Finding Her Voice

Fast Forward

16 years later

"Remember how you used to count down the minutes til you could escape after each shift?" Benny laughed. "Now I have to come by and drag you out of here if I want us to get to dinner on time."

"Oh, shut up," Taryn slugged him playfully as she grabbed her purse from her locker and tossed it over her shoulder. She caught a glimpse of their reflection in the glass as they strolled down the corridor of the pediatrics wing together, and still wondered at times how this had become her life.

"Good night, Dr. Lewis!" Marlene, the head of the volunteers, waved cheerfully.

"Good night!" they called back in unison, and then looked at each other and laughed. 

"Told you I should have kept my last name," Taryn teased.

"No way," Benny replied. "It's so much more fun this way!"

He danced his way along the hall, turning to hold out a hand, beckoning her to join in the fun.

"You will seriously never grow up, will you?"

"Never," he grinned. "That's why you love me."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she groaned. But she took his hand and twirled. "Now let's go, goofball. They're waiting and I'm hungry."

"Yes, Ma'am!" he bowed as he opened the car door for her. She shook her head at him, but she didn't hold back her smile.

The Ocean Deck was always crowded, but the smell of Jamaican spices and salty air mixed with the sound of calypso music made it the best beachfront dining in all of Daytona Beach. They'd been meeting there every year on March 16th without fail. Even when Benny and Taryn had done residencies on the west coast, because she just had to live out her Grey's Anatomy fantasy and work in Seattle, they'd flown back just for the day. 

Officer Mike was still in uniform, though he was Chief Mike now. He waved them over to a table by the window. Saraya raced right over and threw her arms around them. "I just love seeing the two of you together!" she squealed. "I always knew."

"You saw it way before I did," Taryn laughed.

"How's work?" Benny asked her. 

"Well, my boss is a beast," she grinned, throwing Mike a sideways glance.

"That's what you get for working for your dad," he laughed. Saraya's mom had finally lost her parental rights when she was imprisoned not long after the shooting at the hospital. Mike had fostered Saraya and later adopted her. Not surprisingly, she'd decided to follow in his footsteps and joined the police force after a couple years of community college. 

"Yeah, I pretty much love my life," she smiled. "No complaints."

Taryn and Benny made their way over to Nancy and gave her a warm embrace. She'd survived the shooting, but her injuries had left her without the use of her legs. She had done some teaching after her recovery, but was now enjoying retirement. "And my new grandson," she smiled, showing off a handful of photos.

"Hey, everybody! Sorry we're late!" Kya breezed in, her classic grey tailored business suit still perfectly pressed, while her girlfriend Julia wore a canvas of bright colors and flowy fabrics, her sun-bleached curls dancing in the air. 

She gave Taryn a squeeze. "Girl! You look amazing!"

"So do you! I read your book and I am so proud of you!"

Kya smiled. "You know I couldn't have done it without you, Taryn. You gave me the courage to find my voice."