Journey (3)

Chapter 35

"do you wanna be friends"-leanna firestone 

It happened about two days later. I was sitting in my car, just about to go into the hospital, when my phone rang. 

All of a sudden, a loud trumpet sound filled my car, and I hurriedly scrabbled for my phone, which I am now holding in my hand, staring down at it. 

My personalised ringtone. Of everything that it could be, it just had to be a frustrating trumpet sound, one that was bound to give me a headache. I answer the call, still frustrated.

"What do you think?" Connor asks me. He sounds as though he has been preparing for this moment. I roll my eyes, even though he can't see.

"I hate it," I tell him. "And I'm changing it back to the default ringtone. And changing my passcode, too." Despite my frustration, I am smiling. 

"Are you in the hospital?" he asks me, hopefully. "Did anyone else hear that ringtone?" he laughs. "I can just imagine how embarrassed you'd be."

"No," I tell him. "Fortunately, your timing was off. I'm just outside, in my car. The only person who heard that disaster was me. Your little humiliation mission failed." It's my turn to laugh now. 

"Come in, quickly," Connor says, still over the phone. "I have something that I want to show you. I'll meet you down in the ED."

I'm curious about what it is that Connor wants to show me, so I quickly hang up the phone, and make my way to the hospital. It's only a short distance until I am inside. 

Connor is standing by the elevator, when he sees me. "Tessa," he says. "Come here. I have something to show you."

"What is it?" I ask him. I'm still slightly confused by this new dynamic that we seem to have. I have no idea what is happening with it.

Connor pulls out his phone, and shows me something on the screen. It's an email. "Look," he tells me. "There's this huge surgical conference going on next week."

I nod. I don't get why he had to show me this, specifically. There's not really anything too special about a surgical conference. "Right?" I say. "A surgical conference..."

"Not just that," Connor tells me. "There's an awards segment, at the end of it. For recognition of our work." He pauses, dramatically. "And I won something."

"You won?" I repeat, excitedly. "Wow, that's amazing. That's a great achievement, really. You should be proud," I tell him, smiling warmly.

"I am," Connor says, nodding. "I just thought I'd show you this. I knew you'd be excited for me." He laughs. "It was definitely a surprise to get that email this morning."

Connor shows me the email once again, and I smile. I really am happy for him. He deserves this award. 

"So, it's next week?" I ask him. "Wow, that's quite soon." I haven't really gotten used to engaging in all of this friendly small talk with Connor. There is still something else about it that feels slightly less than normal.

"Yes, next weekend," Connor says, nodding. "Anyway, I knew you'd be excited to see this, so I thought I'd show you. I only just checked my email this morning, so I didn't get a chance to tell Kyla the news." He pauses, smiling at me. "You're actually the first person I've told."

I don't know why that makes me smile, but it does. I am the first person that Connor has told about his award. "Wow, I'm the first," I reply. "Thank you...for telling me. So I guess we're all good now, right?"

He nods. "Of course. We're all good." After a moment of silence, Connor gestures to my phone. "So, you really hated your ringtone that much?" he asks me.