Page 84 of Doctor Second Chance

I shrug, stirring my matcha. "Honestly? I'm not sure. I still have two more weeks of medical leave, so I don't have to rush back. It depends on when I can get in with the hand specialist there."

"And what about Shep?" Izzy asks, her tone cautious.

I sigh. "We're going to try long-distance. It's not ideal, but we both want to make it work."

As I chat with Izzy about my discharge and plans, my mind keeps drifting back to the job posting. Could I make a life here in Birmingham? Or am I getting way ahead of myself?

TWENTY-SEVEN

Shep

12:05 pm

I scrub out after surgery, feeling the familiar mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. As soon as I spoke with the patient’s family and cleaned up, I pulled out my phone to call Elle. My heart lifts when I hear her voice.

"Hey, how'd the appointment go?" I ask eagerly.

"Great news—Dr. Hampton officially discharged me," Elle says. I can hear the smile in her voice. "I'm cleared to head back to Florida."

A pang of emotion hits me—I'm thrilled for her recovery, but the thought of her leaving makes my chest tighten. I push that aside for now.

"That's fantastic, Elle. I'm so glad to hear it," I tell her warmly. "Where are you now? Want to grab lunch and celebrate?"

"I'm still at the cafe, actually. I’ve been catching up on work emails. Isabella stopped by earlier for coffee," Elle explains. "But lunch sounds perfect. Where should we meet?"

I suggest a deli sandwich place I love near the hospital.

"Sounds wonderful," Elle agrees. "I'll head over now and grab us a table."

"Great, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes," I say.

As I hang up, I feel a mix of emotions swirling. I'm genuinely thrilled about Elle's recovery and discharge. But I can't ignore the sadness creeping in at the thought of her leaving Birmingham. I haven't told her yet, but I've been doing some preliminary searches to see if any neurosurgeon positions are open around there. I never thought I would leave here, but surprisingly, I’m considering it. At least to the degree that I'm researching.

Brick & Tin

214 20th St N

I walk into the deli, scanning the room until I spot Elle. My heart skips a beat when I see her, just like it does every time. She's already seated at a table, looking radiant despite the weeks of hospital stays and rehab. I can't help but smile as I approach.

"Hey there," I say, leaning down to give her a soft kiss on the lips before sliding into the seat across from her.

"Hi," Elle beams back at me, her eyes sparkling.

"So, tell me more about the appointment," I say eagerly. "I'm so happy it went well."

Elle's face lights up as she shares the details. "Dr. Hampton said the scans look amazing. He thinks I should regain full range of motion and use once I'm fully healed."

I feel a wave of relief washes over me. I know how worried Elle is about potential long-term impacts on her hand function.

"That's incredible news," I tell her, reaching across the table to gently squeeze her good hand. "I know that's been weighing on you. I'm so happy for you, Elle."

She nods, a mix of excitement and relief evident on her face. "It's such a weight off my shoulders. There's still a long road of therapy ahead, but knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel makes all the difference."

"Absolutely," I agree. "And you've been crushing your therapy sessions. I have no doubt you'll get back to 100 percent before you know it."

As we finish our lunch, Elle shifts in her seat, a mix of nervousness and excitement playing across her face.

"Shep, there's something I wanted to run by you," she starts, her voice tentative. "I just found this posting, so I’m throwing it out there..."

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