Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 30- Dream

Ava, Connor, Nat, Will and April were all sitting around a table in the cafeteria having lunch together. Connor had recovered from his flu and was back in the hospital. Ava was working on becoming more sociable with her fellow doctors on different floors.

"Yeah so I don't know what to wear, Ethan's bringing me to a navy dinner thing" April told them taking a bite of her sandwich.
"You could wear that dress that you wore out the other night with us" Natalie suggested, gesturing to Ava.
"Oh, no. The black one? It's it's a navy event they'll all be in uniform, you'll blend in. Try so,thing more on the colourful side" Ava suggested.
"Okey, what about the knee length green one?"
Ava nodded in approval, taking a bit of her salad.
"You really know your stuff" Natile smiled.
"We'll I've been to enough of them with the army" Ava shrugged.
"Oh, who did you date in the army?" Will asked.
"I was in the army, medical aid" Ava nodded.
Wills mouth hung open, realising what he'd done, "I'm sorry Ava, I didn't think-"
"It's fine, it happens" she assured him.

Just as the convostaion was about to pick up again Lankin stormed over.
"Can you believe we have to do this training now, as if we weren't busy enough" he flailed the form in the air. It was a form that had been put into the door of everyone's locker, informing them that the anti- suicide program would be staring next week.
"Why do we all have to do it anyway" He rolled his eyes.
"Because were a team, or at lest were meant to be" Natalie sassed him, remembering very well how Will had told her about Lankin going to the committee about Connor.
"Can we not just sniff out all the selfish ones, it's a selfish thing to do after all" he scoffed.

Connor balled his fist under the table, grabbing his scrub trousers. Ava discreetly put her hand over his balled fist, squeezing it. Ava kept her gaze on her lap, not wanting to look up and face the group out of shame.
"I think you should leave" Will said coldly, seeing the anger on Connors face.
"What, oh-" Lankin went quite as he spotted Connor across the table.
Connor hadn't thought of his mum until Will had asked him to leave, Connor squeezed his eyes closed tightly, focusing on Ava's hand on top of his.

Connor exhaled shortly, "It's fine, sit with us. This whole program is about including others" Connor smiled to him. Ava quickly let go of Connors had and Lankin sat next to them awkwardly.
"Thanks" he mumbled.
Ava inhaled quickly and took a spoonful of her yogurt, turning her gaze to the window. She turned the spoon over on her tongue, bouncing her ankle. Returning the spoon to the yogurt she found Connor watching her. Under the table he brought the side of his shoe to hers, stopping her leg from bouncing.

"I think it's a great programme, I just wonder why Sharron took so long to bring it in?" Natalie said suddenly, breaking the tension.
"Yeah, three years later is a bit late" Will added.
"Better late then never" Ava shrugged, finishing off her yogurt.
"True" April nodded, "it's definitely a big issue in this career"
Half of the tables pagers bleeped at once.
"Multi-victim car crash" Nat read out.
"They mustn't need a CT consult or trauma" Connor said, noticing the silence of his and Ava's pagers.

The four Ed doctors left the canteen in a rush.
"And then their we're two" Connor sighed playfully, realxing now that the conversation had lightened up.
"How are you doing?" Connor asked softly, looking to Ava who was starring out the window.
"I'm okey, yeah. It, it hurt. But I'll be fine" She rolled her shoulders.
"How about you?"
Connor nodded, not meeting her eye. "Yeah I'm okey"
Their pagers bleeped together, breaking their conversation.
"Spoke to soon" Ava showed him the message on her pager.

CT consult needed

"I Jinxed it" Connor rolled his eyes.

*

Ava slipped off her shoes and put them in the shoe rack by the door.
"I'm so tried" Ava frowned, "I wanted to go for a run after work"
"You should start going before work with me, that's when you know you have energy" he told her, taking her jacket and handing it up.
"Go shower and relax, I'll make dinner" he told her, nudging her to the bathroom.
"Okey but I'm making dinner tomorrow night" Ava compromised, running a hand through her hair.