Normal | Rhekker

Chapter 17 - When you were mine

"You look nice" Connor said as she approached him.
"Not too bad yourself" Ava stopped before him, her heels bring in them to about the same height. "After you" Connor held the door open.
They went up the elevator to the office space they were having their interview. It was more causal then most spaces, set up like someone's living room rather then an interview room.

"Hi I'm Sarah Parker, it's so lovely to meet you two" she shook their hands.
"So" Sarah sat down, "Dr. Bekker and Dr. Rhodes, what an interview"

"So I'd like to start at the beginning"
"Naturally, Connor much is know about your childhood, but not a lot about yours, Ava"
"Uh, there's not much to talk about I was raised in Capetown from aged seven. And did my training at Groote Schur"
"What about your parents"
"There both desscead, my dad worked at a car dealership and my mum was an ICU nurse"
"You danced" Connor said.
She nodded, "that's true, I did ballet for several years"
"As a hobby?"
Ava tilted her head, "partly, I needed the money from preforming"
"It suited me, I always did like order"

"And then Ava gets an offer from Gaffney in Chicago, and that's where you two meet"
"Yes, I'd applied the year before but Connor was chosen over me"
"Ouch. Was that hard to get past when you two met?"
Ava looked to Connor, "I suppose, a little on my behalf anyway"
"Connor didn't have the warmest of welcomes for me"
He tilted his head, "that's true"
"Dr. Bekker is certainly leaves an impression. And I may have gotten the wrong impression"
"He told me he didn't think we'd enjoy working together" she beamed.

Sarah raised her brows. "Certainly a first impression"
"Genuinely there are no hard feelings, we certainly get a good laugh out of it" Ava confirmed.
"You certainly are something to be admired, standing together through it all"
Ava's eyes fell to her knees.

"And what's one thing people would be surprised to know about you?"
Ava through about it for a moment, "that we have tattoos? I suppose" she looked to Connor to confirm.
"That's what people always say anyway, you never see a doctor with tattoos"
"That's very true" she agreed.
"I don't think it was much of a secret that I had tattoos" Connor chucked.
"I wasn't aware you had any, Ava"
"Yeah, I've got two. I got them since meeting Connors, he's obviously converted me"

"Now Ava, I have to ask about the bag. There's been so many rumours about it, how it appeared once you moved to New York"
"Off the record, Connor bought it for me"
"I've had it since just before moved to New York, when we separated"
"I always thought that was the obvious answer, I don't think I'd even ever been in an Hermes store before"
"Oh that is really interesting , it a shame but I'll respect your wishes and not include it in the article or any future ones. It was just something that I'd always wondered"
"You two really took the front covers by storm with your romance, you know?"
Ava glanced to him, meeting his eye quickly.

They left together, "lunch?" He suggested.
"Sure" she agreed, they still had a few hours before they'd need to get ready.
"I think it went well" she said, as they sat with their coffee.
"So do I, you know my love for them"
"I'm sure you're buzzing about tonight then"
"Oh it can't wait, it's been on my calendar for months"

Ava raised her brow, her fingers tapping on her paper cup.
"Do you think Ini been acting weird?" She said.
"No" he said plainly.
She brushed it off, "I'm probably over thinking it, I just thought she'd been acting different since that gala" her voice trailed off.
"It's probably nothing"

"I hear she has her own place?"
"Yeah, could fit a large family"
"Her father wanted her to get a house rather then an apartment. Maybe he hopes she'll start a family here?"
"I can't imagine Ini doing that, personally" she shrugged.

They stayed in a comfortable silence, Ava sipped her coffee and watched people pass her by in the other side of the glass.
"You have a new sense of confidence about you since moving to Mayo, you know that"
"Do I now?" She said, it was nice to know. Even if it was only Connor that could see it.
He nodded genuinely, "it suits you"
"Well my confidence and I best be off" she sat up, "have to get ready for tonight"