Page 31 of Crossing the Line
The apartment had settled into its familiar quiet around her. The harbor fog pressed against her windows, muffling the distant sounds of Phoenix Ridge settling into night. She should go to bed early, but instead, she found herself checking her phone every few minutes, as if willing it to provide some sign of what came next.
When it finally buzzed with an incoming text, Harper's heart lurched before she could even see the sender's name.
Carmen Méndez: “Simulation Lab. 6 a.m.”
Harper stared at the message, reading it three times before the words fully registered. Four words. No context, no explanation, but somehow carrying more weight than the lengthy conversations she'd had with Alice and Piper about their supervisors' teaching methods.
Carmen was asking her to meet. Privately. At an hour before the day shift would arrive and when the hospital would be nearly empty.
Harper's fingers hovered over her phone's keyboard, drafting and deleting responses. “Thank you for the opportunity.”Too formal. “I can’t wait.”Too eager. “What should I prepare?”Too presumptuous.
Finally, she settled on: “I'll be there.”
It was simple, professional, and gave nothing away of the excitement building in her chest or the way Carmen's name on her phone screen made her pulse quicken.
Her phone chimed immediately: “Make sure you’re focused. This won't be routine.”
Harper set her phone aside and leaned back against her couch cushions, but sleep felt impossible now. Carmen had reached out and created an opportunity for them to work together without the constant presence of other medical staff.Whether this was purely educational or something more, it represented progress.
She thought about the afternoon's trauma response and the way Carmen had praised her assessment of Captain Walsh's cardiac rhythm. “Your understanding of cardiac trauma protocols is impressive.”The words had carried genuine respect and recognition of Harper's abilities separate from her mother's reputation.
Maybe that's what this was: Carmen acknowledging Harper's professional competence while creating space to address the personal complications between them. Or maybe it was purely educational, an attending physician providing additional training to a promising intern.
Harper realized she didn't care. Whatever Carmen's motivations, she was offering private time together. Harper would take whatever Carmen was willing to give and use it to build something real between them.
She finally closed the medical journal and moved toward her bedroom, but her phone remained in her hand, Carmen's text message still glowing on the screen.
Tomorrow, she would show Carmen the surgeon she was becoming and the woman she'd always been underneath the lies. Tomorrow, she would prove herself worthy of whatever Carmen was brave enough to offer.
For tonight, that possibility was enough to let hope settle warm and solid in her chest, carrying her toward sleep and dreams of steady hands working in perfect synchronization.
Harper's alarm rang at five-fifteen, but she'd already been awake for twenty minutes, staring at the ceiling and mentally rehearsing cardiac procedures Carmen might want to practice. Her usual morning routine felt disrupted by nervous energy that had nothing to do with medical anxiety and everything to dowith the prospect of private time with the woman who'd been occupying her thoughts since Friday night.
She showered quickly, then stood before her closet surveying her options with meticulous focus. The navy slacks and cream blouse struck the right balance—appropriate for a teaching session but flattering enough to remind Carmen that Harper was more than just another intern.
Her reflection looked composed, ready for whatever the simulation lab might bring. But underneath the professional veneer, Harper felt the flutter of anticipation that had kept her restless throughout the night.
Harper gathered her medical bag and double-checked she had everything she’d need. Carmen was thorough in her teaching, demanding precision and comprehensive understanding. Whatever procedure they’d practice today, Harper needed to demonstrate not just competence but genuine surgical instinct.
But more than professional preparation, she found herself thinking about the woman behind the surgeon: Carmen's rare smile when she was genuinely pleased with a student's progress, the way her voice warmed when she explained complex procedures to someone who was truly curious, and the vulnerability Harper had glimpsed beneath Carmen's controlled exterior.
The walk to Phoenix Ridge General Hospital took twelve minutes through streets still quiet in the pre-dawn darkness. Harbor fog clung to the buildings, creating pockets of silver mystery that made the familiar route feel different, more expectant. Harper's footsteps echoed against empty sidewalks, but she felt anything but alone. Somewhere ahead, Carmen was probably already at the hospital, preparing for her arrival with the same methodical precision she brought to everything.
The hospital's lobby was nearly deserted except for night shift staff and the security guard who nodded as Harper passed. She made her way to the simulation lab, her heart rate increasing with each step down the corridors. Through the small window in the lab door, she could see Carmen setting up equipment, her movements efficient and purposeful.
Harper paused outside the door, taking a moment to center herself. This was professional development, she reminded herself. An attending physician providing additional training to a promising intern. But their last interaction suggested this might be something more.
She knocked softly and entered when Carmen looked up.
"Good morning, Dr. Méndez."
Carmen's smile was small but genuine, the kind that transformed her entire face from professional composure to something warmer. "Harper. Thank you for coming early. I thought we could work on some advanced cardiac procedures without the usual classroom distractions."
The simulation lab felt different with just the two of them, more intimate despite the clinical equipment.
"What did you have in mind?" Harper asked, moving closer to examine the simulation setup.
"Complex arrhythmia management during cardiac repair," Carmen said, her voice taking on the focused tone she used when discussing challenging cases. "The kind of situation where textbook knowledge isn't enough. You need to trust your instincts and adapt quickly."
