Page 7 of Give Me Forever

Being in a hospital still felt strange to me. I spent the first years of my stint with Doctors Without Borders in dangerous areas. It had been a stressful time but also very rewarding. I was making a difference, and I'd learned invaluable skills. A doctor always had to react well under pressure and choose the best course of treatment for the patient. But making those decisions while being surrounded by gunfire or hearing sirens was another matter altogether. Even when I was in Honduras, things didn’t run as smoothly as here. It almost felt uncomfortable to bethiscomfortable.

When I entered the doctors’ lounge, Dr. Robinson Matthew was there. He was the CEO of the hospital and someone I looked up to. He became the CEO last year, after a riding accident left him unable to perform surgeries.

"Maxwell, good to see you. How do you like it here?" he asked.

I bought a sandwich from one of the vending machines. It didn't look like much, but I was starving, and it would do. "The team is treating me great."

He barked out a laugh. He was in his sixties and an absolute legend. “You’re something of a celebrity around here. We don't get many who’ve been abroad with Doctors Without Borders. The general usually steals them from us."The generalwas a nickname for the general hospital among the staff.

We sat down at one of the tables in the lounge. There were five in total, as well as a few couches. The cafeteria downstairs had more food to offer, but I didn't like that place as much. It was too crowded with staff, patients, and visitors. In between patients, I needed to be able to relax, and for that, I needed silence.

"You've accumulated a lot of knowledge and improved your technique, even while working under duress. You’ll flourish here."

"Thanks. I think I will too.”

“But you’re still unwilling to sign a permanent contract?"

I swallowed the mouthful of sandwich I’d just bitten off before speaking, and it went down like dried sawdust.

“I don't want to make any rash decisions.” I’d abandoned my work with Doctors Without Borders for Olivia. Since things didn’t work out, there was theoretically nothing keeping me here except the possibility of opening a pro bono clinic. "I want to give hospital life a try before committing to it. It’s a big change for me from what I used to do."

"Whenever you're ready to make it permanent, just say the word. We'll draft the contract before you have time to change your mind again.”

“Interesting. I have thought about that—and you know what would make me sign right away.”

He gave me a long look. “You drive a hard bargain, Maxwell.”

“Always.”

As CEO, Robinson Matthew could make the clinic happen. But he didn’t question me any further on that. Instead he asked, “You're still living in your brother's hotel?"

"Yeah, but I'm going to look at a loft in half an hour. It's three streets away from the hospital, which is way more convenient.”

Its proximity to the hospital was one of the reasons it caught my eye. The shifts were long and intense, and I didn't want to waste any time getting back home and crashing after a long day.

"Good luck with the apartment."

“Thank you.”

I had a good feeling about it, and I had a good feeling about seeing Avery again too. Travis might give me shit, but I didn't care. She and I were grown-ups now, and I was looking forward to catching up with her.

After finishing my sandwich, I headed to the main floor to the locker room and changed quickly. I was out of the hospital in under five minutes.

The hospital and the loft were in the Pilsen neighborhood of the city, almost on the border of the South Loop neighborhood.

Before taking this job, I hadn't ventured here too often. I had to admit, the murals were famous for a reason. They looked like the art you’d find in a nice gallery.

It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the explosion of colors on the walls after staring at sterile white and gray the whole day, but I liked it. This area had a different vibe from where I'd grown up, and even different from the location I shared with buddies in college and med school. I checked my phone to make sure I was going in the right direction, and I arrived at the address a few minutes later. The building looked solid. It was a converted warehouse, and the ground floor had authentic redbrick walls. The upper level consisted of huge windows.

"Sam?"

I’d recognize her voice anywhere. Glancing to my right, I saw Avery walking up to me.Fuck me.She looked exactly as I remembered but also different.

Her green eyes lit up. They’d always been one of the things I'd loved about her. Her blonde hair was long, covering her breasts. It was a few shades lighter than in high school.

"Hey, Avery. Great to see you again."

Her cheeks turned pink. I walked to her, leaning in and kissing her cheek. She smelled like flowers. Back in high school, she'd used a perfume with a minty note. I had no idea I'd memorized that detail about her.

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