Destiny Keeps Getting in the Way

[Melinda’s Point of View]

I don’t know around what time I fell asleep but next thing I know it’s morning and I woke up at seven in the morning.

I walked out of my room and into the living room and found Peter sleeping. I smiled a little and lifted his blanket to cover all of him.

He woke up at my touch. He smiled at me.

“Morning.” I said.

“Morning.” He said back and stretched.

“You stayed over the night?”

“To see if you needed anything.”

“Thank you… Peter. You’ve been a true friend.” I looked at his green eyes. “Well I have to go get ready for work.”

“You plan to go back to the hospital?” He asked sitting up.

“Well, yeah I do plan to keep my job.”

“What about Nathan?”

“He’s on the first floor and I’m on the third.” I pointed out as I walked back to my room.

I took a quick shower and did my hair and pulled on new scrubs. I took my bag and my ID. When I walked back to the living room Peter had folded his blanket.

“You could bump into him.” Peter continued the conversation from before.

It took me a second to remember what and then my heart sank.

“I’m not going to hide and I’m not going back home. I’m not afraid.” I said determinedly.

“I’m just trying to protect you. I hate seeing you cry.” He caresses my cheek with the back of his hand.

I take a step back and chuckle. “Thanks for you concern. Do you have somewhere to stay?”

“Yes, I have a place not too far from here.” He gestured behind him.

“Oh, okay. You could’ve stayed if you wanted to. I’m working four more hours to make up for yesterday.” He saw the pain in my eyes because he hugged me.

“Don’t let him get you down.” Peter said.

“I won’t. Um, I have to go now.”

“All right.”

We walked out to the elevator together and chatted a bit. He told me how he got a job as a chef at a good restaurant and his first night was going to be tomorrow night.

“I would love it if you could come on my first day.” Peter said with puppy eyes.

I groaned playfully. “Ehhh.”

“Oh please, please, please.” He trembled his bottom lip making me smile and laugh for the first time.

“All right, all right. I’ll go.” I said still laughing.

“I know you’ll get better with some of my delicious food.” He winked.

“I hope so.” I laughed. We started to walk away when I remembered something. “Hey!” I called after him.

“Yeah?”

“Who was it last night?”

“Who?” He asked.

“Last night there was a knock who was it?” I asked.

“Uh, food. I ordered food.” He said.

“Oh, all right.” I said. “See you tomorrow night, text me the address later.”

“All right.”

I got inside a cab after I walked a block. I was at the hospital just on time. I walked right up to Doctor Albright.

I smiled widely at her hiding my pain.

“Good morning! Ready for rounds?”

“Yes.” I said.

“Good.”

We walked into the first room. A husband and wife held hands together and looked happy.

“Good morning, Susan, Hank.” Doctor Albright knew them by first name bases she’s that social. “Meet my new pupil, Melinda Gomez, she’s from the States.”

I shook their hands.

“Let’s get started.”

Susan was having twins. She’s five months and it’s going good so far. I checked all of her vital signs as common procedure and then I brought the machine to do a ultrasound of the twins. Doctor Albright took the paddle while I applied the jelly.

“Ooh, I keep forgetting how cold is the jelly.” Susan giggled and I smiled at her.

Doctor Albright started the ultrasound and immediately we were able to see the twins. As Dr. Albright continued I started to notice something.

[Only one heartbeat.] I thought sadly.

I bent over to whisper to Dr. Albright.

“I only hear one heartbeat…” I trailed off not wanting to say the words.

Dr. Albright seemed surprised for a second but then I watched as she listened and let’s out a small sigh.

“What’s wrong? What is it?” Susan said sensing something already.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news, Susan.” Dr. Albright said.

She looked at me to go on and explain.

“There’s only one heartbeat which means…” I looked at them in the eyes and I didn’t need to finish but I had to according to hospital policy. “It’s possible that one of the fetuses might be… dead.”

Susan broke into a sob. I thought about her pain and mine and compared them. Her pain made mine feel like it was nothing. A pain of a mother losing her child is something much worse.

“We have to remove the fetus.” Dr. Albright said. “As soon as possible.”

I was able to be in the OR as Dr. Albright removed the dead fetus. It was one of the saddest things I’ve seen.

By lunch I felt like I’ve been here forever. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job but when these things happen I get extremely depressed.

“We heard about Susan and Hank and I know you can’t say anything.” Marcela said.

“Yeah. It’s been a busy week, first with the car collision then Nathan being awake and then with the parasitic twins --”

“Whoa, whoa.” Mike said.

“Who’s Nathan?” Marcela asked.

“That name sounds familiar.” Alondra said.

“It’s no one, it doesn’t matter guys.” I said.

“Wait! That’s the name of the guy that woke up three years ago!” Alondra said.

“What?” I asked.

“Nathan Fullerton, such a cutie.” Alondra said.

“You know him?” I asked.

“Me?” She asked. “No.”

“I should get back to Dr. Albright.” I stood up with my tray.

“Wait! Look that’s him!”

I froze and looked where Alondra was pointing. He was with a girl. She had his arm and jealousy bolted through me. I dropped my tray attracting attention.

I cursed and picked up my things. I was up and the girl came up towards us and Nathan not too far behind.

“Marcela! Alondra!” The girl said.

She had blonde hair, nice figure, she was pretty.

“It’s been so long.”

“Mackenzie.” Alondra said hugging her.

Nathan didn’t say anything.

“Hello, Nathan.” I nodded at him.

He was surprised that I acknowledged him.

“Melinda.” He nodded back.

“You know him?” Marcela asked. “I thought you didn’t.”

“He’s that friend I told you as to why I moved here.” I smiled.

“Oh, he never told me about you.” Mackenzie said she had a fake smile that reminded me of Lucy, that bitch.

I looked at Nathan.

“We weren’t that good of friends, I guess. I should really get to Dr. Albright.”

I glared at Nathan as I walked past him. Was that his girlfriend? No! He couldn’t have one, No!!!

I was out of the cafeteria when he caught me.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Melinda.”

I wouldn’t admit I was relieved.

“Who said I was thinking that?” I hissed and took my arm back. He still had his cane. I felt sort of guilty for being so mean to him.

“The look on your face.”

“Oh, you thought I was jealous or something?” I laughed like it was the funniest thing I’ve heard.

“I thought you hated me, why should care if I date or not?”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “I’ve never told you I hated you. I don’t hate you… I could never.” I said the last part quietly.

“But…” He trailed off and he looked angry. “Never mind, I’ve made a fool of myself.”

“You sure have.”

His nostrils flared for a second I saw the old Nathan, the one who had pointed the gun to my face. His eyes turned cold. He scared me a but. I kept forgetting he used to kill easily, but it seemed so long ago… as if it was in another life time.

“Fuck you Melinda, you have no idea what I’ve been through!”

“And you think my life was a piece of cake?!” I shouted back. “I needed you so many times.”

“I didn’t want to be useless to you.”

“Useless?”

“I-I s-still can-can’t… fuck!” He cursed.

I understood. He still stuttered.

“When I woke up… I couldn’t walk… speak. I wasn’t the old Nathan. I couldn’t tell you I was awake because--”

“Melinda!” I looked behind Nathan and saw Peter waving his hand at me.

Nathan looks back and he turns back to angry.

“Hey, Pete.” I said. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I could catch you for lunch.” He said coming to me and Nathan. He didn’t even glance at Nathan.

Awkward much?

“I can’t. I have to go back to work, but I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Dress fancy… it’s a big restaurant, I have the address.” He handed me a card with the name and address.

“Thanks. Bye.” I looked at Nathan. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Yes.”

I gave Peter a hug and shook Nathan’s hand.