Longing Years

Part 2

Lacing up her shoes, Sarah grabs her key and closes the door behind her. The day has yet to break. She is usually the only one on this route. In recent months someone has also started to use the same path. They occasionally pass each other. Lately, he has started to wave at her; she obliges a responsive wave back. It's probably good to have a companion. Dillon keeps warning her that it can be dangerous to exercise on your own.

In another half an hour, this route will start to populate with people. Mostly, she is alone at these hours. There was a time, all those years ago, when she had company while everyone else slept. She thought she was alone, but her companion kept an eye out for her while she worked things out. Remembering that someone, softened her for a brief moment. She wonders if he still jogged at these early hours; wore thin t-shirts in winter to stay uncomfortable, went for inhospitable hikes in terrible weather conditions.

"Hello." The other jogger says to her. She smiles briefly before continuing, ignoring his obvious signal to chat. She's been there. There's no use. It ends up being a waste of everyone's time. That was Tae's final assessment of their relationship. She'd have to agree with him. While she was on time with all their engagements, she was absent-minded. She tried to pay attention, but her thoughts would drift away while he told her about his day.

"Why are you here, if you don't want to be?" Tae asked.

Slowing along the footpath, the extension of Tae's question is one plaguing her for months. Where does she want to be?

Throwing all her time into work, she is unavailable to see anyone. She is just too busy. It lets her escape other questions she is afraid to face. Who does she want to spend her time with? It's so much easier to deal with the mortality of others than regard how she is spending her life. He's still there. At that place, where she is simultaneously accepted and rejected. Picking back through her memories, she can see that there was something between them. Now she stands where he stood, she understands his choices. Yes, she was young. But what if that's not the reason? He had other things going on. She could be shut out indefinitely and never know why.

Sprinting hard along the dark path, she rushes until her muscles spasm. Looking straight ahead, she chases the serenity of depletion. The sensation of tight contraction, blurred vision and the shakes force her to stop and she can't think of anything else because she is struggling to equalize. Walking home, Sarah checks her watch. She has just enough time to get ready for work.

---

Awakening to the darkened room, Sarah looks around in slight confusion. She knows this room; but normally, she is the one attending to the other lying in the bed.

"Feeling better?" Dillon says as he enters, turning the light on. "You're a good doctor, but a terrible owner of a human body." He sits down in the armchair opposite her. "Broadbent says you have to take leave. No ifs, no buts." Crossing his legs, he takes a scoop out of a cup of custard. "You're bad publicity for the hospital. Now we look like assholes that work our doctors until they collapse. Literally. On the patient." He stifles a chuckle "It was quite funny. Now, that we know you're okay. Not at the time though." There was much commotion. He was lucky enough to be passing by the room to witness the event.

"Is that supposed to be for me?" she points to the cup of dessert.

Handing her another cup, Dillon says "I'm here to discharge you. Are you good to drive?"

Nodding, Sarah asks "What about all the stuff I was working on?" She begins to detach herself from the drip.

"Someone will take care of it." Shrugging nonchalantly, Dillon says "Don't worry about it. You have a lot of Leave stacked up. What are you going to do with it?"