Normal | Rhekker

Chapter 62- Swim

Connor binned his surgical gloves and got himself cleaned up. He and Ava really saw each other at work, they hadn't regularly operated together in weeks.
He ran a hand through his hair, he needed a haircut and a shave.
Connor made his way down to the canteen, he also needed a decent meal.
He approached the table, surprised to she Ini sat there.
"Ava's in sugary" she exhaled, "that's they only reason I'm here"
He sat down without a word.

Owen cleared his throat, "How's Ava?"
"I don't know, she hasn't really been going out much the last week"
Ini rolled her eyes and out her yogurt pot down, she stood without another word.
Connor and Owen watched her go.
"What was that about?" Connor said.
Owen looked down to his phone, pulling up an article.

Trying to swim away from our problems, or drop a size?

Attached was an image of Ava pushing up on her hands out of the pool at her gym. It wasn't a bad photo but it was clear she'd dropped a bit of weight.
Connor handed him back his phone, "I need to make a few phone calls"
He left his lunch mostly untouched.

Connor paced around his office. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"
"It slipped through the cracks, Dr. Rhodes, the title doesn't say Ava Bekker"
"I'm sorry was the picture of her not clear enough?"
"Of course Dr. Rhodes, were working to resolve it now"
Connor hung up and rubbed his eye, the release date of the article was the day after Ava stopped going to the pool. He scratched his head, this was out for nearly a week. She must have thought his statement was just another empty promise.

*

Connor chopped away at some veg and meat for the dinner. Rice boiling on the stove.
He heard the door open behind him. "Hey" she said, putting away her coat.
"Hi" he turned to look at her, before placing his eyes back to the dinner.
"I want you to go back to the gym today" he said, without looking up.
"Go swimming"
"I don't really feel like it" she quietly, unpacking her bag behind him.
"Trust me?" He met her eye.
She held his gaze before walking to her room. What was that.
She looked down at herself, did he think she was gaining weight?
Trust me. She stopped. He'd seen the news article.
Or maybe he'd always seen it, and he was finally acting.

They had dinner separately like normal, Ava had missed them eating together. She'd eaten alone for years but had become to be used to Connor's company at meals. When she was done she put her bowl away and took a deep breath. She'd have to go back to the gym at some point.

She took a packed bag and left the house quietly. She got the train with her headphones. Scanning her pass at the barricade she kept her head down and made it to the changing room for the pool. Finding them strangle empty. Ava made her way through the halls, putting her hand on the handle.

Reserved.

She stopped, furring her brows she turned back. Pulling on a hoodie and legs over her suit she made her way to the lobby.
"Hi"
"Dr. Bekker" the receptionist smiled.
"Sorry, is the pool reserved tonight?"
"Yes, reserved for you Dr. Bekker"
Connor.
She pursed her lips, "thank you"

Ava walked in, entering the water smoothly. She started her lengths, rhythmically going up and down the pool her mind and body relaxed.
She lay back and just floated for a while, her mind quite in the silence.
Her eyes drifted left and she settled a familiar face by the poolside.
Ava dived back under the water, climbing up the ladder and out of the water.

He held out her towel and Ava wrapped it around herself, sliding on her shoes. She brought him into the changing room with her, since they were the only ones here. Connor sat on the beach and Ava leaned back against the lockers.
"That was a very nice thing for you to do" she said. Her way of saying thank you.
"Come here" he held out his hand. Ava walked to him, standing between his knees. Her hand on his shoulder. "The papers and journalist have been blacklisted from anything to do with Dolan and Rhodes"
"Mhm" Ava hummed.
Connor placed a hand over hers on his shoulder, tilting her chin with the other.
"You know I don't think you're too thin"
"I love you Avey"
She pursed her lips, ignoring his second statement.
"I just reminds me of having no food as a child. Everyone obsessing over how thin I was" she looked away. Connor nodded, catching her palm in his hand.
"You should get in the shower, you're pruned" he showed her the palm of her hand. Winkled with the water. She smiled softly, leaving him without a word for the showers.