Normal | Rhekker

Prologue - VII

Connor lay on his bed in the dark, a headache from the previous day- or maybe it was the same day - he wasn't sure. Their was a vibrating on the mattress beside him, prompting him to roll over. "Hello"
"Are you okey!" Ava practically roared into phone.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He asked, not knowing why he was being berated.
"Oh I don't know, maybe the flesh eating parasite that's plaguing the state you live in?" Ava dropped the remote and herself to the sofa. Still dressed in the clothes she came home from the hospital in the tv on mute it still played the same headline.
"Oh, right" Connor sat up. He knew they needed him again, he'd only come home for a nap. Seven hours at home at the most before he'd have to go back.
"Are- are you okey, is Nat and Will? Do they know what caused it?" She rambled and Connor knew her previous anger was only out of care.
"Ava- Ava" he sighed, stopping her.
"I'm fine, so is Nat and Will. We're okey, Hailey had a close call and were keeping her in observation in the hospital. There hopeful. They don't know what started it"
"I heard something about a football match?"
"Oh yeah, I was there"
"You were there"
"We all were, some from med, fire, pd. everyone"
"Look we are okey" he assured her. "Just exhausted" he added with a bitter chuckle.
"How many patients did you see today?" She asked, turning off the TV.
"I know know, maybe seventy, ninety?"
"We're running out of supplies" he confessed.
"What, why? You should have had a delivery on Monday"
"Nothings coming in or out of Illinois" he told her, "they closed off the roads"

"What! How can they close off roads?"
"They don't want it getting out, so no one goes in or out"
Ava let out a loud exhale. "Well are you safe?"
"Of course Ava. We're all taking every precaution" he assured her.
"Okey" she sat down, drafted that she couldn't do anything.
"Well don't do anything stupid"
"I'll try not"

*

Connor worked a twenty three hour shift before being told he had to go home. He made his way through the deconatarion zone and cleaned his hands and shoes. Me opening the double door to the doctors lounge and went to his locker, sporting freash PPE and a mask. The door opened behind him and Will stepped in.
Connor though back to the last time he had saw him, two weeks ago maybe, he was easily identified under all the PPE with that hair.
"Hey man" he said, a tired smile under his mask.
"Connor Rhodes! God it feels like decades" he went to his locker.
"How are you" he kept his distance.
"I'm doing okey, Jays the one I'm worried about. They still have Hailey in isolation. She isn't getting worse but she's not improving"
"I'm sorry to hear" Connor frowned.
"This isn't what I thought it would be like when I signed up for Med school" Will said quietly, tears falling under his mask.
"Will" Connor said, breaking the distance between them and throwing his arms around him.

Will came back to Connor apartment with him that night, they broke all the rules they had been told to follow and had a beer on his balcony.

*

Connor came home having changed out of his hospital clothes before he left for his own protection. He stood in the hall, a package at his door. Mail delivers and stopped so he approached with caution. The address was stamped from New York and wrapped in a thin layer of plastic to protect it. He stepped over it, letting himself into the apartment he returned a pair of scissors and cut the box free of its contaminated plastic.

He took the fresh box inside, knowing the cardboard was clean he placed the scissors in the sink and ripped open the box. Inside was a smaller box and a note.

Your friends in New York

Connor pushed his hands through the box further. Countless masks, PPE, hand santazieers, scrub brushes, IV lines and more were carefully packed. Connor picked up the box quietly, making sure nothing full,out her drive it to the hospital.

*

"I knew people said you were a miracle worker, but this. This is Somthing else" Sharron said in shock, shaking her head as everyone made use of the equipment.
"Don't thank me, this was all Ava"
"Well you better give her a big thanks for all of us"
"I will" he assured her.
Connor stayed late at the hospital to help  as much as he could.
Late in the evening he returned to his apartment, finally opening the smaller box the parcel had contained.

You know I wouldn't forget about you

Connor opened paper to find twelve packets of biltong, some chips and chocolate. At the bottom of the bag a small sphere wrapped in newspapers. A small cold snow globe of the Statue of Liberty rolled into his hand. Since you miss me x, Looking like a snowy winter in NYC

Connor chuckled and set the globe down, taking out his phone.
"How did you even do it?" He said.
"Wait, don't answer that, it's like Santa I don't and to ruin the magic.
"Thank you so much Avey" he breathed.
"Be glad I know friends in high places, helicopter heights"
"I'm buying you a drink the next time I see you, you know that?"
"You're going to see me?" She pursed her lips.
"Yeah, I was thinking Christmas?"
"I mean I hear it'll be a snowy one", he heard her chuckle at that.
"Okey" she agreed, with a quite smile, "I'll get the Chinese food and the sofa ready for you"
"Oh the sofa?"
"Well I would offer you my guest room but it's being redecorated at the moment" she winced.
"The sofa works" he paused, "I look forward to it"
"I'll see you then"