Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 38- Going out

Connor and Ava walked into the Ed together hand in hand. As soon as Ava entered those sliding doors she dropped Connors grasp and shuffled away from him. Connor was hurt to say the least, it was normal for them to walk in together so he presumed no one would notice if they were holding hands, they said they'd go public after all?

Connor decided not to bring it up and said goodbye to her as they normally would. He went about his day, throwing glances to Ava when he got the chance, who always seemed to avoid his eye or turn from him.

Connor returned to the doctors lounge, getting a cup of coffee while the ED was calm. He watched over the floor from behind the blinds as an all too families red head entered the room.
"Hey man" Connor smiled, sipping his coffee as Will made his own.
"Hey, long morning right?"
"Yeah" Connor shook his eye, leaning against the table with Will.
"The other night was fun, at Molly's, it was nice to have everyone together"
"Yeah, I was surprised Ava came, she never went to one before" Will points out.
"I don't think we ever really invited her" he said guilty.
"Trust me, she payed it no mind" Connor laughed into his cup.

"So you and Ava..." Will starts, not sure how to bring it up.
"Me and Ava?"
"You're seeing her" Will said flatly.
"What, oh no" Connor stammered, they had agreed to be more public but Ava seemed to have changed her mind over the last few days. "Me, her? No"
"I saw all the things around your apartment when you were sick; the candles, the mangos, the prepped meals? When have you ever prepped a meal"
"The conformation came at Molly's, I knew you were seeing someone from all the skin care. I especially remember the vanilla shower gel. When Ava leaned over me to get your drinks, I don't know, her perfume must have worn off. She doesn't wear the lilac one anymore I noticed, but she is vanilla"
Connor scoffed in surprise, "You should join PD with all that work"

"So if your dating why hide it?"
"We weren't at first, she wanted to find a new apartment and I offered her my free room while she looked, which she reluctantly took. And then it just happened. We were going to go public, but I don't know. I think she's changed her mind, she won't look me in the eye and she keeps avoiding me" Connor rubbed his brow.

"I'm sure you'll work it out, you seem happy" Will smiled.
"Yeah, I am"
Connor decided to come clean with it all, since Will had figured out they were dating anyway.
"I've dated her before, for about six months" he casually sipped his coffee.
"What- Six Months!"
"And no one found out?" Will's mouth hung open in surprise.
"Mhm, we were broken up when, - when she had her accident" Connor said quietly.
"Oh man, everyone thought you were missing her as a friends, god" Will wrapped his arm around Connor.
"It's fine, hiding it was mutual. We wanted to be together but not risk our reputation as surgeons"
"So why come out with it now?"
"We both agreed on it, and were not working the same floors. We should be okey"
"So you and Nat" Connor grinned.
"Me and Nat...?"
"Ava saw you two making out in the bathroom"
"Dam it" Will sighed but smiled anyway. "I thought we were being sneaky"

Connors paper buzzed on his hip and he looked to it.
CT, surgery assistance
"I have to get this, he excused himself" leaving his coffee.
Connor excused himself from the ED and went to the OR, finding the scrub room empty but he could spot Ava in the line up of people already in the OR.
"Sorry I'm late" Connor apologised.
"No problem Dr. Rhodes. I'm sorry to take you away from the ED but all the other surgeons were occupied"

Dr. Rhodes? Not Connor or even Rhodes? Dr. Rhodes

"It's no problem Dr. Bekker, you know CT is one of my favourite floors" he smiled at her from behind the mask.
Ava was normally good at banter, especially with Connor, but today she deadpanned him from behind her mask.
"Scapel to me" she called.