DOCTOR 1: Nicole Alison

episode 26

After more hugs and kisses, Alison said goodbye to Hayden, to her fiancé.

"Looks like someone is on cloud nine. Did something happen?" Luis asked, grinning at her like a madman.

"You guys should get back to work." Alison tried to dismiss him but she can't hide her smile that Mike and Jonas came towards them.

"Something is definitely up with you. You look, I don't know, sparkling," Jonas added.

"Guys. It's just the breakfast I had." She laughed and looked down at her tablet to review the orders.

"Help us, please!" A voice called that turned all their attention away from Alison.

---

It was almost 2 PM when Alison, Mike, Jonas, and Luis decided to get lunch.

"How about H? It's been three days since we had the chance to eat there. If it's not jam-packed with customers, it's closed already." Luis suggested to which all of them agreed.

Alison can't help but smile proudly. Truly, Hayden's restaurant, H, is always a blockbuster, not just to hospital personnel but according to Hayden, some of their regular customers are from different cities.

"Someone is happy." Jonas teased Alison.

It's not a secret that she is dating the chef next door. Plus, he is the son of the hospital's heart surgeon. There is no way she can keep it a secret.

"You know, I'm always happy. Anyway, have you heard anything from Gracie?"

Unfortunately, Grace was transferred to the second group that is currently on the night shift so they hardly see her.

"She said everyone's nice. But she misses us." Mike said.

After a couple of minutes, they arrived at H.

Luis and Jonas were in front while Mike and Alison follows as they talk about hospital stuff.

Jonas opened the glass door and they are welcomed by the hostess.

"Good afternoon. A table for four, please," Luis told the hostess.

As the hostess guides them towards their table, Alison's eyes darted into someone. Someone very familiar.

"Oh, fuck. Not this again." She mumbled to herself and took a step backward without taking her eyes to the scene before her.

It was a scene that is so familiar that her heart felt the same intense pain she thought she had already forgotten.

It was a scene of Nicole and Hayden. She can only see their sides but she can see their smiles and Nicole's hand on her fiancé's arm.

They looked so... happy.

'Did he forget about me again?' She thought remembering his words before like a knife painfully twisting inside her chest.

Then Alison saw Hayden smile at Nicole and open his arms, inviting the woman for a hug.

She blinked rapidly to keep her tears at bay. Before anything could happen, she bolted and ran away. Away from the man who promised her forever. Away from her dream, from her reality. Away from her comfort and confidante. Away from the man who she gave her trust. Away from her life... again.

She can hear Mike calling her but her mind blocked everything except the painful memory that once haunted her down even in her sleep. Only that, now, it was renewed with a vengeance, a promise of a new wave of pain she thought she will never feel again.

She managed to run without shedding tears. Her efforts had paid off.

She went to her locker and stared into her reflection.