to Neil, giving him a look of, you're in charge. Neil nods back and attends the patient. "Hi, good morning. I'm Dr Melendez and these are Dr Browne and Dr Murphy." Neil explains their plan to approach this situation and Linda agrees. They made their way to the resident lounge and start their research.

2 hours goes by, and they had an hour left before having to present their ideas to Aaron. "Thoracentesis" Claire suddenly shouts. Neil walked closer and sat down next to her. She can feel his breath on her neck. His warm breath. The closeness of his body is making her heart skip a beat, without her realising it, she is actually holding her breath.

Claire turned around to face Neil and quite surprisingly, Neil was facing her too. Their lips were only inches apart. Suddenly...

TBC...