Journey (3)

Chapter 36

happening again- katherine li

It has been a few weeks since the surgical conference. I have no idea what ended up happening with Ava in the end. I don't know if she got an email, or not. I didn't want to insert myself into that sort of drama. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime.

Connor is sitting opposite me, drinking coffee. He hasn't noticed that I haven't touched mine. Not that I'd expect him to. We've started getting coffee before and after our shifts end, just as a friendly exchange. We've kept it strictly professional.

"Tessa," Connor's voice interrupts my thoughts. He is giving me a look of complete confusion. "You look like you're in another world. What's going on with you? What's on your mind?"

It's just like he said, all that time before. He knows me better than I think. I hate that he can see when I've got something on my mind, especially when that 'something' happens to be about him. 

"It's really nothing," I say, because it isn't, really. It's a simple subject, one that I definitely shouldn't be thinking about over and over again. "It's just...I know your birthday is coming up soon, right? I just wondered if...whether I should do anything, or get you anything? I don't really know. We were together on your last two birthdays, so it was always pretty straightforward, but..."

Connor nods, in an understanding way. "I guess that's right. Well, I don't really know. I'm surprised you're even thinking about my birthday, to be honest. I haven't really given it a second thought."

"It's next week," I tell him, pointedly. "If you don't think about it now, when are you ever going to?" I sigh, because this is typical for him. I remember that Connor was never really that big on celebrating his own birthday. 

"Next week is still a while away," Connor replies, taking another sip of his coffee. "And I really don't mind what you do. If you want to do anything, feel free. But I'll also be completely fine with it if you don't."

That seems like an answer that I can work for. "At least there's not an intense pressure to get you a great gift anymore," I laugh. "I mean, what do you buy for the man who has absolutely everything?"

"Your gifts were great," Connor assures me. "And I don't have everything. Anyway, that burden will be off your shoulders now. That's good, right?"

"It is good," I agree, although I don't want to admit that I'd happily put up with the expectations of a thousand gifts if it meant that everything could go back to how it was last year. "Good luck to Kyla, honestly."

Connor laughs at that. "She would absolutely kill me if she knew I was telling you this, but she isn't exactly the greatest gift giver," he says, dropping his voice slightly, as if someone would be overhearing our conversation. "But it's okay. I'll be fine with anything she gets me. That goes for you, too. If you feel like you want to do anything?"

"I don't know yet," I say, smiling. "And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. That wrecks the surprise aspect of it all. You'll have to wait until the day, next week." I say this insistently, which only makes Connor laugh.

"Who made you the birthday police?" he laughs, light-heartedly. "But, okay. I'll wait and see. How about that? I won't say another word about it, until the day comes."

"Sounds great," I say, as I watch Connor take the final sip of his coffee. I still haven't touched mine, but by now, I've gone off the idea of it. It seems like our conversation has come to a natural finishing point.

Connor picks up his empty cup. "We should both get going," he says. "I'm just going to throw this away. Do you want me to throw yours away, too?"

"Actually, I didn't really drink much of it," I tell him. "So it's fine. It's probably cold, anyway. And you're right, we do have to go. Our shift starts soon, and we really can't be late again."