Normal | Rhekker

Chapter 18- Invisible String.

They hadn't spoken since, other then the odd bits of nesscary conversations in the hospital it had been two weeks since the elevator and what came after.

It was uncomfortable to say the least.
Ava worked off her monitor, her eyes drifting as as saw a familiar figure walking to his office. She rolled her shoulder back, continuing with her work.

Taking off her blue light glasses she walked out into the hall to the coffee machine to get a drink, she wanted a look at him. Keeping her eyes on her hot drinking pouring into her cup she sensed him pass behind her once again, returning to his office she watched him pass.
She was angry, at best, furious at worst.
How dare he say all that to her and walk off, and then spend two weeks not speaking to her.
She picked up her coffee a bit to quickly, spilling it slightly over her hand.
"Kak" Shit
She wiped the mess of her hand.
"You okey?" Owen asked, handing her some more napkins, taking a coffee cup for himself.
"Yeah, I was just away with myself" she brushed it off drying her hand.
"I didn't know you drank tea" she said, spotting the tea bag in his cup.
"Yeah, I bring my own from home" he said, filling up his cup with hot water.
"I have to get back to work, I'll see you later"

Ava returned to her desk, sipping her coffee she put her blue light glasses back on.
"Dr. Bekker?" A knock at the door.
"Yes" she looked up from her monitor.
"This came for you"
She handed her a magazine.
"Thank you" she smiled.

"Exclusive with Mayo Clinic Stars Ava Bekker, and Connor Rhodes"

She took off the barb and flicked it open.
Mayo stars Dr. Ava Bekker and Connor Rhodes sit down with Sarah Parker for exclusive Times interview.

She read the article, it was nice, showed them in a good light and praised both their relationship as colleagues and their work.
Then her eyes fell to the accopying imagine, one taken during the gala that night.
They'd caught her mid laugh, Connor turned into her to speak, his hand still on her waist.

She dropped the paper, once again thinking of the events that left her in that lift alone.
Though she wasn't truly alone that night.

///

Ava made her way to her room, trying to calm herself she shakily took off her jewels and dress. She caught herself in the mirror, her lipstick slightly smudged in the corner from his thumb. She ran a hand through her hair, "what the fuck" she breathed.
"I mean-" she was flabbergasted. Hastily changing into something more comfortable she was out the door again with her bag in hand.
She knocked on the door, shivering in the cold.
"It's me" she said to the ring doorbell.

Ava was laid in Ini's bed on her stomach, fiddling with the edge of her pillow. She rolled into her side to face her, "so what I'm hearing is he's in love with you"
"He didn't say that" Ava said flatly.
"Well it would help if you would tell me what he said"
"It's- it's nothing" Ava didn't want to relay the intesandy of the night. A part of her wanting to keep the memory all for herself.
"Just that he wanted us to be together"
"It was a bit of an ulitematuim"
"Well I'm that case I think we need to be looking a bit further afield, maybe getting with Connor wasn't my best idea"

"You have tinder right? What about that"
Ava nodded, she'd had a profile when she'd first moved to the states.
"Why don't we start there"
They scroll for a little while. Swiping right on a few faces, but left on most.

Ava dropped her head back to her pillow, fed up of this.
"He said I was the only thing he'd ever longed for in this life"
"And that I was the one thing he could never have" She added.
Ini was silent for a while.
I wish someone would love me like that
"He wants you" she nodded, "loverboys a bit of a poet, no?"
"Was he always like that?"
"I don't know, he'd never said anything like that before"

"Explains why he's been eating lunch in his office like a social outcast" Ini said.
"Owen was wondering" she added.
"Mhm" Ava hummed, closing her eyes, "you two get along well"
She didn't reply.
"It's sweet"

///

Connor had seen her around, he'd wanted to speak with her, he did. But he was embarrassed of his own actions.
He'd seen her leave for the night. Her hair was restyled and she wore a long black dress with an open back. He watched her walk down the hall from her office and wonder where she'd be going that evening.

He finished his paper work about an hour later. Delayed through the day from getting up to see her when he could. He rubbed his eyes, taking off his glasses. He pulled on his winter jacket and gloves. He took his satchel bag and said his goodbyes.
He'd gotten the train to the hospital, wanting to try out a few different routes if he didn't feel like driving.

There was a familiar chill is the air but the streets were clear. Frost hadn't yet fallen.
He'd taken the notion to walk, his hands in his pocket.
He played that night over and over again. What he had said, every expression that ran through her face. It was warning at first, then shock and- lust? Or love.
He played through the night at least three times a day, whenever their was a free moment to think of her lips, And the ding of the lift closing as he left her.

The heavens opened above him and Connor wished he'd just gotten a train. Debating walking back to the hospital he spotted a well light doorway in the dark.
Pushing open the door into the quite corner bar he was welcomed with warmth. It had a speakeasy feel and a fair few people.
Not wanting to meet anyone tonight he turned to leave, catching someone's eye.
In a bit of a perdicerment Connor approached the bar. "Hi" she said, straightening her back watching him with an odd fascination.
"Hey, I didn't know you'd be here. I was just looking to get some shelter. It's pouring outside"
"Don't let me stop you" Ava shook her head.

He joined her at the bar.
"You're not waiting for someone, are you?" He looked to her dress, the one she'd left the hospital in.
"No, I'd just come from a date. I was on my way home and wanted a night cap"
"A date? Who with"
"A guy from tinder" she shrugged, "we didn't hit it off"
"I didn't know you were on tinder"
"Yeah, I was for a bit when I first moved here but I gave up after a month"
"I saw your profile" Ava said.
"Oh, I forgot I had that. I don't check it often"
"Good, I was afraid you'd be offended that I swiped left" she giggled.

Connor cleared his throat, "I wanted to apologise about the other night"
"I don't know what came over me- I'd forgotten myself"
A faint colour rose in Ava's cheeks.
"It's fine" she looked into her empty glass.
"You were confused, you didn't mean it" she shook her head.

Connor didn't correct her but she could see it in his eyes.
"It's different for me Connor, I'm younger and I'm an immigrant. I need to maintain a professional image. We couldn't" she shook her head certainly, licking her lips.
"Then you need to stop looking at me the way you do"
Ava pursed her lips and looked away. He wasn't all to blame.

"Friends, then" she held out her pinky.
"Always" he hooked his finger around hers.
Ava had a tired smile on her face looking down at their hands.
"This is from the table over there" the bartender pointed down the bar.
Ava pursed her lips and thanked him, pouring the drink down the drain over the bar once he was gone.

"What was that?" He asked.
"Sex on the beach, I think?"
Connor flagged down a second bartender, "can I get a sex on the beach?"
"Of course"
Connor turned to her, "I said I'd buy you a drink the next time I saw you"
"That was years ago" she shook her head.
"I'm here now"