Normal | Rhekker

Chapter 1- Flowers

"I know, she's hilarious" Ava shook her head at a somewhat inappropriate joke one of her patients had made, walking out of a room in her hospital.
"Yeah, she's a real jokester"
Ava turned to face Frank, who she'd been working with for some while.
"How's everything with the divorce?" She asked kindly,
"Yeah, it was a long time coming, kids are grown so they don't mind it as much" he shrugged,
"I'm still down about it, like anyone would be"
"It'll be okey Frank" Ava touched his arm gently, saying goodbye to him.

Ava caught the lift down to the ED and walked towards the doctors lounge to grab her jacket and bag for the end of the day.
"Dr. Bekker!" The head nurse called to her over, "these were left for you" she lifted up a bouquet of flowers, an assortment of chrysanthemums, lilacs and corn flowers.
"There beautiful" Ava breathed, turning the flowers to look for any sign of who they were from.
"No note?"
"Nope, he went looking for you but couldn't find you"
"Well what did look like?" Ava injured, thinking of who they could be from.
"Do I look like I took a police profile of the man?" She sassed.
"Okey, okey" Ava life's the flowers into her arms, "probably just a patient"
"Or that boyfriend of yours" one of the nurses joked as she walked past.
"Regardless, when you find them kindly remind them that my ED is not a post office"
"I will, goodbye" Ava called over her shoulder as she left for the day.

Ava arrived home and put the flowers in water. She brushed through her hair and got into the shower, washing the day away. She dried and styled it before putting on her makeup, there was an award gala tonight for surgeons, a masquerade ball. Ava curled her hair and slipped on a dress she had chosen. It was a creamy white with a slit up the thigh, a corset top and a plunging v-neck. Ava smoothed the fabric over herself and slipped on some nude heels and gold necklace. The doorbell rang behind her and Ava ran to get it, grabbing her purse as she went.
"Andrew" she smiled, opening the door.
He politely nodded and did his best to muster a smile.
"You look beautiful"
Ava thanked him and grabbed her mask from the table before leaving.

Andrew drove the, in silence to the venue, the only sound in the car was a mix of the radio and light rain tapping the window. Ava cleared her through, "Thank you for the flowers"
"Flowers?" He questioned, "what flowers?"
"What, oh, never mind" Ava fiddled with the lace fo her mask in her hands.
"Look, Ava, lets just try get through this evening" he sighed, rubbing his temple.
Ava pursed her lips and look out to New York, watching the clouds above.

They parked next to the venue and Ava hurried out of the short drizzle to avoid getting her dress to wet. Andrew and her walked to the lift, standing on opposite sides as it went up. Ava took her mask from her hand and pinned it into her hair, the white lace covering the bridge of her nose and around her eyes. As they neared their floor Andrew stood next to her, wrapping an arm around her. The doors pinged open and they both smiled, waving to several people that they saw.
"Ava you look stunning!" Brooklyn gushed, running up to her.
Ava wrapped and arm around her and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, you look stunning. It so hard to recognise people with these masks though" Ava giggled. Brooklyn's boyfriend, Bob, came up and struck up a conversation with Andrew.
"So by the sounds of it you're really in with a chance of winning this" Brooklyn whispered to her.
"Brookie, I wouldn't get your hopes up" she patted her friends arm, walking away arm in arm to get a drink. "Sorry" Ava bumped into a man, touching his arm quickly as she lead Brooklyn  over to the bar.

"You shouldn't drink so much incase you win, no one wants a drunk thank you speech" Brooklyn took the glass out of her hand.
"It's my second glass of champagne, I'll be fine" she assured her taking her glass back. "So you and Andrew" Brookie nudged her.
"I'll tell you everything tomorrow, live in the moment B"
"I will, I will be living for the moment you win this thing!"
"Sure" Ava took a sip of her drink and glanced over to Andrew who was talking to a group of men from various hospitals.

Ava excused herself and walked over to join them.
"And who's this thing?" One of the men asked, eyeing Ava up and down.
"Calm done gentle men, she's taken. This is Ava, my girlfriend" he wrapped an arm around her and she placed a hand on his chest.
"And what do you do Ava?"
"Im a CT surgeon at Langone, I'm up for best female CT surgeon"
"Oh well, not just a pretty face then, Andrews"
Ava blushed politely leaning out f Andrews grasp, "it was lovely to meet you gentlemen"
"Best of luck with the awards" one of them said before she left.

Ava did the rounds with Brooklyn, speaking to other surgeons and doctors, some they had never met before. Ava rubbed the back of her neck, feelings eyes on her, two hands came to her waist suddenly.
"Andrew, you gave me a fright" she turned in his arms.
"Can I have this dance?" He asked, the music began to soften and couples paired up. Ava took his hand and they joined the group on the center of the hall. Ava crosses her wrists behind his head and he placed his hands on her waist. They moved to the music slowly, leaving a good gap between them. When the song ended Andrew kissed her lips and rejoined his coluges and Ava found Brookie.

Everyone settled down as they began to go through the categories for the winners.
"Tonights nominees for best female CT surgeon are, Ashling Smyth, Naomi Spears, Elizabeth Lee, Ava Bekker and Sarah Lynch" 
"And our winner is........ Ava Bekker, form Langone Hospital, New York!"
Ava looked up in shock as she heard her name, arms warped around her as Brooklyn kissed her cheek.
"Congratulations!"

Ava went up to except her award making a short thank you speech before making a quick exit, having her award be deliver to her room tomorrow. She let herself out to the quite of the balcony brushing a hand through her curls as she gathered her thoughts, drinks in hand.

Ava heard footsteps behind her and turned her head to spot a man in a dark suit stopped a few meters away, smiling softly to her.
"Find someone else to take home" she scoffed, turning her gaze back to the skyline.

"Ava"