A Promise

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Neil wakes up having a hangover. His head is spinning and he is trying to make where he is. He turns to the side and he doesn't see his frame. It's a photo with a girl he can't remember the name of. He looks on the other side, his clothes are on the floor. Did I... Did I sleep with someone? Oh shoot, I did. Didn't I? he asks himself. Today is his day off. As he was about to grab his phone and ring Audrey, he hears footsteps coming out from the bathroom.

"Dr... Dr Browne?" he says with a smirk. "Did we...? Oh my!" Neil shakes his head. Claire laughs at his expression, and she shakes her head, "No we didn't. Well, I was about to fall asleep last night but Dr Lim rang me and asked for a favour. She said that her parents were at hers so she didn't have any spare room and asked if she could send you over as you are practically passed out. I don't have a guestroom either, but I don't know why I said yes... maybe some part of me wants to tell you something, I don't know." There was a moment of silence between them, "you're regretting it?" Neil breaks the silent atmosphere. Claire gives him a half smile and shakes her head as he walks closer to him and sat next to him.

"I... I just... I just want you to remember. Neil, tell me about your accident." Neil. The way she calls me sounds familiar. Neil thinks to himself.

Neil takes a deep breath and nods. "The night of my incident, I was on my way home. I turned down a party because I had something to do. I'm pretty sure it was something to do with letters." Neil pauses and this has made Claire tear up. "Hey, why are you sad? I'm okay, see? I'm not hurt anymore. You've only known me a few weeks ago, you've grown attached to me?" Neil smirks and wiped her tears away. "I've known you long enough Neil. 19 years." Claire sobs. Neil's heart skips a beat, and he doesn't know why those words comforts him. It is as if all of his worries are gone, and his final piece of puzzle is put in place. "Continue?" Claire asks searching for his eyes. Neil cups her cheeks and caresses her cheeks with his thumb. "I was listening to wake me up when September ends on a red stop. I was singing along and remembering someone but I don't know who. She kind of looks like you. In fact, in my dreams too, there is this woman who always turn up and she looks exactly like you. She couldn't reveal her name though. But I have a hunch that I know who she is. Anyways, I saw the drunk driver that caused the collision before I passed out." Neil pauses. Suddenly, there's a notification that pops up from Claire's phone, a text message. Her phone was face up so Neil was able to see her lock screen wallpaper and his jaw drops. He stutters and he looks at Claire in the eye and he sobs. Claire pulled him into her embrace as calmed him down. "I... I... I recognize that woman on your lock screen."

Claire feels that she stopped breathing, jaw clenched. She feels angry, betrayed, annoyed, sad, confused. "She... she was the... she... Claire... I know her." Neil stutters, his whole body shaking, his breath trembling.

Claire shows him the phone, "This... this is Breeze. My mother." Neil got up from the bed and he screams on top of his lungs. Claire got scared so she ran into the bathroom and locks the door.

Neil sobs and say, "Breeze did this to me. She f**king ruined my life. I... she did this to me. Claire, your mother f**ked me! How could you hide this from me? Claire. It was her. It was her. It was her." Neil pacing around the room with his hand messing his hair. "Claire, come here. We need to talk!" Neil raises his voice. Claire is scared shitless. Neil wants answers. Neil's head is still spinning. Claire suddenly hears a thud. Before the thud she hears him calling for her, "Claire"

Claire calls in sick.

It was at least 30 minutes spent in the bathroom before checking up on Neil. She is literally scared.

****

An hour later, Neil wakes up. His head isn't hurting as much anymore. He looks around and he spots his ring on the other side of the bedside table. He scoots over and put the ring on. He gets Claire's ring from his pants pocket. "Claire. Where have you been? I... I am sorry I haven't reach out to you." He takes Claire's ring and kisses it. Hang on a second, if I have Claire's ring with me... that means... that means I have seen her... that means she's seen me... oh f**k. I definitely f**k up. I slept with someone?? Neil says to himself. Then he hears noises from the kitchen. He walks to the kitchen and Claire hears his footsteps, "Oh, good morning, Dr Melendez, I made you soup." Claire says without turning around. Neil's jaw dropped. He recognizes that voice. He knows who that is. He walks slowly to her and hug her from behind, circling her waist with his arms. He hugs her tight. Claire was shocked with his action so she slowly pushes away, "Dr Melendez, that is inappropriate." "What? Me waking up in my resident's house? That is inappropriate enough. I am only your Chief Resident? We're equals." Neil says smirking. "Not for long. You'll soon be my attending." Claire says. If he were being honest, he could clearly hear the frustration in her voice.

Neil pulls her closer, "I... I..." before he could continue, her lips were covering his. Neil was taken aback with her bold move but he doesn't hesitate. He kisses her back, passionately. Clare breaks the kiss to breathe, "that was hell of a first kiss." Claire laughs nervously. "What? Fi... first kiss?" Neil asks, curiously. "wh.. why?" Neil asks again. "wh... why didn't you tell me you haven't had your first kiss?" "What? I was just supposed to go up to you when we first saw each other and just tell you, oh Neil, I haven't had my first kiss. I want it with you yeah? I mean, you didn't even recognize me and when I saw how close Audrey was to you, I couldn't shake the feeling of you might have settled down and you know, just forgot about me." Claire says. Neil takes her hand and slides in her ring that he have her about a few years ago. "Claire Browne, never in my life have I slept with anyone. I may have had relationships but before Jessica, I had no one. Jessica fooled me after the accident." Claire tears up listening to his confession, "You remembered." Neil nods and pull her into his embrace.

Neil presses his lips to Claire's and his hands were busy roaming her body. The kiss turns into an eager, passionate, hungry kiss as their tongues intertwine, Neil picks her up and put her on the kitchen counter. Neil kisses her deeply again, his hand busy sliding into her robe. He caressed her bare skin and slowly squeeze her breasts as he did that, Claire let out a quiet moan.

Claire could feel his length harden, she pulls away from the kiss and says, "I got a question... does it... uhm... is it... uhm... is it big that uhm it could potentially hurt me?" Neil let out a big laugh at her question. "You know, if you're not ready, we can uh... we can wait. How about, we take things slow? Get to know each other more?" Neil says in a comforting tone. Claire pulls him for another deep kiss and their tongue making love to each other. Neil was busy getting her out of the robe.

As he was about to take her bra off, their hot make out session is interrupted by the knocking door.

Claire groans as she puts her robe back on and see who's at the door. Of course, it's Morgan. Claire says to herself. She opens the door and Morgan walks in without looking inside and she straight up says, "You called in sick, I got worried plus the jackass Melendez isn't in today either so I figured I could swing by and tell you the gossip I heard. Apparently, the staff saw Melendass go home with Audrey, but he was too drunk, and he was getting handsy on Audrey." Morgan says that as she scans around her house and her jaw dropped to a half – naked Melendez and she goes, "Dr... Dr Melendez." Morgan gulps. Claire and Neil laugh at Morgan "Melen what? Melendass I hear you call me? A jackass? Great Morgan." Neil says sounding serious. Morgan puts her hands up in defense, "I mean you are a jerk and you're arrogant and annoyingly good looking!" Morgan curses herself at the last word and Neil giggled. Claire stood there in silence and over – analysing about Melendez getting handsy with Audrey. Neil knows what she's thinking about.

"So... what are you doing here? Half – naked in Claire's...OH! HAHAHA OH! YOU TWO HAD MIND – BLOWING SEX!" Morgan says, not realising she shouted in excitement at her last statement. "Uh, no, you kind of f**ked it up by coming over here, err we were just getting started." Neil smirks. "Oh.... Now I know what calling in sick means... Claire you were gonna get sick with his release... ohhh" Morgan teases and gets a pillow thrown at her. "ouch!" Morgan says pretending it hurt.

"Does it uhm... I mean uhm... could you keep this a secret? I don't want them to know that I have gotten my memory back. I uhm, I need to speak with Glassman first for him to confirm it." Neil says knowing that is not what he's going to say. "Sure, and no. it doesn't hurt. It may hurt at the start, but it gives you pleasure after a time. You just have to build the tension beforehand." Morgan says boldly knowing exactly what he wanted to ask. As far as she knows, Claire have said that she is a virgin, and she will lose her V card to the love of her life.

"Hey, baby. we'll wait if that's what you want. We don't have to rush this." Neil says, analysing the situation as Claire looks freaked out.

"I uh... I think you should go, Neil." Claire says and looks at Morgan. Morgan nods and says, "come on then Melendass chop chop, put your clothes on and I'll drive you home."

Neil nods in frustration. Putting his clothes on. He follows Morgan to the door, and he turns around and says, "Uhm Claire. I... I..." Claire cuts him and says, "Have a good day Dr Melendez."

TBC...